The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-31
SCHOOL OPENING
POSTPONED WEEK
Applies Throughout State
Because of Coal
Shortage
DATE ANNOUNCED
is JANUARY Ia

Government Takes Coal Hauling Boats
to Coal Ships in Portland, Me-, and
Diminishes Supply to New England
States.
Because Of the seriousness of the
coal shortage and the unpromiSlng out,
lcok tho schools OF Brattleboro will
not open, following the Christmas Va
cation. until Jan. II, which is week
later than previously announced. The
same fac. applies all over the state eX-
cent in eueh schools rs desire t. burn
wood and open earlier.
This announcement follows action on
the r,art of the state fuel administra
tor, II. !. II. Jones Of Montpelier, and
60 operation on the part Of the state
commissioner of education, NJ 2. ill
legaa. ana Bishop Rice Of tho Roman
Catholic diocese.
On Saturday afternoon q telegram
came from Mr. Hillcgas 10 Miss Flor
ence N. Wcllman stating the situation
as follows:
MONTPELIER, Dee. 30.
Supt Florence N. Wcllman:
Mr.. Jones, the fuel administrator
Of Vermont, requests that al
schools using coal remain closed
until the 18th for the purpose OF
bn 81
other New England states and
meets VITA our approval Schools
using wood or those that can use
wood need not close
N. r. HILLEGAS.
Chairman +. @. S. OSgood of thC
school board Of the incorporated dis
triat s-tsss.4.l- lest 4sigift that hr nad tcfe
phonea "a the other members Of tht
school board, pr \. L. Miller and \
f. Schwcnk. ana that it was agrcec
that the schools, both the high schoo
and grades, would remain closed unit
Jan. IL. Some Of the schools nigh
burn wood, but il IS folt by all tht
authorities that il would be better L
have all schools begin at the sans
time. Brattlcboro academy IN Wes
| Drattleboro, which is under Miss Well
man S supervision, also will renal!
/ closed.
| Chairman Carl 5. Hopkins Of III
| town school directors said this morn
| ing that tho town schools also woul
( remain closed until Jan. f. some Q
4 them burn wood and some coal, but
/ is desirable that all DC in session s
the same time
Rev. Father James F. Rand Of Ia
Roman Catholic parish stated thi
morning that he approved the plan an
that while he had heard nothing as ye
from Bishop Rice concerning the II
rochial school il was safe to say tha
il would not oren until Jan. {.
State Fuel Administrator Jones a
rived home Saturday morning from
/ conference in Boston and stated Sa
urday evening that the coal condItio
Is 50 critical in Vermont that towT
which have had the equivalent Of the
last wears supply will be unable
get moro coal excepting IN cmergenc
instances When hc left Nasaingto
y. c., after the conference there !
was much encouraged about the CO.
dition, but the government III order
coal some Of its ships AZ Portland, Nj
has taken several of the coal haulir
boats in order that thc $4,000 TO l0(
900 tons OF coal needed TO supply the
ships can be carried to that poin
which not only diminishes the supp
coming 70 the New England states tn
amount but also takes out Of the NOV
/ ment Of coal the number of ships nee
ed TO handle the above tonnage. Ad
ed TO this is the congestion which {
lists on some OF the railroads, so that
is next TO impossible TO move coal Il
+ der these conditions in any great qua
tity TO relieve the situation in the NJ
England states.
| One Of the results Of the confercn
was a decision that the schools
thesa states be ed TO continue tht
: holiday vacation until Jan. Ii and
!, accordance with that suggestion \
Jones on Saturday requested Comm
sioncf Of Education NJ. B. Hillcgas
operate in that plan, which result
in n conferences and the decision bel
reached that the schools will not op
| until Jan. II.
The following letter explains t
situation 10 considerable extent.
:. Montpelier, Dee. %.
= Dr.. II. Il. Hillegas,
Commissioner of Education,
Montpelier, Vt:
Dear Sir:-As the coal situation
in Vermont, at present, is very
grave, and as it is probable that ",
: will not have any immediate re
lief, | desire 10 ask your co-opera
tion in the saving of coal
L. Therefore, if the coal-usinc
Id schools could consistently postpon,
st the opening Of their winter term
for one or two weeks, it woulC
help greatly III the conservation
in We are attempting. Also, if Their
ii are schools ADEQUATE civ supplied 20