Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-11-28

a. they have been designated by the Secretary
of State. We invite the attention of our
readers to these acts in detail, and no person
who has any desire to know what of public
concern was accomplished by the Legislature
should fail TO read them carefully.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
The fret act in the list, establishes Nor
NAL School at Randolph Centre and also
authorizes the Board of Education to estab-
iish at most two more, one in the first and
one in the third congressional district. If they
shall think it advisable. These schools are
not to be charge to the State, and therefore
the experiment will not be a costly one.
Another law which was passed, and which
will be found on the outside of this issue, FRO
vides that examinations, similar to those to
be held at these normal schools, shall be held
In each county In the State, and the certifi-
Gates granted at such examinations are TO be
of the same value as those given at the exam
nations held at the established Normal
Schools. This will give the teachers of ali
the academies in the State the oppor tunity to
make their schools into quasi Normal Schools,
be- instructing classes in the studies prescribed
for the course at the three principal schools.
and preparing pupils for examination in the
prescribed branches of study. This act seems
to be a necessary and wise addition to the
first, as very many teachers who could not
attend either of the three Normal Schools.
can, by pursuing the prescribed courses OF
md fCr fooc
as good as that 10 be acquired at Randolph,
or at either of the other schools, if others
should be established.
The advantage of these schools, and of the
requirement of particular course of study,
hardly needs to De pointed out. Teachers
should be thoroughly educated, and educated
for the very work they have to do. They
should not only be thoroughly educa ed with
textbooks, but with the best method OF teach
ing text books and we see no reason to doubt
that this legislation will make the prepara-
ton and education of teachers more of a spec
Ialty in our acadt mics than it has hitherto
been. Teachers also will welcome these en-
actments as giving the an opportunity to be
examined by competent and educated gentle
men, whyse certificates will not only be a le-
gal prerequisite to their teaching, but which
will also be evidence that they are fitted to
teach.
The act in relation to textbooks ELECTED
considerable debate, aud awakened a lively
interest IN those having at heart the educa
tional interests Of the Stale, and also exciied
considerable attention on the part of hume
rous polite gentlemen who were here repre-
senIIng Publishing houses in the cities. IL
seemed 10 be understood at the outset Of the
session that probably a majority of the Old
Board OF Education were favorable to a change
In a part of the textbooks now in Use, and
would recommend a new speller, new readers
q new series of arithmetic, and probably q
new geography. The law fully passed au-
thorIzIng the Board to revise the list, and
making the present lIss authoritative until
November 1865, was reported by the Com
mitree on EIucition alter Learning al sides,
and giving The matter = careful Examination,
and was, probably. as judicious a CONCLUSION
as could be arrived at. There can he no bet
especially as nov constituted-to decide " hat
textbooks are the best Tor use in our schools
The Legislature badgered by publishers, and
hara gued by parrisans OF this or that book 3,
wouli be rather more likely to 60 wrong than
right, it it should attempt to prescribe the
hooks to be used IN the schools. As the law
is now guarded the Board OF Education nave
the whole matter referred to them, and their
decisron will undoubtedly be satisfactory to
the people of the STATE.
DIVISION OF SCHOOL MONEY.
The law providing a new rule for the d.
vision of school money Is OF consider ibie i'm
portance- Ii divides one-third of the money
equally among the districts, thus giving the
small districts the advantage in this equal
division over what they got under the law as
it has been, which divides 10 this way one
quarter only among the districts. The pro-
vlsioD, however, that the remaining two-thrds
shall be divided upon the aggngate attend
ance, will give the districts inducement to
keep their attendance as full as possible, and
also to have as many weeks school as possible
The large districts and those which have
schools eight or ten months IN the year, will,
- they ought to, get, under this provision, a
larger proportion Of the money than before
There are few if any districts in the State
whic b cannot and ought not to have from
eight to ten months school in year; and il
this act shall induce districts to have larger
schools and a more puncsusl attendance, il
Will accomplish . good work.
REGISTRY OF vorERs.
The law in certain cases requiring list Of
the voters Of any city or town to be prepared
before freemen's meetings, was enacted t.
prevent fraudulent voting; and also to facli
tate voting in large townsville RUTLAND
; which polisd last September nearly $500 vote
by deciding all questions of the right o
persons to ballot I,i,I,lLtvotei is presented q
the polls. In small towns it will never b
needed, and of course will not be put il
practice, but in large towns, or in town
where the parties are nearly evenly divided,
will Be very useful. This act, ~ veil a. tn
one disfraDchsiDg desertsss, and requirin
alisos 70 b naturalised in open court, i e.
the protection Of the people against illees
vo.es.