Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-03-25
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FRIDAY MORNING, ARCH %.
REPORT OF TIE COMMITTEE,

appointed By the Literary Convention, holden
in Hincsburgh, W. January 18Th and l4th,
on Primary Schools
Alta Literary Convention, holden in llincsburgh, |
on the 18th and l4lh of January. 1886, 10 de'lber'
ale on the best means of promoting popular Educa-
ton in Vermont, the I'm Iersigned were appointed
a Committee TO address the public on the evils ex-
listing in Our Common Schools and TO express their
views resi- Getting the remedies which ought TO be
applied for the correction of these evils.
In performing this duty, we shnll no; undertake
to enter the wide field Of facts and principles laid
open and explored by the Conventions our limits,
with other circumstances, forbid this. Nor sha
we attempt to descril @ all the influences good and
bad, which are flowing out upon our State, from
our system Of Common Schools. But there are
three points of view in which we wish TO engage
every Parent every Legislator ind every Citizen, to
look at the subject.
| First. The importance of our Common
School System-Ns relation to the prevailing
amount of intelligence and cultivated mind in
the State.
To nineleen.,wenelhs of the people of Vermont,
Our District Schools are the producers of nearly
all the education they haye. Our population, ac
corling 10 the last census, is 100000. OF these
$50 900, one hundred and fy.seven thousand (con-
siderably more than one haIf) under twenty
years of age. Not more than in twenty, of,hese
l57 900 children and youth, can get. or will have
access to our academies and not more than one in
fifty, as things now are, will receive college edu
cation. After DE- Quoting one twentieth and one
fifiielh from that potion Of our population, now
under twenty years cd, there will remain 200
young citizens, destined soon to be the fathers
and mothers of our State, ,chose intellectual
character must be chiefly formed in our prina.
~ schools. If this generation shall grow up un>
educated or partially and wrongly educated. it is
easy 10 see that their children, in turn, will not be
trained to that degree of knowledge which their own
well being and the good Of the State demand 1t is
impossible 10 persuade men of the value Of knowl.
edge Jules they have acquired it themselves. Ed.
ucaled men prize highly enough the cultivation
which they have attained, but the ignorant Can be
Intellectual treasures are of any real value 1t is
not so with other acquisitions. poor man will
labor rs diligently to acquire wealth as the rich to
) retain or increase it but an Ignorant man will no.
labor 80 hard TO gain knowledge as a learned mar
will to add TO The stores already acquired. Thous
ands of uneducaed parents nger wholly in the dark
on This subject; and do not value an education fol
their children as they ought to value it. And thu
reason is that other objects of pursuit such as wealIl
and power, SC. can be seen, distinctly contemplate
] and appreciated, before they are acquired, hu
know ledge cannot be appreciated until it is acqnr
cd.
As these schools are TO furnish the great mass .
the community with all The education they will eve
0 have,eXcepi go much they may obtain aiterward
by their own unaideG Efforts they ought 10 be mad
much more efficient than they now are for givin
Il knowledge, discipline and direction TO one hundre
i and f.rty thousand young minds in our State.
r these schools are made what they ought 10 be, an
what they may be, with the money now expended o
n them, these minds will he cultivated and furnshe
al least, to such an extent as will make their pc;
, Church and TO the world. But as things now ar,
- many Of these children are likely to grow up whot
- cullivalon-heir life will be no solid benefit TO III
State, and their death scarcely any loss tina
> would be the telling Of many trees in the fores
Is Of the Green Mountains.
Y 1t is plain then, that for nstrucing the grel
l. body Of the people, place chief reliant
upon Common Schools. AS these the graz
instrument for the improvement of the people, hp
important is it that this instrument should be put
l., order and kept in order.-In other words, the
f., schools the foundation Of our whole system
ip public instruction, and indeed of all free nsil
ir lions. II we let this basis crumbc away, the who
IS fabric must fall.
=" Q. Eciis TO be Examined and Removed.
re The evils which demand correction lie not
much in our Primary School SYSTEM as in the ap
nr thy OF the people and the unflness of Teachers
WI We believe our system 10 be good as far as it COZ
- II involves the right principles and appeals 10
ri right kind of feelings in the people. 1t draws li'
,n> them annual tax for its support, and thus mai
ily Them value common Schools, on the well kno
ts, principle. that men do value every thing in prop
~ ton 10 its cost. However careless men may be
10 expendins that which costs them nothing, The n
~, ment they to put their own money with j,
Wv, 49, new value is given 10 the donation, and they
I, much more likely 10 see 10 it that the funds 1
ed raised are faithfully applied.
re. But after all that may be said Of this excel
ia
If an apology is due to the Convent
a., for the late appearance Of this Report, or
i'o ;' the imperfect manner in which the subject
:" it is now presented, !hc apology is found