The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-08-06

Z
this country and finds support for this
conclusion in the fact that during the
War Of 1912 arms were stored in the
university building and soldiers quar-
tered therein, the corporation settling
directly with the national government
for rental thereof.
II also cites the case Of President
John Wheeler, who claimed exemption
from taxation because that right was
Originally conferred by the state and
could not be revoked for the reason
that the university was private
corporation The St. Johnsbury aca-
denny cases are also cited.
Federal Money Not Misused
As to the misuse Of federal appro-
priations, the commission finds that
the appropriations received under the
first Morrill, act (1S62) for agricul-
tural experiment stations have not
been improperly expended, but that
under the acts of Congress Of 1890
and 1907, "a disproportionately small
part thereof" has been applied to ag-
riculture, Vermont's predominating
industry of life"
1t also finds that the college Of
medicine in the University of Vermont
does not perform public service suf-
ficient to warrant its receiving a state
appropriation, calling attention to the
entering class of Is in 1913, only eight
of whom were from Vermont.
The commission lays great stress on
Vermont as an agricultural rather
than an industrial state and quotes
literally from United States census
reports, which show that although
there are more persons engaged in
manufacturing, more capital is invest
ed in farms and more value is added
to products by agriculture than by
other manufactures. 1t deplores the
tendency of the schools to draw child
rem away from the farm.
Too Much Cultural Education
1t reiterates that sufficient stress is
not placed in our schools on the needs
of the pupil as member of society,
rather than as a future student in
some institution of advanced learning
and deplores the tendency toward cul-
tural education alone.
Admitting some of the evils of the
consolidated rural school, the report
urges that they will tend to Crystal
lie rural society about the consolidat-
ed school as a center" as well as tend
toward greater efficiency.
Emphasis is placed on the Carnegie
Foundations plan for six-and-six
course, six-year course in the ele-
mentary schools and six-year course
in the high schools, thus bringing the
pupils into the junior high school at
the ages of IL to Is, rather than
marking time" in the seventh and
4 eighth grades as is the case with the
eight-and-f system. 1t is held
that this will induce many pupils to
enter high school who would drop out
at the end of the elementary school
period under the present system, and
more naturally divides the courses ac-
cording to the pupils adolescence.
!. Too Much for Colleges
II The commission admits that the pro-
posed system will cost more than at
present, but quotes the constitution as
enjoining on the freemen the mainte-
nance Of "a competent number of
schools" which sought to be maintain
ed : = for the convenient instruction
Of youth" This duty, it declares, is
not being performed at present, al
though Vermont is spending more for
| it's higher institutions of learning &C
cording to its property valuation, than
any other state in New England; the
proportion being one and seventh
! tenths times as much as Maine, three
times as much as Connecticut, four
times as much as New Hampshire,
eight times as much as Massachusetts,
nine times as much as Rhode Island,
and "a times as much as New York.
The recommendation are emphatic
in respect to suspending the state ap-
preparations to U. V. NJ, Middlebury
and Norwich, save for specific ser
vices, until the public schools are
brought up to standard.
One Agricultural School
/ One efficient agricultural school at
Randolph is recommended rather than
partly efficient schools elsewhere
school to teach manual training, car
pentry, masonary and blacksmithing
. in addition to agriculture.
In recommending teachers training
courses in the secondary schools, il
points to "35 years of failure" in the
normal schools. 1t also recommends
higher salaries for teachers and tenure
Of position during good behavior. II
does not recommend central teach.
, ers' training school at present, but
! favors compulsory unionization Of
81 htr tysat a.