Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1859-02-24

the head Of the scholar, was found to be more
equal, and on the whole quite satisfactory
What now have we got in its stead And
what is to be the effect produced among dis
tFcts, by its operations.
In an answer to the first question, there seems
to be some doubt as to what is really meant by
the new arrangement some people constituting
it one way and some another This, probably,
is all right as it corresponds with the ma.
iority Of our statute laws, and makes a sort OF
uniformity which isquitc agreeable and useful,
because it leaves something for people to dis
puto about If understand it, it means that
scholars only that attend school, shall draw
money. Well says one ais not that right,
surely only those who attend school ought to
draw money" Let us examine it and see if it
is right. A and b, both live iii one district,
A has property, pays a large tax, has few
children and is DESTROYS to educate them-goes
it strong for schools, aDd sends his Children
b on the contrary is poor pays little OF no tax,
has large family of children, does not care
whether they 60 to school or not, perhaps his
poverty obliges him to keep his children out Of
school, and as there is no law, whereby a can
compel ID to send his he has to bear it, the
consequence is that A and his children are
punished, because b refuses to send bis children
to school, In other words, the imR0conL are
punished instead Of the guiHB This may be
according to the old Ort4odor plan Of saliva,
ton, but is nevertheless, quite as ulpalalable
to me. 1t is easy to sec that this plan obligcs
a to pay not only his proportion Of the public
fund.- but If he has schools for the purpose Of
educating bis children, he must pay large sums
in addition, because it requires ~ as long a
school to educate small number as it doe, q
larger.
Again, village districts will have the ad-
vantage over the back districts, the latter dis
uicts being composed mostly of farmers, con-
tain a larger surface of territory, therefore in
the winter season, it is impossible to send the
younger portion of the scholars, on account Of
snow, and cold weather. In the summer season
the older ones arc kept at home to help do the
work upon the farm. As natural consequence
they will fall short of their number Of scholars,
as compared with village school, and will be
cut of Of their proportion Of public money of
which they have paid probably the largest por-
ton, and if they have an equal amount ofschooI
as formerly, which ought to be the case they
must necessarily have an additional burden -
Again, suppose district is visited with an
epidemic as is frequently the case and as u
nlmbcr Of districts in our town have bccQ this
winter, by this new method Of dividing they
are to be punished for this misfortune.
might add many more arguments, but forbcar.
| hope and trust the money Of our schools will
never be divided into the manner contemplated
by the new law, as it does not 60 into opera
ton until next sprmg-I mean Of course the
spring Of 1850, the good sense Of the next
legislature will blot it out forever. Here |
must close this communication, and as the
ministers say, "the Lord wiling you shall hear
from me again. JAIRUS JOSSELYN.
Plymouth, Feb. DIST, 1859.