Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-09-10
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
A Recognized Educational Authority
Discusses Vermont and the Cnr-
nGgie Foundation Position.
To the sHditor of the Free Press:

the educational crisis in Vermont with Dr.
Maurice Bloomfield of Johns Hopkins
University who has been spending the
summer Mt Bread Loaf Inn, and believe
some of his comments will be interesting
to readers of the Free Press DR.. Bloom
fields worldwide eminence as a scholar
and 30 years experience as a university
instructor give special emphasis to his
opinions OF the general features of our
educational movement he said THE at
tempt to hamstring higher education in
| Vermont interests me immensely, espe-
cially since 1t represents a widespread and |
vicious tendency to displace real educa-
ton with various cheap and shoddy sub
sttutes under the speclous caption OF vo-
cationalism or efficiency" The educa- |
tional situation in Vermont is evidently |
critical at this time, and legislative action |
confirming the destructive proposals Of
| fered by the Carnegie Foundation would |
! unquestionably be calamitous. | do not
know what special motive may be impell- |
| ing the Carnegie Foundation In It's activi- !
ties in Vermont, but certainly its PROPOSE |
| ton to divorce the colleges from the State |
is extra educational, and entirely hostile |
| to accepted doctrines of educational prog |
ress. A headless system of education in
these days Is an abortion Any State that
rcnounoes all interest in. and responsible |
ity for higher education disgraces itself
in the eyes of the whole nation. AS a
matter of fact, no State has ever taken
thia backward step, and II Vermont takes
this step, she will occupy conspicuous
and unenvable Isolation In respect to edu-
catlonal Advancement Such a backward
movement would he educational suicide; It
would make directly toward intellectual
bankruptcy
Incidentally I would say that any argyll
ment for improving lower education by
sacrificing higher education is generally
fallacious. There be no thorough sec
ondary education without the guidance
the inspiration, and the goal OF higher
education. Even economically considered
such a method is only cheap, time-serv-
ing and irrational expedient. In any hui
man organism the head Is more necessary
than the feet.
The contention that a State should not
give aid to privately endowed institutions
looks like frivolous objection without
wisdom of logic or experience. Even as
conspicuous a private institution as Johns
Hopkins University, generously founded
and supported by private munihcence has
} not hesitated in times of need to apply
to the State for aid and has received a
!
Maryland supports with liberal impair
TALLY both public and private institu-
tons
Every community rises in power and
influence In proportion TO its culture and
Its product OF great men-great leaders
in thought and action; and unconscious
ness of this fact Is indicated by COM
munitys Indifference to its educational
work. l do not believe that the situation
! in Vermont is desperate or hopeless T
, do not believe that any community OF
three hundred and fifty thousand people
will 80 debase Itself as to avert It's face
from the higher forces Of civilization
and turn its back upon It's own nstitu-
tions Of progress and culture. There
must be in Vermont men of culture,
patriotism and influence, who will lift
their voices in protest against this prop
c'sition to reverse the wheels of prog
ress Certainly the people Of the State,
VINO have already tasted the fruits Of
a liberal educational policy, may ba
trusted ultimately to preserve the bal
= ance OF sanity in settling the question
whether the State shall stand for a
policy of constructive and progressive
= education or for a policy OF destruction
and decadence.
DR. Bloomfield has just published an
article, entitled "a Plea for Classical
Education" in the last number Of the
Johns Hopkins Alumni Magazine A few
excerpts from this article will be inter-
o esting TO your readers. as they are di-
: rectly pertinent TO the Vermont discus
= sion. It will be remembered by those
who read the original Carnegie report
that classical studies ana humanistic
and cultural subjects in general are
l. treated with contempt and ridicule. and
n that only those subjects. are commended
J that can he appraised by materialistio
. critic rla-that is. any subject that pres
ents a so-called "practlcar' aspect and
can be readily converted into cash
product. In respect to this sort OF
- education now exploited by the reform
- ers Dr. Bloomfield says:
=. Tho statement which we hear SC
often, namely that one collegiate study
is as good as another is formula or
"a dogma. improved and unprovahle, intrin-
N sically improbable and bordering on the
Is, frivolous I am aware that It was
+ launched upon its detrimental career by
4 educators Of high repute, but I am not
s. aware that 1t has ever been subjected to
honest and proper criticism. Who. may
one ask, has really ever made serious
h, attempt to prove this dogma. important
* IL II IL true? It should be replaced ir
ID pretty equal parts by the frank claim
If that one study Ia easier or seems more
ID agreeable than another: or that one
III study lis practical or more vocationa
"a than another In ITS extreme application
r It means that tatting, or domestic
K science. or philately is on an educationa
n par with physics. biology, or indoIogy
C And there are not wanting certain force.
in educational development which follow
courage ously and foolishly this idea tC
=" the bitter end There Is observable
- tendency. more especially In western In
stitutions. but not entirely absent In thu
-, East. to- turn higher education into c
"A kind OF cosmic Chautakqua which fur
AZ nshes tor all and sundry, almost auto
~ matically, the precise article or course
~ which Is desired. Howsoeyer uninteli
gent, haphazard and Irrelevant thu
choice. and howsoever imperfectly tn
m chosen rticle is digested, 1t is supposed
re in some cryptic way to make for the In
IL creased prosperity and usefulness o
the recipient This usefulness is sup
posed, with tiresome iteration, TO mani
on fest itself most mistakenly and inspiring
er " In tn formation of a citizen wifi