Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-04-08
VOTERS GRANT $500
FOR FREE CONCERTS
Brass Band Organizes after ApprO-
priatiOn and Elects Hope Chief

! To signify their appreciation and en-
couragement of the efforts of the men
who have undertaken the difficult task
of reorganizing the ,Middlebury Brass
Band, the voters of the town in a spe-
cial meeting Saturday morning con-
sented unanimously to the appropria-
ton of the $500 requested by the lead
ers OF the movement. The meeting
was called to order at ten O'Clock by
Moderator Ira H. LaFleur. Within
three of four minutes the motion had
been made by Municipal Judge A. w.
Dickens that the town vote the sum
indicated in the warning for the main
tenance of free and open air concerts
during the summer season, and was
accepted without protest by the Is
citizens present
BY the stipulations of the appropria-
tion the band must play twelve CON
certs in the village here and three in
East Middlebury during the summer
OF 1921 1t is also understood that the
members OF the band receive no part
of the money given by the town In
the case of the players themselves the
work is gratuitous except when the
band is hired for special concerts here
or elsewhere.
At a business meeting held in the
band room Monday evening perma-
nenCy was given to the present organi-
zation by the election of officers. Rob
ert Hope, one of the men responsible
for the concert project, was elected
president George Rose was elected
secretary and the finances were en-
trusted to Gideon Abbey as treasurer.
The three officers are all well acquaint-
ed with local conditions that affect
their work as they have played in
Middleburv bands for many years. 1t
was agreed that two rehearSals be held
weekly until the beginning of the con-
cert season Joseph Cobb, who is ex-
pected to lead the band, was present
at the Monday meeting and addressed
the members
Mr. Cobb stressed the Importance of
search for more home talent to COM
plete the personnel of the band Two
trombones and two clarinets are still
needed to bring the strength up to the
minimum band membership. At pres
ent there are six cornets, including
Mr.. Cobb. three altos, two bassos, one
clarinet, a snare and bass drum and
one baritone 1t is expected that be-
fore long other musicians will consent
to take a place in the ranks Instead
of relying on hired assistance for con-
cert work an effort will be made to
persuade local men to fill the few va
cancies that still exist. A rehearsal
was held Tuesday evening
1t is expected that the Woman's
Club will assist by a series OF benefit
entertainments of one kind or another
in securing funds for the erection of a
modern bandstand. The present plat
form is unsafe
Almost all of the sixteen members
that make up the present band are
experienced. The cornetsts are six,
Joseph Cobb, Robert Hope, Ray Brit
ell, Oren Nelson, Milton Elmer and
Nathan Grady; the altos, Felix Lib
ertv. George Rose and viii Simonds
baritone, Charles Morgan; trombone,
William Gibson; clarinet, James
Bartch; snare drum, Fred Naylor;
bass drum, Frank Heighter; bassos,
James McNulla and Gideon Abbey.
There are several student bandmen
who attend the rehearsals as under
studies, including Stanley Hebert and
Francis Halnon as clarinetists and Viii
liam Brileya as trombone