St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-02-18
PRESS COMMENT
WashingtOn's Tribute To A YER
mOnter


mOnter
When we speak of the merits of a
| leading man in our own State or
pay tribute to his services, we are
liable to be human enough TO err on
the side of loyalty to commonwealth
or of State pride or of personal or
communal Partially. When the same
tribute comes from an outside au-
thority and especially from con-
siderable distance, we know thatnone
of these considerations can have
counted as an important factor, and
that the opinion is more likely to be
that of the world at large.
When Vermont considers the pro-
duction of a loyal and distinguished
son like Judge Wendell P. Stafford,
we are excusable if we are inclined
to be partial in our estimates, but
when a Washington journal speaks
of the worth of his productions and
| his service, we learn what is thought
of him outside of Vermont. For this
reason our readers will be particular
ly interested in the following tribute
to Judge Stafford's collected and
published addresses:
ga very genuine eloquence dis
tinguishes the addresses of Wendell
Phillips Stafford. This is an eloqu-
ence that walks in grave beauty
among the high places of thought and
feeling, an eloquence of rounded per-
iods, of electric flashes and dynamic
force, such as Webster used. and
Sumner, and Wendell Phillips him
self, to the lasting glory of Ameri-
can letters. 1t is, however, an elo-
quence that, to an unhappy extent,
i- hn cnrf hot
sets the soap box above the rOstrum,
and the catch crowd phrase above
the golden coin of pure and beautiful
speech.
''The volume in hand represents
thirty or more themes, thirty or more
occasions, upon which Judge Stat
ford gave to one or another cause the
benefit of his many-Sided powers and
gifts. His native State of Vermont
and the city of Washington, his adopt
ed home, rival each other here as
sources of some of his best inspira-
ton. Vermont is manifestly a be-
loved theme. And close upon it press
the men, the measures and the future
of the National Capital. The surpas-
sing address of this volume, however,
the amplest, the completest, the rich
est one-is Robert Burns: A Poet
for the World Here is literary
criticism of superb quality. Lying
at it's base is a familiar and loving
acquaintance with all that Burns
wrote. Beside this, is a profound in
tellectual and emotional appreciation
of poetry. And around all is a mans
deep-down comprehension of the
deeps of another man. 1t is doubt
full if, within equal limits and out of
n v fh0rn fc
anywhere a more keenly intuitive and
mastery estimate of Robert Burns
than this one by Wendell Phillips
Stafford
Some time Vermont win become
thoroughly alive to the fact that in
Judge Stafford she has a son worthy
of any high honor she has to bestow
and our people will govern themselves
ordingly.-Burlingto Free Press.
The Rural Schools
For many years Vermonters have
been considering the problems pre-
sented by the rural schools and the
report of the Carnegie Foundation
once again focuses attention on this
well known subject. The Importance
of the country schools and the right
of the boys and girls to demand an
education equivalent in excellence to. 4
that given to those who live in the
larger communities have been elo-
quently set forth by patriotic Yer
monters so many times that it may
now be stated that the commonwealth
as a whole is sympathetic and desir-
Gus of discharging its duties toward
the children of the countryside.
To the well wishers of the rural
school there is some disappointment
in the Carnegie report. At first it
appeared that among the numerous
recommendations was one which
aimed at giving more money to de-
velop the teaching resources of the
country. Close examination of the
report, however, seems to dispeI this
first thought, for it appears that no
is made to take the money
from the colleges and put it in the
rural schools. If this Interpretation
is correct, the report does not make
the appeal, in this respect, that it
otherwise would.
The section on elementary educa-
ton, which is under consideration at
this time, is mild in its criticism, on
the whole. Vermonters themselves
have voiced worse complaints against
the system, and the Carnegie investi-
gators have told us many things with
which we were already familiar. But
have they told us how to help mat
ters2 That is the question with
which the state is most concerned at