The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-19
NEED OF FORUM
IN BRATTLEBORO
Plenty of Topics That Could Be Dis
cussed to Mutual Ad-
vantage.

A group of men were talking togeth-
er the other evening at the close of a
notable talk by George w. Coleman of
Boston on the Ford Hall forum, says
the Brattleboro correspondent Of the
Springfield Republican in his Sunday
letter. All admittedly had been i'm
pressed, not only with what had been
said, but By the manner of deliver.
One Of the group said, THAT s all
right for Boston and its big cosmopol-
ltan population, but | cannot see where
We would get off trying such a plan
here. There was some diversity of
opinion among members of the group
and the first speaker soon found him
self III stable minority.
There might not be occasion to dis
cusS socialism and various forms of
/ political beliefs, but it seems to some
as II there was room for some very
valuable discussions of matters that
greatly interest Brattleboro. For in.
stance, Thursday evening, Milo B. Hill
! legaS, state commissioner of education
gave an address Of an hour at an open
meeting of the board of trade, on the
educational system and problems of the
state. 1t was mighty interesting and
instructive address, and the seating
capacity of the auditorium was not
more than half filled, taking into con
sideration the balcony and gallery.
Col. Ira L. Reeves, president OF Nor
wieh university, was the other speaker.
! Both men said lot of things of in
terest to the mothers and fathers there.
just suppose Mr.. Hillegas had been
the only speaker and that when he had
I Il, flpft I, a 1
man had taken charge of the meeting
and opened IT, not for discussions but
for questions from the floor confined
to the subject matter Of the address.
The meeting would have been more
liable to attract fathers and mothers
who are supposed to be interested in
the educational problems of the state.
if they understood that they would be
privileged TO ask pertinent questions
Personally, there would be no desire
on the part of the writer to preside as
chairman unless there was movie man
there to take picture OF a Donny-
brook fair in full swing, but honestly
there are one or two questions one can
think Of that would be interesting tc
more than one parent. Undoubtedly
Mr.. Hillegas could answer them to the
satisfaction of a majority of educator.
possibly TO the satisfaction Of ma
jorit.' of parents, but it would do the
minority of parents lot Of good t
hear the man responsible for the edu
cational system 5 conduct, speak RICH
out in the meeting.
That IS just a suggestion. There i
some agitation here about the town
manager system of government \ rea
, town manager. primed with information
facts and comparative figures. could b
brought here at no great expense. tel
his story in an hour and then grid III
bis lolns, dig his trench, man his gat
ling gun and stand of, some question
that would be asked of him At tn
meeting il might not be a bad idea t
invite one of the town fathers to dis
cuss the ancient form Of governmen
now in vogue here and defend his be
lief, if he has any regarding it, durin;
the question period.
No need for il III Brattleboro.
has lecture course beaten mile
! The only thing necessary is a chair
, man with a smile a balance wheel an
diplomacy: it needs him aud a speake
. who knows his subject from A to
: and all the sidetracks and who ca,
think quick on his feet. Brattlebor
has furnished men before for most ev
cry conceivable form of emergency an
J such chairman could be found TIL
speakers are obtained for their expense
, III such a cause and the funds would b
Forthcoming quickly.