St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-02-18

agree with the statement that the
Carnegie Foundation does not get at
the real difficulty, namely, the lack
of money in the small towns, some of
which now tax themselves from sixty
to seventy per cent on their grand
list for the support of their schools,
which, despite this generous allow
ance, are in a starved condition. In
the report one is unable to find any
proposition of furnishing financial
aid to these struggling towns. It
even appears that Vermont is ad-
vised to be reconciled to the eight
dollar and half average pay for a
teacher. If this is true, the inves-
tigators have neglected to grasp the
Vermont idea that this state will not
forever be satisfied with something
inferior to the best.
Educators are nearly unanimous
in agreeing that financial support is
the sine qua non of Improvement in
the rural school situation. Presi
dent Thomas of Middlebury Col
lege, in his baccalaureate of last,
June, which evoked so much favor
able comment in the state press,
touched upon this very point, when
he said, cit is as clear as the day
that the state must come to the aid
of the small towns, where educa-
ton is most expensive, and most
difficult to render efficient, because
of the scattered population, and
where the means are most meagre."
1t may come as a surprise to many
to be told that ''the highest rate of
taxes for school purposes in our
state to-day is not in the cities, but
is in the back towns, where the
population is less than it used to be,
where the valuation of property is
less and where 1.-The burden of COM
munity support falls with increasing
weight upon a diminishing number"
President Thomas developed his
theme at greater length, declaring
that, "In self protection the state
must move toward equalization of
educational opportunity, not dimin-
ishing the advantages in the larger
communities, but bringing up those
of the smaller places to the level of
the best. The cities and larger
towns are recruited constantly from
the smaller places, and the intelli-
gence and worth of the favored COM
munities, as we'll as the quality of
the men we send beyond the state,
depends upon the education and the
quality of life in the remoter ham,
lets. Moreover, a citizen of Bur-
lington has but one-four thousandth
of a vote in the state legislature,
while citizen of Belvidere has one
twentieth. No state can rise much
above its legislation, and the inter-
ests of the whole state demand an
efficient state system of education
extending to every last school-house
in our 246 towns. Years ago it was
seen that the back districts in the
towns could not be left to themselves.
They needed and had the right to,
the support of the villages of the
towns in which they were located.
On the same principle we see now
that the smaller towns cannot be left
to themselves in providing school
ing for their children. Not by way
of coercion, but through financial
assistance and through encourage
ment to the maintenance of a stan
dard worthy Of that assistance, we
must come to the relief of the more
scattered communities. We must
do with our schools just what we
have done with our roads; the strong
must help the weak, and all must
take a part in bearing the burdens
of all.
Now, then, what does the report
suggest as aid for the back districts?
Is there any allowance made for
helping the teachers in a financial |
way? Is there any help offered for
the upkeeping of buildings, for the
purchase of supplies, ETC.? If the
report were adopted. would not the |
towns be under the same staggering
burden as at present, under which |
the schools have gone down? What |
are the answers to these questions. |
for on those answers will depend the |
judgment of Vermont as regards |
the section Of the report devoted to |
elementary education. Vermont |
wishes to give the boys and |
girls of the countryside careful care |
and attention in educational mat
tiers, for it needs it's boys and girls |
on the farm. and one of the big fac |
tors that will make for this end will |
be the character OF the educational |
facilities And the question now at /
issue is, Does the Carnegie Founda- |
ton make recommendations which |
If followed, will do educational JUS
tice to the rural districts? 1t is a /
question that well may give citizens /
of the state serious concern.-St- Al
bans Messenger.
The % cent piece was made ia
Gus by the American Liver Tablets