Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-02-03

academies He would like to hear from those
Who had had experience in both kinds q schools.
Rev. L. A. Austin would have gradei schools
established wherever possible, because they az
/ forded superior advantages to all the children Of
a community. lie was sure they hAd no better
teachers than the academies, was willing to admit
/ that in the comnoa branches they did quite as
veil as the academies, but held the moralinhuenoe
on the pupil Of the latter to be better than oil the
former as the principal had the constant oversight
of his students. out Of the school ball as "eii as
/ in il while the teacher Of the public school had
no control over his pupils outside Of the school
I He maintained that the academies seat more
students TO college and fitted them better than
I the graded schools, and could slmost venture to
assert that Barre Academy has sent more boys
to college than all the graded schools in Yer
mont.
Mr. H. II Shaw would grant that in some
points the academies had the advantage, esPe-
cislly such as were funded but be knew from
experience that no school, however large, could
maintain proper corps Of teachers by tuitions
alone. The grsded schools had basis to stand
upOn-the whole property Of the community
the msjority Of Vermont academies hsd not the
means to DO good work. Besides, he had dis
covered that the instruction given in academies
rot seldom lacked thoroughness. The graded
system, it should be remembered, was yet in its
infancy. County schools were needed to COM
plete t. The system reached, in idea, fOm the
lowest grade in the primary school to the hour
Of graduation from college. When perfected
and put in full operation, We should see wonder
ful results from it.
Mr. Pollens questioned the correctness Of MIR.
Auitia's statements about the relative number
Of students entering college from academies and
graded schools Extent Of territory should he
considered, and not merely the number Of
pupils enrolled. He believed that, population
alone being considered, the graded schools Of
Burlington sent at least SIS large proportion Of
young men to the University. as any town ia
Vermont in which there might be An academy.
At halfpast ten o'clock, Mr. A. G. White
more Of Milton, opened discussion on the Town
System Of Schools as compared with the District
System. After reciting the chief features Of the
bill passed by the asJ Legislature, sni ackn0E-
Lodging that the present system had its exeelleu-
ciss as well as its defects, he went on to say that
even this might be made more fruitful. if only
the people heartily co-operated in working it if
each citizen would see that the school-tax wss 50
expended as to bring the largest returns if
each parent would try to make the most Of his
son. Both systems we're but machines designed
to accomplish a certain purpose. The present
one hal so many defects, and these Asd been SO
extensively discussed by Secretary Rankin il
his report for 1863, that he would aliude only to
two or three. % There we're too many schools;
% we're reported last yel- with only five pupils
or less, 81 others with 40 more than ten, 653
more with 10 more than fifteen, snd So whose
numbers Jill 10. exceed twenty. Here were
more than 1900 schools which might be spared
they we're useless. Their annual cost could
not be less than $4,000 for teachers. and
S25,0l0 more for interest on buildings. sc.
This should be saved to the towns ard the State
The best teacher could no. keep up an interest
in these smallest schools. there could be 10 emu
laton. In point Of fact. only the poorest teach
ers could be hired for these little schools Under
the municipal system towns would be relstrict-
ed, AID the size Of the schools increased. o.
We have too many officers AZ present Every
man in the district takes his turn Ct being Pro-
Dental Committee, without regard 20 aualiioa-
ton. One who fuifls the duties Of the place Is
sure 70 lose his othcisl head. He had known one
10 be displaced simply because he had seen fit 70
procure 4 dictionary for the use Ct the school
room CD disqualification and gruubiiu 2 were
frequent in districts The town authorities are
often called in now, TO keep the schools going.
SI good men can be more easily found to man
age educational affairs than forty. (4) Taxa
ton now exceedingly unequal far more so as
between districts than IS between counties Sur
pose school-houses TO he erected in one dis
trict I've men have the burden 10 bear. IN another
4 hundred. Taxes are often 50 heavy that
the district Is unab e. OF at least refuses, TO hire
good teachers and provide proper apparatus. The
town system would remedy all these INEQUALITIES
snd put the large and small districts more nearly
on the same footing. II the district system did .
not already exist, il could not. were il properly /
understood beforehand, be forced upon the PEG .
pie Of the State, so glazing was is injustice At .
present some sections paid an educational tax Of .
eight 10 ten per cent, while others paid as high .
as 90 per cent For al these evils the town sys-
TEN was a complete remedy The Board Of Eiu-
cation, and the educational committees Of the .
two Houses, were unanimous in favor OF the bill I
Teachers could DO much to hasten this change 20 /
a better order Of things
Alr. G. ". Kennedy Of Waterbury said it was
easy 20 form fine system in ones room. he .
was not sure that the town system would be
found Of practical utility. In point Of fact, he
believed, the best students in the academies came
from the rural Iistricts-the small schools,
against which 50 much hal been SAID Certainly
IN many cases the pupils would have to 20
long way 70 school, if the districts were abolish
Ell And teachers, in cases Of difficulty, would
often ind no one =; hand with whom to take
counsel
In reply Mr.. Goodrich said that the twenty
four reasons presented by Mr. Rankin for making
the change e the town system we're emineutly
practical, aud such all intelligent persCus
must appreciate. lie referrei 90 the gradual
change now working in Connecticut, and already
at but completed in Massachusetts and averred
that no instance vas known in which town had
returned 70 the disi7ic, system sitter making fair
trial Of the other. The town system also was
to be administered by practical men, who, no
doubt, would use their common sense in the reds
tricting oftowns, and in the allotment Of teachers
He alluded 10 a statute Of Massachusetts drawn
up and presented by business man, which
authorizes towns TO spend part Of their school
money In conveying children 10 and from school,
aud ssid that the actual results were exceedingly
gratifying. Certain towns in that State now hsd
better school houses, better teachers, and longer
terms Of school than before, and all at q lass
cost, though the children were carried TO and
from school The adoption Of this plan in the I
sparsey settled towns Of Vermont would open
the way TO a cousol datou Of districts and better
schools
Mr. Spauliiug slii that in one district in
Barre, one man had offered 20 carry the children {
TO school and home sgain for a term for $40. !
Here would have been clear saving Of the
wages Of one teacher. snd the interest on cost
Of enc school house or about 500 in 3 single
term.
The next exercise was sn essay on School Dis
oipline, by Miss " A. Holt, q the graded Q
school st Springfield. This was a clesr, earnest
and practical exhibition and enforcement Of the
Topic discussed. We DO not attempt synopsis y
Of the paper, We design in a few days TO give 3
srge extracts from it in our educational column,
for the benefit Of such teachers as were not pre-
sent to hear it. y
Adjourned for dinner.
THURSDAY, p. NJ
The Association convened again at . o'clock n
The chair appointed the following gentlemen +
Committee on Place Of next meeting Rev. c. !
W. Wilder Of Montpelier, 4. G. Whittemore Of /
Milton, and Edward Conant Of Randolph. OPP ,
oortunity vas given for teachers present to be- q
come members Of the Association, and few sig o.
natures were added TO the Constitution. q
Mr.. Louis Polleus, Master OF the Burlington Il
High School, then delivered an address on the nj
need Of more extended and thorough equipment n
IN the part Of the teacher, and the means by b
which TO secure it. At the beginning OF his n
paper he emphasized and illustrated the old d,
maxim, 9ocendo disrimuS. No man knew any :,
hing properly until he SEs able to teach IT, Il