The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-02-21
BENNINGTON WELFARE
ASSOCIATION LEADS
Given First Place Among Villages In
Constructive Planning by
Miss Mackay

constructive rIdHnin9 py
Miss Mackay
Constance Darcy Mackay, a friend
of Miss MathIlde Vossler former re-
creation instructor for he Bennington
Welfare association, mas an article in
the February number of the Red
Cross Magazine entitled "All the
Worlds a Stage" The article has
for Its theme he revival of the drama
in America through the community
movement.
The writer cites numerous instan-
ces in which groups of amateur play
eri In all sections of the country
have been producing pagean and
one ac play and even moro preten
tious dramas.
Bennington is given prominent
place In the article: "In sheer con
structive planning in what may be
ca led rotation Of recreation, Ben
ning on, vermont, town that is sit
uated in the heart OF the New Eng
land farming country, easily leads all
villages.
The Public Welfare association of
Bennington exists, as is said in a
preamble to their constitu ion, ito
make leisure hours constructive and
recreation wholesome" Membership
dues at one dollar. and entertainments
with admi tance fees at moredate
rate finance the whole undertaking.
Bennington's programs of imaginative
recreation are never allowed TO be-
come monotonous. Take an example
covering four years OF work:
Firs. Year
May Day Festival of the Folk Dan
ces OF all Nations
Second Year
Washington's Birthday, The pag-
cant of Patriots with all the schools
rarticipating)
Public Ceremonial Of Camp Fire
Girls in Opera House.
Community Fes iva in April, given
indoors Folk Dancing. Chorus. Play
Tableaux
Peace Pageant produced July 4th.
Labor Day Program OF the Folk
Songs of Al Nations (outdoor)
Halloween. Procession of Headless
tiOIbelutHt Nil0hSS, cpOOhst ihulAhS.
Community Christmas Tree and
Band Concert.
Community Christmas Coillion.
Third Year
"The Little Princess" by Frances
Hodgson Burnett, produced in April by
School Players trained by the Educa-
tional Dramatic Method.
In May. the Anniversary of he Ad
mission of Vermont TO the Union, ce-
ebrated by the production of I'm Old
We mont" by Dorothy Garfield Fish
er, given in Library Hall. Later this
was repeated and aiken ION tour" to
some OF the surrounding towns by the
Community Players.
4th of July: Fireworks. The send
ing off OF many lighted ballons A
big community bonfire.
In mid-August an outdoor commun-
ity production oi Julius Caesar.
For Chris mas, Dickens Christmas
Carol" and THE Birds' Christmas
Carol" by Kate Douglas Wiggin, pro
duced by amateurs, indoors. Out |
doors--festoons of light, lighted mot
toes which adorn the streets at night
tOr q WnOI1 week. /
On Christmas afternoon the vii age
was divided into sections. and bands
OF Christmas waits from the churches
went through the sections assigned to
them and sang to all the shut ius
The waits then met in Library Hall
where hot chocolate and sandwiches
were served. Later hey assembled
in Putnam House square, where they
led a crowd of two thousand singing
Christmas caros which were illustra-
ted, as they sang, by outdoor sterop-
ticons of grea. masterpieces.
Fourth Year.
Old Time Community Dance on st.
Valentines Day.
Later in February, Camp Fire Girls
gave play of Every Girp.
May time festiva' idea started. with
old English customs and dances
4ih of July Parade of Historic
Floats.
On Labor Day, a Childrens Festiv-
a..
On Halloween, a procession of hovs
and girls in Mother Goose, Goblin
esque. and Pumpkinesque costumes.
II may be added in connection with
this that the Labor Day festival was
aged for eighteen dollars. The 4th
of July parade cost only fifty-four
dollarc.
The success of this whole venture
was made possible because Benning
ton was far-sighted enough to engage
a recreational leader, combining or
ganizing ability and athletic acumen.