davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
EXISTS ONLY IN MEMORY
"littIe Red Schoolhouse" Is Now One
of the Things That Belong
to the Past

1.-THE little red SchoolhouSe" was
rallying cry in more than one national
political campaign of recent years, and
a government bulletin issued a week or
SO ago had a long article about the
insanitary conditions of "the little red
schoolhouse." We are warned to pre-
serve intact "the little red school
house." to clean up and scrub out and
paint "the little red schoolhouse," and
so on.
And, Notwithstanding all this propa-
ganda about it, who in this part of
the existence of a ''red schOolhouse,"
little or big, unless it be one of red
brick? The phrase is intended to en-
brace schoOlhouses in the country dis
trictS; but there is hardly a red cOun-
try SchOOlhOuSe in Missouri, Kansas,
Oklahoma, or any western state. Most
of the buildings are white, some are
of no color at all, except a weather.
beaten silver gray, and there are a
few log schoolhouses, and maybe
somewhere there is red one.
Possibly there are a few scattering
red schoolhouses in the country dis
tricts of New England and the East
That is where the phrase ''little red
schoolhouse" originated. With true
Yankee thrift they painted them red,
just as they painted their barns, red, be-
cause red was the cheapest kind Of
paint. The country boys and girls of a
century ago and later were taught in
little red schoolhouses, and the phrase
little red schoolhouse" crept into print
and the oratory of the hustings. To
say that a man was graduated from
the little red schooIhouse meant that
he was a self-made man who began
at the grassroots.
To speak or write of the preserva-
ton of the little red schoolhouse meant
a reference to those homely virtues
and simple tastes of the country, free
and unhampered by oppression of
either church or state. And the SlO-
gan, little red schoOlhouse," has come
down to us and is a part of the Ian
guage, long after the little red school
house has disappeared.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Blind Soldiers of France.

There are actually some five thou
sand blind in France as a result of the
war, most of them blinded by gases or
the sheets of flame vomited by the
German "flammenwerfer," of which ex-
tenSive use was made at Verdun.
have been told that an entire French
company, their clothes afiame, ran to
attack the incendiaries, and, grasping
them in a fiery embrace, burned to
death with their foes. 1t is around
the blind soldiers that the prettiest
and most tender nurses crowd.
In a little eighteenth-century house
in Passy, still standing in its shady
garden among the new buildings of the
modern suburb, LIE Bourgeois, the rec
ognized master of animal sculpture,
has installed shop for wounded SOL
diers.
Here in boxes that fill an entire
room are hundreds of toy elephants,
simplihed and reduced copies of that
great sculptured one by lie Bourgeois
which stands in the great salon of the
"ENpositions des Jouets des Mutiles."
Cartoons Magazine.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Function of County Agent.

1t is recognized that the county
agent must be able to do more than
give technical information. He must
be leader and organizer in order that
the people may be brought together
and enlisted in an active way in the
various movements, for the solution of
the many problems Of agriculture and
country life will come easiest and sur
est when the country people themselves
realize conditions and reach the point
where they will demand the work for
better schools, better churches, better
roads, and recognition of the coun-
try greatest business and industry,
agriculture.
In many counties there are people
who would organize and use the county
agricultural advisor as a financial agent
for cooperative buying and selling.
This is a questionable line for county
agents to take up. 1t is almost sure to
interfere with regular trading interests
of the county and break the co-opera-
tive relationship which should exist be-
tween the business men of the town
and people of rural districts. The aim
should be to unite all interests. brea k
down the barrier between town and
county and have all work for better
agriculture and a better community
life.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Ispahan's Glory Gone.

A report from Constantinople to the
effect that the Persian city of Ispahan
had been freed from Russian rule by
an uprising of tribesmen who had
waged holy war" against the for
eigners, failed to attract more than
casual comment in the news dispatches
from the war fronts of Europe and
Asia. Yet had this city retained in
the twentieth century the power and
magnificence which were hers in the
seventeenth, no news in the world, not
even that affecting Berlin, London or
Paris, would have been of greater in
terest, for in that era Ispahan, the
capital of its country, had a popula-
ton variously estimated between 1,00O,-
600 and 100000, whAe it's palaces, gar
dens and wonderful bazaars We're with
out rival in any cline, according to a
war geography note issued by the Ma
uonal Geographic society.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
STATE NEWS NOTES.

