News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-02-25
The Town System of Schools.

As all towns are compelled BY law
to vote by ballot upon the adoption of
the town system of schools at the
coming town meeting, it is quite prop
er that all taxpayers should give the
subject careful consideration and pre-
pare themselves to vote intelligently
upon this important question. The
following article on how the system
works in Hinesburgh is taken from
the Burlington Free Press:
The town system of schools was adop-
ted in Hinesburgh in 1871, and has stead
lily worked its way upward in public IA
vor. At the time of its adoption the town
was nearly divided, but now, after a trial
of Is years, few, if any, would wish to
return to the old way. Seven new school
houses have been built, which for con-
venience and adaptability to school pur-
poses are a great improvement on the old
1t is safe to say that few country towns
have better school-houses than Hines
burgh. The number of schools under
the district system was IA, the number
maintained under the town system is 13,
the average number of weeks of school
in year under the system was %, under
the new it is 80. The average cost per
week of the schools in 1870 was sc. 66.
The average cost per week in 1885 was
S6.03. OF course these figures do not
include repairs. If we compare the eff
cheney of the schools under the two sys-
TENS, the results are decidedly in favor
of the town system. District quarrels
are entirely eliminated. Uniformity OF
school work is secured. and a wise adj
ministratiOn of the schools is maintained
from year to year, with scarcely any
friction. The burden of school support
in some districts. under the old system
was onerous, often from so to 100 per
cent of the grand list. Now that it is
borne equally by all, it rarely exceeds %
per cent. For the last five years the town
has raised but % per cent. school tax,
and this maintained the thirteen primary
schools and a high school of p weeks
each year. The Hinesburgh school board
numbers six, elected for three years, and
with the exception of the chairman, who
acts as town superintendent. they re-
ceive no pay. School supervision, al
though under the direction of the whole
board, is really divided among the direc-
tors, /. e., each director has two schools,
the superintendent having three to pro-
vide for, and within certain limits each
director is as free to run his schools as
he pleases, as a prudential committee,
but he is accountable for all his acts to
the full board, and so extravaganza and
nepotism is checked. The directors adj
wise much together. so that uniform
rate of wages and other expenses is main
tanned, thus the burden of supervision is
reduced to a minimum and while there
is plenty of room for Improvement, yet
the success uniformly attained for Sc
ries of years has been all that could be
reasonably expected. Perhaps no fairer
town could be selected in which to test
this system than Hinesburgh. 1t has all
the diversity of hill, valley and plain,
not only in its topography, but in the life
and character of its people, and that the
town system meets the wants of all. and
has worked it's way through all opposi-
ton which proved almost fatal in the
early day of its adoption, to be univer
sally esteemed, is Indicative, at least. that
it has great merit. Its friends have been
confirmed by years of trial and it's oppO-
nents converted or silenced by its supe-
riority over the Anticipated and lumber
ing district system.