Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-01

that time, he spoke from actual knowledge ana
practical experience. He was listened to with
lively interest. Col. J. B. Mead made strong APP
peal for the town system, and wildly portrayed
the defects Of the district system. Money Is
thrown away under 1t and under 1t children get
no advantage till they go out OF town TO higher
schools. Many Of the districts, he said, do not
have any school, or just enough to draw the pub
lie money, and many districts levy no school tax,
using for their school the public school money
only. Rev Mr.. Archibald OF Wallingford said
that many small districts might combine, but in
order to get the public money maintained sepa-
rate existence Adjourned
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
The public hearing before the committee on edu-
cation on the bill Of Senator Howard substituting
the town for the district system of schools was re-
sumed Wednesday evening in representatives
hall. large number OF members and citizens
interested In the subject OF education were pres
emit Mr.. Priest of Barre, chairman OF the house
committee presided, and called for expressions of
opinion from any one desiring to be heard Mr..
Edison Of Mendon afraid the town system
would operate unfayoraby in his town, being
composed OF remote and sparsey settled districts.
Mr.. Gray OF Middleton was called out to ex-
plain the operation of the system in that town.
Middletown, he said, was one OF the earliest TO
adopt the town system. At the outset they had
some difficulty In dsposing OF the school prop
erty. No one willing to undertake the ar
ranging Of the new system. feeling OF dis
satisfaction existed among the opponents OF the
new system because they felt that something
had been taken away from the district which
belonged to them. They felt that the districts
could manage cheaper and better for themselves
than the town could for them. In reply to ques-
tons, Mr.. Gray was not prepared to give any hg-
as to the comparative cost OF the school under
the two systems and had the impression the cost
was more under the town system, but 1t appeared
that more weeks OF school had been furnished. lie
could see no reason why schools should cost more
under town systems except that under district
system wood was bid off at very low prices,
lower than a town board could buy it, cheaper
teachers could be hired, and at less expense for
board, since some one usually had friend who
| would teach for less money and could be boarded
| cheaper than the directors would have to pay,
citing one instance where a teacher had been
| hired for 81 a week and boarded for nothing by
citizen of the district. A good deal of trouble
had been had with teachers, but there had also
| been trouble under the district system. Mr..
| GRAY preferred the law as it is In reply to in
terroeatories II appeared that much of the trouble
| 10 Middetown came from captious people, and that
the system would work well II well worked.
Senator Howard Of Rutland county inquired If
there was anything in the law to prevent towns
from exercising their own discretion as to the
number OF schools they would have, whether
more or less or the same as under the district
system, and 1t appeared that there was nothing
Mr. GRAY, 10 answer to further questions by Sena-
| tor Howard, could not say that the schools OF
| Middletown had improved or that the town was
well up in educational matters. He had not the
| opportunity to know. The source OF some dis
satisfaction 1t appeared, was dislike for the dtrec
| tor chosen for a certain section of the town.
Colonel j. B. Mead inquired of Mr. Gray what he
thought OF the principle that small districts should
| rule in this matter OF schools. II it for the
best interest of the state to take away this right,
should 1t not be done? Colonel Mead maintained
that in the town meeting the peoples rights
would be safe and that what they desired in regard
to schools they could have. Mr. Gray, in reply
to many inquiries, further explained the workings
of the town system in his town. They had made
a rule to discontinue all schools OF less than ten
4 ,Ixn abNta IT, hoo ,...l
into other districts. In reply to inquiries it APP
peared that the number of weeks of school in a
year had been increased from twentyfour to thirty
two and that he was uniformed as to the COM
psrative expense of the schools in the rural dis
tricts of the town-the inquiry seeming to set up
as fact shown by statistics that in such districts
the expense was less under the town system, and
that the schools were better and were in session
longer time by several weeks. Senator Howard
testified from personal knowledge that Middle
town takes high rank an educational town
and that the Improvement dated from the adop-
ton OF the town system. Inquiry was made II
opposition did not come mostly from few men
whose taxes were increased by the adoption OF
the new system. Admission was made that
it did in part, but that the districts felt
more at home in managing their own affairs
in their own way. Senator Howard addressed
the committee, saying that when we get to the
bottom of things education is the subject in which
we are all most interested. The district system
may have been adapted to condition OF things
the schools were full. Times have changed and
the changed state of affairs demands different
treatment. IL the district system working well !
Is 1t the best II not and there ia chance to
make better one take II, II 1t does go against
the traditions of the state. Men may diife about
means to reform the schools The theory OF the
town system Is right We want to know II it IL
practical, and to learn the facts from men where
the system has been tried lie read letter from
the superintendent Of schools In Brighton by
which 1t appeared that for the year ended 1876
the last under the district system, with go weeks
school and 3d scholars in all the schools, the
average cost of schools was 974 per week. Fol
the year ended 1873 the number OF weeks schoo
was 24S, scholars $685. average weekly expense
50 30. For year 1879, weeks OS, scholars AGO
average weekly cost, 1888, For year 1882 num-
Der of weeks 1923, number of scholars 517, average
weekly cost, including all expenses and embra-
cling support Of high school, IS 90. The nterven
ing years showed similar favorable results and
after five years the system was adopted again in
full meeting with only two dissenting votes. A
} letter from the Middletown superintendent give:
a favorable report Of the working Of the system
in that town, and expresses the opinion that q
majority OF the people were in favor OF 1t. Mr.
johnson Of Wallingford thought the people of the
state especially in the small towns, were moi
ready for the system, and thought it would bt
unwise to force them to adopt 1t. Colonel Mead
was OF the opinion that II the state would adOp'
the system, and towns should know and fee
that there was return to the district SYSTEM 1t
would end disaffe ction. Senator Howard thought
the state inconsistent in discarding local op
ton In the liquor business and tolerating 1t IN
schools, as was done under the district sys
tenn. There was nothing sacred in the district
system to him. The only question was, Is the
town system best? The town. not the district, |,
the unit and in town meetings all people would
get their rights regards schools rs well as othe
matters. Another hearing was held last even
ing, which will be given in our next issue
Taxing CORPORATIONS,