The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-02-20

perintendent, holds his office many years, and,
having board OF directors TO advise him and
to sustain him, expresses his mind more freely
and acts more indep evidently. This feeling Of
support by his associate directors Is great adj
vantage to the superintendent, and conse-
quently to the schools. Now all this Is in
strong contrast with school administration
under the district system, where officers, COM
mittees and superintendents are annually ro-
tated out, with the resulting sweeping change
In teachers, leading to decentralization and in
efficiency more peaceful administration OF
school matters is also obtained under the town
system. Friction Is more easily got along with,
discipline In the schools more easily maintained,
and district quarrels are obviated. Rings and
cliques, jobs and favoritism, have and do pre-
vail under the district system, but In the town
meeting the better sentiment comes to the
front, and cliques and jobs have less chance to
succeed than in the thinly attended district
meeting The directors to be chosen are
picked from among the best men In town, and
are higher class Of men than the average
prudential committee who, 1t must be confessed,
sometimes manages to get himself chosen, and
is apt to make the most Of his single year OF
office, by hiring some friend or relative, with
more regard to some personal favor or advan-
tage than to fitness to teach
More weeks of school for the town, as a whole,
have been obtained under the town system.
Good schools have been determined upon in
the first place, and in no case that inquiry has
reached has there been complaint about the cost.
The successive reelection OF directors Is proof
OF the general satisfaction on this score. Still
there has been no large increase In expense.
Money has not been thrown away on schools
rather worse than useless, but has been invested
in good schools and more weeks OF schooling,
and in this respect there has been an immense
economizng in cost. The following figures from
the town of Brighton, which has twelve schools
and a large area, are interesting in this con-
nection, and especially in this county where,
1t is argued the example OF Waitsfield Is no
criterion, by reason OF the small number of
districts: For the year ended 1876, the last
under the district system, with 23O weeks
school and 34 scholars in all the schools, the
average cost of schools was SO "a week. for
the year ended 1873, the number OF weeks
school was 248, scholars 1888, average weekly
cost, 1892; for 1879, weeks 308, scholars AGO,
average weekly cost, 1888; for 1882, weeks
1923, scholars 517, average weekly cost, includ-
ing all expenses and embracing the support OF
central high school, 1898 The intervening
years show similar favorable results, and
after five years trial the system was adopted
again at full meeting, with only two dissent
ing votes and those very weak ones. High
schools are supported BY Brighton and other
towns under this system, free to any scholar in
the town competent to enter them, giving the
children Of the poor and the rich, Of the back
districts" and the villages, equal advantages
for good academic as we'll as common-school
education, without going out OF town for it.
The equalization of taxation for the support of
schools brings a uniformity of burdens and
benefits; better teachers are hired, there are no
low-priced teachers in penurious districts, no
districts which deny schools to the children
or provide just enough to draw the public
money; no districts supporting schools only on
the public money, no wealthy but stingy dis
tricts levying tax Of from five to ten cents,
but sponging the education Of its scholars out
of an adjoining district which raises seventy
cents on the dollar. The correction of such
abuses, which do occur under the district sys-
TEN, and OF which any person reasonably famil-
lar with this subject can cite similar instances,
is one of the merits of the town system which
should most strongly recommend 1t to honest and
patriotic citizens The state has adopted most
vigorous measure to equalize taxation. Every
friend of that law must also approve that fea-
ture of the town system which makes town
taxation for the support OF the schools uniform,
which gives equal privileges and provides uni
form advantages to all the school children, to
the poor as well as the rich A sincere be-
lever in the principles of this government
will find it difficult to reconcile with his belief
an objection to the town system on the ground
that it makes taxation uniform for school pur-
poses To support the poor, to build roads, to
maintain the government taxation is uniform.
The education of the children, in its moral or
material aspects, is greater than any of these
public objects. That the town system makes
taxation for schools uniform, should highly
commend it. 1t is the last objection an Ameri-
Cal CltlZen can SHOru 10 MAKE In tnlS con-
nection it should be remembered, and the fact
should be taken into account in all comparisons
and discussions, that under the town system
there is no state school tax When our farm
ers urge as an objection to buying moving
machine the incumbrance the article may be il
they should wish to throw it aside and go back
to the old-time scythe there will be occasion to
consider the difficulty Of a return to the dis
trict after five years trial of the town sys-
tenn. 1t is to be expected that the first years
OF the working of the system will be attended
with friction. Too great haste must not be
felt to experience its benefits They will i'm
prove as time goes on, and, like Waitsfield
Middletown, Brighton, etc., it will be re-
adopted with practical unanimity-if indeed
the state does not anticipate the event, and,
before five years have passed. make the sys-
tenn the law of the state.