Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-11
Letter From Minnesota.
CALEDONIA, HoUSToN Co. MINI, !
April ID, 1877. :
EDUCATIoNAL-PUBLIC FUND.

Sources of Minnesota, as this state is sec
ond to no one in the Union in the liberal
ity with which she endows public schools.
The state school fund is quite large, and is
derived from the sale of lands reserved
for schools, and by fines collected and Ii
|cences paid-the aggregate amounting to
q magnificent sum. This fund is divided
by the state auditor semi-annually, accord
ing to the number of scholars in each
county between the ages of five and
twenty .one years. The amount to which
each county is entitled is sent to the coun-
ty treasurer, subject to the order Of the
district treasurer, by whom it is paid out
for school purposes. This county has
4 twenty thousand four hundred and eighty
n acres of school land, and the average
price at which these lands are sold is
4 $500 per acre, amounting to Sl22,8SO00,
. the interest on which at 7 per cent
Y amounts to &S,601 Co.. The county has
\ something less than five thousand scholars,
A so the funds are about Sl.7j cents per
scholar, exclusive of fines, licenses and
\ special tax. In some districts the public
money entirely supports the schools. In
n others a small tax has to be raised to make
up the deficiency. These funds are held
sacred for the support of common schools,
and cannot be used for any other purpose
not even for purchasing sites or building
school houses, which must be done by di-
rect tax.
SCHOOL LAWS-CRITICISMs.
To direct how this muniicent fund shall
be applied for the benefit Of common
schools, we have on our statute books a
law called the School Law of Mime
sofa, fashioned after some old, obsolete
fossfized law of Wisconsin, which is in
adequate to the purpose designed. Our
legislature has been tinkering at this law
for the past eighteen years-supplement-
inc and amending; but still it does not
suit them nor anybody else. 1t is not
anpending that our school law needs, but
repeating, and then enact a common sense
law that shall meet the requirements of
this age of progressive education. A sin
Gle instance will show one of my objec-
tons. In this county we have seventy
school districts, while there should be six
teen, (the number of towns in the county,.
In those districts there are two hundred
and ten school officers, whereas there
should be but forty eight, and these officers
should be the supervisors of the several
towns-that is, each town should be a sep
arate district, under the control and man
agcment Of the town board, who doubtless
would be better qualified for the duties
than the promiscuous, crowd of trustees
under the present law. many of whom in
signing n document have to make their X,
Other states have adopted the township
system for their schools, and | hope ut no
distant day Minnesota will do the same,
and DO away with the multiplicity of otli-
GERS, and thereby secure better schools and
better teachers, and apply our endowment
fund more economically.
LEARNING AND REFORM.
OF educational, charitable and reforma-
tory institutions, Minnesota has State
University, three Normal Schools, Reform
School, Asylum for the Deaf, Dumb and
Blind, Asylum for the Insane and State
Prison, all under the patronage Of the
state, for the support of which large sums
are appropriated annually. The State
Prison is as well patronized as any of our
state institutions indeed the past year has
been prosperous one for this institution
three Younger pupils having come from
southern Missouri to ENJOY its hospitality
and tuition. 1t is hoped that these pupils
will not graduate until they are ready tc
cmiarate TO that country from which nc
traveller returns, and where murder anc
bank robberies are unknown.
NORMAL SCHOOLS,
Our Normal Schools were organized
with good intent and for II noble purpose
and the training in these schools is of &
sulerior order, and all that could be de
sired: but the benefits intended are not re
allied. Some of the male graduates nev
er teach; others teach few terms ant
then adopt Il profession, or engage in mer
camille or mechanical occupations, thu:
leaving the state in the lurch for their free
tuition The female graduates-we al
know what becomes of them. They are
soon teaching select schools, in which th'
pupils call them mother instead of mis-
uess. do not wish 10 be understood a
condemning Normal Schools; only it doe
seem that some way should be devised b!
which the graduates Of these school!
should be compelled to devote a certain
time TO the purpose for which the state hi
educated them.
Houston County will compare favorabl
with any other in the state in the matte
of schools and education, rs the teacher
themselves are taking higher grounds tha
heretofore, and are adopting more ele
waited standard for the calling. In year
past the hiring of teachers has been yer
much like IN auction, or competition wit
each other, aided by ignorant or misIaS
en- school officers might give instance
of these faults, but it is not necessary.
hope and believe that Il better era is dawn
inc on our educational interests. spea
thus plainly of our school-system, and pei
haps criticize too sharply; but | take
deep concern in these matters, and think
"speak flom the card" having taugl
some thirty terms in our district schools.
do not profess to be anything of II mol
alist, bnt l cannot help exclaiming: Oh
the instability, fckleness and uncertant
of the weather. March has been colt
stormy month-good seigning for half
the month. 1t came very near being lik
the weather the Yankee told Of down cas-
where they had six weeks of sleighing
the month of March. About the 10Th