The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-10-23

~A~OtNNO "hhuN' ' Jul SOOCllO
. consider this subject, without feeling pain,
. fully impressed with a conviction Of the
utter waste of a very great portion of This
large sum. 1t is not exlravagaot to say,
t that It's power for good might have been
doubled, aud more than doubled, if it had
beer expended under a system of super
vision which should have carried into the
schools, teachers fully competent, and
modes OF instruction founded upon the true
philosophy of mind, and a practical ac-
quainlance with the means best adapted to
its true and proper education. We do
not so much need, at the present moment,
additional pecuniary means, as we do a
system adapted to give greater efficacy TO
those already possessed,-a system which
shall give a right direction &c effort, aud
make it efftctuai to the proper education
Of the children Of the State. The whole,
so far as the aid of Legislation may be
properly invoked, is comprehended in the
pregnant words OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
billy. We have, now, nothing that de-
serves the name OF either. We have pro.
vided. indeed, for the organization Of dis
%trlcts, and The employment Of teachers by
their prudential Committees. who are au-
thorized and required 10 "adopt measures
for the Inspection, examination, and regu-
%Ialion, of the schools, and the improve.
ment Of the scholars ia learning" But
experience has shown, abundanlly. that
all this is unavailing to the purpose of Sc.
curing a proper examination. or, indeed,
any examination, of teachers, or a proper
supervision of the schools. or to awaken
that interes. in their Improvement, among
parents, and throughout the community,
which is as indispensable 10 their vigor-
Gus heal'h and prosperity, as a pure and
bracing atmosphere is to the support Of hu-
man life.
We want system Of supervision which
shall make the power OF benefcent legis-
alton felt, through competent and discreet
agencies, in every district, and by every
child, in the Slate. Shall we have ia
That is the question T; and it presses upon
US more urgently than any other question
within the rage of our legislative duties.
We cannot avoid its consideration. The
States around US are moving onward in
the work of improvement ; and so urgent
have been considered the claims of COM
mon schools upon legislative patronage,
so manifest the defects Of old systems OF
supervision and instruction, aud so com
mon aud universal the benefits 10 be de
rived from improvements in both, that par
ty spirit has stood silent in presence OF
this great question, and all classes, and
all parties, have made common cause in
the noble work Of educational improve
meut.
The expense of carrying inlo efftc, ii
system of adequate supervision need not 10
be great, while It's bere6ls will be inap,
preclable. Dollars and cents cannot meas,
ure their value. We readily make IN
vestmen.s in railroads. and other improve
menls, which promise a return OF pecu>
mary profit; but what are such Investments,
in comparison with those which, in the
process of educating a community to vir-
Tue and intelligence. infuse into it the great
and indispensable elements of solid and
enduring prosperity.
l commend this whole subject to your
cal hCoh CUuoluCIu llOu9 uNuSi u IuIt pei
s~uasion that an awakened and greatly ad
vanced public sentiment will respond a
hearty approval 10 your favorable action
on il.
| cannot leave the subject of common
schools, without devoting a few moments
attention 10 what is lamiIiarly denomIna>
ted 1.-THE School Fund" The foundation
OF this fund was laid in 1925, when the
General Assembly passed an ACT seques-
tering and granting 10 the respective towns
in The Stale, for The benefit Of common
schools, the amount of The a%vaiIs, accrued,
and thereafter TO accrue, 10 the Stale, from
the Vermont State Bank, and also the
amount OF the State funds accruing from
the six per cent. on the nett profits of the
banks, received and 10 be received, and
the amount received and 10 be received
from licenses to pedlars. Ii was provided
that said funds, with the annually accru-
ing interest," should be invested in ap.
proved bank stocks, or other productive
securities" and should not be appropriate
ed to the use of schools, until the amount
should increase TO a sum, whose annual
interest should be adequate 10 defray the
expenses of keeping a good free common
school, in each district in the State, for the
period OF two months.
The State Treasurer was constituted a
commissioner for the management of the
fund ; who lhereupon proceeded 10 invest
the same, by loans, for the purpose con-
templaled in the act.
BY an &C, passed in the year 1888, fur
Their loans from the fund were prohibited,
and the Treasurer was directed 10 deposit
the same in the treasury, as i! should be
received, and 10 keep an account thereof,
and annually charge the State with the
interest on the money thus deposited