Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-02-02
Westminster Farmers Club.

ton TO abolish the common school dis
trict system and adopt the town system.
w. r. KIMBALL was called upon and
opened the discussion by saying that I
am in favor of the clown system" that
it is evident that our districts might, and
ought to be brought together so as to en-
large our schools, which are extremely
small, many of them, at the present time,
and evidently growing more so, and
even now in several districts in town
there is no school for want Of sufficient
number of scholars. Now / think I'M
der the new system, expense would be
lessened, that we could have nine months
school with less expense than we now
have six months. 1t would undoubted-
ly increase the travel of some, but in off
set to this those scholars would have the
benefit of longer term and higher
grade of school. and / doubt whether
the whole travel of the scholars in town
would be increased. This is a subject
that ought to be agitated and talked up
before March meeting, it can do no harm.
| am in favor of graded schools.
HENRY FLOYD don't see the adj
vantage of graded schools. We have
good schools now. | don't know what
the rising generation are going to do.
But, sir, the smartest men Of our age
and country were educated in the COM
mon school, under the good old system
Of district organization. The "town sys-
tem,' or new system contemplated, will
involve us in large increase of expense
In our district we have 80 scholars and
good school, and sir, if the new sys,
TEN was adopted, anticipating the loca.
ton of the school at the street, for oul
scholars, it would cost $500 to get then
there, more than our school costs for the
year l would not have more than IL
scholars to learn them we'll.
j. B. MoRsB.-For the best system Of
education | think Massachusetts, has it
Ii we would adopt her system, we SHOULD
add as a State, laurels to our renown
They aim at classification, this is essen
tial, such as We need. But the teacher
here will have 40 scholars, 40 minds
with as many recitations, when five rec
itations is enough. Vermont in theor,
is right, in practice delinquent, if we ar,
obliged to hire State Normal teacher
we should have great expense, cam
we hire young men and women to teacl
the A, B, G, who are efficient for moder
ate expense? while the other class 0
teachers cannot work as cheap. The
they say classification can't be done
Now if in the gentleman's district Their
are 80 scholars, let them so long as sucl
have school by themselves. In Massa
chusetts the superintendent has the man
agement of the whole matter, oversee
and cares for them, makes it his specia
business, visits them often, knows ho'
to judge correctly of their true standing
thus he is enabled to give them if nee
essary a new impetus, to correct any, an
almost certain all errors and departure:
But here the superintendent seldom VII
it's but twice (and we have very con
mendable one, not half paid for his Ii
bor) it may be on day of the schoc
when its appearance is the most con
mendable, it may be on an occasion th
reverse (for schools do not appear alik
every day. hence how uncertainty trutl
full may be his report. Our schools al
the foundation of our society. 1t is sal
j. S. Morrill, of our State is a gre;
friend to agricultural colleges, to him
this direction we are indebted But VIII
has he not thought more and done moi
for our common schools, | think tt
greatest fame any man could achieve fl
himself, would be the building up I
these little Institutions.
CARLTON WEBB, buckingham. J.
! One complaint is our schools are so small
no interest. / think this evil can
remedied under our present destrict sy
tenn. By paying teachers better wag
would get up better interest, better an
more efficient system. BY hiring be
ter grade of teachers, we elevate Il
standard of its worth. Another evil
corrected would render our schools mo
e efficient, and that is disobedience. No
if scholars are corrected, they compla
/; to their parents, they are taken out
I the school to run the roads, one of tt
l reasons why the number in attendance
: lessened. If children were learnt
P obey at home they would at school, al
: if we in other respects exercised all Il
\ interest we should in our schools, the 0
IS district system would be preferable
u the town system which contemplat
+ our graded school.
y n. G. PIERCE.-The old system of d
II trict organization in its day has do
: we'll, and many now perhaps won
in be inclined to favor it. But l think
as had better adopt the new system, putt