Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-11-02
THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION
AND OF AGRICULTURE.

ture and Mining. There are some in
the legislature, aud many in the State,
who believe that these two Boards do
not pay their cost 1t may be well to
discuss the matter and come at the facts
as nearly as possible. The Board Of
Education consists of six persons, or three
members with the governor and lieu
tenant-governOr. who are ex-ofhcio men,
bers, and secretary. The Board prop
erly consists Of three members, who are
appointed by the governor. with the con-
sent of the senate. The secretary Is eho-
sen BY the Board, and by him the chief
and general labor is done He gathers
the school statistics, holds Institutes
throughout the State. gives Lectures upon
the subject Of education, makes sugges-
tions to the legislature in regard to |
school laws. and has the general over
sight Of the schools of the state. The
cost Of this Board is only few thousand
dollars year; but as knowledge and
the better means for acquiring 1t cannot
be estimated by dollars and cents, it Is
impossible to show by figures, whether
this Board pays or not We believe 1t
paws. 1t is the official head Of our
schools. and is generally composed Of
men that understand our educa-
tional wants, and the means BY which
they may be met These men, person
ally, and through their secretary. devote
much time and attention to the general
condition and welfare of the schools Of
the State. The law gives tn Board
considerable to do in the management
of our schools, and the creation Of our
school system If the Board is eompos-
ed of competent men, they are able by
their knowledge. suggestions and diree-
tons, to raise the standard Of the school:
in the State; otherwise, no management
is better than good management; no sys
TEN better than some system and chaos
and darkness preferable to light and or
der.
The Board Of Education have mean
ofobtaining statistical and general knowl
edge in regard to the schools Of the STATE
that enable them to correct evils and
suggest remedies that raise our school
in the standard Of usefulness. No on
who is familiar with the schools Of Il
day, and those taught twenty years az
will wish to show himself SO stupid an
iBgeGFgPt rs Is b fayv IihAss IIhegf has 81
that time. No one believes that the e
forts of the secretaries, Adams, Rank
and French. have been useless Tht
have not been powerful enough, it
true, to penetrate the armor Of ignoran
and inertia, with which many men a
clad, and have not convinced all ID
their efforts are productive Of good; b
they have, by their institutes, lectul
and reports. stirred up better intert
in, and appreciation Of our schools,
the part of the people They have {
eouraged and instructed teachers. rails
their educational standing as teachel
they have succeeded in getting u
formity of books in all schools, and b
procured the passage of many bene6c
laws that relate to school interests. ]
Board Of Education has not done,
can not do. all that is required Of it,
account Of the universal indifference {
is manifested by the people iowa
schools and not until there is be-
appreciation Of the value Of educati
and better knowledge Of what
Board Of Education has done, viii
the eroakers cease to blame the b
for the darkness that obscares their
mental vision
In regard to the Board of Agricult
Manufacture and Mining, it may be
that it has not been in existence
enough to prove whether it viii be
that its friends expect or not 1t
created in 1870, and consists Of SIX
tive members q secretary. the COVE
of the state and the president Of the
ricultural college. are er ofieio n
bers. The salary of tie secretar1
$500 q year. and other members
paid $500 day. and fare to and
the places where they hold meet
The object Of this board is to gatbe
formation on the topics named-agr
ture, manufacture and nining-an'
disseminate knowledge among those
gagged in these branches Of bushes
holding meetings In the different
Of the state. The meetings that
been held in this vicinity, have
useful and interesting, and there j
doubt but that much useful inform
has been obtained from the essays,
lures and discussions that have
given The object for which this
was created, demands great attel
and We see no reason why the few
red dollars that it costs, is not judi
ly expended 1t ought to have ]
trial before the public. and win. .
believe. be better appreciated as
better known
We hope our legislature viii n
50 strange thing as to eliminate
Of these Boards They were Great
the purpose Of enlightening and b