Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-22
At THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
History Of Institution and Ac-
count of School Work.
ptudcnts Taught Practical Accomplish
-uents and They Are in Demand
after Completing Coursc--Boys
and Girls Put on Honor.

A special representative of this paper
recently visited the Vermont state In
hustrial school at Ncrgcnncs. lie gave
the officers no notice of his coming, as he
wished to see things Just as they were
every day. not fixed up for inspection or
dress parade, writes l.. y. Thavcr for the
Montpelier Journal.
He was impellcd to make this visit be-
cause he had heard so many favorable
comments concerning this school from
those who had visited it and had read so
much that was different in the state
Press. Judging from what the papers
have said, very few people In Vermont
know that tho State really has an indus
trial school fully under way md fairly
well equipped, In which the following
branches are taught by competent In
structors: Agriculture. dairyins- carpen-
try, plumbing, steam heating and power,
structors: Agriculture. dairyinr. carpen-
handicraft, manual training. laundry
work. dressmaking. cooking. cite.
All these are taught in connection with
the work of the eight grades Of work
smilar to the courses taught in the
graded schools of the State.
1t was surprise to find that this school
Is doing to-day much the same work as
the State experiment station AZ Burlng-
ton and the proposed industrial school at
Jyndonvlle, but a younger class of boys
md girls the wards of the state.
Right here should be emphasized one
Important fact: 1t was found that this
SCHOOL was not the State reform school,
rs most people seem to think. because /,
was originally started as such and sc
conducted for several years.
The plan and work of the school has
been radically changed.
1t Is to-day n State Industrial school IL
Tact as we'll as in name.
The one thing that surprised the writer
most when he visited the school was that
there was no fence around the grounds
no bars at any windows, in fact nothing
to distinguish it from any boys ard girls
school anywhere.
1t was found further that since the
present superintendent. Mr.. Barss, came
here and took charge of the school thai
1t has been run on broader and better
lines than ever before.
Love and horror rule in this institution
and the appeal that is made to the man
hood and womanhood of these boys an,
girls IS more potent than all the ole
methods of force and coercion.
Nt law VI hIiI'lileSS IL III lbINt ilttt III
It is under Sheriff Tracy In the Wash
lngton county Jail.
The results are vastly greater and bet
ter. as Superintendent Barss is dealini
with children, and Mr.. Tracy with thos
whose habits of life have been formed,
With this brief introduction the write
will tell the story of what he saw durlnl
VII afternoons visit:
LOCATION
The Vermont state Industrial school /
rcry pleasantly located on a high bluff
overlooking the beautiful Otter Creek
near the head Of lake navigation, and II
sight Of the great falls. within the cit
limits of Vergennes. 1t Is on the yer
! outskirts Of the city. however. so tina
while it has all the advantages OF tn
city It has all the quiet and healthful SUI,
roundings Of tho country. Very fe
schools have moro desirable and d,
llghtful location.
Tho buildings are surrounded with lars
shade trees and the views OF both II
Green Mountains on the east and Il
AGirondacks across the lake on the ives
and Grand View mountain on the sout
cannot be surpassed anywhere.
Next to location and healthful SUI
roundings is pure water. This Is Obtain
ell from an artesian WELL drilled 529 fe
through solid rock Water is pump,
and the supply Is neverfailing
HISTORY.
The school was established by speci
act of the Legislature in lS65 tho bill b
ing signed by Gov. raul DnlInghar
and was located at aterbury 1t w
Reform School" name that still elm
10 1t in many sections Of the State.
The first superintendent was Mr.. Peas
who was succeeded by Superintende
Fairbanks n was during his admin
traton that the buildings were destroy
by fire and the school was moved to We
Henues The old United States ARISEN
property, consisting of some 80 acres W
purchased. The buildings thereon co
sisted of the central part Of tho prese
administration building the old arser
and the stone part of the Fairbanks GO
tage, now occupied as the girls dorm
tory, living and work rooms. The
arsenal and, probably the other building
we're erected in 1895 by the federal &c
trnment. Two wings were added to
main building and a wooden additi
built to the girls cottage during the
ninistration Of Superintendent Fla
banks, which lasted some eight years.
Superintendent Fairbanks was succe
I'd by Superintendent IIealey, who ser,
Ibout two and onc-half years.
Superintendent s. A. Andrews succeed
him and did much to improve condtiC
Mt the school He improved the but
lnss. the surroundings, and laid deep q
broad the foundations for the future g
cess and usefulness of the institut
Turing the u years he abored so fai
fully for its good and that of Its nma,
Superintendent Andrews was succe
nj ny Superintendent s. A, Barss v
b~ne here from the Stetson Home
E031s at Barre Mass. an industl
school that is conducted upon the sa
lines that are now being used with 81
marked success here. The great diff
ence between the two schools lies in
Tact that the Stetson school Is for sci
pupils. who pay their tuition, while