Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-12-25
MIDDLEBURY POSITION STATED
APPROVES STATE APPROPRIATIONS.
HE WILL URGE CONTINUANCE OF
MIDDLEBURY SCHOLARSHIPS.

MIDDLEBURY SCHOLARSHIPS.
In a letter to the alumni of Middle
bury college, President Thomas discusses
the report of the educational commits
sion and claims that the position of
Middlebury college has been sustained.
He says of the report: 1t is 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 i'm
portance, the commission has sustained
the Middlebury position in all important
particulars.
l. First and most important, the
commission decides that all three col
leges stand upon pr actically common
basis, in relation to the State. and that
none of them is a State institution.
After most searching examination of
the subject, at the conclusion of an ex-
ceedingly able opinion extending over
80 pages, the commission finds that the
University of Vermont is a private,
not public corporation, and it so deter
mines" This is the view always held
by Middlebury college, as set forth in
my inaugural address in 1908, that
under their present charters the higher
educational institutions of Vermont are
sisters on absolute equality.
This position is now confirmed by the
authority of the Carnegie Foundation,
and further by the educational commits
sion, to whom the question was particu
larly referred by the Legislature of 1912,
and it should now be regarded as settled.
A committee of L. V. M. trustees in a
recent statement, though reaffirming
their belief in their clam, state ex-
pressly that they do not press it Eat
this time. Such a waiver, put out in
connection with the present report and
present discussion of the educational
problem, precludes of course their rails
ing the question again at the approach
ing session of the legislature. Apart
from its unfarness to other colleges,
the State of Vermont is in no position to
make the University of Vermont State
institution, and to assume the great
burden which that would entail, es-
pecially in the face of the States prim-
airy duty to the common schools.
2. The commission recommends that
the Vermont policy of cooperation of
the State with the college, as defined
and defended in my statement to the
commission March 20, 1914, should be
continued. 1t is clear to the commits
sion that Middlebury college is in posi-
ton to render certain educational SER
vice to Vermont better and more econ
omically than any other agency, and
with the college to do this work, with
suitable appropriation therefor. If any
other institution adopts the dog-in- the
manger policy of opposing all State APP
propriatiI ms unless all are made to it, it
will have to face the recommendation of
the educational commission.
3. AS the special work of Middlebury
college for Vermont education, the COM
mission urges the continuance of our
department of pedagogy for the train
ing of high school teachers, established
by the State in 1908 and since continued
with notable success. The principle
they maintain that Vermont teachers
should be trained in Vermont cannot
fail to appeal to the legislature. The
commission does not recommend the
continuance of our department for the
sake of the college, but in the interest
of the secondary schools. Our work in
teacher training is part of their pro-
gram for the improvement of Yer
mont schools. and a very essential part.
1t is not at all likely that the legislature