The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-11-23

/ German question, has cume ~ 30 result ana
] thar the ultimate rraaOn u Kings must De-
called in,
To rur FpuoH 90 TIA CALrposAHf SUI
wish ~ presoni ~ your readou some thoughts on
the ubieri af School Books.
Hy the hchn1l Law 81 1919 tho Town huprun-
fenimis ~ schools iu rurh county are constituted
D Hoard a. recommend srhu0l books a. ~ utfd ~
ihe sohn0ls. Tho idea ~ Ho1ui fWpliesi0f rnufsel
ilal thH suprriniHudeGts HffO and ari boo public
napHciiV. The law does uqt specify me maHHfr in
which meeting Hre ~ he called, and boz this respect
if might fseU ~ hedefrcye, 10 meet mo drrfiif II
BE- nurl a would hn necessary a. take such course
ns b. customary iu similar cases, such course
believe, ias been taken in the county, W March
lAHi, inw fupeuuieudenis consulted, and " Hhs o.
greed tbAt tBo on flree individuals fb1uld cell y
pablo meeting, such meeting WHs called by q
notice n ihe county pnpers. The superintendent
who were present fei some emhaUissment in view
~ he Got Inst Viey we're wiHofhV. II ilHuh on
" fi0hf attended, 800 these eight represented only
i've inwusl They however thought u proper a.
ncf, First, they recommended certain books IN
tlr nee ~ the rfhpu- and SECONDLY, they referred
s1Hr other li"nhr ~ committee authorizing them
a. call another meeting whenever they should he
pfhpHrdfo report nm nor aware that any uhlnr-
ion was made either a. the mode ~ calling ihf
inoeiingi ~ 10 what Che meeting I'D, lfihe meet
ing Wnr legal and prOpcrf hr reference a. commit
Tee WIS ulrn legal and proper, n thia be- sn, IL Wa
legal and proper inr tie committee a. call another
meeting, AnDiieriheAtng wis called, notice ~
" NNNllH NNNll lANNaff W we fNNNfN INIFlHt NAlil
tWhat more than copld have been required isey-
eal Ind yirnl- 4laying been written spoken a. in
regard ~ Tie tine AMI place, To secure ~ ihli hu
alteudlnco ~ Frpsticnblo, Il Wa thought beet, In
view NJ the asoeriHnei sickness absouce oi some
n the superintondonis, IA postpone the meeting
from the 10th a. the gath day ~ October, notice
Of the change ~ 20 HBis wHs published in both Of
the county pnurrs, aud individuals were written o.
spoken "a ~ before, 'Fiso supeHHtendenis (repru-
seniinE fur tDWns) attended tie meeting, A. mr ~
Tie committee "e'" ahle " report my ror,fi"''
much iur tho hrrtinfs, II tho 6rst meeting was 10
Rnl md proper, 81 WHa The reCund, ln both cases
only minority " tho suporinlcndcuis we're pres
cnt,
A. tho meeting In April two series n Reading
books were spoken of-lown's and handeyille'sE-
was one nf those who decidedly preferred ue lat
ter provided that certain alterations, which seemed
rs-rftiHl rn,tld hr utndr hr rutufuittrr ~ vTrn
the matter hnd been referred, consulted during he
summer, a. Ear ~ circumstance would Ienuii,--
-Four out ~ the iyt who composed the committee
ctprr"cd lhemrelVrs ~ hynr OF recommending
Mnndcvlllr's scrirs and tho hnh meuhcr though
he preferred another gnties, manifested willing
neaa ~ nccoio o. the views 81 the majority
Though there seemed Ia bee, on the part u the com
mlttet, preference for Mnndcyillcs scrta, there
was no Thought ~ acting with tie view a. carry a
myoHio point, II had not even occurred tn me,
o. q member ~ The committee, that there would be-
NJ the meeting on the 2ih ut, any serious diversity
oi sentiment in respect 10 RoAdiug buuks. Two
ur thrro'days amer the meeting, when the subject
WINS unexpectedly pressed, and before had time Ia
consider MI the hcnnngs Of the meeting iu cnunec
ton with the school law, expressed the view that,
u such cnsc, minority could not, perhaps, act
FOR ninlH1iy, On more mniurc reflection, hoWcV-
or, came "a The conclusion stated ahuyc, yli that
as beth meetings Werr properly called, their acton
wa nrpor,-nhd this conclusion ! immediately
communicated Ia i!illae- plan- are CONCERNED
lmhch regret the course that has been tnkcj
-''.. dee sl..@ill cnurae- Indicated hN The docl
ument that appeared iu the county papers uf lht
week and The week before. 10 this docuWhl
whifirtrrufilcionty remarkable un many account,
have not time 90 refer ~ length, Nothing Cpul'l
hc farther from my mind than amy wsh e. control
othcr, OF 10 take the io1rt advantage ~ the meet
! inF uu tho 2itA ult hatG expressed the opinion
] that both Of those meeting were regular meeting,
not rum desire 10 carr point or Ia act for 9th
! cra ESPECIALLY without their cunscnil hut simply
~ matter Of justice. have expressed hn entire
willingness thrf another convention should be- call
ed, und the action ut the late meeting reconsider
ed, ~ soon ~ the wuy could be prepared for the
calling Of such convention, ns Go promise any
/ beneficial result That the way couli not bo pre-.
