The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-08-24

mouse. To put TINS marker In proper
condition, to repair the breaks In the
stone and to make It's inscription leg
ibe, and then TO provide some sort of
lasting protection for II would be far
more desirable than to replace II with
costly or elaborate marker we he.
lleve. We are glad to report that the
ID. A. II, has accepted the invitation OF
your committee and now has the mat
ter In hand.
The Catamount Monument.
II Is well.known to many OF the
members Of this association that the
inscription upon the pedestal of the
bronze catamount, at Old Bennington
Is not strictly accurate. The cata.
mount marked does not stand upon the
site OF the old Catamount Tavern, p.
the present inscription quite plainly
implies. II Is only question Of time
IA few years at most when those
familiar with this fact will have passed
away and the marker will be the cause
of perpetuating quite needless error.
While this may not be OF cardinal I'm.
portance, II should he averted II II can
be done. Perhaps more important Is
the fact that the inscription conveys
no information to the visitor concern
ing the famous tavern, or the momen-
tous events associated with It.
Your Historical Committee believes
that something should be done to cor
rect and to amply the inscription
upon the pedestal Of the monument as
II now stands, provided It can be done
without injuriously affecting the arts
tic beauty OF what is universally &C
knowledged to be one OF the most
beautiful monuments in America. We
respectfully suggest, therefore, that a
small committee Of three members,
b1 elected. or Apo ntod to make a
study OF this question and to report
upon II at the next annual meeting Of
the association.
Working for a Museum.
Visitors to Bennington who are
aware of it's historic interest and i'm
portance are constantly express.n sur
prise and disappointment at finding
that we have no museum and no i'm
portant public collection Of historical
relics 1t is one of the most glarng
omissions in the Est of our public in
stitution3. We hope that by the time
the sesqu centennial is reached this
gap in our civic life will have been
filed In the meant me another task
must be attended to. II is well known
that during many years past this com
munity has been steadily drained OF its
most important historical relics. large
numbers OF which have been sold ID
ind viduals and institutions away from
Bennington Recent instances of this
will occur to the minds OF many mem
bers. 1t is probable that If we had had
museum here this alienation of i'm
portant hlstor cal relics would not
have taken place.
Your Historical Committee believes
that if we had a small body of incOr-
poratcd trustees commanding the con-
hdence Of the entire community, com
posed OF men and women thoroughly
representative of our citizenship, for
the special purpose of holding in trust
historical relics intended for a public
museum many valuable gifts and be-
quests of ind vidual relics and collec-
tions would be made to 1t from time
to time. With this object in mind, we
have appointed Mr.. j. * Batchelder
as a committee to take whatever steps
may be necessary to secure the incor-
poration OF such a body of trustees
competent to receive and hold in trust
for a public museum, gifts and be
quests of all kinds, to expend any mon
les entrusted to il for the purchase OF
desirable articles. and 70 be respon-
sible for the custody and care of all
such acquisitions by gift, bcquest or
purchase. II is expected that many OF
our items will bequeath to such trus'
tees collections and individual articles
that might not otherwise be conserved
for public use.
In common with all the other mem
hers of the association we mourn the
loss OF our esteemed President, Mr.
n r. Cushman. In addition to being
President of the Assoc alton Mr.. Cush'
man was an active and faithful mem
per of this Historical Comm ttee We
who were his colleagues in that work
know how faithfully and well he Ia
bored. In Joining with the entire mem
bership Of the Association in express
ing our profound regret at the loss we
have sustained hy his death. we ask
that the vacancy in our committee oc-
casioned by his death be filled at TINS
meeting.