Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-11-06
A PLEA FOR VERMONT COL
LEGES.
To the Editor of the Register:

To the Editor of the Register:
In the resolution providing for the ap-
pointment of the Educational Commits
sion, we find the following: This COM
mission shall report at the earliest pos
sible date on the several rights, duties
and obligations of the University of
Vermont and State Agricultural Col
lege, Middlebury College and Norwich
University with such recommendations
as will prevent unnecessary duplication
and consequent financial waste 1t
would have been well for Vermont and
its educational progress had the COM
mission confined its recommendations
to the work outlined for it by the legis-
lature The commission was not asked
to follow the lead of professors from
other States and rival institutions, to
declare broadcast to the world that
Vermont is too poor to furnish a COM
plete education from the kindergarten
to the college for those of her children
desiring it. For it is false. The COM
mission was not asked to spread broad
cast over the Union that our Agricul-
tural College is failure and its trustees
recreant to their trust.
The commission was not asked to de-
clare to all mankind, that our Medical
college is decadent institution, and I'M
worthy of further State support. 1t is
unfair to its faculty. 1t is unfair to its
graduates, found in nearly every city
and village in Vermont. Aren't they
faithful in ministering to the needs of
their communities? Isn't their skill and
success equal to that of the graduates
from other States? Aren't they our
own boys? We are proud of them. 1t
is not fair to the Medical college to re-
fer to the falling off in attendance when
the standard of admission was raised.
The same thing has happened to the in
situations in all the States when the
standard has gone up, but it has been
only temporary
The commission was not asked to dis
cuss the matter of State scholarships.
But it assumes this right and advises
these scholarships be abolished All
thoughtful citizens will agree these
petitive, placing every boy and girl on
an equal plane in winning one. 1t is a
mistake to assume a good common
school is any more necessary to the
prosperity of State than good col
lege. True, larger numbers attend the
one than the other, but it was Sheridan
at Cedar creek that changed defeat into
victory, not the frightened thousands
already there. Vermont sorely needs
more leaders, men and women trained
in her own institutions, who will be
loyal to the State. The tendency of
boys and girls educated in the colleges
of other States is to remain in those
States. We are proud of the leaders
Vermont has furnished to the States t
large. This has been going on for a
century. Isn't it about time we began
to keep our best at home? Students
trained in other colleges are ignorant
of what ours can do and tend to under
rate the worth of home institutions. |
remember being present at a meeting
of the late Senator Morrill, and the late
Judge Crosby Miller, both over eighty
years old and both trustees of the Uni
versity of Vermont at the time. Judge
Miller remarked with much feeling on
the utter lack of appreciation by many
of our people of the work being done by
Vermont colleges. Senator Morrill, re-
piled: 81 regret tbs so. We have never