The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-02-14

'''N'' ~ - obbhhtihE NOou
and water. Yankees and Workers. The
people too, are anti Nebraska. which
shows them to be lovers Of their race /;
and this with me is quite considcra.
tion. Douglas stock is very low 10 this
section Of Illinois, May it be less eve
rywhercl JonH GREGORY.
Northield, Dec 4, 1854.
- Ilatchman
Education in Vermont.
a. p. HuNToN, ESQ, Bethel
Dear Sir The true principle Of
education is, that the State is deeply
and permanently interested in the ed
ucation of its children, and that the
expense of providing it should be borne
by the aggregate of the property with,
in its limits. This has ever been the
doctrine Of Massachusetts. From the
first settlement Of the colony, heavy
penalty was imposed on the parent OF
guardian who neglected to educate
his child and it is the popular doctrine
both in the State and city Of New
York.
The State should assume the charge
Of public education, commit its direc-
ton to local officers and pay the cost
of it out of the public treasury. The
trust confded to the government by
the people, in constituting it a guardian
of all its public interests, makes this
duty too manifest to require arguments
to support it. 1t should be primary,
fundamental, in the administration Of
the functions Of the government.
1t is recorded of the Dutch who
established the first schools in New
Amsterdam, which is now the city Of
New York, that neither the perils Of
war, nor the busy pursuit Of gain, nor
the excitement Of political strife, ever
caused them to neglect the duty of
educating their offspring. Schools
were everywhere provided at the pub
lie expense, with good teachers to in>
struct the children of all classes. The
school was established by the colonial
government; it dispensed education
gratuitously /; the teachers received
their appointment and remuneration
from the constituted authorities up to
the period when the colony passed to
the English under governor Nichols.
The school exists, as the parochial
school Of the Protestant Reformed
Dutch Church, in prosperous condi-
ton and as such has been supported
by voluntary contributions since tho
surrender of New York to the English
in 1864, a period of 100 years. This
was public school in the proper sense.
The Dutch saw in the twilight of Pop.
ular government the great truth, that
providing for universal education was
not only the clear right, but the FIRST
duty Of a free State.
From such examples as this have orig,
mated in New York noble results. In
1854, $2,GG6,609 were expended for
public schools in the State ofNcw York,
exclusive of about S 100000 in
addition in the city. Here is seen the
effect of having the enlightened and
liberal policy before named, thoroughly
rooted in the confidence and favor Of
the people. 1t is seen also in the fact,
that the amount funded for educational
purposes is almost seven millions dol>
lars, besides an annual tax TO support
the system of free schools Of $S00,000.
The result of the same policy is seen
in Connecticut, where they have a
school fund of about two millions, and
in Boston, where one fourth Of the
annual tax is appropriated to school
purposes, amounting in 1854 to
S437 900.
But has not policy extremely tho
reverse Of all this been pursued in our
own State ? Have the people or tho
government ever taken hold of the sub.
ect of popular education and pursued
t from year to year kindly, dispassion-
ltely, and unitedly, in manner at all
commensurate with its importance ?
Was this the character Of the action Of
he Assembly, some years since, that
large school fund, fund
winch would be of inestimable worth
It this time to meet existing exigencies,
nto granite blocks and walls Do
he pages of your statute books from
he beginning indicate anything like
his? Is this the significance of tho
act of the clamorous complaints in
Jew OF the adoption of any measures
or the advancement of popular educa>
ion, that will take few hundred 6ol>
hrs from the State treasury ? Is
roof of it found in tho marvellous
ppoSition to wholesome legislation on
he subject, and fixed determination
, exclude such law as exists where
er popular education fouiishes Is
seen in the extremely morbid and
lildish scnsitivcness, witnessed in the
.ssembly, whenever the subject Of
,mmon school education Is introduced?
fact the parallel of which cannet bs
und in the history OF the action ANY
her body OF legislators in the Unitsd
tates. Yours &C., LAMEp.
IL /NI....,r.