Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-10-15
VERMONT EDUCATION.
Defects IN oar System Graded Schools.


Defects IN oar SgSieBi- Graded Schools.
No /.
The first defect that is observed in the
grades Of schools connected
with our educational system is the rant
Of harmony. Our ancestors very wise
ly provided for three grades of schools,
viz: the District School, the Grammar
School or Acadamy, and the College
The District School was designed to pen
citrate the the remotest corners, and ex-
tend its blessings 10 the very heaT,h-stone
Of every household in the State, The
Academy was high,r grade and less
generally extended--designed to stand
Intermediate between the Common School
and the College. These two, with the
College, seemed to cover the whole
ground. The first was provided for a
section Of each Town, the second for
each County, and College or University
/ for the whole State.
Here the idea Of gradaiion was fully
developed aud If the design Of the au-
thors Of this system had been strictly
adhered to, little change would now be
necessary to adapt it to our present
wants. The introduction of Town
School, forming an intermediate grade
between the District and County Schools,
would have supplied defect that always
existed in this system, and rendered it
quite sufficient for our times. 10 at
tempting 10 supply the place Of this in
termediage Town School, the County
School has lowered the standard which IL
was designed to maintain while, as po-
pulation advanced and local interests be-
came more distinctly marked, different
villages in each county began to supply
themselves with Academies.
Thus the County School has lost its
distinctive character. rs funds are d.
vided until they amount to liitle or noth-
ing; It's patronage is limited 10y the ex.
! isience Of rival Schools; and is spher,
. is degraded IN the attempt 10 supply the
! place Of the waiting Town school
> The County School, proper, no Longer
i exists. Hence the entire distance from
b the District School to tile College is lef
s tG be occupied by these multiplied vi
4 lage Academies. And as no oBe o
! these viii consent 10 be out-done By thl
+ others, they all propose to cover thl
j. whole ground. each ia its respective re
! eion, from The District School to lhe Col
il lege al attempt to prepare Teacher
i for District Schools, to fiji Boys for Col
= lega and to graduate Ladies into th
!" world-in short, each one Of thes
= Schools prolesses to comprise within itse
l. a Teacher Normal School. q Laii
i, School, and Female Seminary. itre
/. qaires ~ argument 10 show that this
g. TOO much ground lor one grade Of scAoo.
j. to occupy. Bu, in lie present condltio
Sc Of things the A@semies must oeeup
lt this ground or f vii remain unoea
to pied.
sr Eor is this al. The fse, that Aead.
N mics are wholly. or aig'osi wholly, d,
O. pendant oa their patronage far upPo'
.e ard uat too lrsm a limited field, seen
,r 70 compel them, ia selfpfesefYatiou,
A draw it from a. many different classes
>. lhe yoaih as possible. Hence. they e
BE- courage parents to sead 10 theif sms
- children, wboss proper place Of iasiru
n aen i ibe public School Il may
4e they are well iuaraesed in the aeadenl
n- they are If properly classified aad pro
re iaed sltb appropriate and thorough
Of sirueiars. The evil consists 10 eeraa
~ iBg tha system, 10 advancing sei,elafs
,re an apparent raak whieh They - 9
? really oeeapy~-la withamalag tbe
hs tersss Of ths mosi iGiiseaiial portion
ID eosamaaty from tie public sebol q.
"a throelag it ID favor II ile aeasiemy.
- deed Il is The policy n soms vta z
- aee,as ,sfefs.ged q iils HsIfafe u {