Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-12-03
WHAT OUR NEIGHb0RS SAY
The University of Vermont and state
Agricultural CoIiege md Edu-
cationaI Report,
0rum the Rutland Herald


The trustees of the University of YER
mont have placed their institution on
solid ground by their thorough going
endorsement of the report of the educa-
tional commission and even of many of
the recommendations Of the Carnegie
foundation on which that report was
based
Their conclusion that the commission
was absolutely correct in declaring that
the needs of the primary and secondary
schools must he provided for before
other obligations are incurred is perhaps
the most remarkable in view Of the cx-
pected hostility of the trustees to the
commissions proposals
There is no uncertainty about the
findings Of the trustees in this re-
spect:
We fully concur with the finding of
the commission that the STATE owes It's
first obligation to its elementary and
secondary schools and that all funds
available for purely educational pur-
poses should he expended upon these
schools until their needs are supplied.
This places the University Of Vermont
in excellent position TO bid for the
eminently desirable and most important
work Of training the teachers of the
state i'm scientific agriculture, for which
state appropriation might very pro-
/ perry he made, while endorsing the con-
illusions OF the commission as to I'M
necessary duplication Of courses gives
| the university a right 10 point to its
own facilities as II does very effectively.
Perhaps the most Diplomatic paragraph
! in the resolutions of the trustees is that
referring to the moot question as to
whether Tic university Is n State instltu-
ton or a private corporation. Not only
do they pay a most distinguished com
pliment elsewhere in the resolutions to
the commissioners WHO wrote tho report
but they iudcouslv. refrain from press
ing the question involved
This again rormits tho trustees IN
, express gracefully and firmly their
natural position that the university is
state institution and should lead the
state educational system:
Respecting the judicial question rs to
the public or private character Of the
University of Vermont and state AEri-
cultural College. which we do not press
at this time, we reaffrm our belief that
said university Is a state institution. and
we urge the desira bilitY Of establishing
beyond question the State university as
the head of the public educational svs-
tom of the State.
They thus take graceful issue with
Justice John r. Watson. who wrote the
scholarly opinion to the contrary. and
lay a foundation for an appeal to the
LEGISLATURE that will NOT he without
weight
Notwithstanding the fact that The
Herald firmly believes in Judge Wat.
sons position, as expressed by the
commission, and insist tina. it woult
be sustained by any judicial body that
might pass upon it. the Legislature /.
a law to Itself and the shrewd anpea
Of tho trustees Of the University of Yer
mont will not he without weight
In a much broader sense. however tn,
endorsement Of the sound educatona
principles laid down by the commission
will have most important effect OF
? the public mind, now in a receptive atti
, tud" toward the whole vital problem