Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-22
The Schools.

Senator Gilmore has introduced in the
senate bill 80 amending the revised laws
as to require the selectmen to insert in the
warning for town meeting for the years 1883
and 1884 an article for the adoption Of the
town system Of schools. The purpose Of this
measured it is presumed, is to bring the subject
before the towns for discussion. Apathy on
the subject of education is 80 great that the
Legislature seems to be the only power which
can reach the public ear. II the town sys-
tenn of schools we're some sort of con.
trivsnce by which the race of horses, COWS
or pigs could be improved, which would add
an apprecisble value to each head Of live
stock and which on market day the farmer
could hear chinking in his pocket in the
dollar of the fathers" there would be little
need of advertising the system in town
meeting. Material improvements coinable
in few months or year or two into shin.
ing gold need little urging to accomplish
their adoption. Moral reforms move more
slowly. Their results are not seen in q
higher value on horse a sh, in better quail
ity Of beef or butter, in less extensively fat
tened hogs, all of which put money in the
farmers purse. They do not develop sud
denly in year or two, in the trebling of
the amount of taxable personal property in
nearly doubling the grand list of state
or in measure that promises to relieve the
individual taxpayer of state tax. But
moral reforms make MEN, and these make
the state. Intelligent, educated, virtuous
men, more than blooded cattle and swine,
more than tax laws and revenue bills, make
the state. "Tall oaks from little acorns
grow" The process is long one, but the
timber is correspondingly valuable. Good
men and women from little school children
spring, and wealth and prosperity come
with the acquisition of that knowledge
which is power, but this process is long
one, too, and does not ripen into golden fruit
in a few months or years. In the fact that
moral reforms are SLOW, that their benefits
do not appear speedily in money, is found
one great reason why, with the town system
Of schools within the option of the towns for
the past decade, 30 few have adopted it, not
withstanding the undenisble proof that bet
ter schools are had under this than under
the district system and higher value thus
given to the lives of the boys and girls.
Did this enhanced value TO the human an
imal present itself to all the parent farmers
in the form that the higher value of the best
breeds, of systematic and generous feeding,
of good training, appears in the rearing of
live stock, in money, no legislation would be
needed to secure better schools. Will this
legislature do less for the school children
than for grand lists, than for revenue bills,
than individual members are doing for their
herds Men and women, strong in body,
we'll equipped in mind, pay in the long run,
and if Vermont has not learned the lesson
in decades of steadily waning prosperity,
it is high time that the citizens and law
makers of the state open their eyes, WIDE,
to the fact and act accordingly. The house
by its previous action has scaled the modest
requests of the friends of education down to
the paltry limits Of Senator Gilmore's bill.
In heavens name let them have the few
crumbs of comfort this measure contains.