The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-07
STIRRING TALK ON
DEVELOP MENT
OF MANHOOD
Splendid Address BY Superin-
tendent J. N. Barss
OF VT. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Annual Dinner of the Y. M. c. A.
With an Attendance Most La.
mentally Small.

Before a meager audience OF about
two score at the Y. nj. G. A. last
night, Supt J. N. Barss of the state
industrial school of Vergennes deliv-
cred one of the finest addresses ever
heard in Bennington. 1t was a griev
Gus error on the part of the men Of
Bennington that they should have fail
ed to hear so valuable and interest
ing talk.
The occasion was the annual din
ner of the Y. NJ. c. A. Two years ago
Hon. Joseph A. DeBoer was the chief
speaker. Last year Congressman
Frank l. Greene gave the address and
they were two of the most inspiring
orations ever heard. Last nights ad-
dress by Mr.. Barss was fully up to the
high standard, both in interest and
value, and it is almost a disgrace that
his audience was so small. Those
present, however, were so attentive
and enthusiastic as to compensate in
some degree for the lack of numbers.
A splendid supper was served by
the ladies' of the auxiliary at o'clock
in charge of Mrs. c. w. Thatcher,
with dozen young ladies as wait
resses. Fred c Martin acted as toast
master and spoke briefly on the work
of the Y. NJ. c. A. in the develop
ment of higher standards.
Homer II. Webster was the first
speaker and in a five minute talk urg-
ed the importance of Y. NJ. c. A. and
other work along similar lines. Sec
rotary F. c. Downs of the Science
tady Y NJ. c. A. followed Mr. Web
ster and talked interestingly for half
an hour on International Y. NJ. c. A.
work in the United States and also in
foreign lands. He gave some surpris-
ing statistics of the growth of the or
ganization until 1t has plants valued
at rs millions and hundreds of thous-
ands of members.
Mr.. Barss's topic was the problem
of improving citizenship. He told of
the conditions that exist in rural sec
tons, not only in Vermont but in all
older rural sections and the need of
aid. He drew some illustrations from
the school of which he is the superin-
tendent and talked frankly of the dan
gers to the development of char
acter.
The cities drain the farming sec
tons and decay begins when the
small communities have no more to
give. This was the cause OF the fall
of Rome and the same effect from the
same cause is already manifest in
Great Britain, France and Germany,
and to a less extent in this country.
Venereal disease Is increasing and
is now just about as prevalent in the
rural states as in the great cities.
Insanity and idiocy have more than
doubled in proportion to the popu-
lation during the past few years and
asylums and homes cannot be built
fast enough to take care of the grow
ing needs. More effort must be
made to aid and safeguard the de-
velopment of the human race.
Self complacent people say this is
due TO the large foreign immigration.
The reverse is true. The victims
come largely from the native stock.
OF the 230 children at the state in
dustrial school only five per cent are
from foreign born parentage. Yer
mont suffers more than many states
because of the large emigration from
here to the west and to the cities.
but the problem is not peculiar to
Vermont
The remedy is to reach the cause,
develop the individual and take care
of those with a tendency toward
weakness before II is too late.
No abstract can do Justice TO Mr.
Barss splendid address. II should
have been heard by every person in
Bennington old enough to listen I'M
derstandingly.
Secretary II. G. Banks spoke brief
ly in closing.