Ruth Atkinson and the Trees BHS (1950’s)
A little over seventy years ago, UVM Professor Leon Dean offered a course in “Vermont History and Folklore”. The course was designed for local teachers and met for fifteen weeks. It was offered through the University of Vermont Extension Service. Teachers could earn two hours of college credit. People from the community were also able to enroll in the local history class. The course was held in the evenings at the Powers House on Green Street, next to the elementary school. At the time, Powers House also served as the Superintendent’s office. A product of the course was a booklet of articles researched and written by the class attendees. The publication was called “Bridge To Yesteryear: Vermont Folklore Articles” and contained fifty pages of stories by twenty four authors. One of the articles was written by Ruth Atkinson, a local junior high science teacher. Here is her 1951 article, “Brattleboro Trees”. “In the beginning there […]