Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-03-25
VERMONT SCIIOOLS.

Among the resolutions passed at the re-
cent meeting at Srringfieldof the Vermont
Teachers Association, was the following:
ReSolUcd, That it is the deliberate con-
clusion of this Association that the present
| most pressing need of our State scheme OF
instruction is a change from the district to
the town system of organization and that
we most respectfully urge upon our egisla-
ture full and fair investigation of this
matter at its next annual session, and such
immediate action in the premises as their
| wisdom may desire.
From the last report OF the Secretary of
the Board of Education, from the discus
sions at various educational meetings. and
| from articles we occasionally see in the
| papers, and from the resolution above, we
infer there is a general feeling throughout
the State that our public schools do not
meet the demands of the age, do not salts
| fy the wants of the people.
The change indicated in the resolution
passed at the late meeting of the teachers
association, if judiciously made, and wise
| ly and efficiently carried out, would doubt
less do something to improve our. schools.
In many towns it might be very beneficial,
in others it would effect but little. In fact
any plan for the improvement of our
schools or our educational system in Yer
mont, which ignoies in their management
one-half Of the adult population, which
| does not enlist in the work that half of the
| people who are every way as well qualih-
ed, to say the least, as those who now have
the control of the schools, will. in our iudg-
ment, utterly fail TO effect the desired OBJ
iect. The mothers rs well as the fathers,
] Al. q A.. O..
must have voice and a vote in this mat
ter, 10 bring about the reform and the I'M
provement so much needed. As long as
women have no legal voice in select ng the
teachers of the children in our schools, in
selecting the books they study, in erecting
and furnishing tue house where they spend
so large portion of their time in their ear
ly years, and in making their surround
ings decent, as long as they are not allow
o t. act as committees, or clerks, or super
intendents; as long as they are excluded
from the deliberations of the Board that
have the general charge of the schools
and have no voice in making the laws es-
tablishing and regulating schools; as long
as they are excluded from our colleges
where the best means of education are pro-
vided as long as female teachers are paid
less than one half the wages paid to male
teachers, we have no expectation that oui
schools will DO materially improved. We
must lay the axe at the roo. Of the evil
must begin at the foundation to rebuild the
better odidce; must iniuse new life into
the system; must introduce another ole
ment of life and energy into the manage
ment of our schools, before they will b'
what we desire. Let woman be the "help'
meet of man in this department and CO
what can be done. We regard the oXclu
sion of women from participation in the
legal management Of our public schools al
unwise in the highest degree, and their ex
) clusion from colleges and universities "a
an act oil tho grossest injustice, and we de-
mand of tue male citizons Of the State, who