The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-01-21
RESPONSIBILITY
OF OUR COLLEGES
An Inspiring Talk by John NJ
Thomas Of Middlebury.
NEW AGRICULTURAL METHODS


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supsrintsnd Elementary Schools.
Il A dec,d.lk representative audience q
Brattleboro people gathered IN the teh'i
chunh SUNDAY evening Ia listen TO the "a
dress oi President John NJ. Thomas =
Mddlebury college. For over ihrreluai
ten oi an hour Mr, Thomas spoke on w
Responsibility Of the New England 70
legrs. The addwss t.cmed with int-nsri
strong tnbuies not only to me student
and the colleges oi New England bnt 10 W.
hardy character oi the plonecrs Who wen
rsponsible for the creation Of the mani
institutions Tor higher education tha, W
have ia New England today. In touching
the strength 81 New England colleges nn
merically he said that Of the 600 OF NOR
| college. in this country New England ha
"a New England IL not oyer-tockcd VIII
| colleges. President Thomas said that upon
the basis Of population California has Tvs
| coll.g, students 10 one IN Vermont. Thu
he aid showed that We are not turning ou'
a larger percentage Of college students thar
there is a demand for.
Referring 10 the matter Of college en-
dowments in this country he said that IN
round number there j. college endos'
m.nt al 500. Oo0,0po A. New England j.
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that our "a colleges. constituting nine per
cent Of the total number Of colleges IN the
country, are credited vita y per cent Of
| the total endowment. Thus he pointed
out the LOYALTY of New England 10 her
colleges.
| On the financial side Of the college ques.-
| tion President Thomas turned back the
| pages OF history 10 the men and women OF
one aud two centuries ago who made posi-
BILE the New England college Of today; His
| tribute to the sturdy pioneer who built the
| foundations Of the educational system OF
New England and especially those who gave
Of their wealth 10 found the various col
leges in this part Of the United States was
/ a masterpiece of oratorical strength and
could not but impress ON the minds OF the
audience the speakers admiration and 10y
atty to the noble men and women of whom
he spoke.
President Thomas said that the New
England college was product of the soil.
II came into being solely through the ef'
forts Of the agriculturst OF generations
past aud its growth and prosperity must
he credited TO the sons and daughters OF
the tillers OF the soil, for from the ranks
OF such sons and daughters have come the
alumni that have not only carried TO the
corners of the earth the story of New Eng
land colleges but have made possible the
endowment of s55.000.0O0 which il the
working capital OF the New England col
leees President Thomas said that the
character Of the builders of the colleges OF
New England had as yet been unriyalled
Referring to the needs OF the colleges OF
New England President Thomas said one
was modern methods in agriculture. As he
had pointed out that the New England
college was the product of the soil, that it
was built and nurtured by the farmers, so
he pointed out that II il is to continue TO
grow and prosper the agricultural condi |
tons of New England must be improved. |
He said that the decay of farm life cannot |
but affect the prosperity of New England
influence OF the New England college is af- |
fected the result affects the entire country. |
Picturing the rugged. typical, New England
farmer, slow of movement and speech, yet |
possessing a judgment unsurpassed, Presi. |
dent Thomas said that il was men Of this
type who had made it possible for the
men and women Of TODAY to enjoy the ad-
vantages of college education. The speak.
ers word picture of the hearthside lite OF
New England was vivid and the audience
caught the spirit of description and en-
applauded President Thomas
portrayal Of the loyalty that New Eng
ldnueTh DedT 10 tIe oi tueiT |
President Thomas spoke at considerable
length upon the condition of agriculture in
New England and especially in Vermont
He cited case where a student in his
college had demonstrated that land yield
ing crop worth IS an acre had been made
BY the adoption of modern methods to
produce crop worth $50. Many times
lie brought home the fact that the New
England college must depend upon the soil
or its sustenance and that this being so
t is vitality important that the rising gen
ration of agriculturists avail itself of the
,ery latest methods that the soil may pro-
luce the amount which modern civiliza :
ion demands.
In speaking of educational reform Pres
dent Thomas went straight to the point
nd while he pointed out many discrep-
ncies in the educational systems of other =
tates he spared not the state of Yer
mont He said that Vermont has exalted i
IDEAS as to the condition of her colleges i
nd higher institutions Of learning. and a
urning to the district schools of the state {
e showed that we are woefully lacking i
. equipment The reason for such con.
ition President Thomas charged in part :
o the colleges of the state, He said that h
he colleges should make it distinctive Z
nd important part of their work to train :
he union district now in vogue in Yer !
iont. Again President Thomas INDUCED :
, fight Of oratory when he said that the v
tile men and women of Vermont were I,
ghtfully entitled to far better educa- N
onal advantages than they are receiving
Dday. He said that there is at present a ~
,irit of indefnteness manifested in col n
ge work in New England and that col. 4
ges are engaged largely in culture rather h
nan in following lines of greater prac- a
cability. Less of the theoretical and
ore of the practical il what the college :
today needs, said President Thomas
e said that there must be closer connec
on between the college life and the in
lstrial life Of the country If the college
to achieve the results that il should
bievc
President Thomas said that the decny
New England agriculture could only be
aracteriztd as a mistrnst Of the $55.0D0,
o college endowment and that this mis-
ust must be- removed His address
emed with optimism and IN his charac
ristically epigrampatic manner he told
2 story Of the New England college IN
~ 10 make his audience plainly see the
sponsIbility Of such institutions AZ well
the responsibility that falls ,iuon the
ople Of New England to maintain these
situations.
President Thomas preached at the regi
: 4. Il