Herbert o. Spaulding of Morrisville
committed suicide by hanging Sunday
afternoon. His wife had been to see
her daughter, who is i'll, and Mr..
Spaulding took his life in her absence
He had been in almost a helpless condi-
ton for many years and was subject
to fits Of dependency.
Because H. G. Baxter & Brother of
Brunswick, Me-, operators of the Wind
sor Canning company, are dissatisfied
with the result Of the past season, the
light acreage planted and the way the
residents of Windsor took hold of the
proposition, the company has announced
that the plant may be removed to some
other place. Unless 200 acres are signed
soon, they state they will not run the
factory.
Napoleon Lafuer, 81, was fatally in
jured near Websterville on the Barre &
Chelsea railroad Saturday afternoon 81
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
The Prayer of Cyrus Brown.

The proper way for man to pray
Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
81 And the only proper attitude
Is down upon lis knees.
no, l should say tln way to pray, -
Said Rev. Doctor Wi,
50 Is standing straight with outstretched
arms
And rapt upturned eyes"
''Oh, no; no, no, - said Elder Snow.
Such posture is too proud;
A man should pray with eyes fast
closed
And head eontritely bowed. "
- 1t seems to me his hands should be
Austerely clasped in front,
With both thumbs pointing toward the
ground,
Said Rev. DIR. Blunt.
Las year | fell in Hodgkin s well
Head first, said Cyrus Brown,
2" With both my heels a-stickin' up,
My head a-pinting down;
" An made a prayer right then and
there
Best prayer l ever said,
The prayingist prayer L ever prayed.
A-standing on my head"
Sam Walter Foss.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Salt Evaporation.

In the production Of that indispen-
sable cOndiment, salt, the United States
is happily independent of all other eoun-
tries. The 1921 1876 barrels of salt
produced in 1915 by ii states, Porto
Rico and Hawaii constitute 90 per
cent of the salt consumed in the
United States, and much more could
easily have been supplied had the de
mand required il, according to the Unit
ed States Geological Survey, Depart
Salt occurs naturally Gt "a Nh distinct
ways-as rock salt in beds or associ-
ated with bedded or sedimentary de-
posits, and in natural brines. The
larger part of our salt is obtained by
converting rock salt that lies deep be-
low the earth s surface into artificial
brines, which are pumped to the surface
and there evaporated. Some idea of
the quantity Of the salt evaporated
from natural brines may be gained from
statistics Of the output of New York,
Michigan and Kansas alone, three large
saltproducing states, for the calendar
year 1915. In Michigan, 6,7OS POI bar
rels of cvaporated salt, having a value
Of S3,635,692, were produced; in New
York, 3,4l3,464 barrels, valued at 81,
'2o,434 and in Kansas, ,9Ol ,7j6 bar
relS. valued at S696,060.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
DWESTabRATTLEBORO

Mrs. Allen Wilmington is recovering
from an illness.
Mrs. Harry Martin of Northampton
is visiting her mother, Mrs. I. NJ. All
bee.
The Rural Home club vii meet with
Mrs. Frank Houghton Wednesday, Jan
uary 8.
Marjorie, youngest child of Rev. and
Mrs. A. Y. Woodwork, is i'll with
whooping cough.
Mrs. Frank Houghton is suffering
with neuritis and is under the care of
DIR. w. II. Lane.
Mrs. Frank LeRay, who is i'll in the
Melrose hospital following a slight OPP
Grafton, is improving.
Miss Ethel McClay returned to her
home in Woodstock the first of the
week, after visiting at Frank Hough-
ton S.
The two children of Mrs Edward
Clark of Detroit, Mich, who are visit
ing Miss Susie and Miss Fayette Clark,
are i'll with measles.
The annual business meeting of the
Baptist church will be held next We'd
nesdav evening in the chapel. There
will be the election of officers and any
other business which may come before
the meeting.
The Ladies Aid society of the Bap-
fist church will hold its annual meet
ing this afternoon with Mrs. |. NJ.
Compton. Officers will be elected for
the coming year. The work to be done
this year also will be planned.
Baptist church, Rev. /. NJ. Compton
pastor. Morning worship at 1890 with
| sermon by the pastor. Sunday school at
80. The midweek prayer meeting
Wednesday evening will be omitted on
account OF the annual church meeting
Guy Stockwe1, who returned from
Springfield, Mass, recently to assist in
the care of his, father, Charles Stock
we'll, has entered the employ of the
| Twin State Gas & Electric Co., as
motorman, succeeding Benjamin Blod-
gett. Hazen Farr is working for the
present on the ears as conductor.
First Congregational church. Rev. A.
'. Woodwork, pastor PRAYER meeting
this week Friday evening at o'clock.
Subject, Pilgrim Deeds and Duties.
! Chapter 4 from page 90 Sunday, Dec.
81, morning worship at 1870. Sermon
by the pastor Subject, The Suffering
Servant. Sunday school at 11.45.
Christian Endeavor meeting at :
o clock. Subject, Lessons to Learn
from the Past. Eph. ): 1921. Leader,
/ c. r. Prentiss.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Precious Library.

