The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-08-23
Author of Peter and Polly
Books to Help Vt. Schools

CThe following article has been prepared
for publication by the Vermont board of
education with the assistance of Mrs.
Dorothy Garfield Fishery
Almost any American would deny at
the top of his voice the existence of arts
tocratic families among us, and certainly
any Vermonter would bristle up at the
mention of such a possibility in our
plain and democratic commonwealth.
And yet we have our own Vermont va
riety of aristocracy, the only true kind,
the aristocracy of service; we have fam
lies on whom we can always count to
work for Vermont's best interests, fam
lilies whose inheritance is not money but
a splendid tradition of service of the
common good.
Perhaps the latest instance of such a
handing on of the torch of service tower
mont, is the acceptance by Miss Rose
Lucia of the position of state supervision
of rural schools, a position created es-
pecially for her to improve the condition
of our Vermont district schools. 1t is
a critical, dangerous and decisive mo-
ment for our rural schools, on which de-
pend the future of the state. The latest
census showed us twhat we already
knew that in Vermont as elsewhere the
trend of population is toward cities and
towns. But we all also know that the
standard of efficiency for schools Is be-
ing raised higher and higher all over the
country. This means that country dis
tricts are absolutely obliged to improve
their schools unless they wish to see
their children at hopeless disadvantage
in the modern world, and yet there are
fewer people and hence less money in the
country than before, to furnish the work,
energy and intelligence to do this neces-
sary Improvement.
This is the plainest possible statement
of the situation now confronting Yer
mont. But to put against the rather dis
cOuraging sound of that plain statement
there are many encouraging factors in
the situation. One. the most important
one, is that Vermont is full of Vermont
ers, and it is unthinkable that the de-
sCendants of the Green Mountain Boys
are going to lie down and give up before
Il problem so vital to the moral health
of the state, as the improvement of our
rural schools. Men and women whose
grandfathers and grandmOthers fought
for their homes against injustice armed
by superior force. Will not, once they are
aware of the problem. let ignorance rob
Vermont children of their rightful inner
itance. The determination, energy and
tcnacity of purpose which throbS through
all the history of Vermont, will come
once more 10 Jne ueIenSe OF the nlSnef
interests of our state. Once let Yer
monters learn what the danger of the
situation is. realize what better country
schools would mean, and how they can
be obtained, there's no doubt that the
danger will retreat baffled and beaten
as did the earlier enemies of the state
Another important factor in the situa-
ton is the character of the new state Off
cial who has taken up their cause. Miss
Lucia inherits from generation to genera
ton of her Vermont family the tradition
of generous, energetic service to Vermont
One of her great -grandfathers was Rob
ert Haven, the Stout-hearted first set
tier of Rcyalton. From that day to this
the family has always owned land and
lived in Vermont and struck sturdy roots
deep into the Vermont traditions of
courage. plain living and intelligent
work for the common good. Another
great grandfather founded and was first
president of Dartmouth, which gives an
educational background to the family,
but as though they feared this might
lead to impracticality. another great