The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-02-27

such claims upon the town treasurer,
and in general shall have the powers and
perform the duties of the prudential
committee and clerk of a school district
They may establish graded schools and
provide for the instruction of scholars in
the higher branches, and may make re-
gulations. not inconsistent with law. for
carrying the powers granted them INTO
effect The directors may receive into
the schools scholars from other towns
upon such terms as they deem right, and
The money coming from this source goes
into the town school fund. The direc-
tors must report to the town upon their
doings at each March meeting. The
chairman receives the same pay as town
superintendent. The compensation of the
other members is fixed by the town at the
time of their election and paid out of the
town treasury. The selectmen provide
for the support of the schools by appro-
priating annually a sum mot exceeding
one-half nor less than one-fourth of the
grand-ist" of the town and assess tax
to cover the amount so appropriated.
The town treasurer keeps a separate ac-
count of moneys appropriated or given
for the use of the schools. and out of such
moneys pays the orders drawn by the
directors. The town must provide and
ton and construction of which are under
the control of the directors. The proyis-
ions above recited do not apply to grad
ed school districts Incorporated by the
legislature, unless accepted by vote of
two-thirds of the voters of the district.
If Il town adopts the town system, that
system must be followed for at least five
years. If the district system is then re-
adopted, the old districts are re-estab-
lished, with the same lines and numbers
as before the town system was used.
So much for the system as far as
the law goes. In practice we believe
it has been found to work we'll. 1t gives
better schools for less money than the
district system. The schools of each
town using it are more uniformly good.
Those who are familiar with the aver
age district school need not be told that
it often amounts to but little. Especial
ly is this true wher@ the scholars are
few. Then a cheap teacher is hired.
and the school is kept going Just long
enough to entite the district to its share
of the public money. Under the town
system this trouble is to large extent
obviated. 1t seems to us that the bcne-
fit to be derived under it by the back
districts is the strongest reason for its
adoption. The small districts, whose in
habitants pay what is to them a heavy
tax, too frequently have the sort of
schools we have described. and that be-
cause they can afford no better. A vii
lagc, like our own. can, at a less rate of
taxation, maintain large and good
school. BY the operation of the town
system the small districts will get the
schools they ought to have, and will not
pay so heavy taxes as at present. State
Superintendent of Education Dartt states
the case clearly as follows:
Under the town system taxation for sup
port of schools is equal throughout the
town, and all taxable property bears its
proportion. 1t Is not so under the district
system. One small town in the State re-
ceives over four hundred dollars in taxes
for schools upon property that under the
district system paid no local school tax.
Many other towns would increase their
income very largely in this way Those
whose taxes will be increased by the adop-
ton of the town system will oppose it un-
less they have an interest in the education
of all children and the Improvement of all
means for that pupose. The children have
rights. Every child of the State has the
right to an education and has claim upon
every dollar of taxable property in the
State for the satisfaction of that right.