Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-02-29

BRATTLEBORO's SCHOOLS.

REPORT OF THE TOWN sUPRRISTENDENT-A
CLEAR AND INTELLIGIDLR STATEMENT ABOUT
THE PROPOSED TOWN SYSTEM THE PUB
Lie LIBRARY AS AN EDUCATIONAL FACTOR.
The year has been marked by an unusual
number of changes among the teachers. In
the larger number of cases these changes
have been owing to sickness and were conse-
quently unavoidable. The schools in the
higher grades 10 No. 2 have also labored un-
der the disadvantage OF working ia the tenn
porary quarters, and at inconvenient hours
and seasons, made necessary by the erection
Of the new building Tho results have been
all that could be expected. Excellent substi-
tutes have in all cases taken the places of the
teachers disabled or removed and the i'll ef.
fects following upon broken terms and
changes of methods have been overcome as
far as possible. 1t still remains true that the
best schools, as a rule, are to be found where
the teachers have seen longest service in the
same place.
District No. has this winter availed itself
of the provisions made in Sections ga
and 565 of the Revised Laws, and sent its
scholars to an adjoining district furnishing
them with daily conveyance. The result seems
to have been satisfactory. Several other dis
tricts would doubtless find it to their advan-
tage, both in the saving of money and the i'm
provement of the school facilities, to adopt
this plan, especially in the winter months.
An article in the town warrant calls for ac-
ton next Tuesday upon the question OF
changing from the district to the town sys-
tenn. Briefly stated the town system" ia
this. All the school property now owned by
the districts is turned over to the town after
it has been appraised by three commissioners
appointed by tho assistant judges of the
county court, the amount of such appraisal
standing to the credit of the several districts
respectively, to be adjusted, allowed and
equalized between sucL districts by applying
such valuation upon the taxes thereafter as
sessed" board of three or six directors is
elected by the town, to whom are entrusted
all the powers now vested in the different
prudential committees After the system has
gone into full operation, the members of this
board hold office for three years, one third of
the number being elected annually The
Chairman OF this board performs the duties
and receives the fees of town superintendent
The other members are paid only by special
agreement with the town. This board elects
clerk, not one of their number, who keeps
a record of their action, and performs the
duties and receives the fees of the present
district clerks. The town is Obliged to assess
a tax not exceeding fifty and not falling be-
low twenty-five cents a dollar on the grand
list, and all school bills are paid by warrants
drawn by the board of directors upon the
town treasurer II the town system is ADOPT
ed 1t can be abolished" only at some fifth
annual town meeting thereafter" In a word,
the town system is a move in the direction of
Capitalization, making the town instead of
the district the unit, as in nearly all other mat.
tiers Of local interest
There Is little question regarding the gen
eral merits of this movement It is the com
ing reform in school matters, without doubt,
in all towns where the districts are on a sub
stantial equality, or where the graded schools
are centrally located and readily accessible.
The new way as outlined in thu law would
be In the way of improvement The argu-
ments used in its favor are good, IL would
be more economical 1t might, in some cas-
es, cost more in dollars and cents but a vast
amount Of public money is now virtually
thrown away on cheap schools. True econ
omy looks for some return Of outlay. II
would equalize the burden of taxation. 1t
would have tendency to do away with dis
trict teuds. 1t would Enthusiastically tend to
elevate the teachers profession. Good teach
ere would be sure of permanent place, in
some district in town, with the prospect of
promotion for merit
These arguments are all good, but they do
not touch upon the difficulties that must arise
In carrying the system into effect in such
towns as BrattlebOro aud Rockingham Here
are schools of the highest grade so located
that they are inaccessible to the most of those
nNlng outside OF the present district bounda-
RES. Now 1t is not right or just to equalize
taxation unless you equalize the advantages
which that taxation secures And this can be
done in such towns only by providing daily
transportation for all the scholars living at a
distance, or by putting schools of equally
high grades in each of the villages. Indeed,
It may be question whether the law was de-
signed TO apply to towns like this Of ours,
without some special provisos. Section 604
says that "the provisions of this chapter
shall not apply to graded school districts
which have been incorporated by act of le gis-
latnre, unless" certain conditions are com
piled with. 1t is true that District No. > has
not been Incorporated but its achools rank
with the bOst in the state. Then, too. there
are questions relating to the property held by
No. and the debts incurred, which a simple
reading of the only section which provides
for the adjustment of valuation (56O) does
not seem to answer The Interests which