The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-10-30
THE PUBLlo soHooLs.

The Messenger refers to a communica-
ton on the textbook question and the
town system of schools and then saws
editorially: The argument of our
correspondent in favor of free text
books, it will be seen, is based prin-
cipally upon the desirability of
uniformity Everybody will agree with
him IN this, and this the school law now
in force secures. The matter is no
debatable, aud will not be for five wears
to come. 't
We can understand what "An Old
Teacher says when he refers to the
long continuance of the same text book
In use, having belonged to large
family where the same arithmetic, gram
mar, speller and reading books princi-
pally, etc., were successfully used by the
brothers and sisters, one after another,
till they were worn. ont sone after
another. Such was the custom But
we would not advocate the policy now.
An occasional change is desirable in
school books to make them attractive.
A little novelty serves to increase the
attention given to books, and may
be wisely INDUCED in to certain extent.
When books are replenished new
publications may be selected Just as
well.
To provide our schools with free text
books would require tax of hundreds
of thousands of dollars the first round.
and it would make little difference how
the burden was laid, whether upon the
State directly or upon the people by
local taxation. The books when so
furnished would belong to nobody in
particular. The child should be early
taught to have something of his own
and how to care for it. And this
may as well begin with school books as
in anything else. This as a principle
will hold good all through life, and
the sooner it is accepted and acted upon
the better.
AS regards the town system of schools
we agree with our correspondent. But
after years of legislative effort the State
had come no nearer its accomplishment
than at the beginning. Under that
system the school burdens in every town
would be equalized, but '.local option"
could not succeed in the premises. No
higher realization could be expected in
that direction when left to the people
to decide. Would our correspondent
have the legislature enforce the plan by
positive enactment? The further solu-
ton of the question had come to this
point. And the free textbook problem
has hinged upon the same issue.
Whenever the free text book scheme
succeeds, though it should be thought
advisable, the town system must first
lead the way.
1t is is not a question of the town
system or of free text books now, but of
sustaining the plan we have finally
adopted. The present law was enacted
as the result of much investigation of
lon ..f..
gent study. The defects of our old
system were very generally admitted.
The Legislature of 1886 set about
reformation, and a bill introduced by
Hon. Charles p. Marsh of Woodstock to
appoint a special commission of educa-
tors to find out better method became
law. The gentleman ON the commits
sion were Judge Munson of Manchester,
President Brainerd of Middlebury col
lege and President LandOn of the Bur-
llingtOn high school. This committee,
after nearly two years of deliberation,
presented the bill substantially as
enacted by the Legislature of 1888.
Few measures ever adopted by the State
have been more carefully prepared.
The law as whole, as enacted, is among
the very best possible of adaptation to
our condition. 1t has been in operation
but about one year at best, too short a
time for anything like fair trial.
The question arises as to whether
what has been done is to be thrown up
in a hurry and a relapse be invite. This
would be the evidence of a lack of
stability not characteristic of the State.
Such a turning upon our heels is not to
be expected. The State having once
started on the march of school improve
ment should push on, at least it should
give the present law a fair trial. This
it has not had, and this could not have
been expected for the few months of its
existence. Wherever minor defects
have been discovered, they may be re-
paired, but there should be no disposition
to change the law at this early date. We
look upon our legislators as stalwart
men, capable of holding fast what has
been gained. If our school system is to
push ahead and become an honor to the
State, the Legislature has a response
bility upon its shoulders not to bC
!, shaken off so easily. Give the law pre-.
pared with 50 much care II fair trial. The
worst is over.