The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-01-01


ciences which are less apparent and les
appreciated, with their bearing upon thos
which are more obvious, would not onl y en-
able us to apply the necessary correction t
} those not now understood, but also 10 ad
Just our means so as more certainly ant
efectually 10 remedy those which are ap
parent and universally acknowledged.
Your work then during the year vii
10 some extent, be one of inquiry and in
vestigaion. In the first place it seems
desirable to ascertain with more ceraint,
and exactness than it can be done under
the existing provisions of law. what pro-
portion of the children in our state between
the ages Of 4 and ID years, actually at
tended school with some regularity, du-
ring the periods for which the schools Ia
which they respectively belong are kept
So also it is desirable to learn what pro-
portion attend but small part of The time
or not al all. Or, in more general terms,
we wish TO ascertain how far the advan>
tages already offered by way of schools,
are actually embraced. A knowledge OF
facts upon this point is desirable, under
the apprehension that deficiency exists,
more especially in those towns whose
population is composed TO some extent, OF
recent foreign Immigrants, who might fail
10 appreciate the value of our schools, and
as natural consequence, suffer their chill
dren 10 grow up in ignorance and vice
The only practicable way in which they
can be rescued from their too often vicious
habits-their characters be in some de-
gree assimuated to that of our own peo-
pie, and themselves become useful citizens,
is by devising some means of bringing
them in to share in the advantages of our
common schools. And if upon investiga.
ton such deficiency should be found to
exist in regard to this class of cases or
others, as to demand further Legislation, it
is believed that remedy for the evil might
be found somewhere perhaps in pro-
vision that the public money now appor-
toned to the several districts according 10
their number of scholars, should be
divided according to the number that
actually attend school. This would
operate as an inducement 10 districts
10 endeavor to bring in those who
neglected 10 attend. But at all events, it
is desirable that information should be Oh
tanned upon this point, so that the evil. if
found 10 be of such magnitude as TO de-
mand attention, may receive the appro-
pirate remedy, whatever it be,
The act of l843 which requires dis
trict clerks TO include in their returns
10 the town clerks "the number who have
attended school" is obviously imperfect,
and does not secure the information sought
for upon this subject. In The first place it
does not declare what length Of time shall
be regarded as constituting an attendance
upon the school-whether one day, one
month, or the whole period for which the
school has been taught during The year.As
a consequence no uniform rule has been
adopted in determining that number. While
some have stated the aggregate number of
scholars who have entered the school
house during the year, though it were but
for day, others have stated the highest
number that have attended at any one
time; others the average number during
the winter school, and others again the
mean between the average of the winter
school and that of the summer school.
But more than ths-whatever rule
may have been adopted the method of as
cerlainin9 the number has been 100 loose.
In some instances the clerks have given
it from their own bare conjecture. In
others it may have been furnished by the
teacher, and if not at mere random, yet
at least from mere general recollection,
and without any means of defniteness and
precision. Statistics obtained under such a
varying rule and in this loose manner,
furnish no reliable data and can be of no
practical utility.
But even allowing that the act of 1843
had defined what specific period OF time
should constitute attendance on school it
still would not have covered sufficient
ground and furnish the full information
sought. If the number who had attended
any one given length of time were statedil
would not sill be apparent for what term
the remaining scholars had attended,
weather for term barely short of that CIV
en-, or not al all.
| have dwelt more at length upon this
topic for the purpose of making more APP
parent the necessity of Obtaining informa-
ton relative to the amount of attendance on
schools, by some other process-of which
the scope and plan will be given in the
accompanying address to teachers.
The abstract of the returns made in
the month of January, annually by the
district clerks, which, by the act of l843,
was required to be drawn up and sent TO
the Governor, will still by the law as it
now stands, be made out by the town
clerks, and be subject to your call and dis
posal. And you will obtain these abstracts,
because they furnish information on other
noinfe mara raliobl., md ,yaIuo hIa rNhau