The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-03-02
MUNICIPAL AID BUREAU.
Explanation of the Purpose of 0rgani-
zation at Norwich.

zation at Norwich.
Editor, Barre Times, Barre, VT. Deal
Mr.. Editor: In Tuesday nights ISSUE
Of the Barre Times there appeared 3
news item headed Norwich Students
to Help municipalities in Avoiding
Mistakes OF Administration"
OF course the writer OF the item had
none but the best Of intentions, but
laboring under Misrepresentation as
TO the facts has published broadcast q
lot of transformation, which | am sure
You will agree cannot be other than
misleading.
Your correspondent apparently as
summed that the class in municipal gov
eminent and the bureau Of municipal
affairs at Norwich university are one
and the same thing. This Is not so.
No announcement has been made by
any group of students st Norwich uni
versity to the effect stated in the item.
None of the students are members Of
the bureau Of municipal affairs. II fol-
lows that all the other statements
made in the news item are equally in
correct and unwarranted.
The facts are that there was re-
Gently established at Norwich univer-
sity. within the department of political
science a bureau of municipal affairs
which holds itself ready to give assist
ance to the counties, cities, towns and
villages Of Vermont in the solution of
problems peculiar to municipal corpor-
atoms
The bureau renders this service in
the following ways:
/. BY giving information upon re-
quest regarding community organiza-
ton, town planning, and the admins
tTation of local government.
2 BY publishing bulletins dealing
with problems of government which
are of current interest and distributing
them to municipal officers, civic organ
izations and libraries.
3. BY encouraging the establishment
Of local town reference bureaus.
4. BY providing communities with
speakers on governmental topics.
5. BY holding local government con-
ferences.
The establishment of this bureau il
/ continuation of the work already
lone in this field by Norwich through |
The publication of the bulletins on
Poor Relief and Town Planning"
X. r. B. Flint, professor of political sci |
snce, is director of this bureau.
The New York Herald commenting
,ditorially upon the establishment OF
his bureau took occasion to say:
This service by university is be-
ieved to be unique; it recalls, of |
course, the public functions performed |
,y institutions so admirably typified |
~ the University of Wisconsin, which |
exercises a tremendous influence on
he policies and the social life of its |
tate.
at Is a fact OF common observation |
hat in municipal government much /
mercy and money are wasted because
ocal officers sometimes lack exact in
concerning the matters they
must handle. The experience under
zone and conclusions reached in other
'olitieal subdivisions are not easily
valuable to them They must do the
'est they can with good intention only
0 guide them. This condition the bu
eau Of municipal affairs will seek TO
emedy If ii succeeds il will play a
ighly useful part in Vermont affairs"
The Daily Princetonian has remarked
IF this bureau is properly conduct
d il is certain 20 be OF great useful
ess. This is a realm in which coll
eye or university can be of real serv
,e to the community in which IL is
ituated. The town or city is the small.
st governmental unit in our great sys-
EN-, and il l. this unit that is the
raining ground for the majority OF
len in public life. From the point Of
lew Of the welfare, not alone Of these
mailer units, but of the country as q
hole, il is essential that the admins
ration OF the local governmental units
E conducted along the most progress
I've and enlightened lines.
1T is often a fact that in municipal I
overnment much time and energy are
asted, and many costly mistakes I
Iade because the officials have not had I
se advantage either OF a wide or
ngthy experiences in their own COM !
unity or of the experience undergone !
nd conclusions reached in other local {
les. Recourse 60 accurate informa-
on and sound advice from a source
solely in their welfare viii $
ader these circumstances prove Of {
immense value. Q
This is an experiment in practical ;
,litics that win deserve the attention :
citizens in every part Of the ooun-
y"