Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-10-16

| ' 'o"oois' IL mas, however, been found
necessary to enact laws regulating this
matter, and we are asked in the Secre-
tary's report if these laws cannot in their
operation be made more effective, by
making it the duty of the school officers
to inquire into and prosecute violations.
Is it not matter of prudence in the
expenditure of our public money that it
should be paid only to well qualified
teachers AS means of securing them
and receiving the greatest benefit from
our schools, we should, by generous aid,
develop the full power for good of our
normal schools.
MILITIA.
As required under the act of 1857, the
State has been divided into three militia.
ry districts. The first district consists Of
the counties of Addison, Bennington.
Rutland and Chittenden. The second
district of Washington, Orange, Wind
sor, and Windham, and the third of Call
edonia, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, La
moille and Orleans.
The necessary orders have been issued,
under which organizations can be made
to fill up the regiments and battery. As
yet only eight companies and two Sec
tions of artillery have been organized,
but it is believed that the continuance of
the present policy will secure fuH or
ganization in all the districts, and give
some vitality to our militia system.
A considerable portion of the expen-
ses incurred during the year in this de-
partment have been in collection, as re-
quired by law, of the arms and equip
ments in the hands of the State militia.
and putting them in proper order. There
now remains outstanding quite an
amount of property belonging to the
State the return of which can only be in
sured by the enactment of law more
stringent in its provisions than the pres
ent statute.
STATES ATTORNEYS.
The operations of the law providing
what, in most counties of the State. is a
wholly inadequate salary for the duties
that should be discharged by our States
attorneys, leaves undone large amount
of criminal business, to the great injury
of our communities. An nincrease of sal
airy, or what would be better return
to a system of fees, would more fully
comply with that constitutional provision
which requires that Laws for the en-
couragement of virtue, and prevention
of vice and immortality, ought to be con-
stantly kept in force and duly executed"
STATE PRISON.
The reports of the officers of the State
Prison are quite full, and doubtless will
prove satisfactory. There are now con-
fined in the institution seyenty-two male
and four female convicts. The expen-
aivare mas peen rmrleen Unousand TWO
hundred and nineteen dollars, and the
income sixty-eight hundred and six dol
lars, leaving a balance of expenses over
income of sixty-four hundred and thirteen
dollars; nearly the average of the past
four years. 1t cannot be expected to
show better results during the continuance
of the present contract for the labor Of
the convicts, which expires in 1871.
The operation of the laws of last session
are beneficial in their effects upon the
discipline of the prison. The commuta-
tion of sentence provided for is much
more effective than the expectation of
pardon, and entertaining this view, but
few of the numerous applications for ex-
ecutive clemency have been granted.
The suggestions of the officers of the
prison on this point meet my cordial APP
proval.
REFORM SCHOOL.
The appropriation Of last year, for a
workshop for the Reform School, has
been expended. The trustees have erect
ed a substantial brick building at cost
of twenty-nine hundred dollars, and,have
made other Improvements on the grounds
and buildings with view to the perma-
nency of the institution
The expenses of the school have been
ten thousand and FIVE hundred and thir-
teen dollars, from which is to be deduct
ed seventeen hundred and seventy-nine
dollars, the earnings of the boys in the
shop. The products of the farm, for the
current year, amount in value to TWEEN.
ty-nine hundred and sixty-fve dollars,
and have principally been used in the
support Of the school.
The school has had eighty-.even in
mates during the year, and now has six
ty-nine boys under its charge. Twelve
of this number are placed out in good
situations to remain during good behav-
ior. This course relieves the State from
expenses, and must prove an advantage
to the boys who have become reformed
and desire to show themselves worthy Of
L A