The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-08-19
Bennington County Vermont
Improvement Association
ment. The Material is Furnished by The County
Association. Headquarters, Savings Bank Building,
Bennington VT. Secretary, Willard w. Bartlett


in the different agricultural centers
arousing interest and oriting efFec
tive organizations to cooperate will
the County Agent in carrying thu
work TO all the farmers in thu
County.
In September demonstrations K
show the need Of keeping dairy pro.
duction records will begin, in order
that dairy farmers may obtain more
than new dollar for an old one.
Roads
Good roads are fundamental to the
welfare Of the farmers and on the
welfare of the farmer depends the
very life of the County. Investiga-
tions have proven that even in States
where excessive amounts of money
have been put into roads they more
than pay for themselves in the saving
of wear, tear and breakdowns on We
hicles, in the saving of time by draw
ing larger loads and by going more
quickly, in the saving of expense by
lessening the number of horses it is
necessary to maintain, in being able
to haul in bad weather, in being able
to get produce to the market when
prices are best, in the increased value
of land, in money brought into terri
tory by tourists, etc, etc. This is to
say nothing of the increased social,
church and school life, quicker medical
attention and better mail service made
possible.
Vermont road problems are great;
it costs more to build and maintain
roads in a mountainous country than
over level plains and in addition Yer
mont has no great, wealthy cities pay
ing large taxes to build State roads.
In this County during the last few
years there has been spent from $685.
900 to $4,000 per year on roads. An
engineer has been defined as man
who can do for S100 what any man
can do for $500. 1t costs approxim-
ately $500 more per year to maintain
civil engineer as County Supervisor
Of Highways than to have an untrain-
ed man. The County Association pays
the extra $700 and enables the County
to have an expert road engineer. 1t
does this for the same reason that a
man, when his child's health needs at
tenton, employs a physician and not
the first man he meets who is looking
for work The doctor costs more but
is worth more than the difference in
cost.
TIE general policy of the State De-
partment of Highways of improving
the worst places on the State road
in each town first has been carried
out. Each town has had its share in
this improvement and it may be said
that there is remaining on the State
roads in the County hardly one ex-
tremely dangerous spot to dozen
that existed a few years ago.
No part of the past seasons con-
struction work has been badly washed
by either the spring thaw or subse-
luent rains. One washout due to
faulty construction might have caused
a loss of much more than the differ
ence in salary between road engin-
eer and an unframed man.
1t is planned that during the winter
the County Supervisor shall give a
series of illustrated talks throughout
The County with the object of spread
ng intelligent interest in road prob
ems.
Schools
Bennington County has many good
schools and it has many towns
which are sparsely settled and in
which it is difficult to maintain effic-
ent schools. 1t is surprising what
rood schools are found in even some
If the more sparsely settled towns.
But there is great opportunity for
Here is one method.
The children can clean and paint and |
axe, girls can make curtains and |
liant flowers, boys can build walks
md playground apparatus and the |
men of the community can give a |
lays work from time to time. To en-
ourage this the Improvement Associ-
ton has for two years conducted
,chool Improvement Contest giving
ounty and town prizes to schools ac-
the most along improve
lent lines. Children, parents, school
irectors, teachers and others have
And if you to-day make
tour of the schools in the County,
gu will be surprised to find the in
reased number of schools having
ainted buildings, playground appar-
tus, graded lawns, etc.
This year AZ schools entered the
ontest and here are some of the
lings accomplished: All the schools
ont foors hlaekhoards ward and sur