The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-12-19
CONCLUSIONS
COINCIDE WITH
PRES. THOMAS
Head of Middlebury College Declares
That He and Educational Commis
mission Are in Accord Save
in One Particular.

HllasIUH are III altulu odNI
in One Particular.
In letter to the alumni Of Middle
bury college, President Thomas discusses
the report of the educational commission
and claims that the position OF Middle
bury college has been sustained
He says OF the report; 1t is Il valuable
document, destined to be epoch making
in Vermont education, and deserving OF
careful study by all who are interested IN
Vermont colleges and their relation to
the state.
Except in one respect of lesser mpor-
lance the commission has sustained Che
NIddlebury position in all important par
1 ticulars.
l. First and most important, the COM
1 mission decides TINT all three colleges
stand upon practically common basis,
in relation to the state, and that none of
/ them is Il state institution. After most
searching examination of the subject, ~
| the conclusion of an exceedingly able opin
ion extending over 80 pages, the commits
! sion finds that the University OF Yer
| mont lis a private, not public, corpora
ton, and it so determines" This il the
view always held by AliddIebury college,
as set forth in my inaugural address il
1908. that under their present charters
the higher educational institutions Of
Vermont are sisters on absolute equal
ity."
This position is now confirmed by the
authority of the Carnegie Foundation,
4 Al IL.
sion, to whom the question was partie,.
larly referred by the legislature of 1912,
and it should now be regarded as settled, !
A committee OF Z. V. VI. trustees in a re-
cent statement, though reatfirming their |
belief in their claim. state expressly that |
they do not press it "at this time" Such /
a waiver, put out in connection with the |
present report and present discussion OF |
the educational problem, precudes OF
course their raising the question again al
the approaching session OF the legsla
ture. Apart from its unfarness to other
colleges the state OF Vermont is in no
position to make the University OF Yer
mont state institution, and to assume
the great burden which that would en-
tail especially in the face OF the states
primary duty to the common schools.
2. The commission recommends that
the Vermont policy OF cooperation OF
the state with the college, as defined and
in my statement to the COM
mission March 20, 1914, should be con
tnued. 1t is clear to the commission
that Middlebury college is in position to
render certain educational service to Yer
mont better and more economically than
any other agency, and they advise what
5 virtually a contract with the college
20 do this work, with a suitable appra
)riation therefor. If any other institu .
ion adopts the dog -the-manger policy
# opposing all state appropriations nm
ess all are made to IT, it will have to
ace the recommendation OF the educa I
ional commission. r
g. As the special work OF Middlebury i
ollege for Vermont education. the com +
mission urges the continuance OF our de- v
Of pedagogy for the training of Il
Ugh school teachers, established by the =
tate in 1908 and since continued with n
otablc success. The principle they main \
ain that Vermont teachers should be u
rained in Vermont cannot fail TO appeal A
0 the legislature The commission does !
OF recommend the continuance OF our Il
apartment for the sake OF the college
ut in the interest Of the secondary n
.hools Our work in teacher training IS o
art Of their program for the improve 7,
rent of Vermont schools. and a very IS. o,
initial part IL j. not az all likely that i,
he legislature will discontinue this dc. II
nrtment, or cripple il in the face Of the
rong endorsement OF the commission.
he state does not want its teachers
aimed with less efficiency than ia the 10
lst, and therefore il will not wish TO in
cord that work any less generous sup. ii
ut than has been extended hitherto. er
Neither the Carnegie Foundation nor al
e educational commission has suggest n
the slightest criticism Of the use made ia
. this college of it, state appropria OF
ons, and whatever responsibilities may a.
entrusted 20 us ii the future must ~ Of
schargcd with the same faithful care 70 az