Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-03-03

gent State Of Massachusetts,. 1t was adopt
cd there by the State after a careful trial in
a number Of towns, and it commends IT.
self in actual practice to the approval of all
intelligent citizens. Is it a supposable case
that plan which works so well there under
conditions 50 much like ours in this State,
should not work well here? We think not.
1t is a plan to economic the money, labor,
time, and care, expended on our schools
and to give Us more for our money. 1t is at
least worth a trial by US.
We have heretofore printed the law at
length and will now content ourselves with
re-stating its provisions.
THE LAW.
The law provides, in the first place, that towns
may vote TO abolish the district system, and the
sele,,nen must put an article in the warning
for that purpose.
r the town votes to abolish the school dis
tries. then the voters are to cleo; central
bosrd Of three or six school directors. One
third Ct those so first elected are to hold office
for one wear, one third for two years, and one
third for three years and their successors, as
fast as they are elected, will serve for three
years. Thus. if the board Is of sir, as in most
cases it probably will be, two Of the directors
will 20 out Of ofice every year. The voters
can thus keep The board within their control,
while at the ssma time some degree Of per-ns-
hence, which Is essential to efficiency, is secured
in the Office. The board of school directors take
the place Of al the Old prudential committees Of
the districts. and have ike full powers. They
beside how many schools shall he maintained,
and where. They employ AL the teachers; have
the care Of all the schoo, property, and Pay the
expenses by drawing warrants therefor on the
town treasury. They are sworn TO the faithful
discharge of their duties. snl they mus; serve
withou. psy-except thst one Of their number
$ TO be chosen as chairman of the board, who is
to perform the duties now required of town
superintendeuts. and who is allowed the pay
now given by law TO town superintendents' to-
eethcr with such additional pay as the town
msv choose to vote TO him.
Simple and plain directions are given for the
appraisa, Of the property Of the existing schoo!
districts, by three commissioners to be Sppoin'-
ed by theassistau; lees ofthe county courts and
for the adjustment and allowance Of the proper
sums to each district. for its property, which
thereafter becomes the property Of the town
There are also plain directions for proceedings
in the case Of district OF districts lying partly
in one town and partly ii another.
The salec;men, if the town system IS adopted
will not be required to assess the nine cent school
tax now REQUIRED tu, shall assess tax Tor
schools of no; less than - cents, and not over
30 cents on the dollar. to defrsy the expenses
of the schools. There will Of course be no
more assessing and collection Of district taxes
If town chooses to spend more money than
the tax named will raise on its schools it can
vote to 30 So.
This is the law. The great advantage OF
the system so mapped out Is that 1t makes
the business of managing the schools, OF I'M
ror-apce enough 70 command the time and
care of the men best fitted for it in the COM
munitv. At present, the Office of pruden-
tial committeeman Of a school district Is
one Of little account. If he has niece or
sis.er-in-law who wants place to teach
il will enable him to give it to her, but be-
vond that he commonly gives little care to
the school. Holding Office but single year.
he of course shoves any troublesome question
over to his successor, who passes it along to
his. The schools are thus left to run them
selves, in great measure.
But with central board, controlling all
the schools in town, the Office Of school
director becomes one of Importance and re
sponsibaity. The voters will put into the
board their best men for the place, and they
will manage the schools for the best inter
ests of the community, They will not over
lock or disregard the little outlying dis
tricts. On the contrary, experience shows
that the feeble districts are those most be ne
fitted by the change. The school board
will secure the best teachers it can, and allot
them to the schools best fitted to their ca
pacities. Buying all the fuel and supplies,
and making all the repairs, for all the
schools, they can contract for them at lower
rates than for single school. We are
saved the trouble of setting forth additional
reasons for the change. by recalling the con-
else recital Of them made by Secretary Ran /
kin in bio report for 1860. Urging the |
adoption Of the town system, be says
Let Us now see if we can gather up some ofthe |
results that would grow cut Of this change /
which is advocated
l. 1t would secure Just SIS many schools as the |
necessities Of the community demand, each be
ing an integral part of one central organization, |
and adapted 20 the wants Of each individual I
community.
.. It would dispense with a large number Of
school oli,erF
g. It would establish = uniform rate o. tax
alton.
I. I. would furnish more uniform and equal .
advantages and privileges to every citizen.
.. Il would allow the child to attend school |
where his own interests would be best conserved, |
with no restraint save what the general interests
might require.
g. It would prevent strife about district lines.
= Il would diminish the aggregate expendi- /
ture for schools
S 1t would secure more efficient system of |
school inspection and supervision.
o. 1t would secure permanency Of fupervi.-
ion.
10. It would secure greater permanency Of /
teachers
II. 1t would secure better class of teachers. |
y. 1t would secure better compensation to 1
competent teachers, and less employment for in 4
competent ones.
Is. 1t will secure better school-houses.
II 1t will secure greater facilities to teachers /
for reference and illustration.
Is. Ii will enable towns to establish graded 1
schools
Is. Il viii secure uniformity of textbooks in
the same town.
Il. 1t will result in more uniform methods Of |
of teaching.
Il. 1t will secure the establishment Of o
course of study, and will tend to keep pupils |
longer il school.
10. 1t will secure to the State department
more reliable statistics.
20. 1t will insure schools in every district, |
sn1 prevent a bare msjo-Ity from depriving a /
respectable minority Of school privileges.
Il. 1t will tend to diminish neighborhood !
quarrels.
% 1t would insure the employment Of fewer
nephews and nieces, sisters and sisters-in-law.
%. 1t would insure larger aggregate of in
terest on the part of the community in each ]
school.
81 1t would render possible competitive ex-
aminatiOns.
1t may be asked, would not this radical
change in our school system interfere with their
present aud immediate usefulness? Would it
not SO disorganize and break up the system
that the schools would be impaired for some
time to Gomez
| think not The material change would be
simply the substitution of town board of
school managers in place of the various dis
trict boards This substitution need cause no