The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-08-27
IMPORTANT
SERVICE FOR
RURAL SCHOOLS
Miss Rose Lucia In Charge
of This Educational
Branch

Branch
Almost any. American would
deny at the top of his voice the
existence of aristocratic families
among us, and certainly any Yer
monter would bristle up at the
mention of such a possibility in
our plain and democratic COM
monwealth And vet we have our
own Vermont variety aristocracy
the only true kind, the aristo-
cracy of service; we have families
on whom we can always count to
work for Vermont's best interests,
families whose inheritance is not
money but a splendid tradition of
service of tn common good
Perhaps the latest instance of
such a handing on of the torch Of
service to- Vermont, is the accept
ance by Miss Rose Lucia of the
position of State Supervisor of
Rural schools, a position created
especially for her to improve the
coniition of our Vermont district
schools. 1t is critical, dangerous
and decisive moment for our rural
schools, on which depend the flu
ture of the State. The latest cen :
sus showed us (what we already
knew that in Vermont as else
where the trend of population is
/ toward cities and towns. But we
all also know that the standard of
efficiency for schools is being
raised higher and higher all over
the country This means that
country districts are absolutely
obliged to improve their schools
unless they wish to see their chill
dren 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 necessary
improvement.
This is the plainest possible
statement of the situation now
confronting Vermont. But to put
against the rather discouraging
sound of that plain statement
there are many encouraging fac
tors in the situation. One the
most important one. is that Yer
mont is full of Vermonters, and
it is unthinkable that the descend
ants of the Green Mountain Boys
are going to lie down and give up
before a problem so vital to the
moral health of the State, as the
improvement of our rural schools.
Men and women whose grandfath-
ers and grandmothers fought for
their hoTes against injustice arm
ed by superior force, will
not, once they are aware of
the problem let ignorance rob Yer
mont children Of their rightful
inheritance. The determination
enerpv and tenacity of purpose
which throbs through all the his
tory of Vermont, will come once
more to the defense Of the higher
interests of our State. Once let
Vermonters 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
situation is the character of the
new State official who has taken up
their cause. Miss Lucia inherits
from generation after generation
of her Vermont family the tradi-
ton of generous energetic service
to Vermont. One OF her great
erandfathers was Robert Haven,
the stout-hearted first settler Of
Royalton. 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 com
mon good. Another great grand
father founded and was first pres
ident of Dartmouth, which gives
an educational background TO the
family, but as though they feared n
this might lead to impracticallty,
great grandfather turned
to the business world. founded and
was first president of the Vermont
Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
Miss Lucia's grandfather was for
many years State Librarian, as
well as a prominent attorney in
NJ Montpelier, her uncle was author
of the Vermont photography. Miss
Lucia's father, Joel H. Lucia, a
graduate, a Civil war
hero, was on Gov Washburn's
staff, and for several years chair
man of the Republican Congress
sional Committee of the Second
Congressional District.
Public service is a family tradi-
ton and Miss Lucia has lived up to
it. For 27 years she has been iden-
titled with the Montpelier public
schools and Is years principal of
the piimalv schools has built up
the primary department to one Of
the best in the country, has grown
herself and made the Montpelier
schools grow ur to a higher and
higher standard of efficiency, in
telligence and usefulness. For
years she 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 brac-
ing climate and active vigorous
life gives to most Vermonters Is
amount of physical