July 2018  3rd Quarter Number 55 |
Artifacts
& Fiction The Quarterly Newsletter of the Montgomery Historical Society P.O. Box 47 Montgomery, VT 05470 e-mail pratthall@gmail.com www.montgomeryhistoricalsociety.org Click here for a printer friendly pdf version |
 New Heritage Garden Bench |
|
Scott Perry - Chair/Editor Bill McGroarty - Vice Chair Marijke Dollois - Secretary Mark Baddorf - Treasurer The MHS Board meets the third Thursday of the month at 5:00 p.m. at Pratt Hall in the summer, and the Public Safety Building Conference Room in the winter. Montgomery History Quiz: a. Butter tubs b. Grass seed c.
Wool
d.
Maple syrup 2. According
to the 1850
census, what was the ratio of sheep
to cows in Montgomery? a. 3:1 b. 5:1 c. 8:1
d.
10:1 3. According
to annual
census reporting, in 1870 Montgomery’s
conversion to dairy farming was well under way with over 35,000 pounds
of
butter produced. What was the figure in 1880? a. 50,000 b. 70,000 c. 120,000
d. 180,000 4. In 1914
Montgomery was
the largest producer of maple sugar
(not syrup) in Franklin County. How many pounds? a. 32,000 b. 79,000 c.
116,000 d.
179,000 |
CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE This newsletter includes a link to photos of our recently completed work behind Pratt Hall. Inspired by some generous gifts from some of our past members' families, we wanted to create a pleasant area where one could just sit and think. Of course as soon as we finished the work the heat wave began and we've been busy watering to keep our new plants alive! Please check out the pictures, or stop by and take a look (but give the grass a little more time to fill in, thanks). Last newsletter
I excerpted a “Seven Days” article on Vermont’s small historical Societies by
Rachel Elizabeth Jones. I paraphrased
her description of them (us) and was compelled to create our latest T-shirt. It has our Pratt Hall logo and
the phrase “a benign fringe element dallying with obscurity…since 1973”. This is sort of a “Keep Montgomery Weird” or
“Eat More Kale” declaration that, hopefully inspires others to smile, think, and get
involved. |
|
Buildings and Grounds Update
Our major project for the Summer is landscaping
our property behind Pratt Hall. Acquired in 2005, little had
been done to it, and falling and leaning trees were a menace to our
neighbors so we took the initiative.
We hired "Nature By Design" (NBD) to create an attractive area suitable for meditation. We're calling it a Heritage Garden, a place where you can sit and reflect about all those who came before us and made our community, and our organization, such a terrific place. It features a decorative bench, stone wall, and flowering shrubs and perennials. It is a work in progress and we will no doubt add features over time. Our thanks to NBD, Avery Stanley, Charlie Fichman and crew, and The Men With Tools. Also our appreciation to a host of volunteer waterers under the expert eyes of Steve Hogan.  Newly Installed Heritage Garden Summer and Fall Events
In May
Pratt Hall hosted a "Friends of the Library" Vermont Humanities program
on Charles Ross Taggert, the Old Time Vermont Fiddler. Adam
Boyce inhabited the fiddler and told of his life and performed some of
his acts.
Photo by K.Kuryloski
In August we will host a benefit concert for the Library on the 18th and on the 25th there will be a "Trinkets and Treasures " lawn sale. Our web site has the most up to date info on programs and events. MHS Events Trinkets and Treasures
Our periodic lawn sale, Trinkets and Treasures, is on for Aug 25th. We’d like donations of good quality treasures, but no clothes, books, or electronics. They can be dropped off at the Heaton House on Saturday, Aug. 11th and 18th before the event. Email us if you have any questions or need to arrange another time. Thanks. MHS
Annual Meeting
Our bylaws require us to have an Annual Meeting
every June to provide a "State of the Society" report and elect Board
members. This year's was June 29th.
About 60 members and guests attended the business meeting
where Chairman Scott Perry presided. Thanks to
your support the State of our
Society remains very good. We are strong financially, meet
our
mission
goals, and have fun doing it. 2017-18 saw a number of new
initiatives which we hope will boost membership.
Chairman Scott Perry presided
over the business part of the evening and presented his and the
officer's reports.
After the business meeting 53 members and guests moved to the historic Black Lantern where we filled the dining room. Our thanks to the BL owners and staff for a delicious meal and relaxed atmosphere.  Scott About to Reveal
the New "Benign Fringe Element..." T Shirt
Scholarship Winner Our Joe and Irene Scott memorial scholarship was awarded to Kyla Perry. Kyla was her class valedictorian and will be attending the University of Vermont as a "Green and Gold" scholar in the fall. She will be majoring in Environmental Science and hopes to become a Marine Biologist . MHS scholarships are awarded to a graduating Montgomery senior going on to further education or training of any type. Applications are due May 1st every year. Applications can be downloaded from our web site. Besides the glory, winners receive a short biography of their scholarship's namesake, a check, a certificate, and a copy of the Montgomery Town History. Congratulations to Kyla and her proud parents.  Kyla Perry and Her Mom and Dad Engraved Bricks Remain Popular, Sales Continue
People continue to express interest in the engraved brick
pavers and we installed 6 new ones in late June. We will
continue to sell them as long as there is demand and will be expanding
the brick area to the path behind the MHS sign. so there is plenty of
room for more . The bricks also can
be purchased on line at our History
Store, by calling
Board member Pat Farmer, or emailing us. We've also added a
map
on line, and at Pratt Hall, keyed to both a list by donor and
a list by inscription.
