Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-12

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your attention to some matters of public
interest or concern that have transpred
during my term of Office, ! am pleased TO
say that the prospective business of TINS
session will demand your most earnest
and serious attention and consideration
questions of unusual public concern, to
successfully solve which will require You
to put behind you all narrow or selfish
considerations, having only in mind the
interest of the entire State and looking
we'll to the future as well rs to the pres
ent.
STATE BENEFICGARIES.
BY chapter Al of the revised laws and
act No. 80 of 1884, provision is made for
obstruction at the expense of the state OF
the deaf, dumb, hlnd and idiotic and
feeble minded children of INDECENT par
ents. The annual appropriation OF Sll 900
made to carry out these provisions has
thus far proved ample to meet all demands
made upon it. The entire expense OF the
State for the last two years has been Sl3,
1JS 81. No application to share in TINS
humane provision has been denied where
the applicant came within the law and
the rules and regulations of the insttu
tons patronized by the State. During my
term of Office ! have visited all the institute
lions patronized except that for the feeble
minded children, and have seen the pupils
of this State and made examination and
inquiry as to their treatment, condition
and progress aud as to the probability of
| further Improvement to each pupil by
| longer remaining in the institution and
| have solved all doubts in this respect in
favor of the beneficiary.
For reasons which seemed to me good
and sufficient, | have directed the with
| drawal of further aid in two cases, name
! ly: Charles H. Pra'tan Evelyn A. Ia
| treau aged respectively % and q. The
| first had been in the Perkins Institution
| for the Blind over 10 years and the latter
over eight years. The beneicaries of the
state now number IS SO far rs l can
! Judge, the pupils are kindly treated and
contented and the State we'll served by
the various institutions. In the appendix
may be found list of all the beneiiciarles
with statement of further particulars IN
regard to them. That the State has
adopted and follows policy Of thus pro-
| viding for these classes OF her uniortunates
| is much to her credit.
SAVINGS BANKS.
Theoretically, at least, the savings banks
are the repositories of the widows or
| phans, and the wage earners; and while
there is a growing belief that the original
| purpose and design OF these institutions
| has been largely departed from, in so
much rs to make them repositories of the
wealthy, at least to considerable extent,
it is doubtless the duty of the supervising
! tions with the utmost care in The dlrec-
| ton of the greatest possible safety. An
| examination OF the report OF the inspector
| of finance cannot fail to convince you,
that the old-fash!oned ways and modes OF
! Investment of ms by many if not all, OF
| these inst utlUus, have been departed
| from ami the old idea that all other ques-
| lions should be made subordinate to safe
| ty is being lost sight of in the pursuit OF
a high rate of interest, that large dlvl-
deuds may be declared. This cause, while
| it naturally and unavOidably invites the
funds of the wealthy, hazards the savings
of the poor. The suggestions of the in
| spector as to the present management OF
| these institutions in this regard, and the
| remedy by him recommended, are well
| worth your attention and consideration.
| II the present policy is to be continued, 1t
| Will be in order for you to devise and APP
| ply some means whereby this immense
fund snail be made to bear its fair proper
! ton of the public burden.
EDUCATION.
In view of the action of the last Legis-
lature bearing upon the subject OF the
| efficiency of the public schools of the
| State" having reference TO It's tnrther con
sderation by the present Legislature,
! there Is seeming appropriateness in It's
| being called to your attention and com
! meuted upon by the retiring executive.
approach the consideration and presen-
tation of this subject with a degree of
solicltude bordering upon anxiety, but
| this has its relief to some extent at least,
i'll the thought that my interest cannot
be greater than yours, or my solicltude
more intense.
To say that it will be your duty to con
slider and dispose OF matters and questions
| of vital Importance to the State in refer
ence to tins matter would be to repeat
what | may assume TO be known by all ;
and il would seem to be but similar act
to assert that the common or public
schools of the State, as to which in former
times NermOnters were justly proud, are
at the present time rs a whole far from
satisfactory if not, in fact, dsplorable in
their lack of efficiency. This condition of
things is not late revelation or IA new
discovery. 1t has come TO us through eX-
ecutive communications and reports of
the superintendent of education i'll Ian
guage too foTcble TO admit of any misun-
Outstanding aud supported by evidence as
to which no question is made And now
we are told by our superintendent of edu.
cation IN his report, which will be before
you and to which your considerable atten-
ton Is earnestly requested, that in 1.-THE
graded schools of the larger towns and in
some of the ungraded districts and III
most of the towns that have held to the
town system, there has been improve
nlent, and intelligent and systematic in