Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-02-24

there VIII be 4 CONDITION OF ailalrS
unpleasant and Improbable.
The board Of directors must
consist of three or six directors.
In most cases three will be more
satisfactory than six. The direc-
tors are to be chosen at the
March meeting, three or six this
wear and one or two each sue
ceeding year, the term of office to
be three years, except for the
first set chosen. The board of
directors by the provision OF the
law shall haveCare OF the school
property of the town and the
management of it's schools, de
termine their number and their
loca lions, employ teachers and
fix their Compensations, examine
and allow claims arising in school
matters, draw orders on the
town treasury for the payment
of school bills, and shall, i'll gen
cral, have the powers, and per
form the duties heretofore devolv-
ing upon prudential committees
and clerks of school districts"
The law provides that the di-
rectors shall maintain, at the eX-
pense of the town, each year, for
twcnty-six weeks, a sufficient
number of schools for the in
struction of all the children who
may legally attend the school.
The schools must be held in such
places and at such times as will
best subserve tn interest of edu-
cation, and give all the scholars
of the town as nearly equal
school privileges as may beprac-
ticable.
The board may provide instruc-
ton i'll the higher English
branches in the graded schools
of the town; they may also re-
ceive from other towns on tui-
ton to any of their own schools
pupils from neighboring towns,
or they may send pupils to adj
joining districts in other towns
when it can be advantageously
done.
The board must report their
doings to the town, showing
their doings and their accounts.
The board must also appoint a
superintendent of schools, and
appoint a clerk of the board who
shall keep the records and per
form the duties now performed
in part, by district clerks.
The work of the board is SO
important that greatest care
should be had in the selection OF
its members. Men of educa,
tional capacity, men who have a
live interest in educational mat.
tiers, men who will promptly and
faithfully attend to the duties OF
the office. There should be nc
niggardly management, neither
should there be any lavish ex.
penditure of money. If impor
tant changes are to be made
they should be carefully consid
cred. 1t is best, probably, that
few sweeping changes be made
the first year, and that the
schools be run much the same in
general management as now
Wise directors can so manage
: affairs as to help sections o.
towns where their facilities have
been poor, and can give better
educational privileges, the towr
over, than are now possible.
Whatever may be the opinion
of some who are suspicious, OF
antagonistic to the new law
the change must be made anC
tried, and the state be under the
law for two years, and it will b.
unjust and Improbable to op
pose the law until it has had ;
fair chance to show its workings
1t is the duty of every man tt
give it his favor and his help un
til it proves itself to be eithe
better or worse than the ole
system. Meanwhile let the mat
ter of a board of school directors
be considered and thorough,
discussed, if need be, that no mis-
= take be made in the selection.