The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-27
INDICATION IN VERMONT.

EDUCATION IN VERMONT.
Some of the papers out of the State
have a theory that Vermont is not doing
much to educate her children as com
pared with other States To sustain
their theories they make use of figure
and by this means make seemingly
fair showing. Surprising Vermont doe
pay less amount of money per scholar
for educational purposes than some
other States, we insist that it does not
necessarily follow that our children are
receiving a poorer education than the
children of those States with which a
comparison is made. 1t is often the case
that IN two districts side by side, where
perhaps equal sums of money are ex-
pended, the scholars in one will be ad-
vanced much more than those of the
other, Perhaps they are brighter schol-
ars, the parents are more interested,
special care is taken to secure the bes
teachers, and different kind of educa
tional atmosphere prevails which an ex-
pert can feel the moment he crosses
boundry lines. Education cannot be
measured by dollars more than morals
by the yard. We are slow TO admit that
Vermont IS behind some Of the States
with which she is compared in the mat
ter of expenditures, in the educational
facilities she offers, or the advance her
children are making We can do more
with one dollar here than some of the
States can accomplish with six or eight
or even ten. If Vermont had some of
the large public school funds that have
been provided by some of the newer
l.. looH fhann in thl
matter of education. We believe the
people of Vermont take al much inter-
est IN education as the average else
where. 1t may be open to question as
to whether we expend as much money
for schools as we ought, without ques
ton we do not expend it as wisely as we
might, but we have generation OF
children growing up through the school
period that we are not afraid to place
side by side with similar generations in
other States, where the columns of eX
penditure are much larger. The point
we insist upRn is that dollars do not &C.
curatelr Or even fairly measure progress.
Lest sothe might think that the people
of Vermont are losing interest in educa'
ton we would briefly call attention to
the educational work that is being done
in this State. II before the passage OF
the present law there had been too much
indifference in the matter OF schools,
and if when the law went first into Ell
feet there was much scOlding and many
predictions of failure, it is now apparent
that most of the people are willing that
the law should have fair trial, trusting
to the next legislature to remedy any
manifest defects, and while school off
cials NAV have committed some errors
we believe there is a general dlsposltlop
to work the law for all II is worth. Inc
county supervisors are the chlet Work
ers. They can do more than any others
to bring the law into favor or contempt.
If we can judge fairly by what the local
press brings to us, the school supervisor
are not idle. Each in his particular
field is working we'll. Besides, they are
assisting each other in institute WORK,
One supervisor told us. with one exceP
ton, he had assisted in every county in
stitute thus far held IN the State. Many
local teachers meetings are being held ,
organizations are being formed in some
of the larger towns, some of the best
talent in the State is being called into
requisition. We see frequent notices OF
the presence of supervisors in different
parts of their fields, visiting the schools
under their charge. We know OF one
supervisor who visited nearly every
school in his county. On second tour
he intended to take in every school. The
men doing this educational work seem
to be thoroughly in earnest. If Yer
mont has been negligent in the past.
b. h. Oh hrntnnhf a0alnaf her
the occasion is being removed. These
are only hints at the condition OF things
as they now stand. There has been
general progress made in educational
work in the establishment of graded
schools in most of the larger towns and
villages. These are growing into cen
trail schools. They are absorbing the
adjacent districts. They gather pupils
from all parts of the towns in which
thev are located. They are of'en the
pride of the people Many dollars are
expended in connection with these local
institutions that do not appear in col
umns of figures, The school advantages
secured to a large proportion of the
children are much superior to those
formerly enjoyed, And these are
secured at a comparatively small cost
A system of corporation is carried on
in which no mention is made of the
name, We.hope that none of our friends
will fear or our enemies hope that we
are falling into the rear in educational
matters. 1t is a spurious cry which
some would raise who would like to
make it appear that they are not very
bad if only as good as somebody else.
What we lack most is material to work
upon. Bring on your children and we
will show you Vermont far up in the
column just as long as brain is better
than brawn.-Bdrre Enterprise.