The Press., 1886-08-26
THE TOWN SYSTEM or SCHOOLS.

The original New England system of schools was strictly a town system. As soon as the physical necessities of the early settlers were reasonably to be de- pended upon, the inhabitants of Boston and vicinity expressed their sentiment as to the value and need of public school, and in 1896 the General Court authoriged an appropriation of R400 for establishing one, which has grawn into Harvard college. The first educational ordinance of, the col ony, 1642, required the .selectmen of every town to see that every child and appren- tice learn reading the English tongue per fectly, and to know the capital laws, under penalty of twenty shillings for neglect to learn. In 1647 Massachusetts had the honor of originating the freepuBhc school, by the first law ever. passed making edu- cation free In l789 au not required that spelling, reading, writing, English gram mar, geography and decent behavior be taught at least six months of the year in every town and for the convenience of children attending, the towns were dis tricted in 1900 the selectmen here au- thorized to call district meetings of voters to raise building funds. In 1877 school districts were made corporations, empow- cred to hold property for school use but not till 1927 was the district system full ledged by giving districts the care of school houses and the hiring of teachers. The district system, after trial for about half century, was abolished in Massachu- setts by act of 1882 aud a return to the town system made. Connecticut passed the public school law 1850 and held the town system wholly till I7l5 when each town was made two school districts in 1722 district control was authorized, though it entails an increase of machinery; and, under town superintendence, double headed and divided management and au- thority the person who examines teacher and school is not the person who contracts with the teacher and the hiring Is often the opportunity for petty schemes, favor itisms and jealousies, which would bring a speedy downfall if exercised by town officer. The usual town committee l. of three picked men avoid most of these. dif- faculties by judicious division of snperin- tendence and as they work on tho basis of schools, not of district lines, can redis- tribute crowds, or combine small schools to the great advantage and convenience of all.
 The educational superiority Of Massa- chusetts is due chiefly to public spirit in the application of the town principle of support for the state school fund at tho | OokAhhlhB OA AOOO Who RNst 1NsAbis0Vs Ol which the net income is $134, 136.s7, dis tributed for JAY schools containing an aggregate of 339, TIA pupils, the whole number of school age being 348, BIO. As one-half the net income is reserved for other educational purposes, the appoint. ment per child would average not quite 20 cts. but 1t actually is appropriated in proportion to the poverty of the towns, to Q considerable extent. The amount raised by taxation is nearly seven miiiionA, of which the towns appropriate $4, 67b, 1882. A for running expenses 1. e., teachers wages, board, fuel and care of rooms.
 Some of the poorest towns are very gen. erous in support of the common schools. Granville is the banner town this year in proportion of school appropriation to town valuation. About sIxseventha of the higher institutions are in the eastern half of the state; one.ninth of the teachers of the state are men. JNR Athol Centre. Mass. .if.-t '' ts