News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-01-04
The Town System of Schools.
WHAT Is IT!

1t is a method by which the town
elects the school officers, owns the
school property, and pays for the
schools. At any annual town meeting,
town may by vote, abolish its school
districts and elect three or six school
directors. The directors, in due time,
elect a chairman from their own num-
Der, and a clerk not of their own
number. The directors constitute a
school committee; their chairman is
town superintendent their clerk per-
forms duties corresponding to those
of district clerks. The selectmen
must assess % cents, and may assess
up to 80 cents on the dollar of the
grand list for school purposes, and the
town may vote additional sums, The
school money is accounted for as a
separate fund, by the town treasurer,
and is paid out on the order of the
school directors.
HOW 1T WORKS.
Schools are placed by the directors
when and where needed. In Hines
burgh, Middletown, and WaitsfeId, |
the number of schools was diminished
by one or two each; and in Brighton,
Eden, and Woodford, the number was
increased as much when the town |
system was adopted while in Bolton,
Glastonbury, and other towns, no
change in the number of schools was
made. In all these towns, the schools,
after the adoption of the town system,
were kept in the same houses as be-
fore. In Brighton, Cabot, Hines
burgh, Middletown, and Waitsfeld,
high schools are supported for a part
or all Of the school year. In other
towns, no high schools have been
kept under the town system. The
law permits, but does not require,
change in the number of schools
permits, but does not require, the
support of high schools. Precisely
50 is it under the district system.
THE PEOPLE APPROVE.
After ten years trial in Hinesburgh,
Glastonbury, and Woodford, no vote
on the question of return to the
district system was called for; while
in Waitsfeld the town system was
sustained by 4 vote of 10 to Al. ;
After five years trial in Brighton, a q
own of over 1900 inhabitants, only f
wo persons voted against the town |
ystem. In Middletown, friends and =
alike, testify that the town =
ystem is likely to be retained. The W
Their towns have but recently voted st
into the system.
WHY APPROVED. -
In Brighton, according to recent "
formation from the school authori- al
es, since the adoption of the town an
1stem, the whole number OF weeks of hi
2hool per year, has increased from
30 to 328; the number of children
chooled has increased from 354 to NJ
Il; while the cost of schools per Of
- - I;.,>;~ioha1 from go It TO [
$3.50, and the quality of the schools '
las been greatly improved. From a
eher towns, the uniform report is in
hat the town system furnishes more 70
nd better schools, and at a cost less of
proportion to the quality, than does to to
ne district system. r r.
OTHER STATES. or
Pennsylvania has used the town to
stem, exclusively, for more than tn
twenty-five years. Massachusetts has ~
.cantly abolished all school districts, ~.
.quiTing the town system to be used br
stead. Ia other States the town ba
stem is gaining ground. 1t
TIE QUESTION. -
Our schools are not satisfactory, n
Their to tax payers or patrons.
mother method of conducting schools A
Is been extensively tried for many