Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-13
Correspondence of the Herald
The Hoard of Education ass ssssr
school system.

SGhOOl ~ sachA'
Editor of Herald. Thelnatter of our |
public school system has been a good
deal agitated within the last year, and |
to a considerable extent in the legislature
during the session of 1872. AS the pub
lie are well aware, an investigation was
had during the session under a JOINT
resolution offered by Senator kellogg OF
Rutland county, and adopted by both
houses, which in its terms only led to
an examination of the official conduct
of the Board of Education and its Sec
rotary. The committee appointed under
that resolution were thorough in the in
vestigation, and found substantially that
the Board with the Secretary, had each
and all faithfully and well discharged
their official duties The finding of this
committee was undoubtedly an honest
conclusion from facts, aud was satisfac-
tory to all who had any knowledge of
those facts. Several newspapers in the
state were pleased to denominate the re-
port of that committee as a 'swhite-
washing concern" The editors were
either ignorant of the latitude given the
committee under the resolution, and the
evidence elected on the examination, or
wilfully intended to misrcpresent the
action and finding of the committee.
1t is true that there is a difference of
| opinion among educators in regred to
our school system as established by law.
some among our ablest teachers main
tain Honestly, no doubt that the system
| itself, in many respects, is wrong But
the investigating committee could not
consider that question; they could only
inquire whether the Board and the Sec
rotary had faithfully performed their
duties under the system as 1t u.s.
1t is a fact, not to be ignored, that
part of our school law providing for a
uniformity of text books for the public
schools; also providing that the Board
of Education shall once in five years
make a selection which shall become au-
thoritative for the succeeding five years
is regarded by many friends of educa-
ton in the State, including some prOmi
nent teachers, as impracticable anC
wrong. My own opinion is, that thi:
provision, if it could be made practica
BILE, would be wise one. 1t Is good IL
/, theory, but in practice, / cOncede there
are serious doubts whether the people
will accede to or acquiesce in it for any
considerable length of time. We know
they all do not now; many schools ar
acting independently of the Board, o
rather of the law, and use books Othe
= than those recommended by the Board
It is said that the system gives an OPP
, portunity for fraud and peculatiOn OF
the part of book publishers and thci
t agents Very likely but it should b
borne in mind that book publishers will
ever be on the alert and use all the art
and devices of which they are capable +
= DISPOSE of their books, and we shall b
l cheated the same whether we retain on
e present system, adopt a new one, O
~ have no system at all.
2 But it is a grave question Whethe
! this uniformity ofsteXt books through
: out the State can be made, to work wit
o unanimitv among the people. Some wi
+ not act in harmony with it, for the res
son of anshOncst opinion that it is wrong
is not obligatory upon them; others be
cause they suspect somebody is to max
some money out of it others becaus
l. they are not to be dictated by any bod
e as to what books they shall use; an
n others because they are Indifferent, an
II as soon procure one school book E
n another.
! NV own opinion is that if that inve
- tigating committee had been charge
ie with the duty of inquiring into the wi
e dom and feasibility of our education
Q system, instead of the official conduct {
! a Board who are above suspicion,
- might have resulted in good. For IL
II wrong is with the system, if any where
Is at any rate, there is a difference of opiI
1t ion in regard to it, and therefore th
l. should have been the subject of legisl'
If tive inquiry and action.
-. While it is to be regretted that teaC
Il ers and friends of education in the Sta
u do not entirely harmonic in their view
t, of the wisdom of the system in all i
,u parts. vet we believe they heartily c
= operate in one great purpose, that
promoting the vital interest of educatiC
in the State. The late meeting of Il
IN Vermont Teachers Association SCENE
rs TO ne naf1nOnlLeu III IT'S dCIlDH, III
d fruitful of good results The different
# of opinion, above alluded to, will e
~ long disappear, and should not no,
d probably does not, seriously retard OF
progress. The history of the last TIVE
ty-fve years, shows a great advance
If popular education In Vermont; and |
v every one labor for it's advancement
N future.
A FRIEND OF EDUCATION.