Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-10-02

tering belief in Vermont, her traditions
and her people has never waned. The
call Of Vermont is with them and will
remain with them SO long as they are
possessed of their faculties. No one could
arouse a deeper feeling of resentment In
the breast of any Vermonter than to speak
sightingly of his native State, her In
stitutions, her customs, Of her people.
without the lowering of educational
standards but rather by strict adher-
ence to the ideals of our founders, the
work should go on always insisting, at
any cost. on daily application. thorough
ness. and the other requisites OF moral
manhood that alone can satisfy the grow
ing demands Of American citizenship.
To-day, as never before. the university
is related to the educational system or
the State. From the grammar school to
the high schol and from the high school
to the university the course of the pupil
is one Of rational advancement, perfected
after years of experience and now ad-
ministcred in a careful and judiclous man.
ner by the State board of education.
Within n year we have entered into an
arrangement with that board whereby 1t
assumes responsibility for the fact that
the graduates Of certain preparatory
schools are capable of doing college work.
Students from such approved SCHOOLS
who are recommended by the respective
principals are accepted without question.
This plan has not been in operation long
enough to determine its value. but we
certainly should feel gratifled at the ap-
parent desire on the part OF the repre-
sentatives Of the States educational sys-
tenn to make collegiate training the Gull
mination Of the educational system OF the
State. On the other hand, the willing
ness with which the university accepted
the good offices Of the State board of ed
ucation in assuming the burden and re-
sponsibility Of certifcation Of schools. can
only be taken as an evidence Of our be-
lief that only such schools will be ap-
proved whose methods have been scru-
tinized carefully and whose curricula will
conform to good educational standards.
When it Is necessary. departments must
be strengthened in order that they may
continue to keep pace with sane educa-
tional progress. Due consideration should
be given to the possible need Of estab-
fishing a Junior college in connection with
university academic work. 1t is frequent
ly stated that college work has been grad
ually growing more elementary in char
acter. due to the apparent failure on the
part Of the student to do work suited to
his mental development. his inability to
grasp the proper viewpoint, and his de-
ficiencies as to the kind and amount Of
subject matter covered. The head of a
department of education in one of our
universities has said. when will colleges
realize that an inadequately prepared STU
dent. inadequately taken care of in his
first year and elected with all Of the pomp
and circumstance of faculty vote. is an
evidence of institutional imbecility rather
than of student failure?" Whether the
solution rests in a Junior college or in a
more strict regulation Of admission re-
quirements and the establishment OF more
rigid training in our preparatory schools
is a problem that it is our duty soon to
solve. The rate Of freshmen mortality,
according to the American Experience
Table Of Institutions of Higher Learning.
is abnormal and needs most careful study
on the part Of our actuaries in professor
ial circles The Vermont boy and girl are
worth saving and they should not be per-
mitted to become the victims Of a wrong
educational policy.
one has only to consult the records in
the State department of education to ap-
preciate the work that the university has
secondary schools.
BY virtue of an agreement with the
State board Of education, the college OF
agriculture carries on the training OF
teachers in agriculture and home eco
Monies. so that field is fairly well COW
cred. Is per cent. OF Vermont teachers
in agriculture and considerable per
cent. of Vermont teachers in home eco
Monies being university graduates. There
is another field, however, that needs care
full consideration. and that is the train
ing of teachers to supply the needs of
the State for its Junior high schools and
the higher grades OF elementary schools.
! The university has never attempted to
enter into competition with the normal
schools in this work, but in view of the,
discontinuance, the university should not
disregard its duty to do its part in train
ing teachers for elementary schools. For
, several years our summer schools have
been giving courses in elementary teach
er training and no charge has been made
Vermont teachers for these courses
Favorably situated geogra phically, with
over so per cent. Of our student body com
ing from Vermont and with facilities.
including practice schools, Of as salts
factory a character as can be found with
/ in radius of many miles, II Is our obli-
cation and duty to assist, so far as we
! can, in relieving the situation in which
| the State seems likely to find itself
| With the branches of teacher training
now in operation. coupled with this addi-
tional work. the university can truly be
said to be fulfilling its duty and mission
| to the State in that respect.
There is another duty that should re.
ceive our careful consideration as time
goes on. not because of any appreciable
neglect in the past. but because. with in
creasing numbers. there may be criticism
Of seeming neglect in attention given to
individual students. II we are to render
our best service to the State, we must
seek to develop the relationship between
) professor and student to that point where
the instructor will be constantly regard
ed as advisor and friend 1t should no,
be enough for us to know that the- stu
dent is graduate of a certain prepar'
atory school, but our knowledge should in
clude his family history, environment, ant
particularly his financial circumstances
Oftentimes college work. which may MOI
be OF the best grade is due to causes moi
entirely within the control of the student
The necessity of being obliged to WORK
ones way, in whole or in part. may &C
count for partial lack of class room
preparation. or i'll health may be a con
tributing cause. The real question to bt
decided in each case is whether the stu
dent IL or is not capable of doing college
work, and this cannot be Justly decided
without such general knowledge
I The dfiidence Of the student concerning