The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-09-21
ADDRESS TO FARMERS.
The Schools Should Be Better Supported.I
Says P. P. Claxton.

In his letter to the secretary of the
interior, approving the campaign of the
bureau~of education for the support of
the schools and the maintenance of at
tendance upon them during the war.
President Wilson says: That, in so far
as the draft law will permit, there should
/ be no falling off in attendance in the
elementary schools, high schools or coll
leges is matter of the very greatest
Importance, affecting both our strength
IN war and our national welfare and ef-
ficiency when the war is over" He then
urges, that the people support generous
ly their schools of all grades and adapt
them as wisely as possible to the new
conditions, "to the end that no boy or
girl shall have less opportunity for edu+
cation because Of the war and that the
nation may be strengthened as it can
only be through the right education Of
all its people"
For no part of our people is this more
important than for those who live in.
villages, small towns and in the OPEN
country, mostly farmers. Whatever NAV
have been true in former days, it has
now come about that for success in their
work and for good living on the farm
and in the farm home, farmers and their
wives need broader, more comprehen-
sive, and more thorough education than
do men and women engaged in any other
occupation and living under any other
conditions. They need not only the gen.
eral information and training for life and
citizenship which they should have in
common with all men and women, but
they need also training in science and a.
knowledge of physics and chemistry. of
soils and fertilizers, of plants and ami,
mails and their diseases and how to pro-
tect against them, of the cultivation and
harvesting Of crops, of marketing. of
balanced rations for domestic animals,
of machinery and its use and care. of the
simple forms of engineering and arehi-
lecture, of bookkeeping and, banking, of
the sanitation of the home, the care OF
children, and many other things on
which their success and their health and.
happiness depends full round of knowI-
edge, such as is needed for success in M
other occupation Also the farmer and
the farmers wife must know not only
the separate facts of these, but the. I'M
DERIVING principles as WELL TO enable
them to direct their work intelliCently
and to adjust themselves to constantine
changing conditions.
Such knowledge and training cannot
be given effectively in the elementary
schools alone Much of il can be given
only in high schools and colleges, and to-
boys and girls of high school and college
age
The place which farmers hold in the
affairs of the nation and the world and
the value of their work have been re-
vealed by the war The Importance of
these will not be less when the war is
over. 1t is of the utmost Importance
that they be able to fill their places and
do their work intelligently and well.
That they may be prepared for this.
the schools for the farmers children in.
small towns and villages and in the open
country should be better supported and
constantly improved, and no boy or girl
should be kept out of the elementary
school or high school when attendance
is possible. In so far as the draft laws
and the absolute necessities of the home
will permit, every country boy and every
country girl, who is prepared for it.
should 60 to college, university, or nor
NAL school
There are before us as a people now
just two tasks of supreme Importance;
To win the war for freedom and democ-
racy, and, let us hope, for permanenb
peace, and to fit ourselves and our chil-
iren for life and citizenship in the new
world which the war is bringing in. Both
If these tasks must be performed with
,ingleness of purpose and whole-hearted
devotion to the public welfare; and no,
sacrifice, however great, must be allowed
% stand in the way of either
I feel sure the farmers of the nation
nay be trusted to do their part
Your sincerely,
P. P. Claxton, Commissioner,