News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-07-20
The Town System of Schools.
OPINIONS OF SOME WELL-KNOWN
VERMONTERS.

vERMONTERs.
1t has for years been apparent to
any thoughtful observerIhat the preva-
lent habit of dividing and sub-dividing
school districts, upon some slight
cause, or for no valid cause whatever,
by the action of towns in town meet
ing, has long been a prolific source of
difficulty and embarrassment to the
schools. Division and subdivision ha, e
so increased the number of districts,
and diminished their size territorially,
and their strength numerically and
financially, that mean school-houses,
short terms of school, and cheap
and incompetent teachers have re-
suited almost of necessity. The ex-
tent to which the organic force of the
district organization has been weak
ened is not appreciated by the great
hnlk of orr citizens. if it were RENE
dies that would be etfectual would soon
be provided.-[J S. Adams, in VT.
School report OF 1867.
Let me enumerate some of the
prominent obstacles which are in the
way of the greater efficiency of our
schools:
l Total lack of, or insufficient SUI
pervision.
2 Constant change of supervision.
3 Poorly qualified teachers.
4 Constant change of teachers.
5 Lack Of interest in schools on
the part of patrons.
6 Employment of relatives and
favorites without regard to qualifica-
tons.
Z Too small schools in many dis
tricts.
8 Too short schools in small dis
tricts.
8 Employment of immature and in-
competent teachers in small districts.
10 Poor school-houses.
II Irregular attendance.
II General lack of facilities to aid
the teacher.
13 No school in many districts.
IA Lack of proper classification.
Is Pupils study what they choose,
and not what they ought.
These twice seven and one plaques
of our common school system will he
recognized by every one who has had
any experience in connection with the
public schools Of the State. | am con
fident that these evils may, in a very
great measure, be alleviated by u
change in our systemo of public schools.
| believe that the adoption of what is
called the clown System in contra
distinction from the "District System, !"
would tend largely to diminish them.
+ A. E. Rankin, in Vt. School Re-
port, 1869.
1t may be asked, would not this
radical change in u school system
interfere with their present and imme-
date usefulness? | think not. The
material change would be, simply, the
substitution of a town board Of school
managers in place of the various dis
trict boards. This substitution need
cause no break in the working of our
enthusiastically a jostle. The pru-
dental committee would continue to
discharge their duties until the election
of the town boards, at which time all
district supervision would cease
[Iohn H. French, in vt. School Re-
port, 1870.
| am inclined to hope, the contem-
plated town committee, coming into
existence with that law which is to
abrogate the district system, will be
endowed with a experimenting power.
This would fully answer my view
James Dougherty, d.. D., in Vt.
School Report, 1870.
1t has seemed to the Board, after
mature deliberation, that the time has
come to recommend to your honorable
body the entire abolition OF school dis
tricts, and the vesting Of I'll authority
and responsibility retaining to public
education in the towns, The spirit oil
progress in matters of education,
which has been at work during the
past twelve years, has found IL OIL
its most formidable obstacles in the
old district system Report of Vt.
Board of Education, 1869, signed by
John b. Page, Merritt Clark, JONATHAN
Roas, NJ. II, buckham, George \.
Weber,