The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-01-10
THE NEW SCHOOL LAW.

ound that in Fairhaven and in one OF |
wo other towns there would be an ap-
parent iDjustic done as the population
vas Just now distributed. but in all the
)ther towns NJ such ttate Of things
existed. The bill became law, alter
in the interest Of these
and is now to be tried.
It will be found that the tinkering done
was something like the decision OF a
pettiV jury on a law point, and the IN
tetests of all would have been much
more guarded had the original bill been
passed as il left the Commissions handIF
but that would not have served the pub
pose of one or two pessmists. Judge
Frisbie of Poultney, takes occasion to
review these things and we give his
ideas in his own words, as follows
1T would appear from communica-
tions in the Herald that all are not satH-
fed with the school law enacted at our
late session of the Vermont Legislature.
Judge Nicholson in late number of the
Herald gives it a sharp criticism, and
disposes of 1t in a summary manner.
He closes by saying The only hope
left us is that as sensible traveller who
has lost his way returns by the shortest
cut to the point Of divergence, SO we
shall be permitted to return to the old
school district system from whence we
have 30 unfortunately departed.
II have always insisted and do now,
that the district system, with the popu-
latun we had in the rural districts ~
and so years ago, is the best system the t
could be devised for Vermont. do not
A. Il no I xunttlA mr.
surrender many improvements that
have been made among them sustaiE-
iug the entire expense of the schools on
the grand list, graded schools and some
others, but the district system, pure and
simple, with all improvements on the
same. But the rural districts have been
depopulated, and there comes the
trouble
II do not think the Legislature in the
revision of the school law, apprehended
the true cause which made that neces-
sity, il necessity it was. Those who
talked on the subject seemed TO place
the matter on this ground: Illiteracy 10
increasing in the State and something
must be done to arrest the progress OF It.
II is true that illteracy has been on the
increase for several years, but the cause
of it, in my judgment, is the decline OF
the rural districts; they have lost in
population, lost in agriculture, lost in
social life, lost in everything which goes
to keep up happy and progressive civ.
ilization. At the same time the Genital
schools, where there are scholars, have
continued to improve down to this day,
But when the central schools and tk6
back schools are run under one general
system las they must be- there inevita'
bly, comes complication liable to create
conflict and contention as to the best
law and the best management under the
law.
"a communication of Hon. 4. n.
Adams of Fairhaven appeared in the
Herald a few days since, which l have
read with interest. Mr.. Adams evident
ly fOnnd difficulty in adapting plan of
Just and equitable division of the pub.
lie school moneys among the districts.
and who wouldn't? The division, as |
believe, cannot be made without giving
some districts more than fair proper
ton, and withholding from others some.
thing which they should haye. The
town system in my judgment, is the
only system under which the public
funds can be equally distributed and
every scholar get the benefit of his
proper share
Now add to this the truth, that you
can hardly find respectable school IN
those depopulated districts. This de-
population in them ia working not only
a ruin to our schools. but TO the agTicu'-
tural interests of the State, and in my
Judgment 1t will be impossible to adopt
any general system of schools that will
work harmoniously until the popula-
ton of the rural districts is restored and
when that will be, the Lord only knows.
"But education is and eyer will be a
vital interest with any people, and every
citizen, as such. is in duty bound to use
his best efforts to promote that interest
and he is not relieved from this duty il
the system or the working does not &C
cord with his particular views,
I'm my reading the new law under
stand there is not much change from
the old law, except 10 the supervision.
There is a State superintendent, as there
was under the old law; county super
visors and board Of education, consist
ing of one member from each town in
the county are added to the new law
and the town uperintendents OF the old
law are left out.
This seems to me strong supervi.
sorry system il the proper men are select
ed or appointed to execute it. The State
Superintendent and County Supervisors
will become very important officials in
the system and may, by earnest appli
cation, perform wonders in behalf of
popular education. They may do much
or little in the discharge Of the duties of
their offices. They can hold teachers
institutes, or teachers meetings for ex-
animation twice year; and pass that
off as about the sum total OF their work
and draw their salaries; or they may
give their whole time TO the work as
the law requires. The County Supervi-
sors, if they should give their whole
time, they might have their
meetings for the examination OF
teachers, have one or more teachers
associations in the county, meet with
them as often as it is important. snd visit
every school in the country once year.
Visiting the schools, IL they were COM
petent and understood their business,
would be their most effectual slrvice.
They would have ample time, as think,
10 20 through the county in one year
and spend half day in each district (;
and they ought to run the school in each
district, while there, and leave an tx
ample for the teacher to follow, But
few teachers or educated men and womt n
are aware of the difference of teachers
in drawing up class before them. One
will stimulate a class Of pupils before
him, so rhat they will exercise THAR ut
most power of thought upon the lesson
or subject in. hand; another, perhaps
equally familiar with the subject matter
of the lesson, would get little more than
a formal recitation. Learning to think,
they used to tell me, contained the valu-
able part OF education.
Thus it will be seen that believe we
are under obligation to help on with ed
ucation; take tha system the Legislature
has given us 1--WE must take that or none
for the next two years. and do the best
can. We can do good work if we will,
under the new law, and II we can deyise
a better system at the end of two years
there will then be no want of ambitious
men TO Introduce q bill for that pur-
pose.
|
NEWS AND NOTES.
Assists ant Attorney General Bliss OF
Boston has begun on be half OF the Com
mon wealtb, a suIt tn recover S72 900
from the Fltchburg Railroad G mpany
for the rental OF the Southern Vermont
Railroad nnw nwnad nv the Common