Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-12-09
The Report of the Vt Board Of Edu
cation

1t was unfortunate that the printing anl
distribution Of tie Fourteenth Annual Report
of tie tate Board of Education should hav,
been delayed as it was. The report ought t.
be in the hands of our legislators in the tirs'
week of the session. in order that it's facts AND
suggestions may be read, Tondercd, and lend
their aid in shaping legislation. This ycai
its appearance was (unayoidably, We are will
.ng to belieye.) delayed till the very last day
Of the session-too late to receive the slight
est attention from any member; and SO those
on whom fell the chic: burden of caring ior
the educational interests Of the State in cur
General Assembly. were compelled 10 do
without its aid. We regret this the more.
because this appears to be an uncommonly
interesting and valuable report.
1t is volume of 23S pages-asf very well
printed, owing probably to the haste with
which it was run through the press-fom
the Journal press at Montpelier, which CON-
monty turns out better work. 1t opens, a.
usual, with the report of the Board proper.
In this the Board pay fitting tribute TO their
deceased associate, the late Governor Wash
burn compliment the late Secretary Of the
Board, Mr. Rankin: express full confidence
in the new Secretary, Mr.. French urge con-
centration Of the three normal schools into
one and renew their recommendation (now
adopted by the State) Of permissiye law
for the ab1lishing Of school districts and os-
tablishment Of the town system. The report
mentions also the fact that Gen. John ".
Phelps of Brattleboro had appeared before
the Board TO call attention 10 the serious neg
lect Of the subject Of good behavior" in
our schools, and - urge the preparation Of
some manual to incuicate the simple rules Of
courteay that distinguish the wellbr5d person
from the clown, the world over The Board
say they " felt under great obligation 10 Gen.
Phelps for his timely suggestions, and would
be glad to see such a manual prepared
which so far as they are aware does not now
exist in any language
Hon Jonathan Ross, member of the last
State Board. and now one of the justices Of
our Supreme Court, who was acting secretary
of the Board during the interval between
Mr.. R4nkin's resignation and Mr.. French's
appointment, furnishes twenty odd pages, re
porting the pr ceedings Of the Teachers In
stitutcs. Theremainder Of the volume is oc-
c1pied with the report OF Secretary French,
embody ing reports Of the normal and graded
schools and teachers associations, valuable
tables Of school statistics, and a forcihle re-
newal of the recommendation first made by
Secretary Adams. and ably supported by
Secretary Rankin, of the .' town system - Of
schools, as opposed to the district system.
To some points discussed in relation to this
and other matters We intend 20 allude here
after. We have further space to-day only
for the following statistics distracted from the
report The three normal schools, since their
establishment, have had an attendance Of
73i pupils, of whom 200 were aided by State
funds Up to July, 1870, l69 have graduated
from these schools. There are IS graded
schools in the State, with 200 teachers and
an attendance Of 10000 pupils. Teachers
institutes were held in all the counties last
year, with an aggregate attendance Of about
HOO. The length OF the sessions has been
increased $50 per cent, and the attendance
has increased 2i5 per cent. But small
number OF those who applied for State
teachers certificates were able to pass the re-
quisite examination, and in FIVE counties only
"A persons received such certificates.
Town superintendents report that there were
1850 different district schools in the State last
year, and that 4,33s different teachers were