Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-02

spottcr has hourshcd but II Is in tho high
license air Of Connecticut that this pubic
ahomination fnds the best conditions Tor
development and attains the tull p"rlec-
ton Of Nilcness. A professional sycophant,
the spottrr puts up at first class hotel
for a week or so. makes himself general
ly agreeable to hest and guests, wins IN"
confidence of the landlord. who, II he be
successful innkeeper. must needs he per
Sonication of gcniality. ana at length on
some night after the hours for licensed
selling or on a Sunday, requests the sale
of glass Of liquor on the ground "
friendship. This is a hard proposition for
any man, however good his intentions may |
b." to face. and once the liquor is served. /
tho wolsh guest turns informant on the
host and the consequences are very much |
like those which follow in the wake of !
spottcr's work in our own State under the
present law.
CONSOLIDATION OF COUNTRY
SCHOOLS.
Grom the Enosburgh Standard)
Among the many interesting facts re
Vcalcd by the published statistics of the
last census was the continued and inrreas-
ing change from rural to urban poi ula-
tion-the tendency Of rural communities
t. rush to the cities. The Standard. some
time since, discussed this tendency, AS dp-
Vermont, showing how this universal
change had operated in keeping the popu-
ldti1n of the State practically stationery
during the~tme that the change had been
going on.
Just how long this increase Of the urban
population at the expense of the country
may continue is difficult to predict but
there are unmiStakablc signs that indicate
"A diminuton of the forces which are re
sponsible for the exodus frcm the country
to the city, forces which inpel the young
man from the country to the city to seek
his fortune.
Some of the things which arc bringing
about Il natural solution IF this problem
are discussed in the current number Of
the Review Of Reviews by Mr. Clarence
II. Matson Of Kansas, his topic being I'M
proved Conditions in ;hc American Farm
or's Life. lie speaks primarily of the
changes III farm life in the state Of Kan
sas, but conditions there are similar to
those prevailing in other agricultural
States.
Among the more important things which
are bringing about improv, condition arc
the Introduction of rural free delivery Of
the mails the farm telephones, the travel
ling libraries and the consolidation Of
country schools.
So far as Vermont is concerned it is the
last suhiect-thc consolidation Of rural
schOols-that is principally of interest to
the people or the state. ltNral Uldl bellN-
cry is well established in the state, thanks
to the work of Nermont's congre ssmcn. os-
pccialY the untiring efforts Of Congress
man Foster of the first district, where
more delivery routes arc in op ration than
in any other congressional district in the
New EnSland States. And new routes will
be established until the rural sections ar
thoroughly covered 10y the service. The
telephone lines are branching out INTO all
the farming sections. \ good town library
/ system is in operation, which Will UNI
doubtedly be improved and extended.
But the question Of country schools is
one that may well receive earnest and con-
stant consideration. On this subject Mr..
Matson says
/ Tile educational problem in rural com
nuntios is still unsolVcd to great dc
gree. Heretofore it has been customary to
| send the more ambitious children, whose
parents could afford it, to the graded
school in town after they have passed
through the district school where perhaps
the school term Was only FIVE or six
months long. Sometimes this has furnish
ed strong incentive to the farmer to leave
the country and move to the town or city,
in order that his children may have the
hest i'm the way of educational adVdntd GeS
4 while it is still a new idea to many peo-
pie" the consolidation of rural schools bids
fair to bring directly to the farm the edu-
I rational advantages Of the town. The
plan has been tried in a small way in Ohio,
in Iowa. in Kansas, and in ether States,
and it has been remarkably successful
The last Kansas Legislature passed a law
to makA the plan general wherever com
munitics desire il, and Prof. Frank Mel
son, State superintendent of public instruc-
tion. has made it his special work to en-
; courage the adoption of the plan. super
mtendent Nelson has become the apostle
of school consolidation in Kansas
: lnDl
: around Lorraine. Ellsworth county, Kan,
were cons 1id1ted, and central school
hot Sc was built at the village Of Lorrdin,
| After the consolidation thrc" teachers did
the work which required four formerly
= and as the school WAS graded they did II
better. Some # the children lived seVcra
q miles from tho school house. hut they were
, transported to and from school in covered
! spring WAGONS at the public expense. La 4
. year a two-Years' h gh school course As
- added to that of ,ho common school, auc
now the entire cost Of maintenance is bL
/ little more than that of the four separat,
, districts before the consolidation. The eN
A ira expense is ldre nlN due to the trans
70 portation of the lpils. TO offset the
O small additional eNpeusn the term is con
" siderably longer, the work much bette
n done the high school course has beer
q added. the school house is much more san
= itary. and the advantage of Transporting
= the children to and from school, especial!
II in bad W Gather. can scarcely he estimatc cd
Y The nsoiidation idea is growing rapid!
a in Kansas and movements To consolidate
4 rural districts are now under way in man!
q counties in the state
t This matter " consolidating, gradin,
and getting better results from the mono!
4 expended is one NJ much Importance. Con-
f solidation, or Capitalization, is the order o
II the day in all ines of endeaVor, and in it
s proper and legitimate form is recognize,
r as a vast improvement over old methods
y Its introduction into such a public matte
= as schools and school legislation would b
- beneficial Nermonts school law provide
Il for the esta blishment Of central schools il
h towns where the same are desired But
DOES not hrine about the result that Nigh
he obtained, and many Of the towns hav
not taken up the matter seriously. If at al
They are not getting the best results fror
the money expended. The people Shout
interest themselves in this phase of tn
. educational question, and move for the IN
;. PRODUCTION of modern and progressiv
ideas
!, Queen Alexandra started from Iondo
y for Copenhagen on Tuesday TO spend tiv