Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-06-29

He belonged to, and believed in those
little republics-a Country SchoolD District
he did not believe in drawing children to
the center Of the town to attend a town
graded school, as you would draw milk to
cheese factory. Men are raised in Yer
mont, they are raised in the mountain
district, and do not grow luxuriantly like
wheat on the plains.
i The best scholars are not found in the
villages and large towns, but in the out,
billy and mountainous districts. They
will be found in those districts where
they are exposed to the storm and wind
both morning and evening, in going to
and returning from school; in places
where you would not and could not raise
blooded sheep. In your village school,
you may raise scholars to show off, but the
real bone and sinew is in the country.
He had his choice of the village or coun-
try, and choose the country. The men OF
the future, as of the past, are to be raised
in the country. In graded schools you
find only the children of the poor, while
those of the richer and more favored at.
tend private schools. The children in the
back districts of Wallingford are more
intelligent, and better educated than the
children in the city of New York. The
school district system is the truest democ.
racy, and is the safety of the country.
The great objection to the graded, or town
system, is that the whole power will be
in the center of the town, the greater
number of persons being able to attend
the school meetings, while but few would
or could attend from remote parts of the
town, and they with little or no influence.
The people like to be humbugged, and,
in his opinion, the town system of schools
was great humbug The old schools
were better than the new He, after some
other remarks, closed by advising the
lady teachers to give up their schools and
hire out to farmers, and learn to become
farmers wives.
A. f. LEAVENWORTH,
of New Haven, said that he agreed main
ly with DR.. Case. but not in his view of
the law He believed in the law. 1t was
one of the best laws ever passed by the
| Legislature of Vermont, and in his opinion
would be adopted and approved by the
people of Vermont when they understand
it and see it's advantsge-Vermont has
better schools than New York or Massa-
chusetts. The principal of the Boston
| Public School is Vermonter, aud so at
st. Louis and San Francisco. Vermont
now has the best and most liberal system
of education of any state in the Union,
and under it we can have any kind of
school that the people may want. (After
reviewing the arguments of those opposed
to the graded system, he said that if I'M
der the graded school system all children
were compelled TO go to the village to at
tend school, he should be opposd to it.
Such is not the case. Under the law, if
town chooses to adopt the system, direc-
tors are chosen by the town at the annual
town meeting to whom the whole care of
the schools in the town are committed, and
schools can be located by them in any and
all parts of the town. After fully ex-
planning the law, and correcting the mis-
apprehension that seemed to exist in refer
ence to it he said, that the smallness of
schools was an argument against the dis
triet system, and instanced towns in
which IL number of districts had only five
scholars. He thought that the great ar
gument in favor of the graded system was
that we would have better teachers, bet
ter instruction, advanced scholars and
that it would cost less. He believed that
it would be eventually adopted.
c. A BATcHELER
of Manchester, said that he had seen the
working of both systems in Massachusetts,
in the Western part of the State among
the mountains, where it was said the
graded system could not be sustained, but
it was sustained Every town in Massa-
chusetts he believed had now adopted the
graded system, and they have better
schools than we doin Vermont because
we have the district system. The advan-
tage of the graded system was larger and
better schools, better teachers and better
school houses. 1t has so worked in Mas
sachusetts and would in Vermont. In
reply to a question, be stated that at first
the system was not compulsory In Massa-
chusetts. but that it was afterwards
made So A few towns after trying the
graded system. he believed, had gone back
to the district schools, but he understood
that the graded system was now estab-
lished in every town in the State.
A gentleman whose name we did not
learn briefly advocated the town or grad
ed system of schools.
REV. MR.. FARRAR,
of Wallingford said the question was
Good Lord, Good Devil" there were
merits in both sides. Means should be
taken to enlighten the people on the sub
iect. and let them hear both sides He
would propose Fourth of July celebrations
in connection with the common schools.
in which the whole matter could be pre-
sented to the people by those who bad
studied and understood both systems so
h. 10 int Mt "
and decide understandingly in reference
to it.
HENRY CLARK,
thu President, in announcing the hour of
adjournment, said he had been surprised
at the ignorance and Misrepresentation
that existed in reference to the law re-
garding the subject, as it had been pub
lished not only in the annual laws but
in all the newspapers of the State. He
then briefly explained the law as passed
by the Legislature in 1870, and the powers
granted under it.
AFTERNOON.
The Association convened at the school
house at 80 p. IN.
JUDAH DANA,
oil Rutland sald ne WISHED ~ say quo
thing in addition to his remarks yester-
day in reference to reading, and that ls
that the position of the scholar in reading
is of the utmost Importance. They should
stand erect, with the head erect, so as to
give the muscles of the throat full play.
They should "toe the mark" in more senses
than one. Teachers should insist on this.
The best rnle for reading is that con-
tanned IN the Sth verse of the Sth chap
ter OF Nehemiah Il
$50 they read in the book in the law of God
distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them
to unders tand the reading"
4. E.. LEAvENwoRTH,
of New Haven, thought that in reading
as in PENN, nship fourishes would do for
show. - .
MRS. wAUGHOP, -
of Rutland, then gave an exercise in