The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-12-16
MAY DISCONTINUE
RANDOLPH "AGGIE"
Trustees Consider the Proposal in Their
Annual Report Just Made
Public

Randolph, Dec. l6.-The question ot
what course the state of Vermont should
pursue in regard TO agricultural educa-
ton may well become u prime topic Tor
legislative debate as the result of the re-
port of the trustees OF the state schools
Of agriculture, just made public. The
trustees, Commissioner Elbert ). Brig
ham. Joseph l.. Hills, I. n. Vail, A. Nj.
Vaughan and George I. Chaffee, in effect
ask the legislature to determine ON
definite policy, and the determination OF
a policy involves consideration OF
whether or not the state not only shall
not build additional agricultural schools,
but whether il shall abolish one of the
schools which IL now has.
The state at present maintains two
schools of agriculture, one at Randolph
Center and the Theodore y. Vail school
at Lyndon Center, the gift of Mr.. Vail.
The inventory of the property at Ran
dolph shows valuation OF $4,000, with
the use of other buildings not owned by
the state, estimated to be worth S2s,000.
The inventory al the Vail school shows
a valuation OF s270,957. The school at
Randolph can be given up with loss OF
ONLY q lew lUOuHdHd htAlolNf "hhN wv
abandonment of the institution at Lyn-
don would mean that the entire property
would be lost TO the state.
The trustees. in urging legislative de-
termination OF an agricultural school
policy, say they believe that the state
should provide facilities for every stu.
dent who wishes TO obtain instruction of
the type offered by these schools, because
the future of Vermont depends very
largely upon the success of its agrieul-
tural DEVELOPMENT. An agricul-
tural school with which is connected
well equipped and well managed farm,
with a system of crops and livestock so
planned that a reasonable income can be
realized, possesses great possibilities
But, the report says later, "this laudable
aim cannot be adequately accomplished
with meagerly equipped plant"
The trustees, in dealing with the two
schools, say that in order that the Ran
dolph school be put in a condition TO give
the proper kind of instruction to its stu
dents an outlay of $4,000 will be re-
auired. with 500, 900 year for mainte
nance, while in the case of the Vail
school, $4,000 will be needed to remodel
buildings. etc. when the Vail residence
is turned over to the state. not an imme
date expenditure, with $4,000 a year
for maintenance. Among the items need
ed at once at Randolph il a dormitory,
the estimated cost of which Ia 'S44 600,
or more than the whole plant is worth,
as compared with the value of the Vail
school at S279,957. More land is needed
at Randolph. at present there being even
no pasturage for the cows.
The trustees ask for a consideration
of whether it is necessary to maintain
two agricultural schools in Vermont The
report points out that the maximum at
tendance in the two schools in l9l5-l6
was 15S, while sit is the opinion of ex-
perts in secondary agricultural eduea-
tion that 200 students may be effective
ly taught in secondary school" Con
tinuing the report saws, III we grant the
validity of this opinion, Vermont does
not now need two schools" but also say
ing that there is the possibility OF larger
future attendance.
As to the future attendance the re-
port points out that there are certain
developments which initiate against a
future need of two schools, pointing TO
the increase OF the number of high
schools that now teach agriculture. 1t is
set forth that lit should be remembered
that agricultural courses Ye now being !
offered in at least 20 high schools and
that the state is appropriatng several
thousand annually for the support OF
this work"
The trustees declare that they are
credibly informed that the establishment !
of such courses in Wisconsin high schools !
has led to the abandonment of one OF
the special state agricultural schools be-
cause of lack of attendance. If this ex-
perience is duplicated in Vermont, If ag- |
ricultural instruction can be had near |
at hand, we may not expect greatly in
creased attendance at our state agrlcul- !
tural schools. The theory of agriculture |
can be taught, not as thoroughly to be
sure, not as much OF it in the regular |
high school course; and many of the !
students can learn practical farm oper-
ations on their home farms"
In conclusion the report says; "The |
trustees, therefore, respectively suggest |
that the incoming general assembly make |
careful inquiry into the agricultural |
school situation, with a view of estab- |
fishing a policy which will provide our
youth with facilities for acquiring the |
best possible education of this type at |
the least possible cost to themselves and
to the state"