The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-16
LEErSLaTuVE DISCUSSION.
Hoard at Education.


On Friday the house bill 201, TO abolish
the hoard of education was taken up as a
spcc,a' order: the question being on agreeing
to the proposal by the majority of the CON-
mittee on education to abolish the board of
education and substitute therefor state
superintendent of common schools. The
following discussion en.ued:
Mr.. Martin of Londonderry, movcd to
amend the amendment proposed by the
committee by inserting in section 3 the
word annually.
Mr.. Bailey of Fairhaven, moved to dis
miss the bill. He stated that he made this
motion for the ,purpOsed OF bringing the
whole matter before the house in orc ,,ucs-
ton.
Mr. Davis of Real Apr we'd lhc mo-
ton to dismiss, Ms > Thing at once what
action the house desired to take in regard
to the board of education; and il we dis
miss this bill, we shall have the bill recon-
mitted by the minority of the committee.
Mr.. Davis opposed the repeal of the vari-
GUS sections included in section of this
bill He also opposed the abolition of the
board of cducati III and the substitution OF
state superintendent IN whom is vested I'M
limited power over our schools. This state
superintendent is to be elected here in joint
assembly, and there is no power of removal
except we impeach him. lie compared at
some length the workings of the system
proposed with the workings of the system
under the board of education, and claimed
that there would be no more economy or
efficiency under the new system than under
the old
Gax.1oc ,,f ITnptiprton 1nfopIal flp
bill under consideration rs proposed to be
amended. Under it we abolish the board of
education and its secretary which, though
composed of men noted for ability has out
lived its usefulness; we abolish the list of
text books that have been adopted by the
board; in place of these we give the state
state superintendent, retaining the essen
tial features of the board of education with
out the cost andiinterference of the board.
Mr. Grout of Newport thought this one
of the most important measures before the
House. and one that should be considered
kdispassionately lie said there is so deep
seated feeling of dissatisfaction with the
present system and management of the
Board of Education, that a change was de-
manded and the question is what measure
can we best adopt that will be satisfactory
to the people and best meet the demands of
the state. He preferred Board of Edu-
cation as recommended by the minority of
the committee in the passage of House bill
No 392. By that bill the board is to be
elected by the joint Assembly, and when
We elect that board we virtually elect
secretary. The trouble is with the secre-
tary and not with the Board of Education.
We should then dismiss this bill, and con-
slider the bill which retains the board.
Mr na,,npnorf &c l,,,ip on -nnnncpl
the dsmssion of the bill. He was opposed
to the Board of Education mainly because
of their arbitrary and dictatorial measures
IN regard to books. He did not like the
provisions of the present system in regard
to teachers institutes, which were OF very
little practical value to our schools. He
did not believe that the present intelligence
of Vermont is owing to the State Board of
Education it is rather owing to the school
| system of Vermont before the board was
brought into existence.
Mr.. Dartt of Wcathersficld, thought the
recommendation of the board had not Sc
cured any uniformity in text books In the
| schools of the state; there had been numer-
| Gus editions Of the same book, and such
| charges made as that they were substanti-
ally different books. He believed the peo-
pie Of the state would vote, by very large
| ma Orly, to abolish the board of education
and this bill meeting the demands of the
people, should not be dismissed.
| Mr.. Martin of Londonderry, in answer to
the objection raised against this bill, that
we elect a man as state superintendent and
have no power of removal, said that we
| elect governor, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, and
the whole list of state officers for two years
and there is no more danger in clecting a
| tata into la,,tt Of tot
| officers. He was opposed to the system of
board of education because it was simply
part of the machinery that was to take
the responsibility of the acts of the secre-
tary, whose authority seemed to be supreme.
During the last year, the secretary has
spent much time in the state of Maine, and
| received for services performed there, the
sum of 81 100. which added to his salary
| of 81 200, made his salary really $4,000.
He did not belive in electing board to
take the responsibility for the acts Of the
secretary but preferred to elect super.
ntendent of instruction, who shall take all
the responsibility and stand or fall on his
own merits lie did not believe the secre
tary was any more to blame than the board
both were equally responsible for the pres.
ent state of affairs in this state, and he
thought both should be abolished.
Mr.. Boynton of Woodstock was, in his
earlier life, for twelve years connected
with the schools, in Massachusetts, and he
did not in all that time, hear so much sait
about board of education or secretary
as he had heard since the 4lh day of Sep
TENDER. There was universal discon .en
expressed with the present board OF educa
ton. Now we may say what We will abou
the board, it is very evident that the people
will not any longer swallow Mr.. French
The whole trouble is with the Secretary
and If the question is, shall we retain thu
present secretary, he should cmphatically
answer, no. He would stand his chances
for the next two years without either; blu
he preferred the amended bill under con
sderatlon 10 any other proposition yc
made.
Mr.. Grout of Barton preferred the bill al
recommended by the minority of the com
mttee. If we prefer to retain in oul
hands the election of the secretary, we car
30 amend it, and 1t would then best NEE
the wants of the people. The bill nov
under consideration completely overturn
the present school system, and puts us bach
to system exploded a quarter of q cen
fury ago. He preferred that teachers in
stitutes should be held when teachers wer,
In their schools, and the subject was fresl
in the minds of the teachers. II is an un
fortunate fact that there is q want of con
fidence in the present secretary, engenderet
somewhat, he believed, by the fact that h,
is imported but the fact stares US in til,
face, and we can best meet it by amending
house bill 800.