The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-05-15
GREATER VT. ASSOCIATION
A Statewide Program that Counts
for C,eveIopment


ing in this state can be gained from
the report of the secretary, James p.
Taylor, at the annual meeting in
Brattleboro Thursday:
"rne last annual meeting and din
ner Of the Greater Vermont associa-
ton held in Burlington February,
1914, has been spoken of as the
most representative gathering held
in Vermont for many years" "one of
the most notable occasions in the his
tory of the development of the new
Vermont spirit The influence of
the meeting has been very marked
in the work of the association and its
constituent organizations during the
year. Vermont communities contin-
ued to form organizations and the or
ganizations unified and stimulated by
the association, continued to act
more and more strongly and enthus-
iastically in carrying out statewide
program which counts for the devel-
opment Of Vermont.
The association in very special
way promoted the organization of
the Bellows Falls Chamber of Com,
merce in November. 1914. Its influ-
ence through personal work and a
better acquaintance tour in the fan
of 1913 played an important part in
forwarding in March 1914, the forma-
ton of the st Adams Business and
Professional Mems association. Since
their formation both these organiZa-
tons have been making history The
association is working for the exten-
sion OF the civic and commercial or
ganization until every community is
organized for efficiency,
The association congratulates itself
that the first of its slogans "A
county agent for every one of Yer
mont's counties" is so nearly sIog-
an of achieved victory. Impressed
by the work begun in Bennington
and Windsor counties the assoc.s-
tion in January, 1913, put this propo.
sition up to all the other Vermont
counties. And now nine Vermont
counties are manned by county ag-
ents. and soon will be added tenth.
Through the distribution of literat.
ure, through exhibits, through ad-
dresses at its annual meeting, the
association is endeavorlng to keep
before the minds of the people the
/ remarkable work of such county or
ganizations as the Bennington
County Vermont Improvement asso-
citation and the County Improvement
Leagues in Massachusetts, in the
hope that other Vermont counties
may take up county work along such
broad economical and social lines,
and keep UP the Vermont leadership,
first established by Bennington
county.
Through the initiative of the asso-
citation boards of trade in the shire
towns of Vermont, counties have
arranged for luncheons at which bus
mess men fraternize with the select
men and town road commissioners
on the days appointed for their an
nual meetings with the state high
way commission. This plan was car
ried out in 1914 by eight boards of
trade, and in 1915 by 10 boards OF
trade with increasing enthusiasm
and attendance. The State highway
commissioners witness to the practi-
cal benefits of this getting together.
Last year Mr., Gates wrote, u consid-
~ haf nf
have made Boards of trade proper
ly organized and working along these
lines can do great deal in awaken.
ing an interest among the business
men and in fostering a spirit of Co
operation that is absolutely neces.
sary to make our road scheme in
Vermont a success
This year Mr.. Bates writes, "The
proposition is all right. The future
Of road work in Vermont depends
upon the expression of public senti-
ment These meetings with the Sc
lectmen and town road commission
ers have encouraged and stimulated
all those connected with the work. .
iCSt IOhlS nave OtCpllit IL oldLb
institution They have bound togeth
er the men Of the counties, the men
of the State They have enabled all
to make personal inspection of Yer.
| mont business and Vermont re
sources. One organization has prac.
tically surveyed the entire State in
three great two-day tours. Another
organization has taken a party OF
| nearly one hundred men on two
| day tour and is considering three
day tour this coming summer. A
third has covered its region intimate
! ly by about dozen one-day tours
| The three boards of trade of one OF
the counties by exchange of visits
last summer have made the men OF
| the county unit for county develop
| ment. Two tours last summer, one
in the northern part of the State, and
the other in the southern, were taker
! on the same two days and kilograms
were exchanged.
The suggestion of such tours, il
some cases the blue prints of the
routes, have come from the Office OF
the association. One newspaper
| comments: "No one thing inaugu
| ratad Inv Tho Creator Varmont oesoo