pared ~ once, | cunscientously believe '--pnd tu
some Of the rrnspns for this opinion shall presently
] though with great reluctance, refer. have sAl
that much regret the course tlnt hns been taken
since the meeting. u guos To- nhnul the action both
of that meeting and the Gr-tj Il appear, to me,
moreover dsorBnnling IN iis nature, and opposed
90 the spirit of the school law, Just glance M the
title of the document referred 10. II g. called
Report Of the Superintendent, in Caledonia coun,
~" rcportI But whcn whoru, aud to whom
was u mulc2 When did public bunrd ever d.
public business ia u private wRy2 ono might ~
'.~'L t'.'.k ~ a flllaie ianu nlciing ~ ll a Pr
Nntc county court. surely, the school law, n Il b,
q law, contemplated public action and no othdr-
From the visiting OF the district school to tile lee,
turc, Of the state Superintendent nothing Is don,
la % corner. "But," say the silrncr, of the ,fbcu
mcnt "'lho meeting M Dnnvillc WIS attended b,
only Tupcrntcndcnts, representing only 4 towns
sTuic, too true but what thcn2 Can there be- any
j g-aluiial llcrcncr between minority of me- aud
minority of cighl-bctwcen four tpWHs TopIcscnt1d
and Nrsr llut the sincn gp on 10 say, Especially
n several superinienhcnis were prevented from At
tendance by n misnpprchcnsion Of the time and 9th
| CT cnuscs,' &c. This last remark appears 20 me
neither quite candid nor Just IL IA much On be re-
Crctcd hnt even one or two Of the superintendent
should have bccn prevented from attending tho
meeting by mistake n 10 the time Still "a even
In his the responsibility of the mistake rest.
solely with Themselves they have, surely, no lust
reason 10 complain. What do the signrr, mean by
"uther causes p Had not the meeting been defer
red fortnight solely frum regard for the cnse of
some sick and absent superintcndcnts and this with
! "a good deal Of trouble and sorne little expense on
the part Of the ch of the com. Had not some ofthe
gentlemen who speak OF "other cnuses,' been con
suited once and again rs 90 the time OF the meeting
In respect To several of the supcrintenAcutA who
! were not present IL is known that they Mere awarc
| Of the time and place Of meeting, Why did
they not attendI II meetings should be Illegal be-
cause persons, when duly notified 10 attend them,
should fail 10 do so, II would Toe impossible In many
| cases, 10 call legal meetings at ALL But whatever
may be true Of the meetings NJ Durvllc the course
f la ignera l. hui egal.-It is not In nccnrdanre
with the spirit Of the school law, or Of any other
wholesome enactment.
| Tcomplan then, of the course Of tho silmerE be
cause think that course improper In Itself and t-
I ted tn neutIulzc HE school law. complain OF "
1 for another roasoni the document which they
have published, especially as sanctioned by some
esteemed friends Of education, is fitted ms Il seems
! Ia me- IN make an erroneous impression on the
minds OF nc ru1u NJ .--,.4,t.i. 4.,.Ai- heI1
| say something which would not sny, &c truth and
| Justice did not appear to demand It. | have
reason go believe that much, ut least of this move
mcnt to ncutrnlzing the action of the meeting ut
Dnuvillc aud recommending another set Of Reading
books has its source in something which Is not vet
| fully UNDERSTOOD On asking superintendent
after the late meeting, what he intended 20 do
his reply was, "a intend TO do all | can towards
keeping Mandevillos Reading books out of my
town, and out Of the county" The manner In
1~iAI- tl.a- rnInarA made struck unplensant-
| w. IL seemed to indicate war The oXpressi0n
| tout OF the oounty''I could not undcIstand-Two
or three weeks ago agent called upon me
who declared II to be his purpose - noutruze the
action ut Danvle, or TO carry tiie county in Glvor
of Towns Readers fur "a h. could; or 90 that ef
feet He said nc had been I'M uumentnl in dividing
another county in the State--a county in which
there happened 10 be ''mindi'ty" meeting MS ut
| Danville,-nnd that he should pursue the same