The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-08-14

NJ ]. Har0o6D. CoaIt'
NORMAN PuTFER. Committee.
ID. 4. BATEs,
The School Law
NJ. Editor
Al the Republican Co conreniion a
resolution wee offered fsvoring proper leg
i.laiioB Tor the relief .. the back towns
from the oppressive workings OF the pres
cot school Law. The delegates from The
valley to~os seemed surprised ,ha, such 9
state OF sfIsirs existed a. warranted the pas
sage Of such resolution. They first voted
10 lay II upon the table aud then called II
up for discussion. but finally left 1t With
the suggestion that 1t be more fully yenii
tated. To meet their. evident earnest, de.
sire send you the following commnni
cation written by NJ. j. HoPgood aud
printed 10 neighboripg paper
1T is sad fact. beyond all controversy,
,hsi our average district school WIS never
10 SO bad general condition as during the
year past. And this in the face OF the fact
that the money expended upon 1t was quite
dfty per cent. more than during the pre-.
yious year. i, has been splendid, Or
,stber blooming" time for the average
teacher, but a very tough time for the
district. At the best there is no better
service at nearly double the expense; and
the attendance. IN many OF the schools,
has 30 largely diminished that often times
the pro rata expense for each pupil has
been quadrupled.
CAUSE
And this is the direct result OF the new
system, u system which may be well
adapted for large towns and villages, but
| which is carrying destruction to nearly all
OF the back districts. All school legisla.
ton for years has tended TO this result un
nj now the inhabitants OF many OF our
villages enjoy first class school OF eight
months at tax OF ten or fifteen cents upon
the dollar, while hundreds OF our back
districts are paying from seventy i've to
q hundred cents upon dollar Tor very
poor school Of six months And now, 80
a last straw to break the camols back,
comes another change OF text books The
fact may Us we'll be faced, the people in
our back towns cannot and will not bear
the burden.
These schools Lave, heretofore, been
taught by q class Of persons at q greatly
reduced rate from that obtained 10 the
large towns. upon the principle that the
kind OF teacher should be proportioned to
the requirements OF the district. The
present system blocks the whole thing
A teacher applying for school OF half
dozen small scholars in back district is
obliged to pass the same examination as
the one applying for school oil nifty
scholars in a large town, many OF whom
are advanced in years aud studies, Ibe
consequence is the supply is short, and
while the large places can get their pick
Of the teachers at the same price they have
been paying, the back districts are com
PEELED to double their price, and SUI get
the same Kind OF teachers with no better
qualifications than they have been having
And what is the test Of this examination
anyway. Simply the ability Of the sppii'
cant to answer . set Of written questions,
making bare knowl ledge which at the most
should be only fourth in the scale. the
chief fundamental qualification OF teach.
or. Character. ability 10 govern, tact,
skill for importing knowledge, facni'y for
causing students TO become interested 10
their studies these things nowhere
in comparison to the dry aud insipid abil
ity to answer a certain per cent. oi written
questions.
The REMEDY
is plain. Have the schools OF the State
by County Tax. as is the case
10 80 many other states. Have the school 1
books furnished by the State, double the 9
power Of the Supervisor, so that be can be !
besides a mere advisor Give
bun power, even. to copdense many OF the {
decay ing districts, and thus save expense I
and increase advantages. Let him have
the power TO grant certificates TO whom he =
pleases aud ~ he pleases. according to The
wants OF the district,
Something like this must happen, MAX
oQ the Law uniform 10 that tie rich man /,
IN Manchester sbsii pay for good school !
u much ~ the poor man on the mountains 4
pays for q bad Que. or else give MS back the 4
I'D dis:ric, system, where the committee +
.lope is lord paramount CT tn whole mat. y
en- no examinations, no town Superin.
epdert even. | honestly believe that IN
comparison to the lsmentable state OF al
aims existing today the old district system :
would be far preferable 10 all Of our back
Owls. Oar beat results, what Vermont
Joints to with the most pride, arc the pro. ;,
luc,s OF those schools. Our legislature !,
las nearly killed as We. up here on the
can get along II you valley
olks will lust lei Us alone. just condnei
our own sfiirs. attend TO your o~n busi .
ess. and stop thinking tsatyou mus, take :
uch ia,herly interest 10 us up here We :
now what We want better than you do,
rd VIA, sui,s you very often dou'l suit
.. And this irgisla,ing for the sole bone. :
4 Of the large towns. the graded districts I
about played ou,. We ihressen DO &c.
ss.iou, bnt We issi give yen warning =
"a az alone or you msy lose VIA, you
ave got Remember The words Of old !
.lhau. The soas Of the valleys ate no; :
be gods Of the bills
Peru VI. April 2lst. 1880. :.
George Spencer. AZ old resident Of Cas- In
-. -. fa--s HasA "a lad Thursisy ~.