Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-11-05
From the Daily Of Noe. 4.


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Repors of she Board OF Education.
A copy of the Sesenth Annual Re-
port of the Verraont Board of Educa-
tion has been lymg on our table for some
days. This Report is of especial value to
the pubic, as in addition TO its interest
ing information concerning the condition
of our schools, and its important sugges-
tions for the advancement of the cause of
education, it contains an appendix en-
bracinga complete digest of the statutes in
force relating to common schools, as well
as of the decisions of our Supreme Court
constituting these statutes, complete in
dex 10 each, and table of Forms of va
rious documents necessary in the transac-
tion of business connected with schools.
The practical value of this appendix,
carefully prepared by the interchangeable
Secretary of the Board, Mr.. Adams, viii
oe AT ohce ptfcclNcus
The yGaunie is chiefly taken up with the
Report of Secretary Adams to the Board.
As this alone occupies some 1873 closely
printed pages, IL viii not be expected that
we can present in these columns any very
complete abstract even OF its most impor-
tant topics. We refer to it chiefly 10 urge
upon our readers an examination Of the
volume itself.
| The Board in their report express great
qualification that the Legislature has made
provision for special instruction in the
hitherto neglected geography and history
of our own State. They urge upon the
Legislature with much earnestness, as
does the Secretary IN his report, the great
importance of its restoring the law,
omitted in the revision of the Statutes last
year, appropriating thirty dollars q year
to each county to defray the expenses
| Of Teachers Institutes, aud authorizing
the Secretary TO " employ such assistance
as might be necessary to give them eff
cheney and Interest," The practical effect
OF withholding the appropriation Is such,
in the opinion of the Board, as to render
1t serious question, if persisted in,
whether an absolute dlsconiinuance of the
Institutes woald not be advisable while
the benefits derived from them as schoo,s
for teachers, is incalculable, because of
the aid derived therefrom IN providing the
common schools with good instructors.
Interesting Institutes, however, have
been held during the past year, an account
of which is given by the Secretary. We
| copy the following in relation to that held
in this county:
| "Thc thirteen h Instituie was held In the Con-
! eregahoEal Chur h in Wa.lingf I'd, for the oun-
| ts OF Rutland on the 9th and 10th avs of June
1858 This was the largest Institute for the year.
one 5i tf1e tndL mas ever occurred IN
| the Safe. Nothing outd xceed the klndne q ana
! cord afity with VIII ch the members of the Insri-
| tute were received, AMI the iact that more than
three hundred members were received in the homes
of the citizens, sufficiently evinces the ent to
| which demtnds were made upon he kindness and
| interest of the people.
| Mr. Moore, Principal of the Union High School
/ and Superintendent of Rutland, and some thirty
| of the Rutland teachers, ere pr sent, Nj Vim
SLOW, of ittsford, Mr.. Henry Clark, of Poutneg,
| were present and took part in the discussions Ex-
cellsnt music, partly from of the pupils Fl, ON
! the excellen school Of Mr.. Hirt, of Ctnt.e HUT
| nd, aud par y from the choir OF the town, was
instrumental in adding to the interest OF the meet
| ing And, a. the close, the resolutions passed by
the lnstitue, and the respon by D. Il. Niohol-
son, ESQ, all indicated a successful and useful
meeting. / cannot omit TO express my own sense
o. obilsatlon lor the untring attention OF
Mr.. Congd II, the fown Superintendent. The
Institute owes much of its success to him.
The Secretary speaks of the difficulty
OF obtaining full and reliable statistics
concerning the condition of the schools,
but the returns have steadily improved
each year since the first attempt to gather
4 them IN this state. One great trouble is
the imperfect and bungling manner in
which many of the district clerks do their
work.
Of the duration of the schools in this
state, the Secretary says:
The schools have remained in session for n
lese number OF weeks than during the preceding
year but with the exception Of the last ear
| there have been more weeks of school sustain
ed than ever before in the educational history
OF the state. There have been sustained II. I3s
weeks OF school taught by males, 2.90S weeks
OF school taught by females; while in the year
1861 z, there were A.500 weeks of male and 81 :
200 weeks of female school The aggregate
number OF weeks of school by both male and
| 1emale teachers during the past year is 84 044 -
/ This gives an average duration of schools.
| counting both full aud fractional districts al
| 23 IL weeks to each district. Thus it apnears
that our schools, upon An average remain in
session less than one half of the year. or. to he
more accurate, less than 46 per cent OF The wear.
The average duration Of the public schools in
previous years of which the statistics have been
obtained has been US follows: in 1850 % 33-lOO
weeks, in 1861, 2l 73-100 weeks in 1862 "a 29-l,0
weeks. We discover, then, q small gain upon
the duration of the schools in 1850. and a
/ more decided gain upon that of 1861. but fall
1 ing of from that of 1862 Although This ioss
Is fairly attributable without doubt, in = meas.
/ ure, to the necessity OF economy and the scar
city Of labor growing ous of the condition of
public affairs still the record is mt a. cred;ts
hIa I'll .. N.