The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-24
ADV IT'S E MT
STATE AGRlCUl TuRAL
SCHOOLS COMMENDED
Favorable Report by the Investi-
eating Committee Appointed
by the Vermont Legislature
Schools Worthy of Continued
Interest and Patronage.

during the recent session OF lAe !
Vermont legislature the discontin-
uance Of one or both of the state ag
ricultural schools having been made
an issue, "a special joint committee
was appointed to visit the schools,
investigate. and report. It's 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
the 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 a wide reading, es-
pecially by parents interested in such
a department of training.
The special committee consisted of
sub committees representing the com
mittees on education and educational
institutions of the Senate and House,
to which vas joined the president of
the legislative Farmers Club. 1t Wis
tied the Vail school at Lyndonville.
March z, and the Vermont State Ag-
ricultural school at Randolph, March
10. The committee also secured such
information as it 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
School and Farms at Lyndonvlle.
This school with outlying farms
has 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
Guiding from 80 TO 80 acres of a pine
forestry plantation. On the property
there are $4,000 sugar naples suit
able for tapping, G,000 of which were
tapped last year The balance were
| not tapped owing to lack of equip
! ment. The State maintains the
/ school Oh an annual appropriation OF
: $22,500 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 favorab1y witt
the farm buildings found on most Of
our up-to-date Vermont farms.
Water System.
SpeedweH farm and the adjacent
buildings and those other buildings
not maintaining their own water sys
TEN are supplied with water from
Chandler pond, which is located il
the town of Wheelock and is included
in the deed of gift from Theodore n
Vail and wife to the State. Tn.
water pressure is so arranged as t
supply an excellent fire protection
for the farm buildings and the dor
mitory at Speedwell farm. There i
ample hose connection and the stu
. dents and farm laborers are drillet
in the use of the hose cart in case o
d fire emergency.
Electric Light Plant.
The electric light plant, which i
located on the Cahoon falls, Passump
sic river, is thoroughly equipped an
well maintained This electric ligh
plant supplies electricity for illu
Speedwell farm, the Vail residenc
II a. nd fY,fn I'D ~ 10
ment of your committee is a valua
! BILE water right for the State to re
tain.
Live Stock and Farm Equipment.
< Your committee found the liv
' stock in excellent condition. Of tn
2 222 cattle, there are 129 mileh cow
r of excellent dairy type. cegistere
. Brown Swiss and / registered Guern
n sey bull. The young stock are yer
Y promising. The dairy is complete j
r every detail. About oae COW in te
in the herd is thoroughbred and tn
balance represents very high elias
stock. The 81 horses include on
thoroughbred Morgan stallion an
2 two Percheron stations, used fc
breeding purposes, q work horses {
the best farm type, 5 thoroughbre
( HGTCU6EOI mares, L registered S0lI
l. mare, colts and driving horse
0 The SIS swine are mostly Cheste
o White and the 116 sheep are larg
V and well selected and are headed b
+ one registered Shropshire and on
Q registered Oxford ram. Tt
4 poultry are White Leghorns, Barre
i Plymouth Rocks and White Wyar
dottes. The White Leghorns, whic
predominant in numbers, are fro
q the best strain.
:, Farm Machinery and Tools.
g There is a complete list of agricu
tural machinery and tools including
Fordson tractor, all in excellent col
. dition. The repairs and paintiI
necessary upon this equipment al
+ done almost entirely by students
the school.
The Dorn1itory.
u The dormitory was formerly a far
D house and has been enlarged and a
II tered so as to make it suitable Fl
'e dormitory purposes. At present