The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-05-31
HENRY ". PUTNAM
DEDICA1ES SITE
OF HOSPITAL
Turning First Sod Rite Largely
Attended This Forenoon
ADDRESS BY REV. MR.. JENNINGS
Village President A. W. 5raIsted, VIII
liam n. Nichols and Rev, G. S.
Mills Have Parts in Exercises.

The first sod in the breaking of the
ground for the new Henry w. Putnam
memorial hospital was turned at 1915
this forenoon by Henry W Putnam,
Jr., on the hill top on the right of up
per Dewey street between 1900 and
1900 people being present.
Not for many years has the village
had q demonstration OF this size for
such an object and the remarkable
turnout Of SO many citizens on SO
short a notice proves the interest
which the public has in the new insti-
tuition and the appreciation which they
desired to show the donor When
President W. ii. Nichols OF the Sen
nington board Of trade heard that Mr.
Putnam was in town and that ground
could be broken this morning, he got
in connection with the telephone com
pany and most rapid piece Of adyer-
tising was launched. Practically
every citizen who had a telephone WAS
notified and Rev, G. 5. Mills, Mayor A.
W. Braisted and Rev Isaac Jennings
were secured to voice the appreciation
OF the people of Bennington in prayer
and short addresses.
BY nine o'clock several hundred peO-
pie arrived on the hill top afoot and
by automobile and this number was
augmented by a parade Of school child
ren headed By the Bennington city
band who reached the grounds at about
the same time that Mr. Putnam also
arrived in his motor car. Loud ap-
plause greeted his arrival and prom.
inent men of fthe village were on
hand to greet him.
President Nichols opened the-eXer-
cises by brief word OF thanks on the
part on the Board OF Trade for the in
terest Of Bennington citizens in the oc-
casion and for their ready response to
his appeal to be on hand to show Mr.
Putnam by their presence how much
the gift of $4,000 for the structure was
appreciated
Rev G. S Mills was called upon for
a prayer and delivered very appro-
pirate invocation The sight eli a
thousand people standing on hill top
with barred heads ON a beautiful May
morning made q very unusual and
touching spectacle, for the crowd re-
presented those from every walk Of
lie and of every race and creed within
the corporation.
Village President A. W. Braisted
publicaly expressed the appreciation
Of the community for the generous
gifts to Bennington by father and son
dwelling as much on the efficient
water system which made the
| success of the hospital perman-
ent, as upon the gift of $4,000.
His brief and pithy speech met with
loud applause.
This applause, however, was doubled
when President Nichols introduced Mr.
| Putnam who came to the front with q
| bright and shining spade and amid the
! swapping Of cameras, sent the spade in.
10 the sod and turned over several
shovels filled with the rich brown
earth. MIR. Putnam was called upon
for few remarks, but evidently be
ieving that actions speak louder than
words he gracefully declined with thC
remark that he was not speech
maker
The main address OF the occasion
was delivered by Rev. Isaac Jennings
Dr.. Jennings spoke for about fifteeJ
minutes. the pith of his address hein,
that bennington had waited so long fc
| this hospital that now the gift wa
realized, she was in position to an
| preciate what the Punams, both faith
er and son had done and were doing
| He began his address by an apprc
pirate sentiment in regard to Memoria
Day stating that yesterday Bonnine
ton gathered to do honor to the me-
who fifty years ago stood between tn
| country and death; today Benningto
had gathered to do honor to an instiu
| tion which in the years TO come was t
, stand between mankind and deou
Briefly he referred to Seth Wano
3 | the first physician Of record in Bel
! | ningtou and the work which had sine
| | been done to alleviate sickness an
e | suffering in the community. until Z
s | last this work was being climaxed b
? the Putnam Memorial Hospital II
spoke of the spirit of Christ which
growing among men to do good worl
after the nature of this institution, r
T. ferring to the name which is given
; the hospitals Of France, which tran
& lated into English means; House
n God. Declaring that every hospit
h was house of God. he went furtn
S in defining the word hospital as Hon
e place where the community extern
b hospitality to all men regardless
n race. creed, wealth or social positio
d where all men might apply for SAINT
lr airy from disease and suffering witho
W shame or the odious though that tn
Fl were recipients of charity.
He concluded with a repetition of {