Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-04-22

Sarah Bowker's estate, Darlington proof Of
will and letters testamentarv.
BRAxDov.-An adjourned school meeting held
Wednesday evening in the Young Mems AssociA
ton Hall. discussed the propriety Of a change III
the curriculum of study now pursued in the
Brandon Graded School. The chief and most
interested opponent Of the present course Of
study was DR.. A. T Woodward, who maintained
that English grammar should be entirely done
away with. a. being unsuitei to the wants Of the
age in general and to the well being Of the scho-
lars Of this school in particular and that in its
stead the physical sciences, together with
IS object teaching should occupy the largest
share Of attention. This position the DR.. eniea-
voured 70 fortify, by reading abstracts from
Youman's " Culture demanded 10y Modern
Life work directed more against the present
system Of university education than that obtained
in common schools. The Dr. was followed by
the Superintendent of Schools, Or. C. L. Case,
who very pleasantly reminded him that the State
had by enactment prescribed certain course Of
study that must be pursued and that among
the branches enumerated was grammar. lr
Case was Of the opinion that if IL was unsli'at. e
on account Of its perple1ities and dithculues-
for the scholars who were at present studying
Towers Elements" their ages ranging from
/ l. to l6. they certainly we're unqualified O.
study any Of the s--esllel natural sciences which
required maturer minds TO comprehend
and he appealed to the Doctor to know
/ if he Woodward in his preparatory course i.i
medical life had not found chemistry s-i.s az
difficult to master as any Of the branches hi-
down in the course. lie Was well aware tta
the present system Of education had its defects
but As We are all human he could not expect j
70 he otherwise and he, for his part, could ua
see Why we we're not up with the times. He ha.
purchased apparatus for IS object teaching. ans
was perfectly willing, if the district saw FIR, Cd
expend $ 900 or $1,000 to make ii more f
success than be had been able 70 ! with th
limited means placed at his command and be
for one, would be willing to be taxed accordingly
Nj CiIley following Dr. Case, haiiei the spir.
that prompted the discussion as an evidence O
interest for the welfare of the school over whic
he presided. 1t was his constant aim 90 max
this school the best in the State, and be hope
to have the support Of all in order 10 accom-
plish it.
The meeting closed after passing resolution
instructing the prudential committee TO sen
Mr.. CTley. if necessary, to Osweso, y T., Wit
view Of examining into the system Of oris-
teaching. and to take such other steps as the
may deem best for the interests Of the school
CHILD Drowned S BrrHEL.-DARNG AT
TEMPT At Rescue, AND woSDmFrL EscArE-
In Bethel, in this State, Weinesiav la,r
Eddie Newton, aged iye years, son Of tlr Lev
Newton. lost his life in the following manner
He was playing with several other children iu.
above the highway bridge on the side Of I'd
branch opposite the village. when by some acc
dent he fell into the water. Fifty feet below III
bridge the water pours over high dan amon
the rocks and snags below, tumbles a'orr e.
another hundred feet, leaps a second dan sl'
than the first, and sweeps down under and be
3 youd the railroad bridge for two hundred var.
a perfect cataract. When the cry " Eiiie View
, ton is drowning 90 came up from the boys GA q.
bank, Edward Burnett, a young man Of eigi
teen, was sitting on the stone steps 81 the OPT.
site end Of the bridge Tie Immediately hurre
across. and though the child vas already wiki
, atty feet Of the dam, stripped of his coat AZ
plunged boldly into the river. The child ".
twelve or fifteen feet from the shore III
rescuer swan out, clasped him, raise
him from beneath the water, and W.
r turning toward the bank when both wei
flung hesd-foremost over the dam. int
the kissing vortex below. Quite a crow
\ had gathered by this time and every eye ".
Z strained to pierce the foam but not sign
the victims could be seen for, perhaps, mimi
o and = half, when, young Burnett was see
r drawing himself out Of the water by some bush'
fifty rods below He was severely bruised an
has been confined to his bed since the adyentur
but no bones were broken and he is rapidly r
covering.
a. Inc nDuN q Alt Nu4AAA Ia A9N t'NNAA AA'AA
though neighbors volunteered and searched Il
branch and even the river to its mouth. Lit
: Eddie was a universal favorite, AMI the owe
whelning grief Of his parents is shared by Il
{ whole village.
I Too much credit can not be given 90 the DO
= youth VINO gave such fearful odds to death f
q the chance of saving the little boy. The unive
sal opinion is that not one in a hundred cJu
y pass down that jagged torrent bed and come o
I alive His own account Of the adventure v
q be Of interest lie says When | turn
back did not think was SO near the dam til
felt myself going over it, | was holding t
l. child out Of the water before NE, and Il
impression Is that he struck the 10
. and l fell upon him. lost hold Of him at t
IL first fall Here my foot caught in a snag, al
I thought I must be held there to drown, b
Il managed to struggle away from 1t. saw
light between the dams, but held my breath 81
went spinning along over the lower dam. ] "
Is conscious every instant, and now began 10 f
4 that | must draw in my breath, though | kn'
il was death to do SO. But just at this irsta
nv the strangest good fortune | was thrown
sc the top Of the water, and got glorious brea
1t Of air before was again swept under. 1t cal
lust in time TO save me, and was the only bres
I got during the whole time that I was goi
J. down. When was almost exhausted l clutch
z something in the water it was a bush, a
q drew me to tine top, but | was so weak aui 1
current so strong that | could not hold it.
e the next instant | caught another, and EXERT
IS au nv strength drew myself on shore"
70 The School District System.
'r We believe the school district system in {
y State to be a nuisance ; yet perhaps 1t would !
If be best TO abolish it altogether. 1t Is mat
which NAV very well be left TO the seve