Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-10-08
VERMONT SCHOOLS.
Thei, Cost and the Attendance - Tho
Growth Of Illitetacy.

| 1he1t Cost and the Attendance 1h0
Growth Of Illiteracy.
A correspondent who signs himself
"Vermonter" writes as follows to the New
York Evening Post:
Vermont, of all the older States in the
North, has the least reason for favoring
Senator Blairs Southern educational
bill. The following facts and figures will
show why:
III 1910 the population of Vermont, &C
cording to the federal census, WAS POI ,94S :
in 1850, according to the same authority,
it WAS 1872 ,2SG In 1910 there were in the
state 2402 public schools, with 97,5lS pu-
pills; in 1850 the humber of schools was 2561,
and of pupils total enrolment between the
ages of five and twenty, 1867.
In the 45 years, therefore, there was a
gain of 40 39s III population and decrease
III the number OF school pupils of 25,S5l-
an enormous and almost incredible loss.
1t is true that large number of children
are to-day enrolled in the Roman Catholic
parOchial schools, while our foreign born
population was very small in 1870 before
the building of the railroads, but no
reasonable allowance on this score Will
account for the falling off in number of
our public school children. The com
parisOn is terribly significant one, and
should be provocative of thought and &C
tiOne
Turning to the statistics Of illiteracy,
we find that they show just about what
one would expect from the figures just
cited. According to the census of 1910,
the number of white persons in Vermont
20 years old and over unable to read and
write was 2210. In 1860 the number had
increased to S9l6. In 1880 the number of
persons 20 years old and upward unable
to write was l2,s12 10 years old and up
ward, 1887, and the number 10 years old
and upward unable to read was l., 39S or
one i'll every 20 persons 10 years old and
upward. Thus it appears that the growth
of illiteracy has kept even pace with the
dimlnution in the school attendance. Are
not these hgures more convincing than
any logic, and do they not form an ar
raignment more terrible than can be OK
pressed in words
In the meantime the cost of the schools
has increased yearly, and in 1855 it was
higher than ever before The amount
was s62l 80 and the comparative magni-
tude of this sum will be better understood
when it is known that the aggregate Of
all taxes Tor all purposes, State, county,
city, town and school district is only
about 81, 100000.
| thompson, the historian of Vermont, him
self an experienced educator, bitterly com
plalned OF the inetiiciency of the schools ;
to-day, with their eVer-increasing cost,
they are retrograding rather than advanc
ing. This is no wild assertion, but a state
mtnt OF facts easily susceptible lie of proof.
n lew Years ago the press began to be
exercised about the matter, and
a general discussion was had, in
the course of which the retrograde, inetii-
Gent character of the schools was thor
oughly exposed. No one, however, seem
Ell able to suggest a remedy for the
trouble. The abolition of the district sys-
tenn and the substitution of the town sys-
ten was the only step worth mentioning
mat was suggested during the discussion.
| Inc legislature was induced with Difficult
w TO pass tentative act bringing the
question before the people; and behold,
there was an almost absolutely unani-
nous vote against the proposed change
90 me schools 90 on IN the same old way,
ana II Is difficult to imagine anything short
OF the direct nterposition OF the Almighty
| that VIII change them for the better II
Is gratifying to know, however, that the
prOhlbltory law is made more and more
severe and effective at each session OF the
| legislature.
And now word as to the Vermont
normal schools. From the facts and
ngures Just given, the natural Inference
| would he that these institutions fail equal
ly with the schools in fulfilling their OBJ
Ject. The inference Is correct, Instead OF
one strong central school, the State is
guilty of the folly of supporting three,
ana the result is n very low grade Of work,
and perhaps fortunately, little of it. In
1855, of the 1925 public school teachers,
only 4O7, or less than one-tenth, were
graduates of IA normal school and in pre-
ceding years the number was still small
err That after an existence OF twenty
years these schools can show only 400
graduates IN the Vermont field is sufficient
testimony to their practical failure. They
are, indeed, merely local academies, and
OF not too high grade either.
These are the facts, briefly stated, con
corning Vermont educational affairs, Can
any one point us to "A remedy Tor our
trouble? NERMONTER.