Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-11-13
MisetIIanu.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The State Board Of Education, of Ver-
mont has been until last year, body
composed of well known citizens of the
State, eminent for wisdom and good sence,
who have thoroughly possessed the conf
dence of the people, and have fully justi-
fled it. Last year, the Legislature, under
what influences or for what reason we
know not. increased the Board from five
to seren, and two of the old members
were dropped, giving place to four new
ones. The new Board consisted of Gov.
Dillingham; exoficio, Rev. Pliny II.
White, Hon. Merritt Clarke Of Poultncy
d. D. Gorham, of Montpelier, Jonathan
Ross of st. Johnsbury, T. Conant Of RAN
dolph, and A. J. sanborn of Morrisvillc.
With majority of new members, new
order Of things seems to have resulted,
and the harmony heretofore existing be-
tween fhe Board and their chief executive
officer, the Secretary of the Board, and
essential to the usefulness of the Board
appears to have soon ended. The first
open indication of this, appeared at the
meeting of the Board to decide on new
list Of school books to be used by the
achools for five years from next November
That was a very importent piece OF bust
ness. 1t was matter involving hun
dreds of thousands Of dollars to be expen-
dcd by the people of the State, and one
SO concerning the publishers of school
books that publisher could afford as a
matter of business to pay very heavy
sum of money for decision in his favor.
The Publishers did not neglect to look
after their interest. Their agents were on
hand in swarms. at and before the meet
ing, prepared TO use argument influence
money, auy means to cary their points.
We have heard, the information coming
through reliable channel, from q men,
Der of the Board, that one member of the
Board was given to understand by pub
lisher's agent, that if his vote and irhu-
.uce could be secured in favor ofa series
of school books, by present of 50, 900
tho money was at his disposal. How
many such offers were made o6Aurse we
know not. But there was asry active
competition among publishers.
The selection of school books finally
announced by the Board was received
with utter establishment by a large por.
tion-and that not the poorer portion
Of the teachers Of the State. 1t was con.
sidrred 90 unwise In some respects thai
many excellent teachers have utterly re-
fused to adopt the recommendation of the
Board as to certain Of the books. and will
not countenance their use in the schools
and some Of these teachers. as we have
heard, are in receipt Of threatning letters
| from the Publishers, warning them Of thu
consequence Of their contumacy, if they
continue to oppose the books recommended
by the Board. AS there Is no penalty
under the laws Of the State, however, fol
nonconcurrcuce with the Board in the re,
commendation of school books, w
presume that such threats have
little weight. But of coarse under such
state of things the most important ad
vantages,o uniformity and system among
the schools are likely to be lost.
All these have been matters Of more Oh
| less common talk among teachers for many
months, and are now brought up afresf
by the new facts mentioned by Mr.. Adams
in his Report. As that Report goes int
the hands Of every member of the llegis
Iature and into every school district O
the State, it is not necessary to copy a
length Mr.. Adams statement of the case
But in brief, be intimates that a majority
of the Board Of Education had agreed. be-
fore the meeting, among themselves, wha'
books they would adopt. He states thai
the Eve SO reported to have agreed before
hand, acted uniformly together, through
out; that they crowded through the de
cisons with improper haste, disposing o.
the arithmcties, algebras, Biographies
philosophers, grammars, and histories IL
a single evening; and the readers and
spoilers in a session OF au hour before
breakfast next morning, that'leading ex
pcrienced teachers, who had been invited
by formal resolutions Of the Bgard to ex
anime and report on various text books
who had done SO ut much expense Of tint
and labor, and who attend the meeting OF
the invitation Of the Secretary. by direc
ton Of the Governor, tc advise with th'
Board, we're informed by the Board, tha
the doliberation would be private, ant
that with one exception all Of the teacher
thereupon left town, feeling iDsulted b.
their treatment ,--that after they had al
qoss but one, the Board decided to hea
- nl - .oy;ta THAR rreeence