The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-07-05
Children's Parade in Fore
noon a Beautiful
Spectacle
MUCH AMUSEMENT
AT ISLAND PARK
Exhibition of Fireworks in
Evening Is Greatly
Enjoyed

Literally thousands Of people, repre-
senting several states, lined Main street
to watch the children's parade, which
was the biggest and unquestionabIy the
most interesting feature Of the Fourth
Of July celebration in Brattleboro. Large
crowds also witnessed sports on Island
Park in the afternoon and the pageantry
Of fireworks in the evening.
Weather conditions, however. were
not ideal, for the sun. shone only at in
tervals, while at other intervals from
early morning until late at night rain
fell in small quantities.
| \ brief shower in the morning. how
ever, did not interfere with the parade,
which started from the common shortly
| after o'clock and in which hundreds of
children took part. The line of march
was down Linden and Main streets, out
Elliot street to the Princess theater,
/ thence back to Main street and then to
| the plaza, where ribbon prizes were
| awarded
| The parade and fireworks were under
/ the management of Brattleboro Commun-
| lty Service, Frederic K. Brown director
While the afternoon events were put on
| by Manager r. j. Fenton of Island
| Park. They worked in conjunction with
/ each other and the result was very sat
| isfactory. This was the first public
] Fourth of July celebra ton in Brattle-
boro in long time, and while there
/ We're one or two spots which did not
| shine as brightly as the rest the general
effect was pleasing and the experience
/ showed where to make improvements
| next time. 1t is estimated that 5000
persons saw the ehildren's parade. Ger
tainly the streets never were so crowded
with persons and automobiles on any
previous Independence day celebration.
Shortly after 9 o'clock the children
were given their positions in the parade.
! which was headed by the Brattleboro
Military band with Fred H. Harris as
| marshal, and it was but a few minutes
more before the order was even to start.
The band was followed by a boy on a
| in which were roosters, ducks, baby tur-
their prettily decorated doll carriages,
| children's decorated express wagons, a
group representing the Oak Grove ave-
nue. school, group of children dressed
| as farmers, Japanese costumed children,
mere express carts, a group of sailors
leading the junior Red Cross group of
girls, all of whom were dressed in white
AMI wore Red Cross caps. They car
J ricd above their heads large red crepe
paper cross, which was laid horizontally.
Next were several horribles IN varying
costumes, a group of boys and girls as
Indians, a ''frecracker", clipped collie
dog in cage to represent a lion, the cage
bearing the words ''the king of beasts
it never reigns but it paws" A large
number of the girls from Miss Grace
/ Hrlbrook's Green Mountain camp in
West DummerstOn we're in the line in
their khaki uniforms Charlie Chaplin
and his wife also were represented.
Perhaps the greatest variety in any
group was that of the Windham County
Eserr alIt hove nd
the participants came from some of the
county towns and brought with them
some of the things in which they were
, most interested. There was a sheep, a
eoat. a calf, a collie puppy and cage
| in which were rooSters, ducks. body tur-
The donkey which was at the head of
tho parade also belonged in the club
. group. The members are specially to be
commended for the interest manifested.
) which necessitated several miles of travel
for each.
Rabbits, kittens, dogs and dolls We're
prominent in the line. The children man-
ifested much interest IN the parade. dec
, Grating their doll carriages, tricycles, BIZ
cycles or express carts prettily, using
largely the red, white and blue IN various IS,l
forms. Some of the vehicles bore pla-
I, cards. one of these reading 'Ain't we got
fun" 1t was apparent that the children
were really having a lot of fun.
; Altogether it was one of the most in
) teresting parades ever passing along
Main street. and none but pleasing COM
ments were heard from the spectators.
The judges, however, had a difficult task
in deciding to whom the awards should
be made and several times remarked that
they would like to give a ribbon to every
bov and girl.
The parade was arranged by commit
tee which consisted of Mrs. Frank E.
: Barber, chairman, Mrs w. NJ Rider,
tom and Mrs Fred Wilder and Mrs John
Atkinson of West Brattlebor0
Ribbon prizes were awarded as fol-
lows blue for first, red for second and
white for third: Largest and best
marching group, Green Mountain camp
girls; best organization group, junior
Red Cross second organization group,
sailor boys leading Red Cross; best out
of town group, Windham County Farm
!. Bureau club boys and girls most artistic
group Oak Grove school: unique group,
several West Brattleboro children repre-
senting q family; second. Fred Coombs,
Francis Coombs and Richard Hamilton
as farmers; best miscellaneous group,
children gaFbed as Indians; best deco
rated wagon and group, Raymond Skin
ner, drawing Virginia Skinner in pink
and green decorated wagon, Merrill Har-
ris and Wendell Harwood: second, Fred
Farwell drawing Marjorie Goddard
best decorated doll carriage. Ihema
Field: ID. Harriet Newell; Sd, Ellen
Bjorklund; most antique doll and ear
riage. Keziah Hamilton most antique
doh (67 years old, Edith Kent; best doll
: