The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-04-29
BRATTLEBORO SEEN BY VISITOR
(Contbpued from Page ID

i1pIlBtuGu from L aye IL
spirit prevalent. it is my desire to show
that at least one stranger reciprOcates
the citizens united goodwill, hence this
view of the town.
The spirit required for progress in any
community is one of united cooperation.
and this has been and is being developed
in Brattleboro to a marked degree.
The chamber of commerce has accom-
phShed wonders in a comparatively short
time, but there is yet room for improve
ment.
The possibilities for industrial develop
ment here are wonderful. Some of the
best factory sites in the United States
are available on the railroad OUT towards
Putncy, where sidings could be put in.
If were a resident here. the first
thing / would suggest would be that the
citizens put up a mammoth sign on the
shy line, in letters 20 feet high ON top of
your famous mountain, "Welcpme to
BrattIeboro.r / would let the morning
SIN shine through it as it comes up over
he hilltop and the evening sun shine on
he face of it, Yes, and light il up at
night 80 that the passing stranger would.
know and feel the welcome which | dis
,oycred only when | stopped off here.
Then again the plans now on foot for
he development of the community center
gbc0ple. O1t 5slsssAE 05a 4tls
In the May number of the American
Magazine there Is an interesting article
hCNing what the town of Winnetka Ill.
as done along that line. That article
'lould be read and re-read by all of the
eading spirits as it shows what the
West is accomplishing.
Then / would appoint committee to
9scertain the names and present where
abouts Of every young man who has left
Brattieboro i'm the last decade. write
them a good cordial personal letter to
,one back and settle in their home town.
n which they would no doubt make more
IF a success than in wandering afar,
ockmg for the end of the rainbow. /
heard of a town that did that once and
the young men returned full of new
IDEAS and virtually put the place on the
map. Why not do likewise here?
4 stroll down Main street in the bust
ness section impresses one with the
wealth and prosperity of the community,
every second or third building seems to
oe bank. The merchandise in the
tcreS is up to date. but all the window
displays. with one or two exceptions, are
Door. The merchants do not seem to
display their goods attractively or entic-
ingly 1t strikes ME very forcibly that
| the prevailing color of the store fronts
is black. dark brown or some somber
or uninteresting color
Why so much black paint?
Auother think that aStoniSheS the
visitor is the fact that to gain entrance
to any of these stores one has to climb
up a flight Of two or three cold granite
steps that look dingy Why. one natur-
lily asks. don't the store Keepers or
)wnerS tear them out and put in a ramp
IT runway with good rubber covering
so as TO make entrance and egreSs.. less
of an effort on the part of the spending
public? The average person will follow
he line of least resistance in his pur
.hases
Another thing that astonishes the
the stranger is the need of plain soap and
water and a cleanup campaign" at the
entrances to the buildings. Some of the
fronts have never been cleaned except by
tho rain or snow. This is just criti-
cism and is given in a spirit of helpful
ness by one who likes the business peo-
pie. and desires nothing but their success
and the success of the town. \ re-pave-
ment of the street, also would be dis
tinct Improvement
The great possibilities of this town as
a summer resort for tourists from all
parts of the country have never been
shown to the world That is only a
small item in comparison with its great
development as a winter resort of the,
highest order. and the sports which took
place here last winter showed Brattle-
boro to be equal if not superior to Mon
treaf Quebec, the White mountains or
many places in the Swiss Alps Aside
| from either summer or winter attrac-.
| sions, Brattleboro has been long famous
| as q health resort of the highest class.
With a community of congenial people.
| who extend the hand of fellowship to
stranger and make one feel instantly lat
| home. it would not surprise me to find
| Brattleboro, one of the metropolises of
| the future.
| Were | a citizen here it would be my
| ambition to tell the world the facts about
| this community. for if you would take
stock of yourselves and as Robbie Burns
nuts it. See ourselves as others see us,
| then improve the strong points and
| abolish the weak ones. it would be a
revelation to the people of the country
at large.
Here is a town with good schools. ex-
cellent churches, good clubs, wonderful
/ golf course. excellent train service, good
/ factory sites with plenty of cheap power,
1 lots of skilled labor available. fine lodges,
a progressive chamber of commerce. good
hotel aeconmoda&iorfsa and last. but not
fleast, spirit of heIpfnlness and congen-
| iality thatsis not excelled in any place in
/ New England.
H. Thesa@ara impressions which your
town makes on passing stranger and
which make him feel that ne would like
i fha spaxifahIa x4raaraea