News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-06-21
might not also have rtted in the

might not also have rtted in the
same way.
What has been shown by this TAX
ing account of stock? In almost
every case the low rating of our
schools result from poor housing con-
ditions and equipment, also from lack
of community interest. In the main,
both teachers. and pupils are of fine
quality, sturdy, sound, Vermont stuff,
thank Heaven.
Consider the meaning of this, well.
1t means first of all that we have
right to be proud and thankful, be-
cause we still have such children
coming up to populate our beloved
state. 1t means that we have a right
to be infinitely hopeful, because to
| bring a degenerate human stock up
| times harder, longer, more trying task
times harder, longermore trying task
than to lay hardwood floors and con-
struct decent toilets. But it means
also that we ought to feel an even
deeper shame that our negligence has
left that fine human material with
less, far less than its rightful inheri-
lance of opportunity. For of course
it is the foundation of the most ele-
mental conception of Americanism
that every child should have equal
opportunities with every other child.
We know well enough that every
| child is not the equal of every other.
| We know that it is of no special con-
| sequence that the parents of one
child have more money than those of
another child, but we also know that
| an axe is laid to the roots of the
American ideal when every child has
not the same opportunities to make
the best of himself that is given to
other children. That is form of
| special privilege and aristocratic in
justice against which every Vermonter
| by his inheritance should fight with
all his strength. And that is a
form of fragrant injustice which is
committed by 81 percent of our rural
| schools in Vermont. 1t is both ex-
| asperating and cheering that the
conditions are found to be what they
are. If it were a question of a long,
| elaborate, scientific, psychological,
| intricate movement somehow to
| bring up degenerate human beings
to normal, then plain, ordinary
Americans such as we are, of limited
| ICoOulSSS DOIl anu SCl6HGlIlc
might very well despair. But thanks
! be, it turns out there is no such
problem, or not to any great extent.
1t turns out that the problem, at
least a good deal of it, is nothing
| but material, matter of hammer
and nails and paint and soap and an
amount of cash so small that it is
spent every day in Vermont COM
munities on non-essential.
Healthy, sturdy, normally intelli-
gent American boys and girls are
still being born on farms all over
Vermont, and we can thank God for
that. Those boys and girls are con-
demned in insufficient opportunities,
! find the doors to their full develop
| ment shut in their faces, and we have
ourselves to thank for that.
And if we don't like the idea, we
have only to hasten and change it.
Never was there such a chance for
each individual citizen to find a place
on the wheel all ready for his
shoulder. Never was there such an
opportunity for direct personal &C
J ton, unhampered by red-tape or cog
wheels. No need to influence a eau
Gus, no need even to do what is dear
to all human breasts, "organize a
committee" 1t would be we'll to do
all these things, to bend to the i'm
| provement of our rural schools every
political organization, every caucus,
every committe in Vermont. I'd like
| to know what better use there could
be for political organization, eau
cuses and COMMITTEES? But there is
no need to wait for such action. Any
individual Vermont citizen can today,
! take direct action towards the inn
provement of a rural school. There
is absolutely nothing to prevent him,
and if he doesn't, he has only him
| self to blame.
J The schools need books, and toilet
| facilities, and comfortable furnish
ings. and something to bring music
to the children; the teacher needs a
decent home life. and encouragement
and backing; the school directors
need to be made to feel that public
opinion expects them to be alert, ac-
tive, energetic, as ready to stand up
| for the educational rights Of the chill
dren for whom their fellow-citizens
have made them responsible as for
! their own business interests; the SUI
perintendents need to be made to feel
that the people. are behind them.