Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-12-31


TO members-elect Of the Legislature Of
Vermont. under date Of December q
Theodore y. Vail declares his intention
Of offering the Lyndon agricultural school
and his large property. Speedwell Farms
to the STATE for educational purposes
Mr.. Vail SAYS:
'Lyndonvlc, ". Dec. p, 1914
Dear Sir:
MY DuiI IN Csta blishing the agri.
cultural .-'' school for boys al
Lyndon .i.munstrate the advan-
tage of naol al differentiated
from an '., 'pllege. This pur
pose has Y,,shed and 1t has
been rc"ogu'2. e." 'Nc official acts Of
the Legisl@.r' not intend, nor
have | ever inj..f.' 10 enter into any
competition in surh matters. and fer
from 1t to enter into competition with
the State
II now desire to use my energy and
means 10 demonstrate the utility, neces
sity and advantage Of schools for gir
where they NAY be thoroughly traine.
in all tho home life industries and econor1
les, to make good homo and house
wives So Far this has not been take
up by the State. but it is as necessart
munity that the homes should be prop
erly and economically operated as tina
The farms should he.
"A demand FOR agricultural schools is
coming from all parts of the state.
Yarns have been offered for that pur-
pose The demand is healthy one and
it is to he hoped that In time every
county Will support good Industrial
-. o. xt-lr
but the State is not prepared at pres
ant to provide, nor is the demand suff-
cient, for such a number.
The offers to give the land are COM
inendable, but the land and ordinary
farm buildings are but a small part OF
the necessities of such a school a capt.
tai expenditure of from fifty to seventy
five thousand dollars is necessary u
properly equip such a school. and an an
nual appropriation Of from twenty to
thirty thousand dollars FOR operation
and maintenance, etc. How much of this
can he recovered from tuition etc, will
depend upon the policy adopted.
one school for technical instruction
# any kind, properly equipped for ex-
permental and demonstration work With
an ample and competent stan. can be
effective and accomplish results. The
same amount Of money divided between
a number of schools none of which are
either effectively equipped or provided
with a full and competent staff Of in
| structors and demonstrators, would be
worse than wasted.
Theory alone can Oe taught in this
high schools, practical demonstration
and training needs ample equipment
II now propose to offer to the State
the Agricultural school al Lyndon and
the farm and farm buildings at Speed
well with their equipment. stock as It
now stands. with some few possible
reservations Of things of personal inter
est.
The school and farm are amply pro-
vided with buildings and all the equip
mcnt and stock necessary for instruction
and demonstration. All the buildings
have been planned in construction or
reconstruction for permanence and low
maintenance cost The State can take
with it as much or as little land as It
| may decide upon My purpose Is to
offer the school and farm completely
equipped. with dormitory. farm and
school buildings and equipment stock
| Of animals and tools. to the State for
| educational purposes. These could not
! be duplicated for much moro than one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
| The cost Of opera ting this school Will
| be as small as any school Of its kind
could be operated for. The greatest ex-
| pense l have had In connection with II
| Is In trying to demonstrate that STU
dent could he self-supporting during his
| term at school. This the state need
not continue. While this has not been
fully demonstrated. it has gone far
enough to show that. the dormitory &C
comm odations being provided, a student
could earn by his work a considerable
! dependent entirely upon the desire
capacity and willingness Of the student
| himself
In connection with the school and
| farm are ample apartments or houses
! for the staff.
There Is no necessary eNpense in CON
nection with this establishment that
would not be necessary In any cuually
well QUILTED establishment, Vhi,o there
Is an opportunity for revenue ana profit
/ able employment of tine siui,r g..
, farm.
! There will 5v ono advantag. in Tn,
State accepting this proposition and that
is, 1t Will have reserved it's capital ex-
: soon as there is sufficient demand in
some other section of the State
| Il respectfully submit this for youi
consideration and recommendation ~ tht
| coming legislature"