Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-07
For PARENTS. TEACHERS, chill
DREN, AND FOR VERMONT.

| DREN, AND FOR VERMONT.
There is much in the epeech and
print of the day about things which
are unitarian, vocational and earth
earthly that without a conscious effort to
iguard against over-emphasis of these
things, We should be in danger OF ne
glecting those richest treasures Of our
New England Undergraduates and
high thought. OF what Importance Is it
to raise good crops II we allow the stand
cline? And it is truth older than the
centuries, that eye shall not live by
bread alone" that the quality Of man
hood is not affected so much by what we
eat and drink and put on as by what we
think For these reasons the effort of
the Vermont public library commission
Gated to the cultivation of interest
in those things which make for finer and
better character, particularly in the
thoughts and lives of great men pre-
served to us by the printed page, is time
ly and of immense Importance.
With the intention of making May S,
Vermont schools. real awakening to
the opportunities for pleasure and profit
which the libraries offer them, the com
mission has provided a program to be
carried out in the schools next Friday.
Up to this time it has been possible,
through the instrumentaity of the State
library commission, to provide schools
everywhere throughout the State with
the very best books. 1t has not always
been possible to awaken the maximum
Of interest in these books. The establish
ment of Library day and the exercises
which go along with it, is an effort to
point out more clearly this great oppor-
tunity of the Vermont boy and girl
This year Library day is really YER
mont day. The program has been plan
ned especially to present the messages
which great Vermonters have delivered,
the oratory and poetry which the little
old State in its greatness has inspired
and those passages in literature which
harmonic best with Vermont character
and traditions. This program in full Is
published in May Days" the latest bull
letn of the State department OF educa-
ton. It opens with Miss Helen NJ. Wins
to the tune, America"
Dear old Vermont. to thee,
Best State of all to me.
OF thee We sing.
o land of maple trees,
Swept by the mountain breeze,
Patterned by Gods DEGREES,
Our love we bring"
The program provides for roll-call
with response by each pupil. Next come
recitations. The commission recommends
for boys a selection from Wendell P.
Stafford's splendid grafton, Sons in Ex-
lie" The selection is printed with the
program with the suggestion that it may
For girls Is printed series of stanzas
from Mrs Julia c. r. DORIS centennial
Ode" fairly alive with devotion and a
rare. high enthusiasm. reading by
the teacher or by an older pupil is sug-
gested next in order and a number of
good readings are offered. These are
40 Uorlyc NJ Mrs norr
James Buckham. c. G. Eastman, J. G.
Whittier, Judge Stafford, f. ]. Phelps
D. p. Thompson. and Rowland e Robin
son.
Among the responses suggested is that
perfect definition of a gentleman which
our late, loved President Buckham gave
to the boys at the university. 1t SAYS
more in a sentence than most of us car
say in a lifetime: "A gentleman is one
who thinks more of other peoples feel
ings than OF his own rights and more
of other peoples rights than of his owr
feelings"
Here is also the memorable saying OF
the late G. G.. Benedict, SO long the In
tellectual guide and helper of all wh'
read this paper: 1--WE may not be called
to die for our country; but to deny our
selves for our country; this too, is swee
and honorable and needful"
The commission would like to know thu
names OF the boys who mcmorize Juds
Stafford's Sons in Exile" and Of tn
girls who commit to memory Mrs. Dorr'
"Commemoraton Ode"
The teachers of the State have IT II
their power now to make this movemen
success, both for the present and 70
49, future years. A real opportunity o
IL serving Vermont Is thus presented I
N them. Let us hope that, though the tim
u. is short, every teacher In the State WI
10 devote a couple Of hours next Friday I
NJ this purpose and invite the parents
or their pupils to share the exercises L
D that way will they carry out the desig
w. OF the commission. "of deepening an
10 purifying the springs of our anectioh 10
es our noble little commonwealth by famfl
lu iarzing ourselves-parents pupils an
a. teashers-wAh.our rich literary treasure