The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-12-28
ASKS THERMOMETERS -. 49,.
TO STUDY REPORTS
T. n. Vail Believes REIMBURSEMENT of
Rural School System Would Be
Great Step in Advance.

The report of the educational commits
sion based upon and a direct result of
the findings of the Carnegie Foundation
investigation is likely to be a futile topic
of discussion and probably the foundation
of considerable litigation before the legis-
lature which meets III Montpelier next L
month.
Our readers are familiar with the names
| OF those who are members OF that commits
sion. They are well known Ncmonters-
with the exception Of President Butler OF
| Columbia men Of broad experience
| and sound business sense. Their concur
sions are worth careful study and CON |
sideration. These men have given Of them |
! time, talent and experience IN the laud- |
able effort to, if possible, devise some |
means whereby the educational advan |
tages Of Vermont may be broadened, bene |
fitted, improved, made more productive OF
rcsults,-ol' productive of more results. We
know they have no selfish motive in re-
gard to the matter, but only desire the
best thing possible for the state OF Yer
mont.
/ No member OF that commission is bet
ter known for the things he has actually
done for Nclmont's educational better
ment and no ones Judgment Is more re-
he'd upon and more thoroughly respected
than that OF Theodore \. Vail Of Lyndon
vile. His work for Lyndon Institute and
Lyndon school OF agriculture shows that
II he has theories in educational matters
he Is willing to put them into actual prac
tice and when this has been done the al
most myariahle result has been beneficial
and successful. If Mr.. Vail Is a theorist
he Is able to put his theories into success
tut practice. He produces results. He
: does things. That Is what counts.
Mr.. Vail, who has been at Fortress
Monroe, Virginia, for some months, where
2 he is recovering from injuries resulting
= from a fall early last fall IS greatly inter
o csted in obtaining better things for Yer
2 mont IN an educational way. Knowing
- that whatever he might say on the subject
Y would be Of interest, The st. Johnsbury
T. Republican asked Mr.. Vail to make some
L statement in regard to the educational
l., report and IN reply he says.
& while | do not believe in swallowing
t the report Of any body Of men hook. line
aud sinker, vet, at the same time. | do
e think that a subject as technical and as
:. involved a. the subject OF education Is
: with local conditions and local environ
; ment, Is d matter to be studied very thor
g.; oughly and very carefully from every
l. point of view. ! think this has been
t done by both the Carnegie commission
: think that any body of men who had been
Il chosen for that subject and had given it
the same study and thought, would come
y 10 substantially the same conclusion"
! In speaking Of the attitude of the re-
N port toward the colleges OF the state. Mr
4 Vail says.
d 1t simply takes the stand that the
N first duty of Vermont is towards its ec-
IN mentary education, that is, to give a first
T. class foundation for further education t.
- all the youth Of the state of Vermont
and - secondary education which will
either prepare them 10 enter college or en-
gage with intelligence III the work of earn
:. ng livelihood in such pursuits as thct
may elect to follow in life Nor. it after
doing this Vermont has amy surplus first
se SEE To- 1t that it is bestowed in such wa,
Las viii produce the greatest good i'm IN
educational way, then, if there Il still a
t. surplus to bc disposed of. give it To tn,
IL colleges or others ia whatever way l. seer
~ ht hc report IN substance shows that
II \ crInont as a state j. doing moro per cap
y ita and per cent of its wealth toI lis high
~ cr educational institutions than any othc1
IN state in the union, and il also shows
- thuN. that ii i, deficient ia some respect,
= M ITS primary and secondary branches
Personally, / do not think the commission
no would object to seeing Il college m every
mt town ia the state, providing it could b,
re supported property, even if the curriculum
mt Was exactly the same n each. But what
: it does try to impress upon the public l.
Ne. To- conserve their resources and make tn,
es Very best use possible OF them. and IL
to spend their money in such way az vii
it produce the greatest possible benefit t.
those entitled to be benefited"
n Mr. Naiis adds. Il trust that the pco
AZ pie of Vermont viii look over this schem,
nv very carefully before they condemn it
at While IN certain ways it calls for the ex
pcnditure OF more money. yet, at the sam,
rs time, the results to be obtained by an ELI
a. Gent REIMBURSEMENT Of the rural school sys
al tenn will make il 50 much more cifectiv,
rs than 1t Is now, that the money viii b,
: well spent