Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-09-24
Academic. and High Schools.

Our neighbor Of the Rutland Herald is
out again upon the school question, 10 an
swer, we suppose, to our structures upon their
comments few weeks ago, on "Our Acad.
emies."
After some general comments upon
graded Schools" they say, The Herald
advocates the perpetuity of some old and the
establishment Of new academies; not exactly
the old system of an unendowed academy in
every town, but few denominational ones
in the state supplemented by few lesser
ones suitably enclosed in every county. To-
day we will not discuss the denominationAl
academies"
We shall be glad to hear our neighbOr's
views, sustained by good and substantial
reasons in regard to sectarian schools. But
we will con6ne our remarks now TO the points
discussed. We too advocate the perpetuity
of "some old academies" But how many ?
All that can be well equipped, well mau-
aged and we'll sustained and no more but
"the establishment of new ones" for the sake
of having just SO many in the county or
state, without any regard to the need Of such
institutions aud with no expectation that
they will be endowed, or sustained, is sheer
nonsense, in al educational point Of view.
Our friend would have the denominational
academies large, we infer, because these
must be supplemented by few lesser ones
suitably enclosed in every county" We
are not told how large the "lesser" ones
should be, and do not quite understand
whether they are to be enclosed by nice
picket fence, or by county lines. And we
are still moro 10 doubt as to our neighbor's
plan IN regard to eudowing these lesser in-
situations. If they are needed and can be
sustained as permanent, systematic schools
let them be supplemented !" if not, We
would not waste our educational funds in
erecting such buildings. There are too many
already of that kind Of academies, either
"dead" or sustaining "lingeriug existence
For what in the name Of common sense, Dc
we want any more of that kind
We maintain as strenuously as our neigh
Dor, that there should be 80 many classical
academies of high order in the state as can
be we'll sustained, that is proof positive tina
they are not needed.
We gave in former article as one rea
son why as many academies are not wei
sustained now as formerly, that graded schOO
have taken their place. The Herald take
{ issue on that point, and maintains that be
cause these schools do not 1T 80 many fol
college as the academies, they are inferiO
, institutions. This position cannot be sus
tanned. We believe that such graded school
as are found at Rutland, Brandon, Middle
bury Montpelier, Woodstock and WindsO
: are as able to fit boys for college, as Bur
, and Burton, Barre, st Johnsbury aud TheI
ford If they don't do il, in as many cases
is not one reason because the boys who Il
. for college often prefer to 60 to the academy
I rather than remain in their own exceller
4 school
!, There are as many academies now In Yer
!, mont as are needed to accommodate all VIII
J, prefer to pursue that course Of study.
i not in single instance, the need will Great
1 the new institution. We doubt not that til
$ purely classical academy which is we