Mr.. G. NJ. Bowman of Logic, Fife,
Scotland, proprietor of the entailed
North Fife estate of Logic, who recent
ly died, possessed library under a
most particular injunction for its pres
ervation. 1t consists of many valuable
editions of the classics and a valuable
collection of engravings, and under the
entail the heir is prohibited from lend
ing the books, but is bound to keep a
suitable room for the library in his
house, and to allow free access to it
TO the neighboring gentlemen there to
read and study. He is also bound to
have basin with water and towel
that the books may not be soned with
unclean hands, and women and chill
dren are expressly prohibited from
having access to the library.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
ADJUSTMENTS
Motion Picture Attractions.

The Empire today presents Burr Me
Intosh in the ive-act Mutual De Lux
drama, My Partner. also Helen s Race
With Death, the first chapter of The
Girl and the Game, featuring Helen
Holmes, in two acts. Tomorrow The
Shielding Shadow in two acts, Dorothy
Davenport in Toilers of the Sea in
three acts, and two reels of comedies
will be shown.
Today Fannie Ward will be seen at
the Princess theatre in the Paramount
production, Each Pearl "A Tear, also
Earle Williams in an episode of The
Scarlet Runner, and in the evening
three New Year. baskets will be given
away, each containing a dinner for six
persons. Tomorrow Robert Edeson in
the special V. l.. 5. +. feature, Fathers
OF Men, with special music in the even
ing by Lcitsingcrs orchestra will be
the attraction.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
GUILFORD.

Mrs. George Sessions is in Greenfield.
Mass. a few days.
Mrs. Alfred Cornell of Townshend is
4 guest at William Tyler's.
Miss Annie Mellen is in Brattleboro
at Mrs. George f. Crowell's through
the holidays.
Mr.. and Mrs, Joel Flagg spent Christ
mas at the home OF DR.. G. F. Barber
in Brattlehoro.
Miss Gertrude Bangs went last week
to Scotia, New York, to, spend the holt
days with friends. ..
AIrs.sA. Mellan returned home We'd
nesday from Brattleboro, where she has
been two weeks taking care of a pa
tient
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Lowry spent
Christmas with her niece in Greenfield.
Mass, also later, visited a cousin in
Deerfeld. Mass.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Yeaw and fam
lily and Mr.. and Mrs. George Sessions
and daughter were guests of Mr.. and
Mrs. George Wilder on Christmas day.
Rev. and Mrs. c. b. Atwood were
guests on Christmas of relatives in
Greenfield, Mass, Mrs. Atwood remain
ing until Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Russell Hopper of
South Londonderry. spent Christmas
with the latter's parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Hooker II. Winchester.
Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. II. Willis and chill
drcu speut Christmas with Mr.. Willis s
parents in Jamaica. Later Mrs. Willis
and children visited her parents in
Townshend.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
THEIR HEART IN THEIR WORK
Engineers and Mechanics Alike Suf-
fered When Great BridgeADver ST.
Lawrence River Collapsed.

