The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-02
rHE GRADED SCHOOL MEETING
rHE RIGHT PuEYlILs,
LivIngston's Sympathies are Fatal az
Hfa TOueh IL n.ah

HIS Touch IL ID a Ia.
The scurri GUS persOL al campaign wage
by the Re'Ormer against the superintel
dent and faculty of our Graded schoo
eliminated in its defeat Tuesday afte
ulHu. Tic sy.u0ls Of Bennington vi
lag5 nave been source of cOmmendabI
pride to its people for the past twent
years. During quite u portion of thu
period it was the constant struggle of
petnlant minority, under several Leaders
to either prevent the schools from becon
established; or, established, to be MAJ
aged by those who had the best in tel
ests of the community at heart.
There was opposition. to the establish
ment of a Graded school in the first il
stance. Then the non-erection of sui
able building became the shibboleth O
the so-called refOrmers, leading to man
contested school meetings in which tn
better elements of this community wer
victorious.
Sometimes these school meeting con
tests were won for the right by marrow
majorities-a contingent with leader a
its head like those of Tuesday,, march
ing into School Hall bodily to rote. an,
as soon as it was known that right pre-
vailed these parties marched out of til,
Hall again, showing that all the interes
they had in schools consisted in votin.
their masters dictatiOn. This was con
tinued for years, upon various issue!
down to within very recent date.
The first issue Tuesday was tried wher
the self-constituted leader of malcon
tents, Livingston, attempted to reduce
taxation from 90 to Is cents. The trus
tees report in another place tells our
readers what would have been the ineyi
table result of such a vote. The peopl,
looked at this matter in the light expect.
ed and promptly voted so cents when il
became known that 45 cents was toe
small sum, Thus the possibility of
the Board of Trustees as to
finances failed, although there were ar.
guments offered to show that they might
squeeze through with the proposed A
cents.
When it came to vote the Reformey
party had ticket in which Livingston
was candidate for trustee i'm the Sec
Ond Ward and Chas. CoOper's name was
used in the Fourth Ward. And this in
the face of Colonel Abbott's nomination
the evening previously bya caucus called
by Livingston and participated in by
sad RefOrmer editor This act of bad
faith was justly re6uked by the ballot
which stood as follows: Vote for Col.
l.. f. Abbott l24, for Charles Cooper 80.
The vote in the Second Ward was de-
clared Chas. G.. Cole, lis; j. II. Liv-
ings, 30. The remainder of the officers
elected were: Hon. John V. Carney,
II. 7. Cushman. I'd, clerk :
George F. Graves, treasurer; James b.
collector; c. IL. Mason, C. II.
Dewey, Col. DIN Scott, auditors. The
tax was voted to be paid to the treasurer
and tax bill to be in his hands July LIST.
The sum of S75 was voted as compensa-
tion TO L. 4. Rawson, Clerk of Board of
Trustees the past year.
Although we have always disagreed
with the principles of the revolutionary
party of last year, nevertheless we have
no doubt but that large majority of
the party acted cOnsciensciously and in
accordance with their sense of duty undo I
the circumstances; and it is certain that
the party embraced very many of the
most reputable citizens and school men
in the district. In fair fight at the
polls last years they prevailed by ma
Jority of nearly three to one; and there
the matter rested until the approach of
this annual meeting.
From the formation of this party, Liv-
ingston of the RetOymcr has been alto.
gether too conspicuous to plelse the
school men and reputable citizens of that
parry; and as the school meeting drew
nigh lie thought lie saw an opportunity
to reek a little personal spite upon one
who does not cater to him or to his ideas
and at the same time win little political
osiCe-a cOnsummation which he has
devOutly wished of late.
With this view Livingston published a
most disgracefula article in the last week 5
issue of the RejOrmer, making statements
at random, with reference to Supt. Davis
and the Graded schools, and barren OF
truth as Livingston's mind is of honor
He mace personal canvass of the dis.
triCt; he begged some TO vote for him;
he attempted to revive every feeling OF
malice and hatred that had been en-
gendered in the last yearS's controversy
Ho 0ouSht to oIUuSU all JlIu UliVuUs and
factions that entered into the old Weld
party; he strOve to fan into a flame
those old preiudices that had grown on
of school issues long since dead-but il
vain-the school men and the decency
LOVING citizens regarded him as an i'm
poster and shrunk from his lead, rshiI
rs from the spectre of death. Citizens
who had worked for twenty years t.
build up the school would not be guilty
of following so vile leader or endorsing
his low, base, cowardly methods. land the
handsome majority of nearly three to one
of last year was reduced to tho
minority of Tuesday: and such +;
minority-men whose life principles
IRE revenge and malice, men com
mitted to the policy of rule o.
ruin, the headsore, the disappointed, thu
illiterate-in short the following of Jim
Livingston.
Now that the election is over, what arr
the lessons of the future? They are sim
pie and easy. In electing trustees let III
not choose men distinguished for thei
prejudices, double dealing, or from per
SOndl motives; or from the fact that the,
are committed to some policy, perhaps
narrow and circumscribed. Let us rathe
choose men of fair and equitable minds
men who can hear facts and determin,
issues; above all, let us have men VIII,
have the best interests of our publ
school at heart, first, last and all between