The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-11
From our Special Reporterl
CAsrLETON NORMAL SCHOOL.
Semi.AnuuaI Comm encem
WEDNESDAY MORNING.

more than usually severe, yet the class ac-
quilted themselves well and showed that
they were thoroughly acquainted with the
subject.
This was followed by the examination in
arithmetic by Prot. Dana, lasting one hour
and quarter.
The examination of the classes in geog-
raphy being conducted by Miss Bromley,
which closed the examination.
AS whole, the examinations throughout
were quite satisfactory, although the class
in arithmetic failed to show that thorough
knowledge Of the subject that we have seen
exhibited in other schools. This class was
examined orally by Prof. Judah Dana, who
it is well known is one of the best and most
critical examiners in arithmetic in the
state, which, perhaps, in some measure,
affected the scholars in such manner as to
cause them to lose some of the self-pos-
scssed feeling that they otherwise would
have had Mr.. Dana was perfectly at home
in this and other examinations conducted
by him, and proved himself the right man
in the right place. The candidates all pass
ed satisfactory Examinations in all
branches, however, reflected credit on the
teachers and themselves, four candidates
one in the second. The examinations were
attended by but few of the people of the
town or village, they seeming to pay but
little attention to them or to the school To-
Gated in their midst, and which Mr. Hyde
and Miss Bromley are doing their best to
build up and place on footing with other
normal schools.
From some unexplained cause the report
of the remaining exercises failed to reach
us last evening.
The Vermont school LAWS and vcr-
mont Normal schools.
ABSTRACT OF AN ADDRESS DELIVERED AT
CAsTLEToN BY HON. EDWARD CoNANT,
TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY STH.
Owing to the heating arrangements in
the church being out of repair the lecture
was delivered in the Congregational chapel,
which was quite well filed. The speaker
was introduced by +. J. Hyde, A. NJ,
principal of the normal school.
In opening, Mr.. Conant briefly referred
to the pleasure it gave him TO speak on the
subject of EDUCATION in town so we'll
known by its being the seat of one of the
Oldest Institutions of learning in the state,
and which had been connected with his
earliest recollection. The influence of Cas-
Teton seminary and the medical college
had extended far among the people of the
state and county.
In commencing the address proper, Mr.
Conant said 81 find that the school sys-
TEN of Vermont is a district system, dis
tinguished from the town and municipal
system of other states. Under this system
the town is charged with the establishing
of schools. can lay out districts and en-
large or make them smaller, can be taxed
and has the power to tax and raise money,
build school houses, and do other acts ac-
cording as they may see fit. The speaker
then referred at some length to the different
laws that have been in operation in regard
to raising money for the support of schools,
the facts of the sch DOL district being sub
ordinate to the town, and other matters, and
announced rs the heads for the subject of
discussion the following
The district is subject 10 the town; for
this there are four essential principles,
which we find to be
|. Each town is required by the state TO
sustain district schools.
III. These schools are supported by a tax
on the grand list.
III. Taxation is SO arranged that the
richer portion of the town assist the poorer
in sustaining schools.
w. The children of uhe state are re-
quired by law to avail themselves of the
advantages offered by the state
This law further provides, that any
parent or guardian who neglects to send
his child or ward to school, or the manu-
facturer who gives them employment are
liable to punishment by fine.
Concerning the fourth principle the fol-
lowing suggestions were made:
That it is not proper that for any light
cause any scholar should be deprived from
these rights afforded them by the state, it
is the duty of every parent and guardian to
keep their scholars at school, and every
teacher should strive to keep them there.
The prudential committee should use every
endeavor to keep children in school, 30 that
they could avail themselves of the advan-
tages afforded; the committee should search
long and try to procure q teacher that
would keep all children in school; TO parents
the following suggestions were made !:
In going to school and examining the
school register would be seen certain marks
denoting absence, hardness and other faults
A large proportion of these leaves of alb
sence should be prevented by the parents,
as the law provides for the education of all
scholars, who should be punctually in at
tending school. A scholar coming into
school late, when the school is in good Or
der and recitations being heard, attracts
tho attention of every one in the school (;
therefore the parent has, in measure, de-
frauded these scholars of portion of the
time devoted to them by the law of the
state, and through the parents neglect his
child has defrauded his neghbors of their
rights in regard to schools. We are now
training our children for business and life,
and as parents we look forward to the time
when they will be business men. If we al
low them to be negligent in regard to their
schools. are we not training them while
young for life? it becomes us to train
them IN manner to be prompt at school.
Each district should be neighborly to the
| ptupr the law nrnui1oc I,,t L..
carry it out? Do the richer districts helm
support the poorer ones? Is it right that
one district should have to pay forty cents
on the grand list for support of schools,
while its neighbor only pays nine; and YET
the one that pays the most may not have at
good school privileges as the other.
Unequal taxation is an evil that should
be remedied The law provides that the