The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-10-27

This volume contains what are now
the. statute laws of the state, except as
they were to slight extent modified
by the legislature of 1851, and if the
assumption is correct that a knowledge
of the laws is essential to the best in.
tcrcsts of the whole community, it fol.
lows that alterations and amendments
of the statute laws should DC made
cautiously, and only in view Of the
most obvious and urgent reasons.
For many years to come, and until ne.
cessity shall compel the legislature to
order new compilation, the present
volume will be read and referred to
by great numbers of our citizens, as
containing the Laws of Vermont and
comparatively few, except profession.
al men and public officers, will be fully
informed in regard to the alterations
and amendments which may from time
to time be adopted.
In view Of the foregoing considera.
tons, it is respectfully submitted,
whether true economy and the safety
of the state do not require the adop.
ton of the usage prevailing in most
Legislative bodies, of ordering all pub
lie bills, at some stage of their prog
ress, prior to their final passage, to be
printed for the use of the members.
The experience of every practical leg
islator will bear testimony that With,
ont this precaution it is in most cases
didcult, and often wholly impractical.
bic, with great majority of the mem.
bers, to judge of the necessity Or util-
ity of the bill, Or of its practical effect
upon the code Of existing laws.
The people Of this state have ever
been awake to the inn ortance of com
mon schools, and have sustained these
institutions by direct and voluntary
taxation, with a spirit of iberality
highly commendable. Probably in
few other communities is there felt
greater solicitudc among parents for
the instruction of their children in the
common branches of education. I'm
worthy exceptions exist to this genef-
al remark, but it is apprehcnded that
those exceptions are comparatively
few.
1t is admitted that serious evils and
sad mistakes exist in many Of our towns
and school districts in the administra.
ton Of the present system, by which
the benefits of common school instruc.
ton are greatly diminished, and in
some cases wholly lost.
The friends of education have had
their attention called to the existence
of these evils, and much discussion has
been had as to the best method of cor
rccting them. Whatever shall tend
t. the better qualification OF teacher -
whatever shall more cftctually ava
ken the attention Of parents and pru.
dental committees in the several dis.
trcts to the importance of elcvating
the standard of instruction and improv.
ing the character of each school un.
der their immediate contr,l, should be
cherished as the appropriate means
TO- correcting existing evils and brin.f
ing the system to its highest dc gree o.
usefuln So.
The provision in the present school
law for holding teachers institutes in
the several counties, under the SUPER
vision aud direction of the state SUI cr.
ilt.nden', is worthy of a practical test,
as means OF improvement 20: num-
bers of teachers.
Sclo,ls Of different gr.Dcs Of in
struction are provided for, in the pres
ent law relative to the union Of dis
tricis, which provisions is adapted to
the condition of the moie populous
towns, while, by the more general la
bors Of the superintendent, it is be-
lieved deeper interest may be crea.
It'd throughout the commanitJ. in
measures which have been found cffec
tual i'll contributing to the increased
utility Of schools.
| am no. aware that at this session
of the legislature any essential modif-
cation of the present law will be asked
for, and it is respectfully submitted
whether the interest Of general educa
ton will not be best promoted by a.
lowing the present law to remain unal-
tered, until, by faithful compliance
with its provisions, it shall become ev-
ident that it has failed to meet the
wants of the community.
Our cole gate institutions, and many
OF our academies, sustain credilable
rank, when compared with kindred
institutions, and should be cherished
AMI sustained as a part of our system
o. education, and indispensable to The
highest development Of the Vermont
mnd. AS far as practicable, the way
should be opened for collegiate ed
ucation, as well to the youth of the
humblest family, as to him of wealthy
parentage.
Pursuant to a resolution adopted by
the legislature at the session OF 1913,
the Executive appointed Professor u.
Thompson to collect the minerals, field
notes, and other materials of the geo.
logical survey of the state. Mr.. Thomp-
sons report, with description of the
materials referred to, was published
in the appendix to the journal of the
House for 1919.
Should no measures be adopted for
a further prosecution of the survey, it