Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-26
Our Public Schools.

Our Public Schools.
If our Legislators, assembled at Mont
pelier, do not understand that the credit
and welfare of our State is seriously en-
daugered by the condition of our common
schools, it is not because the subject has
not been strongly called to their attention.
For years our governors, leading educa-
tors, newspapers and public men have
been uttering earnest words of warning
and advice on this subject. The simple
truth is-and our legislators must realize
it--that Vermont, which keeps to the
front in mary things, is tagging woefully
in the matter of public education. Our
state is not only far behind most Of the
Northern States, in this matter, and fan.
ing farther and farther behind them every
year, but she is not keeping up with her
self With a considerable increase of az
gregated material wealth, and quite gen
eral increase of average prosperity among
almost all classes of our people, our com
mon schools are not as good as they used t o
be. Our people, as a whole, live in better
houses, wear better clothes, have more
comforts and luXurieS in their homes and
on their tables than they had thirty years
ago, but their children are not as well
taught rs they were thirty years ago.
NlitcrGcy is Increasing in PCrm MT. 1t
makes no difference that our lllterates
are for the most part not of native
stock They are here, and they have got
to be educated and made fit for citizen
ship, or there will be sad consequences in
future. Even now Vermont is beginning
to be pointed at with surprise if not with
scorn by the people of other States for
her seeming indifference. to this subject.
The Green Mountain State, they say, which
boasts of the intelli gence of her people and
which we have been taught to look
to as model commonwealth, is
retrograding in intelligence and education.
The statistics of her schools show this
notifying fact-aud we cannot deny 1t.
But if this condition of things can
not be denied, it can be remedied, and it is
the duty of the present Legislature to ap
ply a remedy. The case does not admit
OF further delay.
What are the causes of the decadence Of
our common schools Whether the school
Commission, which has been giving care
full study to the subject for two years,
answer this question in their report, we
do not know. That report ought to
have been printed and laid before every
member, at the opening of the session.
But if it has as yet appeared at Montpelier
no copy of it has reached this Office, aud
how tar, if at all, the Commission have
probed this part of the subject we are not
aware. Some of the causes, no xever, are
not far to seek. Our common schools are
suffering:
On account of prevailing parsimony and
neglect on the part of the taxpayers;
On account of the pitlably small num-
bers of scholars in IA large proportion of
;he schools, due to attenuation of pUpula
ton and other changes, in the rural dis
trcts.
On account of inetliciency, incapacity,
incidence and fayorltism Oh the part Ui
many town superintendent.
On account of consequent ignorance
and inetiiciency on the part of lar too
many teachers.
On account of incurable defects i'll our
present system of normal schools.
On account OF the abolition of the State
Board of Educational body of experience
ed and intelligent educators, who. in form
er days gave gratuitous but most valu-
able service to the public.
On account Gt inadequate and INSULT
GENTLY organized general SUPERVISION
more skilled and intelligent supervision
being needed for the schools than one
State superintendent can possibly supply.
Will the bill which has been reported by
the school commission reach these sources
of weakness in our present system, and
afford adequate remedies This question
we will try to consider, with all the can
dor and judgment we can give to it, in a
subsequent article or articles.