Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-25
FINAL HEARING ON
BILL


although the line must be drawn some.
where.
PRESIDENT BENTON.
President Benton of the JIniversit,
of paid high tribute to the
unselffsh patriotism of Judge Watson
and the members Of the educational
commission in the service they had rem.
dered the state of Vermont. He also
recognized the invaluable work Of thu
Carnegie foundation in the educational
survey of the state. at a cost of $40, oof
paid out of foundation funds, without
the expenditure Of a cent for their worry
from the treasury of the state of Yer.
mont. He declared thai these experts
had enabled Vermonters to see them
selves as others see them and that M
state In the Union had ever experienced
such an educational awakening as tina.
stimulated by this survey within tn,
past two years in Vermont,
President Benton expressed himself
as believing that the dill prepared BY
the education commission hax
received much unfair criticism. He
said 1t had been called unneoessarily
voluminous. yet I'm reality II was n
si'c'o' VI pi'N'tN B'l'NS ~ Ia ~ CDliI1Cd-
ton Of existing school Legislation with
added improvements, all Of which, IL
adopted. will require fewer pages of
the statute books, than are needed for
the publication of tho laws now in
force.
DR.. Benton expressed himself as
feeling that the bin offered by the
commission at least presented a chal-
1pnTrp for nnafrIrpfIt yn e,, al 4
and deplored the destructive attitude
of many who seem willing to sacrifice
the earnest study of patriotic men of
vision by throwing the entire bill into
the waste basket. He believes there
is little LANCER of a t~yrannical dig
archy under the permissive authority
Of those sections OF the bill providing
for a larger centralized direction in the
State board Of education. He com
mended the simplified methods of Ger
trying teachers trough the State
board as provided for in the bill and
thought it offered the only hope of
equalizine school privileges go as to
guarantee the weaker and poorer dis
tricts of the state educational advan-
tages for their boys and girls now en-
joyed almost exclusively by the
anu IVB0ipuS 'DIl-
munities.
President Benton expressed adnfra-
ton for the town system Of govern
ment. but suggested that the childhood
and youth Of all the towns would be
better served by a partnership Of
school management guaranteed through
town and State cooperation. He urged
the members of the General Assembly
70 nUoiJ tnctn in Nnct1art ~ ~ Shtg t-,
portant measure and counseled the adj
visibility of earnest attempt at CON
structive legislation by the salvage Of
all the feasible provisions of the COM
mission bill.
Speaking of the institutions of higher
learning President Benton said, Il APP
proach the discussion of this important
phase of our educa tional problem without
any feeling of hostility toward the other
colleges of this State. Each has an hon
orable record and both, in their respec-
tive fields. enjoy enviable regulations in
the American republic of letteys. l am
dealing with the facts of history. how
ever, and | believe that the University of
Vermont and State Agricultural College
Is a State university, because It was
founded by the State. was named by the
Stttt ana was lOCttttu ny Inc Sldlt. IL
has been directed by State authority from
the very beginning Of its existence, and at
the present time with the Governor of the
State. and the president of the univer-
rity eX-ofticio and ten trustees elected by
the Legislature, the majority control of
the institution is in tho hands of the State.
The General Assembly Of the State Of
Vermon has lone as 1t would with its
- L. -
up to the present. It has changed its
board of trustees at will 1t has limited
It's activities in certain directions, it has
appointed committees to investigate the
Institution and report on its expenditures
1t has ordered university enlargement; r
requires stated biennial reports of the
conduct of the university; and its presi-
dent is a qualified official Of the State
by the requirement that he take the oath
of office as a necessary preliminary condi-
ton to the performance OF his duties.
Il believe" said President Benton,
that the University of Vermont is en-
titled to first consideration at the
hands of the people of the State to-
day. because of the work it is per
forming for the public welfare; Il per
cent of it's student body is from Yer
mont and on the academic side IS per
cent. of its students are N~erlnonters
We need the University of Vermont to
guarantee advantages to our youth
that they cannot get elsewhere. every
county and 1O1 towns of this state are
represented in our student body to-
day. We need the university to assist
In the development of our natural re
sources, to cooperate with all the
Legitimate industries of the State, to
assist in solving our economic prob
lens, to preserve the public health, to
improve the social order and to per-
petuate the spirit of real democracy.