Dear Editor,
Over this first weekend in February, I came across an article in the Rutland Herald written by Mr. Ben Koenig of Plainfield, Vt., concerning Dorothy Canfield Fisher, and how the Vermont Department of Libraries had removed Ms. Fisher’s name from a longstanding award presented for years in her name. The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award was a mainstay in recognizing authors and their contribution to children’s literature for over 60 years. Mr. Koenig appropriately points out in his article that someone like Fisher, who contributed so much in the literary field, should not be stripped of her recognition. True, Ms. Fisher may have some peripheral association with the Vermont Eugenics Movement, and her writings may have used some language that was acceptable in her day, but it does not mean that a lifelong contribution to the literary world should be torn down. Too often, people want to go back and rewrite history, but history is history; we cannot change it. However, we can learn from history and how people talked, acted, and carried on in their lives in those times. We can ensure that things done in the past do not happen again. That being said, if you go online, you can read Mr. Koenig’s article that I found in the Rutland Herald and the Barre Times Argus. I think you will find it most interesting.
Mr. Koenig’s article supports this worthy author. Anyone with a little curiosity can Google Dorothy Canfield Fisher and find several articles concerning her life, and the Vermont Department of Libraries’ belief that her name is no longer relevant to young people. If we did not see George Washington on the $1 bill, or hear about Ethan Allan, would their names no longer be relevant? Now it is time for the Vermont Department of Libraries to do the right thing: restore Fisher’s name to the award, recognize the modern authors who contribute significantly to children’s literature, and get out of the “Golden Dome” of politics.
Sincerely,
C. William Mattoon
Springfield, Vt.