St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-12-29

1 I
want it. Go into any discussion with
an open mind; be ready to be con-
WINGED if you find the other fellow has
the best reasons. No one should make
up his mind firmly about anything,
until he has heard all there is to be
said for or against, and when you
have, you will find that you were
wrong more than half the time. The
man who is right 55 times out of one
hundred is the successful man. Don't
! be afraid to change your mind when
you begin to have doubts about your
old opinion, or begin to realize that
! you are wrong.
Improved Common Roads.
"You are doing great work in Yer
mont in the Improvement of your COM
mon roads, they are a great economic
factor. Motoring other states will
convince anyone that the country
roads in Vermont average as good, if
not better, than those of any other
state, and they have been paid for. To
make Vermont attractive so that the
| tourist will stop over, and not just
pass through, there are some few
| things yet to be done. Hunting and
fishing could be better preserved. We
! have our laws, but the laws are not
| enforced. Sometime since in speak
ing to a Vermont audience I suggested
that there should be created some
state reservations which should in
| cIude a few large tracts of land sit
uated in the different parts of the
state in which our streams found their
source. These would all be forest
lands By purchasing and setting
apart several of the principal tracts
prohibiting absolutely fishing or shoot
i -
soon become nurseries for the lower
streams and for game, and to a GER
tain extent prevent those sudden
floods which sweep down over the
| country.
Proper care of the growing timber
would not only pay all charges on the
purchase, operating charges, but would
probably show a profit. But it is not
the direct profit that the state wants.
It is the indirect profit that will fol-
low in many ways.
This suggestion seems to me should
receive consideration, discussion, and
if found to be sound, some action
should be taken at no distant day.
Education.
There is one question close to my
heart, it is one that should be of para
mount interest to you all.
your educational commission made
a most thorough and painstaking
study and investigation into the edu-
'cational conditions and requirements
of the state. 1t called to its aid some
of tn worlds foremost and advanced
practical students and experts in edu-
cationaI matters. The most thorough
study and investigation into local con-
ditions ever made for any state or
county was made by these experts.
Conclusion of that investigation
was That upon the state rested an OBJ
legation, which has been recognized at
the foundation of our statehood That
obligation was that opportunity should
be given all the youth in the state to
obtain a thorough education in the
fundamental or elementary studies;
those studies which were essential to
all no matter what their station or
walk in life; those studies which when
once mastered by youth would enable
them to go just as far as they had the
desire and capacity to go, and without
which they could not go far.
This fundamental education should
embrace spelling and reading, writing
and construction of language sufficient
to read with understanding, talk and
write intelligibly and with intelligence;
enough geography to know their own
country and enough about other coun-
tries to enable them to keep accounts,
make ordinary calculations and esti-
mates. With such foundation to
build upon, all the additional educa-
ton desired can be obtained.
I'm the bygone days, before the days
of prepared food and ready made ar
ticles of general use, when ingenuity
and experience were necessary to make
crude implements and raw material
serve the purposes of life, education
in the practical side of life commenced
lat home at childhood. By the time
ordinary schooling was finished the
young could do a great many things
and knew a great many things that
they do not know now at the same age.
1t was an education you cannot get
out of books, but must come from ac-
tual experience in the doing of things. |
This education must be obtained be- |
fore one can go far in life. If it can |
not be got at home, as it used to be, it |
must be got elsewhere. If it is not OBJ |
tanned while the youth are getting |
their school education, it must be af-
terward. Why is is that so many of
you older men remark the difference
between the youth of 16 now and when
you were boy? 1t is no idle remark, !
it is a fact, that the 16-year-old boy |
was then more mature, in that he I'M
derstood how to do many things which |
he cannot do now. 1t is the practical
work in life that makes material i'm
provement or progress possible. AT |
16 one may know many things, but /
without practical training he can do
few things Under the present edu-
cational system or curriculum, the Sec
ondary courses at school are filled |
with studies, better fitted for mature
minds, which could be advantageous
ly postponed, by all not preparing for
college. They are for the most part
beyond the understanding of the
youthful mind, unless the boy is to fol-
low in higher educational or profess
siOnal lines, they can be learned so far
as desired after the mind is developed.
Nearly all who graduate from the sec
ondary schools have to hew their way