Mary

[Kressel]

As some of you may be aware, Rose Wilder Lane played a pivotal role in the writing of the Little House series. The book The Ghost in the Little House makes a pretty good argument that she ghostwrote the books.

Rose was also a big advocate of libertarianism, second to Ayn Rand. At the end of her life, she tried to live completely "off the grid" of government, never paying taxes and never using government services.

In keeping with that philosophy, one of Rose's edits to Laura's text was to cover up that the Vinton College for the Blind which the family struggled so hard to pay for was actually government-sponsored. The money they scrimped and saved for went for transportation and incidentals, not tuition.

I don't know about you, but this strikes me as an example of the limits of libertarianism. Would anybody begrudge Mary her schooling? Her life was so tragic otherwise; she was a very bright girl who finally got the chance to use her brains despite her blindness. Sometimes government intervention is a good thing.

[Olivia]

huh

[Pam]

Excellent point on the limits of libertarianism.

[Kristina]

Where did you get the info on Vinton being government sponsored? Because I have read previously that Mary was absent from the school from 1887-1888 - possibly due to lack of funds for the tuition.

[Kressel]

From The Ghost in the Little House: A Life of Rose Wilder Lane . It's possible that there wasn't enough money for train fare or living expenses, which the family had to provide.

[Kristina]

Interesting! I would love to research that more; the internet doesn't know anything about it, apparently.