Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-04-29
OUR RURAL SCHOOLS.
Methods for their Improvement.

Read at a meeting OF Wndhain County Pomona
Grange held in Bfutteboro April q, 1892
In 1890 there were enrolled in the public
schools of this state Gj. COS scholars between
the ages of five and Is years; 230j attended
academies, and $500 parochal schools.
OF the pupils in the public schools, 5,644,
OF nearly one-quarter of all, were in the AZ
graded schools. The average length of the
graded schools was 81 weeks and four days.
The average length of all the schools in
the state was only - weeks and one day.
OF the 2276 school districts, 117j with %,
G55 schOlars-about one-third of all-man-
tain schools of only "a weeks. In short,
it is substantially true that in 4d dis
tricts 15,G44 pupils were in schools of 81
weeks: in $50 districts 20,602 pupils were
i'm schools of 80 or more weeks; in 30 dis
tricts 5707 pupils were in schools of 20
and Is weeks: and in 1175 districts %,
800 pupils were in schools of only -
weeks.
The average taxes of schools of "a
weeks was 33 per cent and that of schools
of 80 or more weeks was 2S0 per cent.
1t is well known that these schools of -
weeks are the small rural schools.
The five per cent state school tax law,
passed by the last legislature, will change
considerably these figures, either to in
crease the length of the small schools or to
lessen the taxation for their support.
The Anomaly Of oar Present system.
4 history of the past often throws light
upon the present condition. BY it we are
certainly better prepared to observe ten
dencies and to estimate the value and du-
ration of existing systems. | believe it is
historically true that the school district has
never been trusted by our state as compe-
tent to educate its children.
The first constitution of Vermont, in
III, provided that school teachers should
be paid by the town. In ISL statute
was passed authorizing towns to levy tax
on lands for the purpose OF building
"schoolhouses and bridges In 1877 a
school law of nine sections was passed,
which provided that the inhabitants of a
town
shall keep and support school or schools for
the instruction of youth; that they could divide
the town into school districts: that the mhahlt-
ants of such towns shall appoint one rmore judi
Ciolis persons in each district who in conjunction
with i'm. sepctincn OF such town. shall be and
continue the trustees of the schools in such town.
till others or shall be appointed: and such
trustees or Il major part of them ana their sue
cessors in office shall have power to appoint and
remove school masters etc. and
such trustees shall keep regular and fair ac-
count of their doings. and render the same TO the
town by hon they are appointed as often as they
are required etc Tolman's Compilation. Vol i,
p. 1913; SHADES Compilation, $50
This statute remained in force until
November, 1927. 1t would seem to give
the towns nearly the entire control of the
schools.
In 1927 the law was changed, giving
more power to the school district: but at
the same time it was provided that the
towns should 'choose a committee, con-
sisting of three, five or seven persons, to
be STYLED the experimenting committee,
who shall have the general charge and SUI
perintendence of all the public schools in
said town" Members of the committee
were required to visit the schools, and no
one could teach without a certificate grant
ed by this committee. After a few years
the section relating to this committee was
repealed, and in 1915 provision was made
for town superintendent.
Today the superintendent of education
prepares the questions for examination of
teachers; the county examiner conducts
the examinations and grants the certiti-
Gates and the town superintendent has pow
er to dismiss any teacher who, in his judg-
ment, is incompetent. The town superin-
tendent also has power TO classify and
grade the pupils, and adopt necessary
measures for the regulation and improve
ment of the schools Neither school dis
trict nor parents have power to select text
books.
If a district fails to maintain a school,
the seectmen can declare the offices va
can't establish a school aud assess a tax
on the grand list of the district to defray
the expenses.
Compulsory school laws have been en-
acted and any one violating them may be
summoned before a town officer and fined
$50
In BOswelrs Life of DR.. Johnson
there is an amusing anecdOte of two Eng
lish lords, feeble with old age, meeting one
day when one, retaining some of his for
mer wit, said to the other You and /
have been dead for three years, but We
don't like to admit it,
A 5 one reviews the history of school leg
islation in this state and sees how the dis
trict has been stripped of nearly every
power, at first sight he is inclined to regard
it as in the condition of these old fellows,
Just ready to give up the ghost; and, in
deed, a closer inspection reveals the fact
that the district exists only as an obstruc-
ton across the pathway Of progress.
Would Not the Town system BE Better!
Let us examine this question from an
other point of view, and determine wheth-
err the existing conditions will not inevita-
bly, result in the town system, and whether
that system is not best for all parties in the
state.
The district has never been regarded as
financially able TO give the children a good
common school education. In 1910 an act
was passed compelling the selectmen ''to
assess a tax of one cent on the dollar on
the list of the polls and ratable estate of
the inhabitants of the towns for the pur-
pose OF schooling" The money was di-
vided among the districts according to the
number of children between the ages of
four and Is, on condition that the district
had supported a school for two months.
This town tax has been increased from
time to time,-in 1924 to two cents in
1927 to three cents; in 1912 to nine cents
and in 1888 to y cents.
The method of division was changed.
In 1889 one-fOurth, and in 1880 one-half
of this money was divided equally among
the districts, without regard to the number
of scholars or the grand list, and the re-
mainder on the attendance in schools. In
addition TO this, under the law of 1888, if a
district, in maintaining legal school of
not more than ~ weeks, eXpends more
than one-third of its grand list, it can re-
cover from the town one-half of such ex-
cess. And whatever a district lacks III ex-
pending one-tenth of its grand list and its
public moneys, the same is deducted from
its share in the next division. Sections
237 and 23s, School Law of 1888.
Allow me to state that one ought to be
1..rr Il L.,