The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-22
Both the Vail and the Ran
dolph Agricultural In
R situations Favored
BY INVESTIGATORS
FOR LEGISLATURE
Both Of the Schools Made a
Profit During Past
Year .,.


ricultural schools having been made
an issue, a special joint committee
was appointed to visit the schools,
investigate and report. Its findings
were distinctly favorable to the
schools. The Legislature accepted
the report and evidenced its approval
and endorsement by renewing the
appropriations in the same amounts
and under the same conditions as for
Che previous two years.
So clearly were the advantages pos
sessed by these schools for imparting
agricultural education to the youth
of Vermont set forth in this report
that it deserves wide reading, es-
pecially by parents interested in such
"a department of training.
The special committee consisted OF
subcommittee representing the com
mittees on education and educational
institutions of the Senate and House,
to which was Joined the president OF
the Legislative Farmers Club. 1t Wis
tied the Vail school at Lyndonyille
March Z, and the Vermont State Ag-
rfcultural school at Randolph, March
10. The committee also secured such
information as 1t deemed necessary
from other sources. From its report
made to the governor and to the
members of the committees, represent
ed, is taken the following summary
The Theodore N. Vail Agricultural
j School and Farms at LyndonvilIe.
( This school with outlying farms
las an acreage of approximately 1900
acres. About 700 acres are used for
tillage. The balance of the property
is used for pasture and woodland, in
GLIDING from 80 to 35 acres of a pine
forestry plantation. On the property
there are 10000 sugar naples suit
able for tapping, 5000 Of which were
tapped last year. The balance were
not tapped owing to lack of equip
ment. The State maintains the
school on an annual appropriation of
s22,500 and the farm is better than
self-supporting
Buildings and Equipment.
The buildings on Speedwell farm.
which is the farm upon which the
school is located, are Of modern con-
.struction and equipped with strictly
'up-to-date farm appliances. These
buildings are in a remarkably good
state of repair and have the appear
ance Of being well cared for. The
buildings on the outlying farms are
the ordinary type of Vermont farm
buildings and so far as your com
mittee was able to judge from its in
spection, are in excellent condition
and maintained in a good state OF
repair. They are not as pretentious
as the buildings on Speedwell farm,
but will compare very favorably with
the farm buildings found on most OF
our up-to-date Vermont farms.
Water System.
Speedwell farm and the adjacent
buildings and those other buildings
not maintaining their own water sys-
tenn are supplied with water from
Chandler pond, which Is located in
the town of Wheelock and Is included
in the deed of gift from Theodore N
Vail and wife to the State. The
water pressure is so arranged as t
supply an excellent fire protection
for the farm buildings and the dor.
mitory at Speedwell farm. There is
ample hose connection and the stu
dents and farm laborers are drilled
in the use of the hose cart in case OF
a fire emergency.
Electric Light Plant.
The electric light plant, which is
located on the Cahoon falls, Passump-
sic river is thoroughly equipped and
well maintained This electric light
plant supplies electricity for illu-
minating and power purposes to
Speedwell farm, the Vail residence
and Lyndon Institute and in the judg-
ment of your committee is a valua-
,ble water right for the State to re-
tain.
Live stock and Farm Equipment.
Your committee found the live
stock in excellent condition. or the
222 cattle, there are 129 mich cows
of excellent dairy type, registered
Brown Swiss and / registered Guern-
sey bull. The young stock are very
promising. The dairy is complete in
every detail About one COW in ten
in the herd is thoroughbred and the
balance represents a very high class
stock. The "a horses include one
thoroughbred Morgan stallion and
two Percheron stations, used for
breeding purposes, Il work horses Of
the best farm type, thoroughbred
Percheron mares, l registered Shire
mare, s colts and 2 driving horses.
The IS swine are mostly Chester
White and the 116 sheep are large
and well selected and are headed by
one registered Shropshire and one
registered Oxford ram. The
poultry are White Leghorns, Barred
plymouth Rocks and White Wyan-
dottes. The White Leghorns, which
predominant in numbers, are from
the best strain.
Farm Machinery and Tools.
There is a complete list Of agricul-
'tural machinery and tools including a
Fordson tractor, all in excellent com
dition. The repairs and painting
necessary upon this equipment are
done almost entirely by students of
the school.
The Dormitory.
The dormitory was formerly farm
house and has been enlarged and al
tered so as to make it suitable for
dormitory purposes. At present 1t
will accommodate about so boys The
toilet and bathing facilities are Of
the best. The rooms are simply fur
nished, but we'll kept. The kitchen
Is equipped with a cold storage plant
and the dining hall and sitting rooms
wi