Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-12
THE SMALL TOWNS
AND THEIR PROBLEMS
Loss In Rural Population in Ver-
,foz, as In Some Other States a
Matter fbr Serious Considcra-
ton. ". H. Crockett Tells Dis.
e,rslen Ciub

". 1t, csoekett spoke Sunday before
NE Dlspnsnleh club OF the College Street
AhApph Oh 'Hfhe frebleih ef the Small
Towns OF Vermont"
M. Crockett eaid that when the last
esNHas wae tAhph, Ia isl0, there were 13V
veDnapnt towns, zach of wlioh reported
. population VI fewnf than t,Co persons
IN ala e. these tpwns the number OF In
hAhlfnnte WIS Under 400, Ninety-sik
Vermont tewne, o. 30 per cent of the
total nArnher, contained a larger popula-
tlea Ia xIa tann In 1910 The lonses In
the half century. fepm 1860 to 1910, were
even mara striking, ar 15 out of GAG
towns, W n per cent Of the total number.
showed a dscrcase. FROM 1000 TO tpl0,
tN Vermont towns, OF two-thirds of the
entire number, leet In number OF inhabi-
thnts, The gain of ta,Sb made during the
last dseaip eHmo almost entirely from
~ or ts industrial towns and cities,
This lens IN rural population r. not
peeulinr 10 Vermont, It has boon found
throughout tho hast Iowa. one or mo
greatest and riohcst farming Stntee of
America. showed an actual loss Of TOO
IN the last CENSUS. Tho losa IL more
apparent IN Vermont than In other east
ern States because * has W Indus
trial and u,ttrS to attract is own
boys and girls who were determined TO
leave the farms, and to bring IN foreign,
population, Quality Is n trucr standard
nf value than quantity, but " great
many people headed straight FOR disaster
hive sought TO comfort themselves by
repeating that ancient maxim. a steadily
Decreasing population IL not nm indioa-
tion Of political health or industrial
pruxress, and a ssln ar less than ds.N0
In population In 60 yenrs Is n symptom
Of lowered vitality that demands the
best tonic available.
mi reason for the steady decrease
Ia Normopt'e rural towns has been the
belief that greater opportunities wore
offered elsewhere, and the young people
have gone out year after year, to the
West or to the cities, Fortunately rural
conditions ara improving, Rural life
everywhere has undergone a wonderful
transformation, Price OF farm products
are high and production hardly can keep
pace with consumption, Rural mail serv-
Ice, the telephone. the automobile and
better roads rave banlshed the Isolation
that once was the curse of farm life.
While these conditions may not increase
our population. 1t ought to check the de-
population of the rural towns. Prob
ably there Is no place to-day where an
Intelligent. Industrious man can invest
from $500 to sD.m with better prospects
Of good financial reurns thai In 4 Yer
mont farm.
Wise leadership is needed In solving the
problems of the small owns To n con-
siderable extent this is found through the
county agent and tho Agricultural extern
sion service. Tho small towns may
benefit by utilizing the best farming
methods. No other State in the Union
approaches Vermont as q dairy State
when area and population are taken into
account. Year after year vermon stands
near the head of the list IN yield Of staple
crops per acre, according to the reports
OF the United States department OF agri-
culture. Vermont has wonderful p
tunIties rs an ~apple-growing State and
hardly q beginning has been made In this
doyelopmen.. In manufacturing, the de-
velopment Of water powers, and an in
crease In woodworking Industries afford
opportunities to the small towns, and they
arc benefited indirectly by the growth OF
the larger villages and cities of the State.
vermont's depOpulation has been due
largely to our lack Of manufacturing in
dustries.
A third opportunity for the small
towns N the development of tho summer
homes idea. In many hill towns there
are great areas that arc practically
worthless Tor farming purposes, but
which afford magnificent views. II this
property Ia sold at a low price It may
be utilized for the building Of cottages
and bungalows, o. there summer colo
MES may be established like Greensboro
and AIMS Hill In Marlboro. Property
will Increase In value as a result AMI
axabl valuations will be increased
There arc tens OF thousands Of acre.
available and there Is hardly any limi
to the possibilities of development alont
this line.
It Is Important that the boys and girl.
shall be taught that the land Of oppor
tuhity does not always lie beyond SOM
far distant horizon. but for many Of then
Il may lie in their own State and theil
own community.