The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-04
The Educational Commission.

Herbert ID. Ryder, former member OF
the board of education, states some
wholesome truths in The Advance.
The gyrations of the Hon. John Fl.
Watson in his attitude on the commits
sion bill ostensibly reforming the edu-
cational system have been very amusing
to the audience. At the first hearing
he assumed the attitude of benignly
handing out to the expectant state the
wisdom which he accumulated by long
series of years of ignorance of the con
dition Of the state in school affairs, tenn
pered by an academic contemplation of
the present degenerate race of rural
Vermonters and asserted by the opinion
of set of foreign investigators secured
at an expense of about twenty thousand
dollars. Evidently it was supposed that
waiting state would humbly accept
the opinion handed down by such author
ity. Unexpectedly it was found that
these supposedly Degenerate successors
of the Green Mountain boys had ideas
of their own. They still had notion
that they possessed competency of com
mon sense and a convenient knowledge
of their own needs. This becoming eyi-
dent by overwhelming criticism OF the
results of the efforts of the
commission as subimated in House bill
ITO, he found it necessary to ask for
another hearing to supplement the first
where he had full opportunity to present
in favor of that product, an
which was waived aside At
this hearing. the Judge in his most ef
fective manner, as if charging jury,
an audience consisting most
" of empty seats until a late hour in
the evening or an early hour in the
accounts varying as to which
Il was.
This effort failing to have the desired
fleet of quelling the unreasonable criti-
ism OF the degenerates, the next move
vas to promulgate beautiful speci-
men of special pleading and suppressio
-er apparently at the expense of the
tate) against the normal schools. This
fusion was promptly riddled and shown
ID at is true value or lack of value by
he principal OF the normal school at
Johnson. who showed in the most con-
lusive manner that his honor was gross
Y in error in most OF his statements.
ndismayed by this showing up OF err
ora and misconceptions and still appar-
ntly at the expense of the state he
urther INDUCED in an attack on the
rinciple of assisting the colleges with
tate funds. In this criticism he was
nearer the facts and did show
hat there had been very heavy in
rease in the appropriation for the col
ges However, he appears 10 think
lat il is a wrong thing TO afford any
ssistance TO the young men and wom-
a of the state who are so soon TO be
aders in any political. educational or
Iorsl reform in the commonwealth.
hese young people are the cream of the
Duth of their era but many of them
Innot secure the education and training
hich are necessary TO ft them for their
titles, because OF poverty. Is it well 10
III to aid these earnest and able young
,ople in their endeayor TO secure an
lucationi Is il not a question of three
n cent against ninety-seyen per cent
r the ninety seven per cent can only
fitted for citizenship IL the other three
r cent are qualified for their inevitable
adcrship. The state should continue
settled policy Of producing AZ reason
he cost the necessary supply OF teach
: not only for the rural schools but
= the secondary schools as we'll. 10
v nothing Of the still wider and more
lportant preparation for a high, hon
I, and bonora bic leadership Of the com
z generation.
After all il Is true that considerable
sdt must h. ascriled 20 the Judge.
2 commission and the Carnegie hives
lation for arousing = virile popula
N 20 = searching consideration Of the
ncationsl system Of the state. even N
r conclusions Which the people arrive
are not 20 pessimistie and depressing
might be expected II fun credence
re given 20 the mournful conclusion
the twenty Thousand dollar commits
n Middlebury Register.