The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-05-08

poor were relieved when taxes began to
be made for school purposes, by having
the taxes fall upon the grand list. They
were, however, expected to furnish
wood
This Mr.. Stirling, to whom reference
has been made, had two "ushers" TO aid
him, for in 1893 the school had reached
an attendance of 40 pupils. This fact
again may cause prudential committees
to think, inasmuch as it is not uncom-
mon to-day to expect a single teacher to
look after the education of as many as
fifty andeyen sixty pupils.
When these worthless enter the school
building the pupils were expected to rise
and make obeisance, proceeding, so the
record informs us, that bred jealousy i'll
the school and dissatisfaction in the dis
trict. Flaggellations, dunce-blocks,
standing with extended hands holding
heavy books, being seated between two
girls, were common forms of discipline.
Punishment in school was often supple
mented by chastisement at home. The
discipline was reflection of the period.
Life was constant warfare to the elders,
and education, it was to be presumed,
must be mastered or applied by similarly
severe methods. Matthew Stirling fin
ally fell victim to one of his own rules.
In the winter of 1894, it may have been
1795, he made the regulation that If any
one misspelied three words he would be
feruled." One of his boys, Lewis Graves,
of the largest and one who had had no
advantages, was so frightened that he
could not spell a word. He was severely
whipped, not once, but nine times, and
some say eleven times, in one half day.
Stirling was obliged to leave. About
this time the youngsters began to rebel
in many schools against the tyranny of
their masters and the carrying OUT
policy was frequently practiced.
Thus, briefly hastily, discOnnectedly,
has been described the desire of the par
ent, the care of the State, the kind of
school and the quality of the education,
as witnessed by the early settlers in Yer
mont and prior to 1900 From 1724 to
1850 the people fought their environment
under difficulties severe and stupendOus.
The Indian scourged their borders all
the time. From 100 to the day of liberty
bringing Revolution, the state lands
were bone of contending nations. For
five years VermOnters offered life and
property in behalf of the colonies, and
even after TicOnderoga, Crown Point
and Bennington, Vermont was forced to
independently resist united Congress and
New York.
Seventy years of continuous labor,
vigilance and action upon the bread
field and the field of battle. This severe
blessing from an overruling Providence
was, after all, the great school of the
early settlers. In it they were taught
the values of action, frugality, friend
ship, unity, love of fairly administered
law. Yet, Notwithstanding all these
obstacles, the idea of public school and a
public school system, fair education
for all the children of the State, had
taken root, had been supported by pri-
vate bequest and state grants, and the be-
ginning of what we now have, modified
by several years of change, was begun.
The district school, the grammar school,
even a state college was provided for. A
perfectly well rounded system was the
object at which the wise man aimed and
obtained.-Peter Kniper in Barre Toen
Mems