The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-05-01
Communicated.
Our schools.

1t is sad fact, beyond all controversy
that our average district school was never
the year past. And this in the face of the
fact that the money expended upon it was
quite fifty cents more than during the
previous year. 1t has been splendid,
or rather blooming time for the average
teacher, but 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 so largely diminished that often times
the pro rata expense for each pupil has
been quadrupled.
CAUSE.
Aud this is the direct result of the new
system, Il 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 leg
slation for years has tended to this result
until now the inhabitants of many of our
villages enjoy first class school of eight
months at a tax of ten or fifteen cents
upon the dollar, while hundreds of our
back districts are paying from seventy
five to hundred cents upon dollar for
"A very poor school OF six months. And
back, comes another change of text books.
The fact may as well be faced, the p, ople
in our back towns cannot and will not
bear the burden.
These schools haye, heretofore, been
taught by class of persons at greatly
reduced rate from that Obtained in the
larger towns, upon the principle that the
kind of teacher should be proportioned TO
the requirements of the district. The
present system lacks the whole thing
The teacher applying for school of
half-dozen small scholars in back dis
trict is obliged to pass the same eXamina-
tlon AS the one applying for school of
tilty scholars in large town, many of
whom are advanced in years and studies
The consequence is the supply is cut
short, and while The large places can get
their pick of the teachers at the same
price they have been paying, the back dis
tricts are compelled to double their price,
and still get the same kind of teachers
with no better qualifications than they
have been having.
And what is the test of this examina-
ton anyway. Simply the ability of the
applicant TO answer set of written
questions, making bare knowledge which
at the most should be only tenth i'll the
scale, the chief fundamental qualification
of "a teacher. Character, ability to
govern, tact, skill 1or imparting knowl-
edge, faculty for causing students to be-
come interested in their studies--al these
things nowhere in comparison to the dry
aad insipid ability t2 answer a certain
PSF cent. of written Questions.
THE REMEDY
is plain. Have the schools of the State
sHPpOioSu uJ " SouuUy ldA, DO 10 thC
case in SO many other states. Have the
school books furnished by the State,
double the power OF the Supervisor, so
that he can be something besides mere
advisor. Give him the power, even, to
condense many of the decaying districts,
and thus save expense and increase ad-
vantages Let him have the power to
grant certificates to whom he pleases and
as he pleases, according to the wants of
the district.
Something like this must happen, max
ing the law uniform so that the rich man
in Manchester shall pay for agood school
as much as the poor man on the mount
aims pays for bad one, or else give us
back the old district system, where the
committee alone is lord paramount Of the
whole matter-no examinations, no town
Superintendent even. honestly believe
that in comparison to the lamentable state
system would be far preferable in all OF
our back towns. Our best results, what
Vermont points to with the most pride,
are the products OF those schools. OuI
Legislature has nearly killed us. We, up
here on the mountains, can get along il
you valley folks will just let us alone
just conduct your own affairs, attend tc
your own business, and stop thinking thai
you must take such fatherly interest in us
up here. We know what we want better
than you do, and what suits you very Otter
don't suit us. And this legislating for the
sole benefit of the large towns, the gra
ded districts, is about played out. W.
threaten no secession, but we just give
you warning. Let us alone or you may
lose what you have got. Remember thu
words of old Ethan: The gods of tht
valleys are not the gods of the hills
Peru, Vt, Apr. 81 80.