Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-07-19

are indebted for the formation of an insutu-
ton which is shedding its benign influence o.
yer their town, and they cannot answer you.
though the pious fathers have but recently |
Joined the church in Heaven. Tell them that
their own aourishing village instantaneously |
sprung into existence by some magic power,
and they could not controvert 1t by any know
ledge of history which they possess. There
are some honorable exceptions to the iorego- |
ing, but in all candor ] submit to the reader
whether there is not lamentable Ignorance
among the Young and middle aged classes Of
our people on the subject Of ouE local histo-
~. 1 think there is, and | account for it as
follows The attention of the people has not
been called to that subject the tendency Of
this fast age is to look forward, not back, and
TO cast their thoughts upon some far-oH land,
instead of directing their minds and their at-
ioctions upon their own happy homes. And
now, by the way, do we not find here prom
inent cause for the increasing tide of immigra-
ton from the goodly State of Vermont to the
West There arc other causes, 1t is true,
bat in my judgment none more potent than
this Our young men, as they grow up, are
captiyated by the stories of sudden acquis-
ton of wealth aud places OF distinction at the
tor home, and seek their fortunes in that di-
recton. They will one day applaud the saw
age for the tenacity with which he olings to
his hunting grounds and the graves of his
fathers, and the next day themselves seem
ingly forget that they ever had any fathers
If, then, we would keep Nermonters in Yer
mont, let us by proper education secure their
attachment to the land of their birth; let US
place before them the example of their ances-
tors, who came to Vermont when Vermont
was wilderness, the most Of them penniless,
and in spite of almost every conceivable OBJ
staclc and Inconvenience, made their way to a
competence, many to wealth.
A word upon education in connection with
this subject the truth of what | have said
may be verified in our schools. The writer
not long since visited a fine district school in
tho capacity of superintendent, in which there
was an advanced class in Geography They
could bound every State in the Union and
give their capitals, but only one or two could
bound their own county, and none their own
town. They were able to tell all about the
principal rivers on the globe, where they rise
and where they empty, but the beautiful stream
which passes the door of their own school
house they knew nothing about beyond the
limits of their own vision, and seemed really
startled when told that it rose in the noun
tains few miles to the East, and found its
way to Lake Champlain some twenty miles to
the West. ! know very well that we have no
school books from which a child could learn
our local history or geography, but il the pro-
per attention was paid to it by parents and
others, the children would getit-they would
learn, at least, that towns and counties have a
history as well as continents.
By this indifference of the people good
deal of our history has gone with the old men
and women who have passed off the stage, yet
by the excellent plan Of Miss Hemenway, with
her untiring efforts, If seconded by the labors
of those whom she is calling to her aid in the
several towns, the main may still be collected
aud preserved and will not this be done
The subscribers for the magazine re aware
that there has been a delay, that nearly a year
has expired since the issue of the first num-
Der, when it was expected that subscribers
would receive them quarterly, and in conse-
quence some prophesy failure. But let it
be borne in mind that it is a work of great
labor and expense The historians lone is
selected in each town require a good deal Of
time, some of them a year In addition to
searching town, church, school district, and
other records, and conversing with old people,
many of them are obliged to correspond with
former residents in different parts Of the coun-
try to obtain the materials for a complete his
tory. And again, there is lack Of patronage
to amply sustain the work; not that would
intimate any such thing as the probability OF
a failure, as the proprietor is determined to
finish the work begun if it must be at pecu-
mary loss, but in these hard times scanty
support must necessarily delay it, although it
is now in such a state of forwardness that in
all probability no one will have occasion for
complaining of a much longer delay.
And now may ] not appeal to the people Of
Vermont to enlist your active sympathy
and hearty cooperation in bringing out thi,
much needed and very useful work. w,
know the times are hard, that we must forge
all expenditures that can reasonably be avoid