The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-16


The editor Of the News acknowl
edges the receipt of the above letter
AS there is nothing about it to indis
cate that 1t is intended to be private
communication, but rather that it is
form sent to other editors Of the
state it is printed and replied TO be-
low.
The News does not know why its
editor should be placed under exam
nation by the resident trustee Of
the Johnson Normal school
THE News may answer the inquir-
les of Mr.. Stearns by saying that It's
editor has never visited any OF the
I State Normal schools. The News
/ knows of teachers who are state nor
/ NAL graduates that are doing exceed
ingly good work lt does not know
( how much OF their success may DE
attributed 10 their normal school
training 10 also knows other teach
ers who seem 10 be doing equally well
that have never attended either OF
/ the state normal schools TIE News
/ however has no doubt that a special
/ teachers couret though not all IL
should be) contributes towards sue
I cess
The contention 0i leading ducat0rs
that tho present state normal schools
/ are not up 10 The standard of ellcien-
4 cy seems 10 bl the basis for tle de-.
maud for radical changes and per-
h1ps complete Adjustment OF these
schools De News believes that
those active iu. and in close touch
With educational affairs ave more com
petent 20 judge OF the matter than
would be any layman upon a visit to
one or all OF these schools-or even
resident commissioner possessed
of commendable patriotism for his
home Institutions
TO the Editor OF the Mortified
News
In your editorial IN the current is
sue Of your paper you have done
even more than asked in reply 10 my
questions which you quote and have
made me correspondingly more your
debtor / wish to acknowledge the
courtesy Of your public reply with
equal publicity II was not my inten-
ton TO ask q public statement and so
seem to place you under examina-
ton" My intent may best be shown
by an anecdote.
The Office boy, getting on the ex-
cursion steamer q little late. found
all seats taken on the deck he pre-
ferred. So he said to those near by:
Have YOU seen the whale? There's
a big one tied to the dock and he s
thrashing about like everything No
one paid any attention at first but he
BY and by few went 10 see the whale
by and by few fent To- see the whale
The Office boy kept on talking. More
went. Everyone began 70 talk about
il and soon all crowded to the other
side. Then the boy picked out the
best seat and took II TO the choicest
part OF the deck. But no one came
back. He wriggled uneasily and fin
ally jumped up and ran to the other
side, saying. by gosh, | guess mebbe
there is.a whale"
There has been so much talking
about the whale that / almost wonder
ed II there might be one. although
from close personal observation | had
been unable TO discover IL. So | did
write similar letters TO a dozen edi-
tors The results are Illuminating.
Fifty per cent OF them have not re-
piled: why can only be surmlsed. A
few have seen one or more OF our nor.
NAL schools the occasion being from
over two to twenty years ago. Their
information comes from three sources
A friend In whom the editor has con.
ildence Testimony whose value can
not be known without knowing the
Identity Of that friend) member Of
the Board OF Education (tho only eyi
dence mentioned which can be CON
sidered reliable. and only mentioned
Ia one easel; reports of commission.
ors appointed 10 Investigate.
Suppose Burlington could be- told.
THE University of Vermont is infer.
for: unless you provide additional
land and equipment be will he sent
TO Rutland" Suppose then cN'
pended 100000 and met 90 Cond.t
imposed. Suppose further ,ha'
$50 cars lator 90 wore told, Your
must go. Your work H Zoe
l0. know &C because ii was so
Och fI.l two years ago. Wo has,
desire to look further suppose
800 this. what would burlington iog
or eay--0r dog
johnson is in iusi ihlt Iumton
She has met Nl rccommNndaUona 81
the Commission She has sncnt
sum as large Bee proportion as thaI
mentioned above ana that under
pledge from the state that the sohoo
would De retained until 1920. hol
school ! have reasnh 90 believe ellie
Client. not sllrnapt 1t can Doe mad,
thoroughly 'up io date and suited
Tor adequate training for lyrical Ven