The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-06

advanced course, but for those who
want to or have to ger at their life
work, the school is necessary to teach
i'll the shortest time and in the best
n amer the essentia. methods, and
enough of he rcaso ms, enough of
the cause and effect to enable them
70 intelligently do the work, and also
train them in the habits of application,
Of system and method in order that
the work may be done in the most
efficient manner with the least effort.
There is no modern industry that
could survive if it were not for in
telligent supervision and direction of
the work In industrial establish
ments there is at the head highly
trained manager assisted by trained
experts. On the very large farms
more or less the same conditions can
exist, consequently the direction as
to how to do things can be separated
from the workers who can do the
work under direction with less train
ing and little or no special education.
The Vermont farmer, however,
must in most cases be both boss and
working mar-consequently the ne
cessity Of thorough training that he
may work intelligently.
Vermont can well afford to reduce
expenses in many ways before it cuts
down the essential training which
underlies it's chiefest industry. Any
slipshod imperfect education is worse
than none and the youth need not
go to school to get it. If you intend
to educate the youth in the best ag-
ricultural methods you must have the
best possible school. Two poor ones
are worse than none, and one poor
one is worse than none, for it ruins
by false training the "man power"
of the future; that is a crime. Much
better let the youth pick up his ed
ucation in the ordinary way than al
low him to spend his best Formative
years in learning halfway methods
and bad working hebits.
If you cannot have TWO agricultural
schools, have one, and if you cannot
have that of the best, don't have any.
The State has had its experience in
Normal Schools. Doa't repeat 1t IN
agricultural training.
The Agricultural School at Lyn-
don was started for the pul poses OF
demonstrating ,n+ advantage of such
school. Fundamental education is
the province of the State. 1t was
never my intention to carry on tins
school beyond the demonstration OF
either it's usefulness or uselessness.
It was never my intention to run IN
competition with the State. 1t was
only to pioneer and show the advan-
tage, if any.
When Vermont established sec
ond Agricultural School, it was as
sumed that the State had done so be-
cause that advantage had been estab-
Used, and not to square local poll
teal difficulty.
The gift of the Lyndon property
was made to the State supposing that
the idea had become established, but
on the condition that unless 1T was
continued on the same lines, the prop
erty should go to the Lyndon Instl-
tute, where we are trying to establish,
for the girls a system OF education
for rural life.
If Vermont cannot make a suffi-
GENTLY liberal appropriation to estab-
lish the two. agricultural schools, but
is viii! l.g to make it for one, and that
one because OF. local interests must
be established &C Randolph. by all
means let that be done.
There is no need for two schools
at present, but if properly carried
on, there will be need for many,
there could be hardly COO many.
Let the alternative course be pur-
sued and the property go to the Lyn-
don Institute and be devoted to its
permanent establishment. 1t this IS
done, the State should also appro-
pirate $4,000 to make good the prop
erty, at least to cover the deprecla-
ton of the property since the State
took charge. Certainly it would take
that amount to put it all back in the
condition that it was when the State
took it. AS this would go to Yer
nont's education Vermont would be
the gamer.
AS to my personal feelings to
which you were kind enough to refer,
while shall be disappointed, I want
it distinctly understood that | would
rather see the property gradually sink
to the condition of some of the so-i
called abandoned farms, for which
better term would be neglected farms
of shiftless proprietcrs, than to have
it carried on in any half hearted, half
way manner. | would rather see
those side hill properties called
walls Folly" than to see the youth
of Vermont going year after year to
an institution which fell short of
what it should do for them and fas-
ten on to those youths the habits