Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-03-08
Town System Of Schools.
WAlrsFIELp, February %. IS

WATsFIELD, February %, 1882.
Mr. Editor In your issue of February 49,
you call special attention to the town system Of
schools and also communication from :" l.. |"
in relation to the subject. lnasmuch as you
quote Waitsfed as having early adopted this sys-
TEN and being model in this matter, perhaps a
few facts in relation to her success may not be
inappropriate. 1t Is true that 1t is nearly eleven
years since she, by bare majority of one or two,
voted to adopt the town system OF schools; it Is
also true that since then she has by vote of the
town refused to carry out the provisions Of the
law; consequently she has been running sort OF
an independent system neither the one nor the
other. After the adoption of the town system by
the town, board OF commissioners was APP
pointed by the court according to law, to appraise
the school property. OF course this board con-
sisted mostly OF lawyers. They did their duty
that is, they made a big bill OF expense and got
their pay. The town refused to equalize in sc-
cordance with this appraisal upon taxes thereafter
assessed, consequently the appraisal did not
amount to anything. We have six school districts,
and elected six directors, one from each school
district. The law says the board OF school direc-
tors shall employ teachers and fix their compen-
sation. In our town each director has hired the
teacher for his own district, hiring whom he
had mind to, and paying what he thought best,
and has run nearly all Of the expenses OF each
district Independently, the same as a prudential
committee would. The first year or two some of
the leading directors undertook to boss the
job" with no better results than to keep the
town in continual jangle; since then more
liberal policy has been adopted, and 1t has been
found that the nearer they could keep on a line
with the old district system the best satisfaction
1t has given. You say that this "town has long
been known for the superior excellence of its
common schools" am glad to hear Is, though |
think the reputation was gained before we
adopted the town system II we have held our
own for the past ten years, am glad; could
hardly claim anything more The system has
been run in manner to do as little evil as posi-
BILE. In regard to this town being u recruiting
ground for good teachers for Montpelier, would
say those you have were not educated under the
town system. We have others just as good left
When you are short, give us a call.
The idea that l.. L." advances that the hiring
OF cousins, neees or daughters will cease I'M
der the town system is all nonsense. In fact
have seen quite rs much OF hiring ones own
relations and boarding at our house" amongst
the directors AZ ever have with committeeman
Again he says Better teachers will be employed"
have often known our best teachers al
lowed to leave because they could get better pay
elsewhere. have known the inhabitants of
school district to make up by subscription the
board OF the teacher because the directors refused
to employ her unless they would thus do. "Dis-
trict quarres will not exist" have known just
AS bitter unrelenting quarrels to grow out of ac-
lions Of the directors have under the district
system. "L. L. says expenses will be less
ened That is not so unless 1t is at the expense of
good schools. lie speaks OF large contracts at re-
duced prices. just AS il they were going to put
the schools up In body and sell them out to the
person that makes the best bid. The fact IL,
think higher price Is paid Tor the same grade