The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-11-29
Examples of Practical Operation of
our school Laws.

our school Laws.
A writer, by rques', in The Montpe-
lier Journal gives in concise form
something which is of interest to Yer
mont people in connection with schools
and school laws. The compiler of the
statistics, 1t appears. is in favor of the
town system. but that does not detract
from his compilation OF data, as fol-
lows
| take first a town Of some Importance
IN the State which aside from It's United
States deposit money. raises what is
called State tax of $1378. It has about
three districts and half; one double
district which | call A. and B. having
some 300 scholars and supporting seven
schools. This district pays $1,000 of the
1875 District q has fifteen scholars
and the fractional district D. has two
scholars. Under the law of 1876, one
third of the public money is divided
equally to districts without regard 10
re, number of scholaTs, UT taxes paid,
and by this rule there would be 1858 IS
10 be divided equally which would give
t. district A. and B. two quo'as, or
SS0S II, to district G. one quota of $131.-
O6, aud to the fractional district ID.
$3.50,
The new school bill proposes t divide
one half of the first $1,000 and and one
sixth of the remaining $l7G equally.
This gives $500 30 to be divrded equally
or 10 district A and B 1859 6O-about
$l.20 per scholar, to district C $l79sO,
| $l2 per scholar, and to district d SS9. 80,
or some $45 per scholar. This, of course,
is only the first divi ion, and | saw
|
which IL on the aggregate at enhance.
| simply submit whether these OUTLYING
small districts cuu'd not well be abol.
isked.
wish now rO give another instance of
a town in the Safe which raises a 70
per cent tax, or public money, to the
amount of Sl47S 81. side from the
ULited States deposit income, This
town has five districts. District No. /
has eight schools, 800 scholars, and paws
a district tax of fifty per cent. It's IL
per cent tax is 5000 "a. District No. 9
has 10l scholars, two schools and paws a
tax of twenty five per cent. lis propor
ton of the twelve per cent tax is S3l4 26.
Districts 3, 4 and 3 have respectively
twelve, twenty and twelve scholars.and
pay from twenty-five to fifty per cent
district taxes. The proportion Of the 10
per cent tax which the three districts
contribute collectively is Sl31.97. The
proportion which the forty-fDur scholars
in the three districts receive of the
$147S q under the law of 1875. inc'ud-
ing the second division on aggregate at
tendance is $3.50 80, while district No. |
rec ives 1912 and No 2, $2O5.93. Under
the new school bill district |, with a
! har g oh
will receive only 1918 05; No. 9, S2l9 So.
and districts 3, and will receive
S445 81. Consider that whereas under
the law of 1876 there was only S492. rs
to be divided equally to the five districts
giving district No. with is eight
schools and 400 scholars, only one equal
quota, while Nos. and 8 with twelve
scholars each, draw the same amount,
under the new school till there is $646..
So to be d vided equally. and districts
Nos l and two, with their 500 scholars
and eleven teachers will draw nut $685.
50. VIII lie districts 3, and 5 with only
forty four scholars will draw 1887 .S3.
This division is about thirty-three cents
per scholar in district No /, $130 in
district No. 2, $616 in district No. 4,
and $40. so in districts Nos. 3 and 5,
give these two towns only as an ex-
ample to show the inc quality and what
think the folly and was'eiul Tess. not
to say injustice, of our antiquated dis
trict system. The whole DRIFT Of legIs-
lation for many years has been to favor
small districts, and regret that the
policy of giving more money continual.
ly to be spent on small poor schools, has
proved unwise and unbusness like 1t
has not improved the schools. Small
districts have come to rely on the put
lie money derived so largely from the
larger dist lets, and have not taken the
interest in the schools that they did in
former years when only one fourth Of
the nine per cent tax was divided equal
ly to districts. 1t may be that the sup
port Of schools is felt to be burden in
districts where h. lp is positively needed.
TT ere are towns in which the average
rate of d S riot school taxes is oyer sew
enty cents while in other towns it is
lie than SIX GEMS. Some counties aver:
age only twenty-rhree cents, others over
thirty three cents, and the average in
the whole State Is twenty eight cents.
If there are poor. weak dis i, hav-
ing sufficient numt er of scholars TO
require a school, it should be the bust
ness of the State to help in such in
stances. The State should share the
burden of education. The small dis
tricts equally with the larger are inter
ested, or should be to have the cost Of
education fairly and ju tIy distributed,
and the money that is expended 50 ex-
pended that it will accomplish results
in which the people of the State shall
feel just pride We are about to enter
upon large experiment, and it is to be
hoped that good will come of it. Very
likely experience will lead to sIme
changes and amendments two years
hence. There is need of general concur
renee and cooperation.