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

By decisive vote Thursday the mousse re-
fused the third reading OF the Howard Dill
adopting the town system OF schools after
March LIST, 1885. The chief object OF this
measure was to bring the subject OF the
common schools sharply before the people
of the state for study and discussion Its
final adoption was set forward to 1880, In
order that, with the issue squarely before
them, an expression Of the sentiments OF the
people thereon might be had at the next BIZ
enuial election. If this bill should pass and
the expression of the public should be ad-
verse; the next legislature would repeal the
action Of the present Legislature. If public
opinion in a majority of the towns should
favor the object of this bill, in accordance
with the great principle Of our government,
the rule Of the majority, the town system
would in due legal course become the law oil
the state. By its vote Thursday the house
virtually says that 1t will not give the peo-
pie of the state an opportunity to consider
and express their judgment upon system
of school management which the leading
educators of this and other states say is a
vast improvement in efficiency and in econ
omy over the district system, and which, so
far as it has been tried in this and other
states, it has been shown, has all the merits
and advantages claimed in its behalf. The
opponents of the measure did not undertake
to combat the reasons given for asking the
passage of this most moderate and most rea-
sonable measure, but with stolid indiffer-
enoe to all reason crushed it by brute force.
Even respectful attention was hardly &C.
corded the advocates of the bill. Members
who should have been in their seats filed the
Hobbies and corridors of the capitol. Some
members were restrained with difficulty
from applying the gag law to shut off dis
cussion. Days of time have been spent in
determining the momentous question at
what age a "purp" becomes dog, and
other matters of trivial nature have en-
crossed six weeks of valuable time; but
when question that goes to the very root
of the prosperity and future welfare of the
state, a question that concerns the children
of the state rather than the puppies, the
sheep, the oxen and the asses of the MEM
bers and some of their awe-inspiring con-
stituents,-when this question of improving
the schools comes before the house, pal
try hour or two of time is grudgingly
allowed the friends of good schools to say
amid inattention and confusion why mod
crate and reasonable measure should be
laid before the people to be by them re-
iected or adopted. If these men are true
representatives of the population of Yer
mont, if the progressive spirit is at so low
an ebb as the course Of the house Thursday
indicates, the general assembly should de-
vote its best energies to devising bills for
bounty on noxious animals and measures
for DISCRIMINATING noxious weeds, matters
which have engrossed much of its time
hitherto for if things continue to go on as
they have been going, the time, "not many
generations ago" when the wild fox dug
his hole unsecured and the rank thistle
nodded in the wind may again return to
Vermont. This measure was not given a
fair chance in the house. Regret bordering
on indignation is expressed at the dismissal
without the development of the reasons
why the proposed submission to the people
of the question Of the adoption of the town
system should not be allowed The matter
should be debated and reasons given why
such bill, backed by the best intelligence
of the state and warranted by experience,
ought not to pass. The dead weight of an
arbitrary majority is not the the kind Of
reason that satisfies or soothes intelligent
freemen. Men of high character, experts
in school matters, who have investigated and
whose judgments have become convinced,
should be shown why they are in the wrong
in this matter. 1t is due to them and to
the friends of education all over the state
that the vote of Thursday should be recon-
sidered and the measure fully and con-
clusively debated by its opponents and
disposed Of with something like the DELHI
GRAFTON which its gravity and Importance
demand.