St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-10-11
VERMONT SCHOOLS.
Report of the Commission Uuder the
Marsh Bill.

Report of the Commission Uuder tn
| Marsh Bill.
i On Thursday Governor Ormsbet
transmitted to the house the report o.
the commission to revise the schoo
laws-Hon. Loveland Munson of Man.
chester, President Ezra Brainerd o
Middlebury and Principal S. w. Ian
don of Burlington. The act of 1884
required the commission to report {
bill for a complete system. The re,
port and bill are both voluminous
The bill is thus epitonized by the Rut,
land Herald
There will be a state superintendent
as now, and one supervisor for eacl
county, with an assistant in Rutland
and Windsor counties. The district
and town systems are both preserved
but the power of towns to require the
keeping of good schools in the dis
tricts is increased, and the minimum
of expenses for maintaining schools in
each district must be at least Ii pei
cent. of the grand list, to which, how
ever, the public money will be applied
so far as it will go.
Selectmen are empowered to require
|
be and to levy taxes upon the dis
tricts for the cost of support.
Graded schools, town central schools
and one state normal school are pro-
vided for, and attendance within school
age is made compulsory.
1t is optional with the towns tc
adopt the town system. Each town OIL
district must maintain at least "a
weeks of school each year.
County uniformity of school books
for five years is required, and towns
may own the books if they prefer. The
selections are to be made by board
to be appointed by the county court,
and the county supervisor shall be Il
member.
The public money is be be divided
as follows One-half of it, up to $780,
among the districts equally in excess
of $1,000 and up to $240O, add one
and up to $1,000, add one-twelfth,
and above $4,000, add 5000. The 9th
er half shall be divided according to
average attendance and register sys-
tenn somewhat like the present is re
quired. But no district shall receive
sum greater than it's cash expendi-
1
The supervisors are to have advi-
sorry power over the location. con-
structiOn and repair of buildings.
They are also to hold public examina-
tions of teachers and to grant and re-
woke certificates, even to revoke nor
NAL school certificates within their
own counties.
The Office of town superintendent is
| tn ha w tn m
system prevails.
The studies prescribed for the COM
mon schools are good behavior, read
ing, writing, spelling, English gram
mar, geography, arithmetic, free hand
drawing, history and constitution of
the United States, elementary physiOl
ogy and hygiene, giving special prom
| inence to the nature of alcoholic
drinks and narcotics and their effect
upon the human system, and special
instruction in the geography, history,
constitution and principles of govern
ment of Vermont.
Districts or towns may have as many
schools as they require and by vote
may direct the teaching in one or more
of them of ancient and foreign Ian
guages.
A school maintained by town or
district not less than thirty weeks
each year, and having four or more
departments, taught by four or more
teachers, having an established course
of study and all the departments under
a principal, shall be graded school.
Committees shall assign pupils to the
departments.
Districts with schools taught by
fxua Two fna nj
person for special supervision, under
the committee and the county super
visor.
By two-thirds vote a district may
provide for the instruction of it's legal
pupils in schools of adjoining districts,
towns or another state, for not more
than thirty weeks each and authorize
payment for their transportation, and
for a reasonable charge committees
may receive pupils from outside the
district. If all such pupils are given
not less than "a weeks schooling each
year, the district shall receive public
money the same as if the schools were
held in the district.
The state superintendent shall be
appointed by the governor and senate
and be paid $4,000 a year and his ex-
tutes as required by existing laws, the
expense of each not to exceed $50.
The county supervisors shall be ap-
pointed by the governor and senate,
must be citizens and entitled to vote
in the county. The supervisor for
year, Essex county $500, Lamoille
SS0l nd
$1,000. All the latter must give their
entire time to the work and the others
shall render services proportionate to
their salaries. Rutland and Windsor
counties are to have assistant super
visors at salaries of "a day, not to
exceed $500 year. The supervisors
and assistants shall have their expen-
ses paid, after audit by the state audi
tor. They must visit the schools as
often as practicable, note the methods
and progress, observe the condition of
the buildings and apparatus and ascer-
tain if all the pupils are supplied with
proper text books. On complaint of
selectmen or prudential committees
special investigation shall be made by
supervisors at any time. They shall
also advise teachers and officers when
requested. They are to promote pub
lie interest in education and for that
purpose may hold public meetings
and teachers meetings. Teachers are
required to inform supervisors what
schools they are engaged to teach
and keep them supplied with their
postoffice addresses.
When in the opinion of supervisor
a district is inadequately supplied with
apparatus, buildings or furniture, he
shall notify the committee and they
shall report it to the annual meeting.