History Page 2

History continued - Page 2

The Post elected as its first commander, Charles S. Sumner, a veteran with a brilliant wartime record and capable in

every way of leading and guiding the new Post on its start to the enviable position it has achieved and the unsurpassed

record that it has earned in the annals of the department.

Following along the lines of the precepts laid down by the National organization, Green Mountain Post early in its

career engaged in a program of community service, always having in mind, that its first and foremost duty was the

care and welfare of its disabled comrades and the families of those comrades who failed to return. In order to

adequately carry out these and other extensive projects sponsored by the Legion, it was obvious that one of the

first problems that it had to face was its lack of funds. The dues established by the Post constitution and by-laws

were fixed at an annual fee of $2.50 per capita on its membership. As $2.25 of this had to go to the State and

National organizations there was only the dreadfully small amount of 25 cents per capita left for a working fund for

the Post. This amount barely took care of the necessary paper work of the organization of the Post. In order to

augment its treasury the Post sponsored several activities, from which it hoped to derive funds necessary to carry

on its essential work. Among these early activities were the East Week Fair, several yearly dances, the Armistice and

Memorial Day Ball, an annual minstrel show comprised of local talent, and sponsoring of an occasional moving picture.

Green Mountain Post has always adhered to the principle that no veteran should by reason of adverse circumstances

become a public charge or that the family of any veteran should be thrown upon the charity of the city and in this

connection it has during the course of its existence, expended thousands of dollars and still continues to the present

day to give generously for this purpose when the need arises.

At one time during a period of financial depression in the City of St. Albans when it seemed to be almost necessary to

curtail the public water system, to turn off the public lights and put into effect various other rigid and harsh economies

due to the financial condition in which the city affairs had become involved, Green Mountain Post in line with its

program of community service advanced to the city out of its, at that time meager treasury, the sum of one

thousand dollars and when the city fathers were about to resign in a body, in fact had resigned because of what they

termed lack of confidence on part of the citizens, in their failure to vote them increased taxes that they deemed

necessary to lift the affairs of this city from its depression, Green Mountain Post at the call and request of this City

Council stepped into the breach and offered to furnish from its membership a complete personnel of city officers to

carry this burden during the emergency.

One of the most noteworthy activities of the Post was the erection of the Doughboy Memorial on Taylor Park. While

the Post sponsored and took the prominent part in the planning of this project it did not wish nor desire the memorial

to become known as a Legion memorial but rather a community affair in which everyone would have a part. This

project was started in the early days of 1922 under the administration of Post Commander Donald L. McGarey and

with a Post Memorial Committee comprised of G. B. White, Chairman, C. E. Pell and the late Harry Webber. The

committee invited all civic organizations, fraternal societies, church organizations, etc., to send a representative to a

specified general meeting to formulate plans for the furthering of this project. The response was immediate and

gratifying. Practically every organization and church in the city was represented at this meeting by some delegate. The

meeting elected as its chairman the late Governor E. C. Smith and as its secretary the Late Harry Webber.

As a result of a general discussion, it was decided that, that gathering of itself, would be too unwieldy a body to

become a committee, consequently they chose from the members present an executive committee; the chairman

of which was the late Fuller C. Smith with Norman N. Atwood as treasurer and the late Harry Webber as its secretary.

This committee immediately went into action, to devise ways and means to raise the necessary funds to erect the

proposed memorial, but by a very kind gesture of confidence in the Legion, decided to leave necessary details to the

original Legion committee. The necessary funds were subscribed, in fact over subscribed, so that a sinking fund was

established for the perpetual care and maintenance of the monument. The monument was erected the following year

and unveiled at a dignified ceremony on Armistice Day 1923, with dignitaries of National, State and City prominence

taking an active part. The result of all this activity speaks for itself, in the Doughboy Memorial, which now stands on

Taylor Park and around which at 11:00 A. M. on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, of every year members of

The American Legion gather to pay respect to their departed comrades.

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