Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-07-30
THE EDUCATIONAL REPORT.

The report of the education committee
so far as can be judged from the brief
synopsis sent out. is about what was ex-
pected, being. In effect, the adoption of
the report of the Carnegie Foundation
as a result of the education survey.
which Is now fairly familiar to the peo-
pie of the State as a whole. The COM
mission would abolish Norwich Univer-
sity the two state normal schools. the
College of Medicine of the University Of
Vermont, and force the State university,
which the commission holds IS not a state
institution, and Middlebury College TO
rely wholly upon private support. except
In return for whatever service is per-
formed for the State.
The Carnegie report, which Is the ba sis
for the present report, held that our
teachers should be educated In Vermont
because If they were sent to educational
Institutions outside of the State they
would not be likely to return to YER
mont, yet when it comes to the education
Of our youth in general and our doctors
In particular they say In effect It makes
no difference to Vermont where they are
educated
In spite Of the fact that the unfair
statement of the Carnegie report con-
corning the small number of students in
1918 was shown to be based on the one
year when the advanced requirements,
including an additional year. went into
effect, the Vermont commission have re-
peated the offence, thereby showing their
lack Of impartiality in dealing with this
broad subject as it deserved.
So far as the status of the University
of Vermont as State institution is con-
cerned we have one justice of the ST.
preme Court holding it to be such,
while another says 1t IS not The pres
the State founded the University of Yer
mont. The university itself celebrates
Founders day. but when the state revised
the charter and made the university and
the State Agricultural College one. It took
a step which makes It difficult for even
the education commission to explain
away.
Our friends of the Vermont education
commissiol evidently overlooked the fact
II, A.,
and the State Agricultural College were
made one institution by Legislative enact
ment and executive approval, the word
state" was incorporated in the name
of the institution; and the Legislature
has said that mo trustee or supervisor
of any State institution. except the Uni
versity of Vermont and State Agricultural
College, shall be employed in any capacity
in such institution" showing conclusively
by this special exception that the univer-
sity and Agricultural College was re-
garded as a state institution and so
treated, even If majority OF its trus-
tees were not appointed by the State.
President Butler of Columbia does not
believe in State universities any whore.
and it was not to be expected that this
report would lose any opportunity to hit
such an institution. However. State uni
versitics will unquestionably continue to
exist. President Butler and his COL
leagues OF the Vermont commission to
the contrary notwithstanding.
1t is unfortunate that the commission
had so many prejudices ana partiallties
among its members to overcome. and
those who are trying to establish a med-
cal trust in the United States
Moreover, when the people of Vermont
come to face the necessity of sending
their children away from home to COM
plete their high school education. as will
be necessary for the majority. If the next
Legislature adopts the report of the Yer
mont commission in favor of junior high
schools and senior central high schools
for finishing" they are likely to think
twice before forcing any such measure
through the Legislature.
When the complete report Is at hand
we shall devote further space to some
of the Inconsistencies and defects which
mar work which in many other re-
spects Is admirable and commentaries