Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-03-01
Walohman 6 Journal.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH !, 1871.
TraNs-s2oo per year, strictly Ia advance Or i25O
ifnot paid within three months.

n WEDNESDAY, MARCH !, 1871
"a TraSs-s2oo per year strictly In advance Or t25o
"a ifnot paid within three months.
nj
a. The New School Law.
lie The annual March meeting Of the town
occurs next week If the selcctmen hav
!, been able to perusc the large octave yolumt
4 Of laws passed at the late session Of the Leg
| stature, aud learn its contents, the warning
u will call upon the voters in each town to de-
eide whether they will abolish the present
. school district system and put in its place the
b town system Of schools II the town votes to
abolish the districts 1t then proceeds to elect
central board Of three or six directors for
the town schools Ono.third hold office for
one year. ono.thrd for two years, and one.
third for three years and their successors so
fast as they are elected will serve for three
years. This board will take the place Of the
old prudential committees aud have the same
ample powers They decide the number Of
schools and where they shall be kept, employ
the teachers and pay them. The law pro-
yides for the equitable adjustment Of all
claims arising out Of the transfer Of the prop.
eriy Of the districts to the towns.
Such are the general features Of the law.
It's great advantages over the present system
are obvious at the first glance The towns
that adopt it will gain in all educational re-
spects over their unwiso neighbors who may
refuse to accept it, In the new system the
best men in each town will be placed at the
head of its educational interests the schools
will be elevated in character by the mutual
association into which it will bring them. bv
being placed under the same general suporin-
tendcncc and administered by the same gem
eral rules aud by being delivered from the
narrow, local jealousies which have often
worked so dsastrously in our small districts.
In many respects the system would be q mat.
ter Of economy, but at any rate it must raise
the grade Of instruction and acquisition 10
our schools, and 50 enhance their positive bene.
fits to the scholars as to more than compen.
safe for any increased expense We have
never found that men, even in Vermont, were
unwilling to pay for good thing More
money can be raised for a good school with
greater ease than a less sum can be raised for
a poor school. And if once our towns try
this new system they will never wish to re.
vert to the old one
Ono of the decided advantages of it would
be to establish uniform rate of taxation and
furnish more uniform and equal advantages
TO every citizen. The poorer districts which
can now hardly afford to maintain the poorest
schools, will have the assistance of the
weather. districts and will be able to furu.
ish to their scholars instruction equal to the
best and richest communities. 1t is system
which levels mp and does not level dorm. 1t
lifts the lower grades up to a higher rank,
and so diluses its beneficial influences through
those classes that it is the object of every
good system Of government or education to
reach and advance 1t makes possible a
more advanced course of study for the best
students in every district, and on the whole
put our school system on the upward march. |
The objections to it are so trivial or so based |
in Anticipated prejudices that we shall be sur
priaedif they should prevail in any consid.
cradle number Of towns.
We know that our Vermont municipalities
are very conservative and indisposed to adopt
any new measures in any department But
true conservatism is very different thing
from utter stagnation. 1t does not 5. to
the old because it is old, nor run for the new
because it is new. 1t accepts reasonable in
noyations when they are based on sound prn.
ciples, and elevate the tone of social and
individual life. We have given up our old
ploughs and harrows, our old wooden axes
and sap boilers, our old fire buckets aud dashcr
churns and skillets for wash basins, and have
suffered no injury. We have been quick to see
the advantage Of new stock aud new barns, and
new methods of draining, aud of raising calves
But we keep up the old rck9ty system Of
educating our children. Three months dis
trlct school in the summer, aud three more in
the winter, with an ill-paid teacher whose
ambition is all worked out of him by the
necessity of boarding round, is all we give
the children of our State in the larger part of
its districts. We give our colts and calves
more grass than We give our youth letters.
Any system then which will raise the quality
of our schools, make the property of town
liable for the instruction and education of its
youth, and advance the standards Of scholar
ship and of teaching, deserves the most un.
qualified endorsement Of an intelligent people.
The towns that are first to adopt this measure
will reap its richest benefits.