The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-09-16
BENNINGTON. COUNTY
VERMONT IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATION NEWS

One of the encouraging incidental
results of the formation of the union
superintendency for the towns of
Manchester Dorset, and Sunderland
is the teachers training course in the
Burr & Burton Seminary at Manches-
ter. The organization of this union
made the new normal course pos
sible.
"The Union Superintendency and
the Teachers Training Course" says
the Manchester Journal, will prove
of incalculable benefit to the educa-
tional welfare of this section. The
inevitable result must be more eff
cient schools, better equipped and
more efficient teachers
Ten students, eager for the pro-
posed Normal Course, have already
signed up for the same, and others
are yet to be heard from.
THE establishing of these courses
in suitable localities throughout the
States is the result of recent progress
sive legislation to provide efficient
normal training for the young teach
ers graduating from Secondary
Schools who either cannot, or think
they cannot attend regular Normal
School The work as carried on is
more than the equivalent of a year in
Normal School. 1t is in charge Of
a specialist in Normal work, placed
here largely at the expense of the
school in question. A special room
is devoted to the work of the course,
which course is open to the Seniors
and post-graduates of this or other
approved high schools. The work
will cover theory and practice Of edu-
cation. school management. school
law. ETC.. and actual observation
work and pratice in the schools of
the locality. 1t will mean better
equipped teachers, assured position
on completing the years course, bet
ter salaries and three year certifi-
cate licensing the graduate without
further examination TO teach in the
schools of the state. Tuition for the
course is betrayed by the towns of
the respective students. The course
this coming year at B. & b. will be
in charge of Miss Warner who has an
enviable record of success in this
line of work. Any former graduates
interested in the Normal Course in
question should write at once to the
Principal for further particulars If
they desire to avail themselves of
the opportunity of taking the course
this year.
Agriculture
We hear much nowadays about the
fame of Aroostock County, Maine,
when it comes to potatoes. II is
true no county in the world has so
specialized with potatoes as this
county. II is true also that many
young men with little capital buy
farms and practically pay for them
the first season. Some of those
farms we are told are as large as one
hundred to one hundred and fifty
acres. We are told that the cash re-
turn in normal season under nor
NAL conditions is from $4,000 to
$1,000 90 per acre. This, of course,
is often exceeded through increased
yield or better prices or both. We
are also told that the cost of produc-
ton runs from $50 to $50 per acre
which includes fertilizing, seed, spray
ing material, labor, etc. This leaves
a net clearing of from $50 to SIS
an acre.
The Boston Chamber OF Commerce
says Farmers in other sections of
New England are learning that they,
too, can secure equal or better re-
turns per acre for potato culture than
Aroostock."
For example, Charles Z. Ellis, a
Vermont farmer, succeeded, in 1909,
in raising 465 bushels of potatoes to
the acre, which sold from the field
at 81 cents a bushel. 1851. 10 gross
return to the acre. 1t is said that he
figured the fertilizer and labor cost
$40 to the acre. f. S. Brigham OF
st. Adams, Vermont, raises 800
bushels to the acre, according to the
Boston Chamber of Commerce, and
through careful itemized account of
expenditure finds he nets 500 to the
acre. But why not turn to Benning-
ton County. Bennington County can
raise as many and more potatoes per
acre than other counties in the State
and in New England. Here is an IL
lustration. II. Z. Coleman in Win
hal. produced last year, we are told,
300 bushels of potatoes to the acre.
At the high price that potatoes had
last year this must have netted Mr..
Coleman a very large sum per acre.
In going along the country road in
Winhall for miles almost two-thirds
OF the places are in apparently desert
ed or dilapidated condition. These
places have just as good land as Mr..
Coleman's farm. Land that can raise
as many potatoes per acre as any in
Aroostock County. Maine. Why
should this region and other similar
regions in this county remain desert
ed and IN a dilapidated condition?
Land is cheap in all these places and
the Bennington County Vermont I'm
provement Association feels certain
that with agricultural instruction in
the schools and the Government ex-
perts in the County and the co-opera-
tive work among the farmers there
will come a new day to these regions
that within the course of few years
they will take on an aspect of pros
perity that will be a surprise TO
many.
IL you believe in helping along the
new agriculture in our County send
one dollar, your name and address to
the Bennington County Vermont I'm
provement Association Office at Man
chester, Vermont This win help
strengthen the organization and give
us more finances with which TO work
The United States Government has
already committed itself to help
Bennington County in an unusual
fashion because there is such
strong and apparently permanent or.
SANITATION in their judgment in the
field to help along the work. The
stronger the organization the mora