The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-19
STAMFORD LOOKS TO FUTURE
Citizens Elect a Committee to De-
velop Village PIan-Bennington
County Association Cooperating

County Association Cooperating
The North Adams Transcript of
January 14th has the following ar
ticlc
Why should not a community plan
| for the future? Many communities.
like many men, simply drift. Other
communities like many other men,
, steer They have an ideal, a pur-
pose, toward which they work. The
man who drifts winds up in Jail, or
the poor house or the gutter or at
least in poverty. The community,
which drifts winds up with deserted
farms, impassable roads, tumble
down houses, poor schools and gener-
al dilapidation. The man, who has
great purpose in life, who shapes
everything toward that purpose
comes out prosperous, likewise the
community.
Today everyone recognizes the fact
that man must have plan in life
if he Is to succeed, but few realize
that their community must also have
plan il it is to succeed. Most COM
munities simply drift Roads are
patched up anyway from year to year
with little thought OF constructive
plan Schools are conducted with
only the thought of how the pupils
this year may be accommodated, with
no thought of five years in advance.
Officers are elected from mere caprice
or personal preference with little
thought Of who Is best qualified to
develop the community. Resources,
agricultural, mineral or industrial.
lie undeyeloped. water power goes to
waste. when there are people and
when there is money to develop these
resources, simply because of lack of
a community plan People remove
take their places, because no one
outside knows of the opportunities
and resources.
But one town is going to drift no
longer. Stamford has long been one
of Vermont's most progressive small
towns and now it is taking the lead
by appointing committee to study
the community, its resources, possi-
bilities. needs, and to develop con-
structive plan for the future.
The committee is unofficial and has
no power other than to suggest and
recommend. But Stamford people
cooperate, they work together. There
is a great village pride and It is pret-
ty certain that everything recommend
ed by this committee will be brought
TO pass.
For week the citizens have been
conducting campaign in coopera-
tion with the Bennington County AS
soeiation. Mass meetings have been
held every night, public spirit is at
high pitch. Last night Secretary
Bartlett of the County Association,
gave an address on Cooperation in
which he urged plan for the future.
At the close of his address the mat
ter was discussed for over an hour,
many of the prominent citizens taking
part Upon a motion from the floor
a committee OF three citizens was
elected by direct primary ballot.
Those elected were r. J. Sanford. A.
j. Tanner and L. D. Bishop. These
men are to choose others as they may
deem fit, making committee of five
or seven members. The whole
community is back of them and the
Bennington County Association is
cooperating. Willard W, Bartlett.
the Secretary Of this Association is a
specialist in community develop
ment and he will work with the
committee. 1t is his expectation
that many other communities in the
County will follow the lead of STAN
ford and that they will all help each
other in their parallel problems
We expect. however, that Stamford
will always be the leader, they do
things right in that town. Better
keep your eye on Stamford that is
the kind of town to live in, to work
i'll. to summer in, and to invest
money in.