The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-09

NV ~ A0aANAOh
Second. is Senator Page
responsible therefor ?
Taking up the frst question, Senator Pages
answer would be: Vocational Education Is
one OF the MIST important pieces OF construc-
tive legislation now engaging public attention
Why? Because it opens up broad
educational policy which vitality and favorably
effects every state, county, town. and school
district In the United States, and because 1t Is
a measure designed 10 give efficiency to every
American boy and GIRL not only In the work
shop and on the farm, hut in the home, and
1t is measure which is designed to make into
better citizens the boys and girls Of today,
who will constitute the citizenship of to-
morrow.
On this question President Wilson speaks,
in the clean.cut language for which he is
Justly celebrated, as follows
There are two sides to the question of
preparation There is not merely a
military side-there is an industrial side
And the ideal which have in mind is
this. gentlemen: We ought to have in
this country great system Of industrial
and vocational education, under Federal
guidance and with Federal aid, Ia which
very large percentage OF the youth of
this country will be given training in
the skillful use and application Of the
principles of science in maneuver and
business.
Congressman James R. Mann. everywhere
recognized as the great Republican leader of
the present House Of Representatives, and the
man who will, should the administration
change, PROFESSIONALLY be the next Speaker
OF the House says:
The subject Of vocational educational
| think is one of the most important
subjects before the American people to-
day, or, for that matter, before the people
of the world, but particularly with US.
We are going to be in competition with
other nations when they do better than
we, by instructing their youth in the
| vacations.
Answering the second question, is Senator
Page responsible for this legislation" the
following fact is given as a matter OF official
record:
In 1911 the Committee on Agriculture and
Forestry passed, without dissenting vote, the
following resolution:
Resoloed, that Senator Page as sub.
| committee OF one be instructed to CORES
pond with leading educators and others
interested In the purposes OF the proposed
measure, and to report TO the full COM
| mittee the result Of his investigation, and
TO submit bill amended to conform to
the suggestions he may receive from such
correspondence or any he might have to
make.
! Acting in conformity with this resolution,
Senator Page entered into a correspondence
with the leading educators Of this country,
which became so extensive that the Senator
was compelled to devote thereto the larger
lpart Of his vacation period in the fall Of 1911,
and from that time until the present, in season
and out Of season, night and day, the surplus
energies OF Senator Page have been largely
given to this work. To him 1t has been a
labor Of love, and he has incurred expendi-
lures with reference 10 this measure out OF his
private means, not reimbursable by Congress,
OF more than 81, 600.
That this great measure is regarded by the
National Senate as the child Of Senator Page
is matter oil general knowledge, but as bear
y Ing upon this point, we quote below from
:, speeches delivered In the United States Senate
' July 81, 1916
Senator Smith, Of Georgia. in discussing
5, the measure, said:
r The responsibility for this measure
" would have continued with Senator Page
!, rather than to have fallen to me, but for
the change which took place in the organ.
7 izaion Of the Senate three years ago
With Reniihlican MATURITY he WAS lead