The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-10-08

| of schools in the near future-as probably
the most promising of practical and perma-
1 nent good to the cause of common school
education and of the reformation OF many OF
the existing evils which now handicap and
| thwart its largest beneficence. This system
IL of no new devising in its advocacy in our
| stetc, but began to be adopted ~ organic
law, and, as OF course, in some Of the new
| states near half century ago-and has be-
come the prevailing usage of most II not all
| OF our standard educational states through
| out the west and north central portions of
our country. I believe that wherever the
| system has come into state or town, it has
| invariably come to stay. The disastrous
| effects and concomitants OF the district sys-
| TEN, so tersely summarized by our national
| commissioner of education "The small
| schools, the short terms, the meager sal
| aries, the cheap teachers, the incessant
change, the multiplicity of incompetent and
| irresponsible officers, and instruction de-
void of spirit and lacking the conditions
| necessary to steady progression seem to
indicate, land the successes OF the township
| system wherever adopted concur therein, }
| that the time has come when the legislature
of Vermont should meet the demand for a
change.
THE UNIVERSITY or VERMONT AND STATE
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
This college, originally styled "The Uni
versity of Vermont" and intended as an
institution OF learning under the patronage
and fostering care OF the state, has had q
life and history of struggle with misfortune
and calamity which has fallen to the lot of
but few of the seats of learning and culture
in our land. The record of her early and
unsuccessful enterprise and efforts to start
in life on sure foundations-the finan-
cial turns which embarrassed and Grip
pied her jealous and beneficent almon-
ers so as to cause her prosperity to mscarry
for time-the laying on of the heavy hand
nj mil altf ~ inft hnr
halls of learning for hospital uses in the
war Of 1912 loss of the same by fire in
1SA-and the long and varied record Of her
resolution and persistency to live and thrive
and attain rank high up on the roll of the
best colleges of the land-all unfold to us a
history that no Vermonter can read and
ponder without commingled sentiments Of
sympathy for her in adversely, admiration
for her courage and persistency, and of per-
sonal and state pride in her so complete
success at present. And although by our
original constitution it was declared that
d" One university in this state ought to be
established by direction of the general
assembly, and this was primarily intended
for that one, yet, barring the original grant
Of lands, much of which proved of little
value, the state has done nothing in the way
of material aid for this college The uni
versty, which was called into existence by
the fathers, and which was expected to be
the future recipient Of state encouragement
and aid, has, from its earliest days, been
dependent upon the charities, benefcence
and more recently the largesses of its
friends. Would not this seem an opportune
moment for the ancient obligation of the
state to be honored, and, in imitation of our
mother state, New Hampshire, towards her
college, an appropriation for limited num-
Der of scholarships to be granted to our
university. regret that have been una
BILE at this writing to examine the last re-
port of the honorable board of trustees of
the University and Agricultural College.
AGRICULTURE
If there is any single interest that should
engage the fostering care and attention of
the legislature more than any other, it is
that on which all the others especially de-
pend for the sinews of success and exist
ence. Pre-eminent in our state the tilling
of the soil and all that class of industry
which appertains to agriculture claims and
is by common consent entitled to, this dis
tinction. This interest is, most of any,
identified with the prosperity of the state.
1t has been, and is ever likely to be, the oc-
cupation and employment of large major
ity of our people. The manufactures and
mining interests-the handmaidens OF agri-
culture-are also industrial concerns of our
people of too far reaching Importance to be
overlooked in the promoting and fostering
justice Of your legislation, I am requested
by citizens prominent in some of these in
terests to call the attention Of this body to
the fitness of having an authorized state
representative sent to the Worlds EXPOSE
ton, to be opened at New Orleans in De-
cember next, and am advised that q small
appropriation will be asked for as in other
states to defray the requisite expense of the
same.
STATE PRISON
The report of the directors of this insttu-
ton shows that the 5000, appropriated at
the last session of the general assembly has
been expended for the purposes for which
the appropriation was made, and that the
same was sufficient for the purpose with the
economical utilization of convict labor and
material on hand. The report of the direc-
tors and superintendent shows the prison
to be in good condition, both in its manage
ment, compartments and financial affairs
Large appropriations have been called for,
for several sessions past, for the rebuilding,
repairs and improvements in and about this
institution, and they have been literally
made, and, in the MAN, judiciously ex-
pended, so that at this time the prison will
compare in no unfavorable light with the
best arranged penal institutions of New
England. Public institutions of any charac-
ter, when raised and improved to the level
of the best, should be kept there in the in
terests OF state credit and economy. This
will require new appropriations from time
to time The needs of these come to us the
most reliably through the report of the di-
rectors and superintendent, through legis-
lative committees and personal examination
and observation. Two improvements from
the ancient to the modern and most approved
methods of repairs are recommended by the
board. They seem almost necessary to
economy, safety, cleanliness and health, and
the expense would not be large. / fully
concur with the board in these recommen-
dations. The rapid decrease in the number
of convicts confined there would seem to
have reached its minimum in the last BIZ
ennial period, - since the falling from
the number confined on July 81, 1882,
is but one; while from 1873 to 1880 the de-
crease was thirty-four, and from 1880 to 1889
it was tifty-two. The whole number now in
our prison Is eighty-nine, while at times in
the last year there have been but eighty
one. The average number for the last two
years is lightweight. About the same corps
of the prison that would be with twice the
number of convicts. The expense of this
corps to the state would be about the same
as now, while the income from convict labor
would be doubled; so that the prison, II filled
to its utmost capacity, might as the times
now are, become not only self-sustaining,
but be "a source of revenue to the state-a
contamination not to be desired under such
conditions.
HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
This institution has now been in opera
ton near six years and is universally adj
mtted to be success of its kind, not sur
passed in quality for beneficent results in
the suppression of crime by similar institu-
tons in other states, L regret not to have
been able to see the report of the trustees in
season for presenting 10 you more specific
knowledge Of this house.