The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-04-23
Letters from the People.



of the new school law, and force
wages down to lower standard than
now exists ? A few persons with
perverse opinions are clamorlng Tor
the "district fathers" to shire cheap,
but ere they heed these pernicious voN
and calculate "them's my
tew," may they act with
Judgment, and determine
whether it is best for Vcrmonts flu
turity to grant the supplications of
these solicitors or not. Before they
make their final decision we hope they
will consider the significance of fol-
lowing facts taken from the last issued
Compend um of the United States
Census: Teachers are paid a higher
rate of wages in Al states than what
they receive in Vermont. North Car
DINA and Alabama are the only states
in which teachers receive less pay
than they do in our state. No other
state in the Union of the same size,
contains as many white people Il
years of age that cannot write as is
found in either of these states. There
are u states which contain smaller
proportion of citizens white than can
not write than Vermont, every one of,
which pay their teachers higher wages
than teachers receive in Vermont.
Only % per cent. of the adult whites
in Montana are unable to write-.the
smallest ratio existing in any state in
the Union. Vermont contains three
times that number; and pays her
teachers only one-third as high wages
as Montana. Don't say because she
is a small state that Vermont has not
the wherewith to do with, for there
are % states which own less school
property than Vermont; don't plead
poverty, for there are so states which
have greater Indebtedness than ours !;
do not complain because we do not
receive more public aid, for there are
states which receive less(4 of the
number being the most literate states
in this country, and every one of
them pay their teachers higher wages
than teachers receive in Vermont.
These statistics speak an unmistak'
able language which any one can I'M
derstand. Not only do they indicate
that Vermont is able to pay higher
wages for teachers, but that il is ex-
pedient for her to do SO. They di-
vulge that teachers wages is the key
to literacy, and demonstrate this rev.
citation by showing that the states
paying the highest wages contain the
fewest illiterates, and that the states
paying the lowest wages have the
greatest number of citizens that can.
not write their names. The logic OF
this state of affairs is based on pas
sages in "holy writ" GAS We sow
so shall We also reap" If you pay
cheap wages, you will obtain poo
teachers if you hire poor teachers
you will support deficient schools; il
you maintain deficient schools, you
will raise up ignorant scholars an(
ignorant scholars will make illiteratt
citizens. Now what say you, viii
you pay reasonable wages for goot
teachers and place Vermont foremos
among the educational states, or cheal
wages for poor teachers and drag he
down to a level with the sold nortl
state p
But taxpayers say, eve are heayil,
taxed to support our schools alread,
without paying any higher wages t.
teachers. Truly, you are afflicted
but we think the following remedies
would restore your health: Accep
the money to be refunded by tin
government, as specified in the "Di
rect Tax Bill, and appropriate it t.
the use of the common schools. l
SO applied it would yield an annua
income almost as great as is now de
rived from the Huntington fund
Where there are only four Or fiv
scholars in a school, consolidate hal
a dozen districts into one, and the
you can pay double the wages t
teachers, and support first elias
school where the little ones woul
learn more, aside from their books
hearing the older scholars recite tina
all they now learn at the Zone hors
school, and save half the expense t
the taxpayers besides. Vacate til
nffioo of Town Guporintoudent, an
appoint Supervisor in each county
and he, aided by the school commit
tees, would be as beneficial, if nc
more SO, than the Superintendent no
is, and then you would have to pa
only IA school officers whereas yo
now pay 157. Send men to the Leg
islature who will not squander til
states money making appropriation
for bridges and h-hatcheries, bu
men, who instead of doing this an
erecting monuments for the dead, wi
lnstlgate statutes statues for the Ii,
ing.
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