The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-12-31

plainly be to divide the money on the basis
required among the districts that have sup
ported schools of the required standard be-
tween the 10Th of March, 1890, and the Goth
of March, 1891. This will include the spring
or summer terms of 1890, and give a full
year for the twenty-four weeks. Compliance
with the law will be easy, and its effect uni
form in each year The school year is made
to end before the money is to be divided,
thus enabling the selectmen to find how
many weeks of school have been supported
by the respective districts within it; and
the money will be divided before the annual
meetings OF the districts, thereby enabling
them to act with reference TO their shares"
This construction of the law derives
nent jurist as Judge Wheeler has
promul gated it. If newspaper or viii
lage attorney had sought relief from
the embarrassment of the situation by
reaching back and grasping three
months of the last preceding school
year, under which one division of pub
lie money had already been had, in order
to get school year of twelve months,
with twenty-four weeks of school, his in
genuity might have been admired, but
his Interpretation of law would very
likely neither command respect nor re-
ceive serious consideration. Law is
not exactly an exact science. The able
Judge, as well as the astute advocate,
can make the law suit almost any emer-
gency or shape it to any desired end.
The history of the Vermont judiciary
will supply illustrations. But in the
case of the school law it may be the
part of expediency, if not wisdom, to
put an extra bandage on the blind-eyed
divinity, accept Judge Wheeler's view
of the law in respect to this vital point,
and count three months of the old
school year twice. Repeating" is a
somewhat odious device of practical
politics to help candidate or party to
an election, but it may be a good de-
vice and its use good morals in this
case. 1t can hardly be worse than the
statute in whose behalf its aid is in
voked.
T. w. Moloney, Esq. the representa-
tive from Rutland, has published a
letter contending that Superintendent
Palmer's construction of the law, in
his recent letter to the WATCHMAN, is
all wrong, but Mr.. Moloney is him.
self liable to err in judgment and in his
statement of facts. After contradict
ing himself repeatedly in his state
ments of what the legislature did, in
tended to do, or did not intend to do
he clinches his argument by declaring
when, in 1898, the legislature changed
the beginning of the school year to July,
have not heard that any one claimed that
the then current year was thereby made tC
consist of fifteen months. And yet, apply
ing the rule followed by Mr.. Palmer, sucl
would have been the effect Of that enact
ment There is no more reason for holding
that the present year consists of min,
months, when reckoning how many weeks
school has been kept within year"
Now what knocks the bottom out O
this particular statement, and exhibits
Mr.. Moloney's general unsoundness al
an eXpounder of conundrum No. 3 O
the mysteries of 1890, is section 2S5 o
the law of 1888, which is as follows:
"The school year which commenced OF
the first day of April 1888, shall be held t,
continue to and expire on the Goth day o
June, 1899"
So the legislature of 1888 did do pre-
cisely what Mr.. Moloney had "no
heard that any one claimed" it hat
done-made the next succeeding schoo
year :" to consist of fifteen months.
This is of no particular Importance, ex
cept as it tends to illustrate how will
and untrustworthy are these champion
and apologists of a" law conceived il
haste and folly, and enacted in almos
criminal disregard of the duties and re
sponsibilities of law makers.