The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-21
CARNEGIE. REPORT
IS DISCUSSED BY
COLLEGE HEADS
Presidents Spooner and Thomas
Refutes Its Testimony
NORMAL SCHOOLS ENDORSED
Middebury President Says They Are
Accomplishing Good Work and
Should Be Let Alone

Montpelier, Mar. 20.-The Vermont
Educational Commission gave a hear
ing today in the Supreme court room
at the state house to representatives
of Norwich university and Middle
bury college on the report of these
institutions made by the Carnegie
Foundation. The forenoon session
was devoted to Norwich university
and the afternoon session to Middle
bury college. the main arguments be
ing made by President c. II. Spoon
err of Norwich and President John
NJ Thomas Of Middlebury
The commission was represented
by Justice John H. Watson, chairman
Horace F. Graham, Eli H. Porter and
James B. Estee and Clerk G. L. Hunt.
At the morning hearing President
Spooner brought and explained stats
tlcal tables and comparisons with
other higher institutions of learning
The University of Vermont and Mid
dlebury college, as well as many in
New England to prove that Norwich
university was doing its share.
He disagreed with many parts of
the report and spoke of the unfair
ness of its remarks.
At the afternoon session President
Thomas delivered a long address y
defense of Middlebury college and in
urging reforms which he believed
should be carried out He did not be
lieve that state subsidy should now
be withdrawn when the educational
system Of the state was being extend
ed and advanced along progressive
lines
as opinion of the teacher training
courses in high sihools. Il believe
they have come to stay" was Or.
Thomas reply. The chairman ask
ed If they were doing good work Dr.
Thomas said tina. his impressions
had been favorable although the
courses had not been in operation
long enough to form a definite opin-
ion.
President Thomas said that while
his impressions were good he could
not get away from the conviction he
had, that a good normal school
course was better than one year
teachers training.
He said that if we would only lie
the normal schools alone long enough
to prosper we would get better work
from them. He had never heard Of
any comparison made between the
teachers furnished. the union super
intendents were glad to get them all
The difference existed between the
trained and the unframed, he said
In numbers they were able to furnish
all the teachers needed, but the quail
ity had to be considered as well as
the desires OF the teachers to follow
financial inducements.
He thought that the withdrawal Of
support and a decided reversal of the
policy would make Vermont in time
dumping ground" for teachers I'M
able to meet the requirements Of eth
er states. In view of great and rad
ical changes in the process of formu-
lation he thought this was no time TO
destroy the agency that was doing so
much for northern New England
You cannot reform the high schools
by legislation said President Thorn
as, the work must be done BY the
teachers"
He thought the charge OF duplica-
ticn could be overcome by a board OF
control. He said that Middlebury
college, with its s1.0OO.OOO OF assets.
is not pleading for its existence. but
that it is pleading as a college of
Vermont for the youths OF Vermont.
and asks that il be not torn from
them by the formula OF an outsider.
r. c. Partridge Of Proctor also
spoke in defense OF Middlebury col
legc.