The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-04-19

they will be visited by representative
of the state whose business it will be
to look out for their welfare.
While at the camp the boys will be
housed in the modern dormitories of
the school and they will be cared for
properly in every way, including medi'
will pay every expense except the car
fares to the camp. Room and board
will be furnished free and carfares to
the various farms will be provided.
Following, as this appeal for enlist
ments did, the highly interesting talk of
an hour, it helped to drive home in
the minds of the large number of par
ents present last evening the fact that
tho state, through the generosity Of
Theodore y. Vail, is in possession of
a unique school, with a large and thor
ough equipment, where Vermont boys
may be trained at very little expense
for a year in the essential principles
of farming in Vermont, and trained by
actually doing the work under compe-
tent instructors.
Miss Florence NJ Wellman, superin-
tendent of schools, presided and intro
duced Mr. Reynolds after Ernest '.
Barre had sung solo, accompanied
by Frank NJ. Cram, and Mr. Cram had
conducted a brief sing of popular
songs
Mr.. Reynolds rapidly sketched the
history of the school, from the time Mr..
Vail was attracted by the farm land
while riding on a train and began the
purchase of property there until in 1910
he decided that the boys of Vermont on
farms should have an opportunity for
a farm education. For five years he
personally maintained the Vail school
of agriculture at an estimated expense
during that period of 100000 and then
in 1915 presented it to the state, com
pletely stocked For two years it was
managed by board of trustees and
last year was turned over to the state
board of education.
Then began the series of pictures and
Mr. Reynolds rapidly took his audience
through every phase of farm life and
through the well equipped dormitory of
the school. He explained that there
is no book study at the school until
the pupil has encountered problem
With his problem of farm work in mind
he then seeks book information and
with the aid of his instructor works
out his problem.
! The pupils are divided into -four
groups and in rotation spend one wecl
III the dairy, one on field crops, tho
third at miscellaneous work and one
week in each month at work on the
farm, for which they are paid accord
| ing to their individual abilities TIL,
farm work is taken up according t.
the season with the result that at tn,
end of year each pupil has done a.
the proper season the work that shoult
be done on the ordinary Vermont farm
at that time.
| There arc 10 horses on the farm, IS
head of cattle, l25 sheep, scores of hen
and over 100 pigs The school has it
own water supply and power plan
which furnishes electric power and ev
cry building on each of the nine farm
comprised in the school holdings is i
first class repair.
One plan of the school is to len
each boy who graduates flock of thor
Ioughbred hens. The examination to de
termnne whether pupil is clean milk
CT IS interesting and further illustrate
y the pfaetieaf character Of The wor
done there. When the boy inishe
milking the milk in his pail is stirrc
mp and a quart bottle filled with i
4 fine gauze strainer is then put owe
the mouth of the bottle and the mil
strained through il. The strainer
put on the black board with the pupil
/ name over il. If there is dirt then
r he is not a clean mixer. There is Il
t question about the fairness Of that e,
: animation.
Tuition is free to Vermont bows an
! the total cost for a year is about S27
, Of which a boy may easily earn on
4 half and some earn nearly all of
1 BY extra work ON the farm for whiC
they are paid.
Like any other school, athletic team
are maintained and the boys are tang
! to play as well as to perfect thcmselv