The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-08-22

has been one of the best known, most
respected and most influential citizens
of our capital. But this has not been
enough. Part of the inheritance which
our bracing climate and active Wig
orous life gives to most Vermonters
is a tremendous amount OF physical
stamina. Miss Lucia has perhaps even
more than her fair share of the driv-
ing power which comes with abun-
dant health and strength and her pow
erful personality has carried her far
beyond the limits of one town use
fulness To Vermont teachers she has
been well known figure, one of their
trusted leaders in any organization
| which has tried to increase their eff
cheney and improve their conditions.
| She was one of the incorporators of
| the Vermont Teachers Retirement
Fund association, the organization in
strumental in getting the present re-
tirement annuity law for teachers,
and is one of the two elected members
of the present retirement board, ere
ated by the statute.
But ii is for none of this that Miss
Lucia is known outside of Vermont,
and vet she is widely known and
greatly loved wherever there are Amer
lean children. Most people know her as
the author of the utterly delightful
peter and Polly" books, four small
volumes which are classics among chill
dren's books, because of the trans
parent simplicity of their style, the
singular charm with which, as one of
our crystal clear lakes, they reflect the
sweet, quaint, happy, idyllic life of
two little Vermont country children.
All over the country, children on the
plain and in great cities read of Peters
and Polly's adventures, and sighingly
conclude that the real name of Heaven,
as far as children go, is Vermont.
Well, they are right--or they should |
be. Vermont with the high average lev
ell OF its inhabitants, with its beauti- |
full scenery, with its free happy hunt
ing grounds of woods and brooks and |
valleys and mountains, and glorious
stimulating climate should be next |
door to heaven to children. Vermont |
has not much money compared to
some other states. But it is not much
money which - needed for children,
but interests, some money, and much
care, thought and intelligence. Every
country school in our state ought to
be a center radiating health ani hope
and strength and intelligence to any
child attending it, and it can be if we
will only gather our scattered energies,
set our shoulders. to the wheel and
give one good push, all of us working !,
together.
1t is to help ius gather our scat
tered energies, to show us how to
set shoulder to the wheel. that Miss
Lucia has given up her stable, com
Portable, honored work in Montpelier,
and has taken up her new state posi-
ion. All her strong, active, useful life
has been a sort of unconscious prep
,ration for this effort to help Vermont
children. She has had the vision of
what country life might blessedly be
o Vermont boys and girls, she has
set it down in her books, she has
rained for it with the hardest sort |,
If steady work, has helped TO realize
t in one Vermont city, and now stands !
eady to throw into the greater work {
or all country children in Vermont -
he full strength of her trained, disci- 7
'lined, powerful personality. The mem
,ers of the state board of education s
lave great hopes for the work and t
tand back vi Miss rucia and the work c
Ieart and soul They have set aside a n
und especially for this work; they p
ave carefully planned ways to. cut red il
ape, to make the undertaking of i'm. a
rowing the schools as easy as posi-
le n
But, of course, nothing whatever can y
e done if we Vermonters do not rise n
o the occasion, step into line and show
urselves worthy sons of our state.
very one of us should feel per-
onal responsibility for his own dis
riot school, should realize that now,
his very year, and the next and the
ext, the future of the children about
i'm ia being decided and should put N
D himself wildly the question of how
hat future may be more securely
Miss Lucia is now on the job, wait.
lg to be called in TO consult, advise
nd aid. 1t is up to us, Vermont citi- W
ms, to do the calling in