The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-03-07
For the Register.
Education in Vermont.

anu settleu prluclple, emonhtlnS lrOm
and clothed with legislative authority,
for the correct government of an cfFoc-
tive system Of common school education.
My views on this topic are in coincidence
with the action of the most intelligent
legislative bodies in New England, from
tho beginning until now, and with the
action of the Legislature Of Vermont,
with respect to school districts, school
houses and school taxes, and other mat
tiers connected with common school odu,
cation. What is the first duty Of n leg
islature Of commonwealth 2 What is
its prime and paramount obligation Is
it not to act fully up to the spirit of its
oath And does not tia, oath demand
legislation for the best good Of the Statel
Aud how can that object be secured so
directly, in any other way, as by spread
ing out over the community, network
of legal, authoritative principle, aiming
at and securing the education Of the ris
inc roror,,;o, o,d ,Lrs oeoo,i,o ,bo.
degree Of Intelligence which is indispen-
sable to the perpetuity and even the g,n-
oral nrosnoritv and wclf,ro or ronoh.
lie1 while We so abhor and donrcooto
,bo nor,on,ous i,anoroo or ,,o do.,o,.
;. oc c,o,o,n t.,. ..,i..,,t g..
from thc 1oyno,is,, of;orora,.on, ql;s
matter Of common school cdno,t;on :.
a. Fundamental, to the welfare Of the
State. in all tic hichor dsnartments Of
its interests rs is tie quality of the
seions in YOUR nursorv to the rate~o Of
the fruit Of vonr orchard "a is tho kind
and oualiiy Of the seed you SOW. to the
harvest you rcan.
But the penalties Of the eIucs;ion bill
were objected to.-and th... too. by leg
islators who ought to have known that
a law without penalty is no better than
Llonk narcr. If that bill has any rro
omincrco above any otbor school laws II
force. il is in the fact that tbe wbolo ma
chincry is bound together by sanctions
which nrosont IN al nort;os ;nApcoror,.
faithfully to do their 1ptv And vol,
these ncpolt;c. ard o,Lors moro ,i,
Gus arc found in the school laws Of ON.
or states. and we're distinctive feature
in the school laws Of ,Lo Massachusetts.
Colony os early ~ IG25 Tn 1879 nc
LEGISLATURE Of Massachusetts, nossod ~,
act imposine n fine Of twenty dollars on
onv ncrson. who shall have o,v chilli
under his control. between the nccs Of
eight and fourteen wears and vet shall
NEGLECT ia sor1 snch cLil1 70 ecbool al,
least twelve weeks dnr.pr the yeor six
weeks Of which shall be consecutive In
Connection, and Now York rceuni,rv
fines ore imrosed unon del;roucuts in
6ptv
Tho following fact will Show how in.
toll;cont so,no mcn,h,rs IF tho House
we're who onposcd the school ILL., AZ
ter the vote had been taken. member
was heard to say, with rrofauo cath.
that he would have voted for tile bin
had it not been for the penalty. Of the
naymcn, of n fine eaual to the daily
wages By any teacher. who should PIE.
sumo to teach in the state. without due
qualification By certificate. And yet
this is the exact rcpalty for the same
mislemeanor. in tho school law now in
force. as Won will see by eomparing the
bill as introduced to the House 5y the
Joint Committee. with the twelfth sec.
tion Of the twentieth cbon.or Of the Cam.
nilcd Statutes
Irrcsrec,ive of the cultivation Of the
Youthful mind bv tho ordinary training
in school what would have n mora Gle.
waiting controlling and sa'utary influence
in the wise and correct formation Of the
character of your 100 600 scholars than
to spread cut over them and surround
them with the directing PRINCIPLES and
provisions of school law exactly
odapted to all the exipcncies for which
it should provide. and enforced by mild
vet positive and energetic sanctions
whose benign and salutary influence
-,