Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-03-27
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.
A Serious Problem.

A North Thetford correspondent of
the Bradford United Opinion furnish
es the following commentary on rural
church attendance in one section of
Vermont: "If, in place of two hun
dred people, there are thirteen at
church on pleasant Sunday after.
noon and seven at the evening service
there must be a screw loose some
where. Can it be in North Tibet.
ford!' We have roticed this DISPOSE
tion on the part of many even in Ad-
olson county to absent themselves
from the house of God on the Sabbath
day. Would it not be we'll to incor.
porate in this movement for a Better
Vermont the idea of the benefits to
be derived from a regular attendance
at divine service? The church is a
powerful factor in the moral uplift,
and if cleaner as well as more
industrious Vermont is to be devel-
oped. there will be plenty for the
church to do. -Vergennes Enterprise.
Government Aid to Education.
The Page bill, now on the calen-
dar of the senate, would extend in.
arts to all secondary schools. 1t
would devote $l4. 900, 900 or Sis, 900, 600
of Federal money annually to techni-
cal edacation of the industrial army
which does the work of the farm, the
shop and the home. AS it would
teach several hundred thousand youths
and mature workers annually. nearly
all would eventually thus share in vo-
cational education. now given to mar
row classes of professional people.
This appropriation would lead mill
lions of boys and girls to attend
school two years longer, giving them
one year more of the general school
subjects and one year in agriculture
or in the trades and Industries or in
home economics. 1t ought to double
the efficiency of the schools, as ma
chinery multiplies the efficiency of.the
workman. This measure will cause
to be established by the States and
cities several hundred vocational high
schools for the trades and industries.
and in the country several hundred
large agricultural high schools. It
will enable the nearly 200 state nor
NAL schools and the so agricultural
colleges to prepare teachers to give
! instruction in farming, trades, and
home making. 1t will lead to the
gradual establishment of 10 to rs con
solidated rural schools. really country
life schools. in each county. thus ex-
tending instruction in agriculture and
homemaking through a system of
township high schools to within the
reach of every farm boy and girl in
| the country.
All will agree that lack of educa-
ton which comprehends both general
culture and training to do we'll spe-
ciic thing is our greatest national
handicap. We have no other national
resource so responsive to cultivation
as the young people. Vocational edu-
cation adds knowledge, skill. and in
spiration to do things which produce
wealth and contribute to the welfare
and happiness Of all.
This kind of education will so train
the people that they can add hundreds
of millions to the present production
of American farms and factories. II
will help to increase the incomes fol
homes, and increase the knowledge
and skill of those who make oul
homes. The government could mo-
devote itself to a more noble and use
full task than the spread of education
through such as the Page bill provides
Washington Post.