The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-08-26
,AtliooItburp 1fOlstrr
TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1879.


The people ol R.tlond, Brandon, Mid
dlebury, Vergcuucs, Burlington and ST.
Albaus, have shown their estimate Of the
necessity for, aud the importance OF good
public schools 10 the most uumistakablc
way. that is, by the heavy taxation to
which they have voluntarily submitted,to
establish and maintain such as entitlc
them to rank with the best in country
whose peculiar boast is Of free iustitu-
tions.
They have provided commodious and
even elegant buildings, have furnished
them with the most modern and approved
appliances, in the way Of heating appara'
tus, desks, black boards, maps, globes, &c,
Nc. have secured well qualified, earnest
and experienced teachers, and all this at
large cost to themselves.
There have been, aud arc, few in all
of these places who have a chronic habit
of grumblng about taxes, and who usual
ly mention the tax for schools as particu
larly burdensome, but the large majority
of the people vote these taxes readily,and
pay them willingly, taking just pride
ia their beautiful scbool.buidings and
wel.couduc,ed schools. Among this ma.
jority, if any deserve especial praise, it is
a class of enterprising, far-seeing men,
who have been leaders in these matters
unipAuenced by the consideration that
they had no children of their own to cdu-
cate, but who were able to see that what
is for the public good is to The advantage
Of every individual, and that taxes paid
for good schools tend to lessen the taxes
for criminal courts and penitcntiaries.
But the question arises, after having
provided expensive buildings, good
corps of teachers, and wise prudential
committee have we, the people, no more
to do, and no further responsibility for
the success of our schools Men do moi
act thus in other business affairs.
The landed proprietor, who puts ten
ant on his farm and hires laborers to put
in the seed and gather his harvests. looks
after them frequently, couusels, cncour
ages or reproves them as the case may
demand, so does the merchant, SO the
manufacturer, so ought every parent tC
look after, with more frequency and more
care, the making or the marring Of the
intellectual and moral character Of hi'
children. Nothing can excuse the neglect
Of this duty.
Our schools are about to commence
throughout the State, and we wish to urge
all parents who are to have children in
school, and all others who have an inter.
est in the future of our country, to visit
the schools at least twice every term.
No recitation should pass in the schools
of a village as large as these that have
been mentioned in this article, without
the presence Of one or more visitors
The fact is that visitor in the school
room, except at examinations, lisa rara avis
Then the boys, and girls too, who dc
not 60 to school. but are getting their ed
ucation in the street. or in worse places
require looking after We need not, land
cannot send them all to Waterbury, but
some systematic effort should be made tc
keep them in school.
Here is not only an opportunity for en-
forcing the laws of the land, but felt
for philanthropic effort, for missionary
work if you please.
We would not have any do less for thu
ignorant and the vicious abroad, but al
do little more at home.