The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-12-11
LET VERMONT DO
IT'S OWN THINKING
While Learning from Wisdom of Carnegie
Foundation Investigators Relative
to Education, Says Professor
Josiah Royce Of Harvard.

JOSIAH Royce OF harvard.
Middlebury, Dec. ! l.---Josiah Royce, TIN
distinguished philosopher of Harvard uni
versity author of "The Philosophy OF
Loyalty" and other works of information
al reputation, has taken part in the dis
cussion on Vermont education. In lee
ter to President Thomas OF Middlebury
college, published under the title "A Plea
for Provincial Independence in Educa'
ton" he urges Vermont TO do its own
thinking on educat ional problems. After
a searching logical examination of meth
DDS of cooperation between the state and
| Institutions, he says of the Carnegie re-
port:
"Learn from their wisdom. For nobody
| can for a moment doubt that the Car
| negie Foundation stands for a great deal
of wisdom and of official advice. But re-
member that all this advice is likely to
be tainted with two defects First, it IS
the advice of professional standardizers;
second, it is the advice of those who have
the habits OF officialism. Such defects
imply no degeneracy. either intellectual
or moral in those who show them. They
are the natural outcome of the habit of
trying to carry on such enterprises as a
Carnegie Foundation is. That founda
ton has done great good and will do
much more. But when is is asked to ad-
wise the state of Vermont, then be wary
of accepting its 'clear-cut' formulas. Such
are the formulas that ofiieialism and the
love of standardizing will always give
you"
Concerning the statement of DR.. Thorn
as to the educational commission, Pro-
fessor Royce says; "You make an ex
tremely modest application to your leg |
islators chat they will be wholly guided
by advice Of the Carnegie Foundation. so
far as that refers to the 'clear-cut' policy
about highery education which that foun-
dation recommends. ! wholly agree with
the spirit, and so far as / have any right |
ID speak about the topic, with the letter
of your recommendation. ] speak in the
interest of the Vermont tradition and
ideal. | speak after reading the proceed
lngs that took place at the time of your
celebration at Middlebury in
1000. | speak in the name of the New
England country town, of the New Eng
land country college, of some of the dear
est ideals which our whole country
knows. They were kept alive of old by
New England farmers and clergymen, by
hose who did so much to determine the
cultivation of our new West, by those
whose memory will always be cherished
~ every American patriot. So that in
ny opinion you are right to propose
method whereby the state of Vermont |
nay wisely aid such an institution to {
,eep something of its own independence, c
lot by merely giving itself over to pri 7
ate benefaction, as not by simply ac-
epting mechanical state control"
"My life has taught me this lesson: A 3
ypical American province, such as your !
enerable Vermont long since was, such i
: my new California has within my own
feline become-sucb province is worth !
Your legislature will do well ?
, appropriate something towards the 9
of Vermont's most precious =
leafs and traditions. These are embodied
its institutions. | know that Middle
lry college actually embodies an impor-
mt portion of these ideals. A wise state
ID given to a valuable institution, under
litable safeguards, is certain to be prof
able"