Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-04-18
For ihe DniLu Ernn prnnn


BURLINGTON UNIoN HGH Scuoor,-IJovirg been
present during part of the recent examination of mi.
SCHOOL would like to say a few words respecting it
he examination was commenced on Monday. the
'th inst and concluded in the afternoon of Friday
the l2th, aud gave think. general satisfaction TO
the friends and patrons of the school, Who were
present Judging from the performances, which |
WithesSe', must say that regard them, under the
circumstances, as highly creditabe, both to the
teachers and pupils; and they showed plainly that,
Ill thelr course OF training, the judgement and rea-
sohIns powers OF the pupils as well as their memo
RES had been brought into exercise. The pupils
seemed to be conscious that their reliance must be
wholly upon their own resources SO far as thew mn
derStood their subjects fully, and they generallv cy
pressed 1t clearly, and with sufficient conf
You'd hat,tney manifested little disposition to advance
with the expectation Of being helped along by heir
teachers.
The examinations ofeach half day were closed by
reaolh9 ORIGINAL compositions and by singing exer-
cIses, winch, am happy to learn, are becoming
much more common in schools than formerly The
advantages OF vocal music in schools may not be OBJ
Vious to all but experience, think has proved that,
IN addition to the knowledge and skill acquired bv
the exercise, the benefits derived from it, viewed MS
eIaNatlon from intense study and as an aid in the
government of the school, by soothing and narmor-
zlns the hayward passions and sympathes OF the
pupils, are sufficient Of themselves to Justify its gen-
eral adoption.
But 1t is not so much the object of this communi
cation to give an account Of the recent exam nation
Oh Inc Union High School, as to urge upon the
people Of our village the importance of sustaining it
certainty Tor length of time sufficient to test the
practlcablIlty and advantages OF the plan. We have
heretofore, tired experiments with our schools which
have proved unsuccessful; and now having adopted
plan different from them all, let it be thoroughly
tired ana then, ii it DO not answer the purpose let it
be abandoned.
A little more than 80 years ago the whole VILLAGE
OF burlington was united in one schooI-district and
the building erected, which is now occupied bv the
Union School At tins central building all the chill
dren OF the village were collected together A head
teacher, and several assistants were emploved. and
Tor several years from u three hundred children
ut both seTes, were here daily collected together
1t was however, at length, found impossible for the
small children in the more remote parts of the viii
are to derive any benefit from this school, on mr.
count OF the distance; but instead of remedynr the
evil ny the establishment OF subordinate ureparttorv
schools at different points, a, convenience demanded
IN" village was again resolved into districts, with an
independent school in each, and the central bulduu
was gwen up, to be occupied BY Il Uloh S,bnol
doomed to depend entirely upon the avais of tuitio,
Tor support. Between tn and the prinorv schools
there was no conneXlon and, consequently, no svn-
pahy; aud the charge tor tuition in the former was
necessarily so high to exclude from it the poorer
cI'ss 81 children. In" consequence was, that the
LIZ" ocho"i was always small and inadequatey
supported and the primary district schools were en-
uieIy neglected by tina class OF our citizens who
We're able to send their children away to be educated
abroad, or to paw their tuition in the HIGH Scb,ol
he deporablc condition of our schools under the
arrangement Just mentioned, has led the greater na,t
OF the school-disric,s in the village, to unite in the
establishment and support OF a central Hgh School.
he privileges OF which may be freely enjoyed by the
chhdrch OF the poor, as well as OF the rich if they
rShly improve The advantages, which the primary |
SCHOOLS afford them. This arrangement affords to
'he pupils OF the primary schools a stimulus to dill
'cnct ana good brhavior in order that they NAV be
enu'Ied to those higher advantages, which they the
poorer classes especially could not even hope for
nndcr the former system and it is certainly npor-
tant HAT the experiment be continued till its adyan-
tages and detects are clearly ascertained
The support of this system by a tax raised upon !
the Grand list, may, at FIRST appear somewhat bur
hensome upon those, who have educated their own |
chliJr'nby the pnyni"nt OF tuition but the continu.
lure OF 1t Tor a few years will remove this OBJECTION
and they who now suffer by it, should be- reconci.d
ny the reelection that their sacrifice is Tor the pub,
GOOD.
The Union School being sustained by tax upon
Inc property Of the districts, aud the pupils of this
'cho" beng derived from the most advanced classes
li tine primary schools the whole form one connected
system, IN which every parent and every tax-payer
Ire Interested and have no doubt that, il the work
'e persisted IN and prud"nty mauuged the recpro.
al influences OF these schools will greatly increase
he efficiency OF them ALL and show thar the system
POSSESSES advantages over all which have proceeded
/ T.
Burlington, April II, 1851.
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