Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-25

filming, elevating influence such u state OF things
would exert upon our social, civil and literary
condition. -
Nothing of this character can ever be realised
by any measure that begins and ends with our
common schools Besides, we have twenty-sey-
en- hundred and nineteen common schools. 10
expend common force on 50 many points suill-
Gent to realize to all our children knowledge
of the higher branches of learning, would be
attended, in the beginning, with vast public
expense, and in the end, with an entire failure.
Our common school regulations are simple
and well understood. The primary branches
are there taught successfully up to the point Of
fitness for the high school. In the working Of
the plan proposed, the district schools would
naturally act in unison.
The plan here proposed groups the 2,7l9
school districts for the above purposes into some
one hundred high school districts. At these
hundred points would be introduced from time
to time, all the reforms, changes, and improve
hi0htc III llslrucIlOn. One ODmlnlsSlOner u
each high school could direct its operations, and
superintend all the common schools in the high
school precinct
The high school could be so directed as to re-
allzo to the State all the advantages of Teach
ers' Normal Institutes. The scholars at the
third term could be put into classes to be fitted
for teachers. At these high schools, Teachers
Institutes could be held and lectures delivered
upon the subjects connected with education.
AT these hundred points the whole State could
be critically surveyed, and its educational efforts
applied.
In view of the premises the inference is le-
climate that if our proposed plan succeeds,
the means will thereby be multiplied to dimin-
ish the public charges incident to paupcrism
and crime.
1t has been well observed that the instances
are rare where children, having the refinement
OF literary culture, have suffered their parents
or any other member of their families to be cast
upon the public charity 1t lisa matter of com.
mon observation in criminal prosecutions, that
the respondent, with rare exceptions; attributes
his condition to an uneducated, unrestrainet
and neglected childhood
venture to say that any plan that will sub
stantially realize the measure here proposed
would save to the people of the State in the di
minished expense of paupersm and crime, {
sum annually that would pay all the charges o
such public instruction.
As to diminishing crime, would say in tn,
language of the Secretary of Education o
Massachusetts, in his late report. " All statistic
show that all crime diminishes as intelligenc,
Increases
often mentally inquire where is the pulpit
where is the press of our State, on this all-im
portant subject of public instruction? W,
live in an age when the triumph of the one, anC
the dignity and usefulness of the other, depend
upon the cultivation and refinement they diff
fuse among the masses of the people.
submit the above remarks with diffidence.-
do not presume to have discovered the onl,
and true plan to realize to our children the in
tellectual training which is on all handsso mucl
desired; submit them, rather, as suggestion
to elicit thought upon subject of an allah
sorbing interest to the people of this State.
S. A. WEBER
Rochester, Vt, March II, 1858.