Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-18


books, and 80 many good books, to selec
from. there i considerable room for disin
terestei differences of Judgment, and beside
there az in the State hundreds and proba
biz thousands Of persons who are in on
wav or auother, directly or indirectly. in
terp>ted 10 -,,e Of the many textbooks be
fore The pahlic /. ha- been quite free
said b, eertaia Interested parties during tn
pendenc, ot thiS question. that If such an
such books =ere not adopted by the Boar
they woali 10 lheir utmost 20 breal
down the Board itself in the next Legisla
ture We sart-r from an article here an
| there IN tine newspapers Of the state, betray
ing its origin by lis bitter spirit and it, un
scrupulou- language. that the threat Is L
be carried out. 50 far A. regards the wis
dom Of the selection Of school books made
we defer discussion until the appearance
of the report Of the Board, which. accord
inq 70 law. should state the reasons for Sacl
selections. However when We thin wh'
the members Of the Board are. men whom
we know - be competent, prudent and IN
corruptible, We are strongly inclined TO pre-
sumo that they have performed this dutS
and the other duties assigned them, witt
wisdom and fidelity,
But on the more important question which
these disafiected partie, are irving to thrust
into notice. the abolition Of The Board oil
Education. ,ge are prepared to speak without
hesitation. We are convinced that during
the sixteen wear, Of its existence. the Board
has done real and substantial service TO the
State. Since is establishment, for the first
time in the history Of our educational enter
pri~eS, there has been some unity and
continuity is the work Of improvement.
At different time, the State has tried
great variety Of systems-superyisio by
State Superintendent. by County Superin-
tcndrnt,. D., Town SuperiutendenJ--but
after shifting with impotence from one ex-
periIner; another. it settled down in 1856
upon the policy which had everywhere else
proved itself 10 he the most Efficient. that Of
State Board O. whom the whole subject Of
the educational Interests Of che State should
be entrusted. such Board has many
obvious ajun;ages over a State supefintrn-
dent chosen BY popular vote ~ by the Leg
isiaturc variety of minds, experiences,
and Interests, l. better tribunal Cor deci-
ding complex question, than the judgment
ofone man however good Political Influences
are les likel, 70 affect the appointment IF
members Of Board than Of an individual
entru~t'i i1h sole power. The recommen-
dation, io lhc Legislature of change in
school law. come with more weight from
such body By reappointmen,s, il ENJOYS
the advantage Of some degree Of permanent
ey, and can Jhu~ mature and carry forward
a large snd reaching policy Of improve
ment
II we are called on 90 -peritt some of The
actually effected by the
school Board. We might call attention 10
the policy of consolidation made necessary
BY the depopulation Of the small districts.
and resulting in the formation Of union di--
trict,, and the establishment OF graded
schools in ali the large villages ihe per
fiction 1T the system Of school
furnishing the means for
studying me wants IF The schools ;
the great Improvements made in the Teach
srs' Institute. which indeed We're almost
unknown under former systems; the en-
iorcement Of q uniform list Of text books,
whereby AZ incalculable amount OF needless |
ehange, confusion and expense are avoided
The establishment and supervision Of the |
Normal schools, the organization Of the
own superintendent into local Board, Of /
and, consequent on this. the rai--
NJ Of the standard Of examination for /
eacherS certificates; and most important /
# all the new Spiri, OF enterprise in eduea-
ional affair infused into the minds Of
he people by the personal lahors Of sec
etary adams and hi, successors. If it
= said that these personal labor7 might
ave been performed hy STATE Superinten-
enJ without the mediation Of Board. We
nswer thar ~ are nYi contending for
'oard without Secretary, hut for Board
whose deliberations shall mature the plans
which their Secretary j. 10 carry into exc
ution. II the State owed much to Mr..
dams, whose enthusiasm vas - powerful
D awakening the dormant interest Of Yer
lont in matters Of education. She also
ives much 3D. men like Peaee, Bradley. Red
ED and ;he.r associate. whose deliberate
pigments framed the policy through which
Is enthusiasm could work wisely and
,fely.
We have not. therefore, any serious fears
nat at the instigation Of few interested
ialcontent>, the Legislature viii reverse
ie now settled and zelf-yindicatins policy
hich ha- resulted in such manifest progres,
lring - many wears past, and bring hack
Ito orr school ~ stem the old confusion and
iao-. lr disappointed and the disafect-
from whatever ceu~e. ma-t get their con-
lation ,f some project les, disastrous
the Pe'n'r a. large.