The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-05-13

York. However vigorously the adyC
Gates Of the bill protested 10 the cor
trary they were unable 70 dispel tn
feeling that measure created in an
other State was not what Vermonter
wanted. The cry Nmade in Ne,
York" needed only slight publicity I
carry unshakable conviction to tn
people Of the State that outside infu
ences wer debating the educatiora
policy of the State. These severa
factors helped TO give an unfavcrahl
reception to the work of the educa
tional experts, although they were fac
tors for which neither the experts no
the commission were responsible ant
over which they had no control.
On the other hand the educationa
experts might have harvested NOR,
abundantly had they moved less ex.
tensively. Taken as whole the Car.
negie report is a revolutionary not :
reform measure. 1t attacked toe
many institutions of the State. In its
CALI =
attempt to abolish two normal schools
it raised up earnest advocates for the
schools who opposed the report in toto
To the three colleges of the State ii
said that one should enlarge its activ-
tiles, that second should undertake
less, and that third should cease liv-
ing altogether. There are men and
institutions that can be persuaded cas-
lily to curtail their activities. 1t re-
quires greater diplomacy, however, to
convince one to assume greater re-
sponsibilities; but to Oslerize an edu-
cational institution by external, sug-
gestive treatment savors more of pre-
than Of sound sense. So
thought the Vermont public after
reading the Carnegie report and they
refused to become access
sories to the murder of one of their
own colleges.
Doubtless the educational experts
did not realize what host of friends
a small college in the East can rally to
its support. The colleges of Vermont
occupy a unique place in educational
history. Two of them were establish
ed for work before any State was adj
nitted to the Union from the North
vest Territory. Their existence has
been almost coeval with the State of
Vermont They have taken deep root
n the hearts Of the people and to do
hem AN injustice is to infict the same
ndignity upon Vermont. They differ
rom the smaller colleges of the
Middle West in that they are regarded
Tot so much in the light of private
as an integral part Of the
system of the State. The
xperts failed to recognize that these
while holding little statu-
ory relation to Vermont, were bound
o the hearts of the people by the
trongest ties Of sentiment. Public
pinion is stronger than statutes-at-
arge, and local pride than the advice
{ experts.
There is a feeling that the experts
Tho conducted the survey entered the
tate with preconceived theories of
hat policy was best for Vermont.
.lmost the first question asked of the
cad of one college by an Investigator
as: what would happen to your col
.ge if the State appropriation should
e taken away? ?" This, too, before the !
xpert had examined the work of the
,llege and had an opportunity to I
ldge its usefulness. Likewise it is !
to the average citizen +
,w an educational expert could advo- :
tie scheme of central high schools n
n the State unless the idea had been a
yolved outside the region of Yer S
ont's hills and mountains. When v
e creator placed hills and noun q
ms, valleys and flood plains in every a
rner Of Vermont, parts of the State g
ere doomed forever to remain com f
unity units of small area. One may '
more local pride and individual pc Ii
liarities, but mountain ranges and Il
acial clay have to be reckoned with. G
nd the handiwork of the Almighty c;
so evident in Vermont, too. h
Closely related to this failure to in
cognize that the topography of Yer p
,nt requires special consideration Z
Is the attempt Of the experts to in HI
-pret the whole landscape as pre- II
agricultural" and upon is
al basis to establish an educational III
stem that should be predoninantly Ia
The report itself recog- 81
.ed that only 35 per cent Of the in al
strial population of the State is ag- a
yet the predominant form OF
educational training that was pro- m
sed gave scant measure Of consid- sc