Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-10-13
OR SCHOOLS.

~ MS ules5apc governor bhtStOW devoted
considerable space to the condition aud needs
OF our public schools, and pointed out some
steps in the direction Of reform and improve
ment. That it is high time for vigorous ac-
ton in this most important matter of public
education is sufficiently obvious The recent
census showed an astonishing and alarming
proportion of our population unable to read
and write about one out OF every ten. This
proportion is very little to our credit The
very foundation of our form Of government
is popular education; and yet after II hundred
years our system of education proves without
the slightest avail to one tenth Of our popu-
lalion. And that this colossal ignor-
ance blossoms into vice and crime,
fills our penal institutions and
rctards the progress of the community, it
requires no argument to prove. Ignorance
pcrpetuates paupcrism; and abject pow
erty runs into crime just as surely as
the rivers run into the sea. But besides
this widespread ignorance which is con-
slant menace TO the community, there is au-
other thing to be considered, and that is the
dry rot, rs it has well been called, from
which our schools suffer. Systems are
wrong aud methods of instruction made
quatc, and the standard of teachers, if not
lowered, is not up to the modern criterion.
As an indication of what we mean, we may
refer To the fact that II Franklin county paper
recently chronicled with pride the fact
that boy fourteen years old had just
closed II successful term in Il dis
trict school in that county With such
teachers and with inadequate methods, it
follows that the children OF the State are
Dut hali educated-thc children oi the us
tflct schools OF course we mean, Tor the
ih'Ser 'o"hs, WIN hatuy All cNceptloh'
nave us goou SCHOOLS w eau pe ioul'u any
"here III Tue country IT Is not 10 'lch',
pu' u '"c country schO"s '"a' o"' s'il'l-
ures Apply
II 49, however quite IL waste VI uilc 10 re-
cite facts with winch most ol our rcaders
on 10 some suggestions as TO the proper rem
edies' Governor barstows chlct recommends
atioh Is the creation OF state Board
oil Education, who shall have the
principal charge OF all school interests.
This is unquestlonablY sound rec
concentration. such Board, with
capable aud thoroughly Trustworthy secrc'
tary' could 10 better and tar-reachIns WORK
tlah any superintendent however able and
ia'u Wofklhg' we trust that the present
session OF the Legislature VIII see return tc
the Board system, We are sorry that Gov
ernor Barstow ana not see his way clear to re-
mai schools. 10 our mind nothing is clearer
than that such consolidation would be to'
the best interests OF our school system. 1t is
measure which the FREE PEEss has con
stantly advocated for the last ten years, and
we are sure that 1t Will come at last. AT
present, with all respect to the able ana
scholarly managers OF the schools, II Is obVl'
o'ls 10 all That these institutions have no high
standing; Their diplomas carry no particular
weight nor are any considerable number
OF our schools presided over by Their gradu-
ates The standard OF our primary schools
can mol he raised untll that oil Inc teachers
is elevated and there is no better way OF
DONG inns Than by creating a strong, central