When the great steel span of the
Quebec bridge buckled and fell into
the st. Lawrence river "a cry of an
guiSh went up from the engineers who
had planned the bridge. and they put
their faces into their hands and wept,"
says the Toronto Globe in its account
of the disaster. ''They saw their care
fully thought-out plans, on which they
had placed their professional reputa-
tons, suddenly ruthlessly thwarted
and tumbled to ruin. 1t was as if
they had lost a great friend. They
had lived with this span. They had
pride in this work of their brains and
hands, and it melted into the river
and sank in an instant, never to be
recovered"
The same paper tells of how the
hundreds of men who had worked on
the bridge for months and years We're
plunged into the deepest gloom. The
bridge was dear to them, and they sat
on the bank and looked at the spot in
the river where the bridge had gone
down."
Each workman who is worth his salt
is proud of his work and of the struc-
ture that rises from the labor of his
mind and hand, whether it be car, a
boat, a house, a mighty bridge, poem
or field of corn. The laborer who
has not this feeling of pride in achieve
ment is not a good workman.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Cars Strenuous Life.

Although the ear of Russia is not,
like the kings of Italy and Belgium,
in the fighting line, he is leading as
strenuous and useful life as either of
them. For year he has been living
in small house, from which he and
his staff direct the movements of his
vast armies. He lives almost as sim
ply as the meanest of his soldiers, rises
at six o'clock every morning, and
works, with intervals only for his meals
and an occasional walk or motor ride,
often until the small hours of the morn
ing. He seldom gets more than four
hours sleep, and declares he was never
more fit or happy in his life.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
NOT MERE MEDICAL PROBLEM
Protection of Public Health Has Its
Foundation on Broad Municipal
Policy, Is Assertion.

The protection of public health is
DR.. w. c. Rucker, assistant surgeon
general, United States public health
service, told the American Public
Health association.
Community health cannot be called
'purchaseable," he said. 1T must rest
on cooperation and broad municipal
policy
"A public health program for cities
is in reality nothing more or less than
a complete plan for communal exist
ence" said Doctor Rucker.
UNFORTUNATELY, health has been con-
ical problem and the pendulum has
been enthusiastically swung SO far
that health is almost regarded as an
artificial state to be achieved and
maintained solely through the inter-
position of medical safeguards. Ex-
pert knowledge of disease is absolute
ly necessary for the work of health
department, but cannot be the fOunda-
ton of a broad municipal health pol
icy. Public health is something more
than a mere absence of disease. 1t is
the physiological functionation of the
community.
'"The keyword in this public health
policy is cooperation = cooperation
having as its basis the full recognition
of the fact that In its last analysis the
ic am
and as such cannot be solved without
careful consideration of the economics
of the community."2f -4 1~
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
BRATTLEBORO LOCAL.

Rev. f. @. S. Osgood will conduct the
chapel service at the Retreat Sunday af-
tcrnoon at 3 o'clock.
Elijah Wales s dancing class will not
meet Saturday, but will meet week
from Saturday instead.
4 meeting of the ID. F. Curtin camp,
). w. ". win be held this evening at
$50 o clock in the Armory.
Emerson d Son, house furnishers,
and Moran q Rohde, furniture dealers
and undertakers, viii be closed at 6
o clock every evening in the week exc
cept Saturdays.
Twenty-four members and friends Of
the Epworth league enjoyed sleigh
ride to Winchester last evening, where
a bountiful supper was served. All en-
Joyed an excellent time.
The Company l basketball team was
defeated at Claremont, n. H., last even
ing by q score of IS to 81. The visitors
were completely outplayed in the first
period, but in the second came fast
and scored 10 baskets from the floor.
Invitations have been received in
town to the wedding of Ashley Leon
ard Wright of Bro6kline, Mass. and
Miss Susan Shaw Hatfield, of Wellesley,
Mass, to take place Jan. 10, in st.
Andrew s church. Mr. Wright is a son
of Mr.. and Mrs. Adm Wright, formerly.
of Brattleboro, and a grandson of the
late Henry o. Leonard.
The first of q series of four dances
to be given under the auspices of the
entertainment committee of the Brat
tleboro Country club took place last
evening in Odd Fellows temple which
vas attractively decorated for the occa-
sion with garlands of evergreen and
Christmas trees. Music was furnished
by Leitsinger's orchestra of five pieces
and refreshments were served during
the evening. About 80 couples attend
ed.
In the Springfield, Mass, city news in
the Springfield Republican today APP
peared the following: d" Helen Power of
Elliott street and Mary Holland of
Holyoke, who We're struck by an auto
mobile from Brattleboro, VT, on Dwight
street Saturday night. were able to
leave the hospital yesterday. Several
stitches were required to close the
wound on Miss Holland s right arm.
Miss Power suffered severe bruises on
her right hip and suffered from the
shock. The name of the motorist who
picked them up after striking them has
not been learned.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Advertised Letters.

