Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-11-04

Editors Of the Free Press:
The House was thin this morning, and no very
important business was accomplished. A bill
was passed to the third reading in the House, re-
pealing the law which allows the payment Of IS
per cent on the hi sh way taxes when paid in mon
ey. A bill was introduced to pay Mrs. z. Thomp-
son for taking care Of the cabinet of Natural His
tory which was purchased Of her husblni'. estate
by the State, from the tina of its purchase to the
time it was rem owed to the State House.
An effort was made to get the Circus bill out Of
the hands Of the General Committee where it has
been for a week or more; the effort failed. An
other bill was introduced 70 repeal some Of the
school law. This one would sweep out five or six
section, of the law Of 1858, including the whole
matter of re sistration. Evidently that portion Of
our people who desire no law, no supervision of
schools, and no governmental support for them, are
represented here. They would go back to the
old way OF supporting schools by 8 tar on the
scholars and d dispensing with all State interest or
supervision. But I am quite sure that a large
majority Of the legislature think otherwise, and
represent a constituency far more wise and liberal,
The biIlsalreaiy introduced, though each one is
short, and aims az some one supposed evil in the
present law, yet reach every valuable feature of
the law, and would if passed, as good a, blot out
the whole. In some ca ses the new law may have
worked a little rou shly; in some, by inJudicious
management of officers it may have worked badly
but in a large number OF complaints, the law has
been misunderstood, in some misrepresented. For
example in support Of Colby's bill abolishing the
Board of Education, it has been repeatedly said
that the expenses of the Board we're about two
thousand dollars per year. 1 have seen the items
Of expense as drawn of by the Auditor, at the re-
quest of the Chairman of the Committee Of Eluoa-
ton in the House, and the whole expense of the
Board for the last year was the small sum Of fv5
hundred and fuenty-ttro dollars and eighty cents,
and for tho year before tco hundred and slepen
dollars and tDenty cents. 1t will be remembered
also that on both of these years the Board had ex-
ira work to do-last year in the selection Of books.
and the wear before in the preparation Of the law
passed last session. 1t is worthy of note also that
all this expense is for debentures, while the Board
NtTG II hCbudA VI AWAY lEOm uOLNc happen
to know that some of the Board have given large
amount Of time and care to the business of the Of
fee, for which nothing has been received or asked
1t clnnot De that for this triAing expense
our legislature will take this backward step. The
Board is needful to give permanency and charac-
ter to the whole system of education, and espe-
cially to stand as competent, judicious and conser-
vatige advisers of the Secretary. Isuppose to a
large extent they have laid out the plan of the
whole work. To them is due the Successful labors
of the Secretary. By them he was selected, and
he has been directed by their counsels in his
whole course of arduous labor. On the whole thi s
whole matter Of the Board and it. Secretary has
been the most successful project ever set on foot
or the good of Vermont. In the midstof difficulties,
suspicious, and opposition, they commenced their
labor, when almost every one felt doubtful Of the
result, and they have carried it on, accomplishing
more than the most s~anguine had hoped,-more
with the same means than was ever done in VT, if
not in any State, for the cause of sound and useful
common school instruction. The sentiment of the
State is la rgely changed, and the interest If GU
citizens is aroused and enlisted in favor Of the
system. The whole is firm in the confidence of
the people. Those who will break it down can
only begin by picking out a bit here and there, as
if it were wrong while the main part is right.
But most of th .n are at heart the encmie. OF ony
school system which shall tax the people. Free
school.-thc glory of New England, and of Vt.
there some men mean, stingy, small enough to
see abolished and to help abolish. 1 do not much
doubs but many who support these amendments,