 |
Memorial Day Commemoration
The Society's
annual program was at the Hill West Cemetery (on West Hill)
and
was well
attended. Our speaker was Montgomery's
Reverend Dr. Titus L. Pressler. His ancestors served in a
number of conflicts and wars, and he was assaulted while working
as President of Edwardes College in Peshawar, Pakistan which also
suffered a bomb attack. He provided a unique perspective on
service and the importance of remembrance. Our
thanks for a memorable speech.
Our thanks also to Moderator Bill McGroarty, our poem reader, Sally Newton, our roll call reader Sue Wilson, American Legion Post 42 (Enosburg) for supporting our annual observance, and Parma Jewett for donuts and cinnamon buns. Yum! Thanks for Joining the MHS - Drive Continues
It's that time of year we offer a gentle reminder to
join us if
you haven't. Last year's membership rebounded to 197,
just 3
short of our 200 goal. Reminder letters will be going out
soon.
Please join or rejoin us... every
member
matters! You can even do it on our web site. Just
click the Membership link. If you've already joined...
Thank You!
Farmers Market
at Pratt
Hall Back By Popular Demand
Board member
Sue Wilson organized our first ever Summer Farmers' Market last year,
and it was such a huge success vendors and patrons alike
requested
its return this year. The market opened on Saturday, June
9th,
and will continue into September. Fare includes meats,
produce,
baked
goods, flowers, quilts, honey, maple syrup,and more.
Thanks to all our vendors and all of our patrons.
Stop by if you haven't already. Saturdays 9:00 a.m.
to 1:00 p.m. through September 15th. Thank you Sue!
New MHS Store Items
Three new MHS items are on sale at the Farmers Market and our
online store.
1. MHS Tote bags. Made from recycled materials and printed with the MHS Pratt Hall logo.. A stylish must have and just $2.50.   3. Note cards based on the paintings of local artist, the Reverend Harold Babcock. Painted in the primitive style like Grandma Moses, they depict Montgomery and area scenes from days gone by. Cards were produced under the supervision of the artist and sell for $1.00 a piece. Our thanks to Harold and Carolyn.  St. Bartholomew's Montgomery History Quiz Answers 1.
b. Hemenway noted a crop of Timothy Grass, used for
hay, rarely failed.
2. a. In 1850 the ratio of sheep to cows was 3 to1. 3. d. By 1880 Montgomery farms produced 180,000 pounds of butter, an over 5 fold increase in just 10 years. 4. d. In 1914 Montgomery produced 179,000 pounds of Maple Sugar. This Quarter In Montgomery History July 1952: Juvenile Court of the Catholic Order of Foresters established. August 1954: Montgomery Fire Department organized. September 1908: Hectorville Union Chapel dedicated. Back on Track: Society Receives 2018 TD Bank Affinity Check
After failing to qualify last year you have
carried the day and made us eligible for this annual grant program once
again. TD Bank informed us that we would receive a grant of
$1,010.
We can always use more TD Bank account holders to designate the MHS their Affinity beneficiary. They don’t have to be members of the Society. In order to receive a check next year we need at least one more Member (checking account) while losing none, or we need an increase in the aggregate savings of those who’ve designated the MHS their Affinity partner, of over 1%. You can call Rachael Hackett at TD Bank in Enosburg at 933-2116 if you have any questions or wish to enroll. Tell your friends! The MHS is code J6. It will cost you/them nothing and no personal information is shared with the MHS. Thank you. In
Memoriam
We are sad to report the death of
member Andrew Massey. Andrew is perhaps best known to MHS
members as the conductor of our annual Candles and Carols sing-along at
Christmas. He recruited real musicians, scored the selected
carols, and then attempted to lead the gathered masses (some tone deaf)
with no
rehearsal. Somehow we always
got through it. Our love and condolences to Sabra, Robin and
Sebastian. We will miss Andrew and cherish our memories of him.
 New Board Member
Member John Kuryloski joined the MHS Board of Directors in
May and was elected officially at the Annual Meeting. He and wife
Kathryn are full time Montgomerians now living at the end of Purrier
Farm Rd. His first stint with the Men With Tools involved moving
rocks for the new wall in the Heritage Garden and he stuck with us
anyway! Welcome aboard John and Kathryn. The MHS Board is... Scott Perry, Marijke Dollois, Sue Wilson, Bill McGroarty, Tim Chapin, Mark Baddorf, |