Men-Fred Bessette, o. II. Bowen
Louis Nadcau, II. b. Smith.
Women - Miss Katherine Bassett
Mildred Bingham, Miss Jennie Bristol.
Miss Helen Christie, Mrs. Florence
Dodge, Miss Nellie NJ. Fiske, Mrs. SUI
sic Hamilton, Mrs. Tomas Harverv.
Mrs j. II. Holland, Mrs. Augusta C..
liugleston Mrs. Nancy Mcclure. Miss
G.. +. Raddell, Miss Helen Sylvester.
Firms-Lawson & Houghton.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Would Breed Deer in Captivity.

The artificial rearing of deer is sug-
gested by DR.. r. L. Ditmars to the
New York Geological society as an in
dustry that would have especial prom
Use in the southern United States. For
venison purposes, the Indian and Ma
lay Samburs, breeding rapidly, would
be very suitable, and adults of 500 or
600 pounds would have a value In New
York of about $3.50 each. For speci-
mems for museums and parks, num-
Der of varieties might be chosen, with
the prospect of a good demand.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
CONSERVATION OF PAPER.

Every citizen ought to be willing
to see that not a pound Of paper is
wasted.
Demand from every clerk that any
unnecessary wrapping Of packages
be dispensed with.
If you have no further use for to-
day s newspaper save it for the
school children s playground fund.
Thus you viii be helping conserve
the nations paper supply and at
the same time helping along a wor-
thy local cause.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
Mot in on the Gossin-

"Iiow does your wife like the new
neighborhoodF" Not very we'll as
yet You know she's not well enough
acquainted with the sother married
women in the block Ito talk about
them"
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28

that he died after being taken in the
evening to the Barre hospital from his
injuries which included crushed
chest and which really caused his death.
His breast bone was crushed in while
he also suffered nine fractured ribs, six
of which were on one side near the front
side of the breast bone, while the others
were near the back bone He had re-
ceived an ugly scalp wound but which
was not serious enough to cause his
death
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
What Fire Costs.

The value of property lost by fire in
the United States in the last two years
overshadows the cost Of the Panama
canal. 1t exceeds the total cost of
maintaining the army and navy for the
same period. And the S200OO0,OOO
property loss is only half of the story.
There was $2O0,0OO,OOO more spent for
maintaining fire-fghting equipment.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
BANK HAS PROSPEROUS YEAR.
oficers Elected, Dividend Declared and
Dinner Served.
Especial to The Reformer.)

JAMAICA, Dee. ..
The 44th annual meeting of the ia
maica Savings bank was held at their
banking house Wednesday, Dee. 81, -
Of the so corporators being present. +.
l.. Stoweli Of Windham and NJ. l.. John
son Of Wardsboro were appointed to fill
vacancies. The old board of trustees
and officers was reelected. \. f. Cud-
worth of Londonderry also was chosen
trustee.
The treasurer 5 report showed that
the bank had had a very prosperous
year and the trustees at this time de
clared > - per cent dividend. The
usual bountiful turkey dinner was
served at the Jamaica House at the noon
hour.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28

To give concrete columns for buildings
wide foundations German engineer has
invented method for blasting away the
earth with dynamite, making a hole which
soft concrete quickly fills.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28

The available waterpower of the United
States, including Alaska, amounts to more
than 8,000,O00 horsepower, Of which ap-
proNimately 100000, or % per cent, has
been developed.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28

Closing week of the private sale of
household goods at the Geddis store,
High street Come and get some of the
bargains. X. w. Taber-Adv. 254-257#
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28

The man who always talks shop
usually hasn't much of shop.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28

It's hopeless task to try to reason with
stupidity.