Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-13

ought to be corrected. In some instances where
the officers drew treble fees, the prisoner was
also serving out three sentences at the time.
II there Is any uncertainty In the law In this re-
spect II should be made certain. There are some
valuable suggestions upon this subject in the re-
port OF the commissioners on court expenses
The directors OF the house Of correction recon-
mend an enlargement OF the workshop. The shop
now in use was built by the directors without an
appropriation therefor, and they pledged their
own credit to raise the funds. The contract for
the labor OF the convcts could not be made avail
able without the shop. The directors also bought
strip OF land for the purpose Of making bet
ter entrance to the property, aud also built
fence in front OF the superintendent house. For
all these bills there is due about six thousand dol
lars. They should be provided for by the neces-
sary appropriation.
REFORM SCHOOL.
This excellent institution has been 80 long in
existence that need not spend time In giving
any particular account Of 1t. Two years ago the
Legislature appropriated ten thousand dollars to
defray the expenses of enlarging the boys school
building, subject however to the approval OF the
governor. The trustees, some time since, became
satisfied that such enlargement should be made,
principally for the reason that they are compelled
to put nearly one hundred boys into sleeping
apartment that Is really adapted to only about
sixty. My predecessor, however, declined to
give his approval to such expenditure, for good
reasons which have appeared in his message.
The trustees have stated the reasons why there
should be an extension OF the buildings, at full
length in their report. And thus the matter
stands at this time. The matter is so fully dis
cussed in the report and message referred to- or
will be in the general assembly during the SEES
sion, that have no doubt you will be much bet
ter fitted to decide the question than any one per-
son, and | submit that the general assembly
either repeal the act Of 1873, making the appro-
priation, make the appropriation absolute and
| unconditional
The total expense Of the school for the two
years ending July 81. $780, is $50, 1884 %. The
net earnings of the school for the same time
amount to 81, $685.
The receipts from all sources including the
earnings, amount received from towns, buttons,
produce sold, etc, amount to Sl3,647. H. leaving
a balance to be met by orders on the state treas
ury of S25 1871 A. which is 50, 262. Sc less than the
appropriation
The number of boys in the institution July 81,
| 1873, was one hundred and twenty-five On the
same day in 1880 the number hundred
and three, The number of girls in 1878 was
twenty-three; in 1880 nineteen, showing a de-
crease in numbers of twenty-three. The whole
number OF commitments during the year has
| been twenty-five boys and three girls. The total
number of commitments during the existence of
the school has been six hundred and nineteen,
ranging from six years OF age to nineteen There
were committed during the last year two OF nine
years of age and two of ten, and there are sew
eral OF that age in school They all labor six
hours day, and in school four hours. On
the Sabbath they attend service in the chapel,
and take part in the Sabbath school, certain
/
amusement under the eye Of keeper. As
looked upon those children eight nine and ten
years of age, busy and skillfu at their labors, it
seemed cruel to think that childhood to some OF
them Is to be blotted out; that they must every
moment live up to a strict rule without one for
giving word from mothers lips, one warm
embrace from mothers arms, in sickness or in
health, in pain grief. A mothers warm
educated heart is often better instructor than
the cold machinery of q state institution.
But when we remember that many of these
children have lost one or both parents, or have
drunken fathers, and that most OF the scholars
in there for breach Of the laws Of the state,
we realize that the school is necessity, but that
the pupils should be sent from it as soon as is safe
for themselves and the community. The school
is under excellent management and the supern-
tendent and his wife, the matron Of the institu-
ton, are both Christian people, and deeply inter-
ested in the welfare of their pupils.
EDUCATION
II we did our entire duty in regard to educa-
ton, we might save large share of the expense
OF the three institutions to which | have just
called your attention. In 1878 there sixty
eight commitments to the state prison; of these
thirty-one were natives OF Vermont, and only
thirteen foreigners. use the statistics of 1878,
because have not those OF 1880 at hand. In
1878 there we're one hundred and eighty-six con-
victs in the state prison; OF these seventy-two
were natives of Vermont, and only thirty-nine of
foreign birth. Surely we cannot charge the
crimes of our state upon the uneducated foreign
The large villages and cities OF the state are all
well provided with schools; but many OF the
sparsely inhabited portions of the state have
schools but a few months in year, and those OF
an inferior kind. The inhabitants are so few, or
are so straitened in circumstances, that they can
not support good schools. The remedy for this
is to have the expense of schools fall to greater
extent upon the whole state.
The state superintendent OF education advises
the raising Of a tax of twenty-five cents on the
dollar in addition to all other state taxes, TO be
used for general school purposes, onehalf Of this
fund to be divided among the towns and cities Of
the state in proportion to their population, and
the other half in proportion to the aggregate at
| tendance of scholars upon the public schools
This is making quite sweeping change, and 1t
may strike you AS too much OF an experiment. !
would suggest that the nine per cent tax provided
for in section eighty of chapter twenty-five of the
general statutes be increased considerably. This
will tend to help weaker portions of the sew
eral towns.
ing pace with the progress OF other states In our
public schools. One reason for this Is the lack of
trained teachers, We have three normal schools
which have done some good work In the way Of
supplying teachers specially fitted for their work
But complaint is made that for the last four years
not more than one-half of the teachers in our nor
NAL schools have themselves been either gradu-
ates or students OF any normal school whatever
This Is said to be due to the fact that the selection
of the subordinate teachers is left mainly to the
principal, who is affected by personal interest or
local influences in his choice Of assistants. The
instructors Of teachers should certainly have had
some drill in normal school before attempting
to teach others. The remedy is to place the APP
pointment of all the teachers under the charge Of
the state in some way desire to say more
upon the important subject of education, but |
have not seen the superintendents report and
can only make general suggestions.
The state superintendent of education has done
good work, and his energy and industry are
greatly to be commended, but 1t seems to me that
! ha ua TIA ed Inv "a com emf hpa I'd of
ucation selected from the leading educators Of
the state or from interested In the subject of
education, he would appeal To all the varied in
terests OF this important subject with much
greater force,
The textbook law that was really so much Of
] an experlment has. by the helm Of the peO-