Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-10-13
VhLEDlCTORY MESSAGE


VALEDlCTORY MESSAGE
Delivered by GOV. raGc Before tho state
Legislnturo IN Joint assembly.
Gentlemen Of tie Senate and House of
Representatives.:
! The constitution of our State hos wisely
made it the duty of the governor to prepare
and lay before you such matters as seem 10
! him 20 demand your consideration.
Whether the retiring governor should so
! far trcspass upon the prerogntives OF the
! govern or-elect to attempt TO mark out
| your course OF action, ia n dobatnble ques-
! ton. The administration of public affairs
/ for the next biennial period, il his admins
| tration; its success or failure its popularity
/ or uurouularitv depends in no small degree
| upon his advice and his recommendations
| Prior 90 1875 retiring messages in Yer
mont were not common. but, inaugurated
! 10y Governor Fairbanks and continued by
! Governor Proctor ond his worthy successors
| the custom has come to he honored to such
! an extent that ! do not feel that | may
properly depart from it. But in what
! have to say, | shall coniinc myself to few
Of the more important matters suggested by
events trauspiring during the two years OF
my administration.
Tho governor elect has during tho past
month, mnde the examination OF our sever
nj state institutions his special work, and
1 viii make such suggestions with reference
thereto ~ be deems advisable, ind deem
! it only sn act Of courtesy to him to omit
any recommendations concerning these in
stituticns' You Will have before you the
reports Of the heads of the several depart
ments, which, with such special recon-
mondntions ms the incoming governor may
offer, will serve TO guide you in such legis-
lative action rs you viii be called upon TO
take.
1t is however | ~ Just TO the officials with
whom | have been associated during tho
past two years, to say in passing, that our
relations have always been the pleasautest,
and l recall no single instance Of remlssness
or dorciictou in duty. II anything has
CURED in any department which in any way
reflects discredIt upon the State, it has not
come 10 my notice
An examination OF the various official re-
ports will show, | believe that with hardly
any exception the different institutions of
the State have been conducted upon basis
of reduced expenditure and that, too, with
out in the slightest dagree impairing the elf
cheney OF the service.
EDUCATION.
Tho school law of 1880 was the result of a
| compromise between widely differing fac
tons which, during the last moments Of the
session brought forth piece of patchwork
so ambiguous that felt compelled to call
upon tie Supreme Court to say what the
Legislature did and did nor design TO enact.
Y GU will doubtless be called upon to rectifY
| such OF its provisions two years expert
ence has demonstrated to be unwise, unless
as some Of the best educators Of our State
insist should be doue, you conclude to start
from the bottom and build a new system
based upon the idea fast being adopted by
our sister States, that the only true plan is
that predicated upon town rather than dis
trict supervision.
The general trend OF thought in oil ad-
vRnced educational work scans to favor the
town system OF schools, and believe that the
time is not far distant when it will be adopt
ed in Vermont Although involving q
greater outlay, it certainly means botter
teachers and better schools
] especially urge that this ia the most i'm
portant of all topics which will come before
You tor consideration. Early in the session
it should be placed in the hands Of commit
tees made up of the ablost and strongest of
your respective bodies, TO the end that nasty
Legislation thereon be avoided and the best
possible results reached With q foreign
element pouring ia upon Us at the rate Of
800 600 per year the safety OF our institu-
tions Will be endangered unless that element
can be as5imiated. Patriotic mon every
whore are looking upon this great sab iect
with alarm. This heterogeneous mass can
only te made Homogeneous by education aud
uliess We are willing to make great sacri-
fees in order that the second generation
moy by education become imbueJ with the
spirit OF republican institutions tho time Is
not far distant when we shall be compelled
either to maintain standing army to sup
press anarchy or to close cur doors to the
emigrantS OF the world.
You will have before you the report of
the superintendent Of education. it con
taius the results Of the experience not only
Of the SUPERINTENDENT himself, but also OF
'he county supervisors Of the State.
DEAF AND DUMB, BLIND A>p FEEBLE MIND
ED.
l. uder the laws of our State the governor
is made commissioner OF the deaf and dumb
the blind and the feeble mined. The an
tropriations for these Lonehciaries is 81 / .
90 annually and although every appiica-
ton in Jehol: Of deserving cLilIren has been
granted the total annual expense come,
within $4,000
The expenses fer beneiiciarios of this elias.
for the last biennial period has been as FOL
lows:
American asylum for tho
doat and dumb, Hartford,
s''ool year I-g9 to 1871,
5 tlo ou yeer ISL ", pupils. iii5100..o0
Cura institution FOR deaf -'0''''
uute-. northampton. Mass.
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