Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-04
VERMONT'S RURAL REBIRTH
d'rom the Boston Transcript

trOm the Boston Transcript
As the counter-set Of the tide from city
to country gathers force it is well to con-
slider what has been happening N Yer
mont Like the other upstate districts
Of New England, Vermont. in the last
decades of the 18th century lost its at
tractiveness for young people. They We're
apolegetic about living IN the country.
Rural" bore a stigma, easily guessed MS
the result of the call OF the ambitious
to the cities. Vermont however, unlike
the other states of New England, had al
most no urban life and therefore came
in FOR more unenviable notoriety when
the debate of rural decadcnce" became
rife. Vermont was under a cloud.
Then tho superintendent of education
began is New Vermont" tours. He was
criticised a s 4 player of politics. But he
went on taking with him men of prom
inence in the state who knew the special
needs and special resources Of Vermont
and who could make good speeches. Of
this was politics. make the most of IT'D
one Of the New Vermont tourists did
make the most of It He has been sent to
Congress largely as result of this pro-
gram. which need worry nobody but his
let's up by-roads and mountain lanes,
into the district school houses and vii
laee halls Went this propaganda of edu-
cation. this news that it was no longer
matter of apology to be farmer, but
matter of profound congratulation. The
secular gospel Of soils. Of intensive Gull
tivatIon. of good schools and I've church
es, Of noighborhood endeavor was deliver
I 81 ha1 tn hal
elms at the crossroads. In that form the
campaign was continued for years 1t con-
tinucs now under other agencies.
Vermuntcrs were told what they lacked
hut they were also told what they pos
scsscd Much of this was news to thcm
The State was learning that It pays to ad-
vcrtisc. 1t was learning something ever
more interesting, and possibly to oursel
ives.
Then the harvest began to come in
| The towns and the country sides. th'
people Of the hills and the intervales he
gan to rise to a rural self-respcct. They
began to be proud of their position an(
| their opportunities. 1t was borne II
on them, too. that they wer" pioneers
theirs was to he as definite n Contr
button as that of the hardy colonists
who had left these hills for the hroa'
plains Of the Mississippi a generation
before. They rolled up their sleeves ant
went ot work for the New Vermont In
stead of lame aCQuiescenco or resentmen
Of the metropolitan comment on the use
llessness or the hopclessness of life il
tho country, they answered in a lanSuas
which the world can understand AM
which it is bound to reSpect-the Ian
guage of deeds They even established
bureau of publicity Ia connection wit
the office of the secretary Of state I
Icarry he war into Africa-the propagan
da beyond the borders of their own state
Much to the same purpose state boar
Iof trade was organized. Nermonters ar
talking their state up and not dowr
The truth had made them free, Tn
truth was not in every instance pleasant
but 1t was a stimulus to ambition, and
justification of self-respect and prld,
Mach has been heard through the natio
of the Country-life m Nvement." Nor
lis destined To be heard. But it Nigh
be well to remark in tine light of tn
foregoing that the only valid countr
life movement is one based on an ap
probation of country life as 1t Is pro
lceeding thence to country life as it ma
be made