Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-03-19
SOUNDING vERMoNTs VERDICT ON CARNEGIE REPORT.


1t of the few questions which has aroused all commun
ties the rural town we'll the village and city, 1t in
wolves all classes of public Schools from the kindergarten to
the university and therefore interests all grades of teachers
and educators Indeed feeling of apprehension as to the
possibility of educational trust is said to have been
aroused among educators in other States.
The report of the survey by the Carnegie Foundation is
discussed in directions though the last word
in education in Vermont well the first 1t is neither
alpha Long before the present inquiry in
sttued the influences and others at work through
different channels to cut down the number of medical colleges
and make Harvard and Yale in New England this
particular field One Of the weapons used to attack the
clinical facilities of the medical college in connection with
hospital and otherwise
Most of the defects found in vermonts general system
of education have been discussed and again edu
catona conferences and in reports of educational
ntendents well by educators in connection with educa
ona systems Of other States There is essential differ
for example, between the rural school problem in Yer
mont the hand and in New York, New Hampshire and
Massachusetts the other
Much less the Carnegie report the last
word Vermonts educational conditions to the people of
this State The work of ascerang whether the State is
duplicating its educational service unnecessarily with
quen waste especially in the field of higher education and
where that service could be improved has been declared by
Governor Fletcher to be the motive for the appointment of
State commission to undertake this work.
The Vermont commission has still to to what extent
the findings Of the survey justified and to what extent
its members believe the people of Vermont should adopt the
recommendations of the Carnegie Foundation The Vermont
commission has had the benefit wide range Of discussion
different directions since the Carnegie report issued
but in estimation of the most illuminating and in
respects the most dependable considerations of various
features of the Carnegie report especially secondary edu
cation that at the banquet of the Vermont schoomas
ters' club, and especially the running and informal dis
cusson following the set addresses when the affair took
the character of an educational experience meeting
every man to his own trade is adage which APP
plies with special force to this educational problem in this
Of specaes The college professor would be lost in the
of
rural school, and vice When the teachers of the
onday school tell they find many commendabe things in
the Carnegie report most of feel they speak advsedy
When State Superintendent Stone called for showing
of hands such questions the elimination of the ninth
grade the adoption of the of years the substtu
ton of years for five the beginning of the school
preliminary step to the change and noticed
that the great majority of half the hands present in
the air.
So too the volunteer speakers who reced their expert
found many features of the report to commend and the
general of opinion seemed to be that vast amount
of benefit could be derived from the by the State
all considered the various problems discussed with
eye single to the welfare of the State rather than in
divdual interests
On the other hand the teachers found various sugges
tons and recommendations made from the standpoint of
large city, which would not be practicable in a rural State
like Vermont. One speaker showed in connection with
the demotng of certain high schools to junior rank and the
selection of central high school under the regional system
proposed that many boys and girls receiving high
school education would be deprived Of important part of
this privilege nasmuch their parents could not afford to
pay the increased expense involved in sending them away
from home for education.
This is only Of various objections raised but show
ed how the report left questions up the air. while
other steps suggested could not be without
voving additional changes in various ways not mentioned
in the report One Of the important possibilities developed
the probable largely increased of high school
maintenance by the towns concerned without correspond
ing addition to the beneficial results
In the light of the entire discussion by body we'll
fitted to solve this whole question its merits the Ver-
mont teachers and superintendent who participated in the
debate the suggestion made by of the closing speakers
that the Vermont commission might well depend in part
upon educators wholly familiar with the Vermont field is
well worth thought.
AS Superintendent M. D. Chttenden SC well demon
srated if Vermonts schools receive the highest sum
total of benefit from the concededy good things in the
Carnegie report must enter upon consideration of the
whole problem with open mind ready to accept what
for the welfare of the State whole being careful
separate the wheat from the chaff.
Considering the verdict of the able educators represent
ed at this gathering in connection with secondary education
in Vermont and disclosures concerning the attitude main