Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-10-26
For the Free Press.]
PUBLIC VS.. PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

II will be necessary to define what We mean by
Public Schools. Not merely Common Schools 'i
course; and Just as obviously, not merely the
HIGH. Grammar. and Common Schools taken col
lectively, as component parts Of free sonoo sys-
tenn: though possibly it should comprise these on
" with the University if school system were
sufficiently CONFERENCE.-The were perfected.
Those schools which are managed like the free
HIGH Schools, should evidently be also reckoned'
and so the term should embrace those Grammar
Schools" which the early Fathers OF Vermont
founded in every County, and for whose support
they made some, though it must be confessed,
very insufficient provision. These Schools, and
others of n later date conducted in the same way,
arc now generally styled Academies. Some OF
them derive help from the County Grammar School
fpnd (whi Oh, unfortunately, in many instances,
has been divided into as many parts as there are
Academies in the County, and 50 is ofscarcely ap-
preciable benefit to any:) but they alike charge
from twelve to twenty dollars per year for tut
tion. This they must do in order to their own
support, for few of them have any funds-nons an
odeouate foundation-and nearly all Of them are
dependent for their existence on a constantly
fuctuating patronage.
This is all mostly as it should not be-,
and the consequcnces in various ways, are deplor-
ohio cnougb. But some of them are very good
schools. the poorest Of them far better than no
,cademical schools, and all Of them are struggling
10 III place in our educational system, a place
that must somehow be filed watch the State
ought. decades Of years ago to have supplied with
Free High Schools having all possible advantages
ofconyement buildings, abundant apparatus, and
ample and certain support. And by this we
mean that thsir teachers should be SO well paid
that their Office should be permanent, like that OF
college officers; and so teaching. especially in
! these higher schools, be raised to the rank Of a
! Profession. But we did not mean here to speak
! Of these Academies, further than to show why We
claim them as Public Schools though charging
term fees, and managed in good part by private
enterprise 1t is because they form an indisPen'-
able part of our system of education. They arr
the connecting link between the Common Schools
and the Colleges, and in order to their best work
Ing and highest efficiency, they need the active
sympathy and cooperation of an c'a'ses in the
community therefore the wcalthicr as well as tn
poorer citizens should send their sons and dsush
ters to them.
They should DO this, because thus only can b
awakened in the minds Of those most c5mpeten
and best circumstancel for controlling and elevat
ins these schools, that degree Of interest in then
which viii see,rc the employing Of good teachers
tic employing of the same teacher f-r severa
uc.c..ivo terms in the same Sc hoal the erection
and proper care If such buildings as cur school
positively need, the furnishing Of suitable aupar
atuz, that constant inquiry into, and uaadecte'
interest in, the daily management and progress o
the school, which shall be at the same time both
stimulus and reward to both teacher and scbola
and bring other greatly needed benefits.
We would more than nitrate that it would -,
.oe tho desired improvements in our publ
schools How is it now Do not the weslthie
and better educated classes Of our socety-vh
do mss, in the way Of tax-raying to support ou
free schools-do not many OF them pay over thes,
very taxes grumbIiugly, and send their own chill
dren to private teachers to whom they pay an ad
dtional and sometimes larger tax, withou
c-umbiias, because they SEQ and fee
the benefit Of the outlay Of cours
where their children and the larger share Of thei
school money 60, there viii be their interest al
So. and ,,e school tax win come 10 be thought o.
as an expensive eh-5ify, and the appropriation O
school money will be just sufficient to get teacher
who Will stay for a single quarter, or possibly il
the High Schools for single year, and SO thes
posts are constantly filed by strangers-stranser
sometimes to their work, (ior we Will NOT term i
their r4iag.) as well as to the pupils whom thel
instruct. And Why should it not he 60 ]. no
the result natural one,
suppose tAc same principle OF rotation were Go
served in the teacher4hin of the University, an.
dent every Commencement Any man viii sec a
once that the College would be, and ought TO be
defuncs in three years.
A course Of study, curriculum lani what att1
study amounts to anything. is worth anything
in the way Of o,,rs p demands in order q
carry it out. a permanent board Of teachers. 9th
crwise the students are likely to obtain no har.
m7nious and progressive Development.
Their culture if we may SO abuse the wo,d az
to call it such is but thing of slrods and patch
es-anl if really culture, IS thing got in spite Of
/ bad schools.
Now we have a question 70 ask If the four
years curriculum of College needs to be q solid,
consecutive whole isit not likely that the four
years preparatory training Of the High School, or
the four to six years Of the Primary and Gram
same element Of system, order consecution,
steady progression, per1asr7ee' Perhaps h,y
uee9 n n7re q.