The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-10-17

accomplish this Charge and ultimate
design and end of an education"
Mr.. Stones comprehensive statement
of the argument for the town system
admits of no answer. Stolid denial
with out reason, or individual interest
and sellishness may buck their heads
against the solid reasons and concrete
facts arrayed in support of this system,
but the heads will be the only sufferers.
The town system has come to stay, and
the work for the legislature to do is to
consider means for its perfection-not
its repeal and the re-enactment of the
district system. School laws must be gen.
eral. General laws may work hardships
in individual cases. The law Of 1892 is
probably no exception to all general
laws-the tax law, or any other-in this
respect. Manifest faults and imper-
fections, working wrongs or hardships
that are remediable, will of course be
remedied. In the end it is not probable
that single individual will be wronged.
The benefits to all will be greatly en-
HANGED.
These benefits the superintendent
enumerates. He finds better teachers
in the schools, better adaptation of
teachers to the special requirements of
schools, and increased efficiency in the
10 1or in
crease in the number of towns holding
teachers meetings aud in the number
of official visits. These improved con-
ditions are set forth at length in the re-
port and present very satisfactory
showing for the first two years working
of the law. Better school-houses, bet
ter school supplies, and better manage
ment, are some of the fruits the new
system has borne. That these are not
imaginary the superintendent shows by
an ample exhibit of facts and details.
The measure of the merit of law or
system is often, unfortunately, its cost.
The great argument against the town
system has been that the cost of the
schools would be immensely increased.
1t was plain that more money ought to
be paid for schools in many districts,
not more money for schools of a similar
grade but of a far better grade. That
the cost of the schools in the aggregate,
under the town system of management,
would be increased was denied 1t
was maintained that better average
would be secured for the same aggre-
gate sum that the district schools were
costing. Concentration of manage.
ment would conduce to economy in eX-
penditure, and the same money cost
under the district system would
produce better results, both in quality
and length of schools. The figures
presented by Mr.. Stone sustain this
view of the matter of expense. He
says:
"The aggregate expense for the year end
ing March 81, 1893, was $758, 1857. 64; for the
year ending March 81, 1894, 1888, 805 40 but
the statistics for 1893 do not include amount
paid superintendent and committees,
while those for 1894 include such expense.
Also other discrepancies for the year 1893
render comparisons of little value. The aver
age length of schools for the past year was
81 90 weeks; for 1893, 1929; making 6,411.2
additional weeks of schooling given to the
children Of the state in 1894 by the town
system. The average cost per week in 1894
was only $780, in 1898, S1169."
Decided even on the low plane of
cost in dollars and cents, the advantage
is altogether on the side of the town
system, as its supporters argued it
would be. But, as Mr.. Stone says,
" barring all economical considera-
tons, there still remains that one Of
paramount importance, the duty of
educating the youth" A prudent
regard to cost must be observed, but
schools that shall give the young
such an education as the state owes its
future citizens must be provided, with
only such reasonable regard to cost as a
thrifty farmer, for example, observes in
buying moving machine or cows for
his dairy. If this standard is practiced
in school affairs, the children of Yer.
mont will be muniicently served.
On the subject of free text books,
graded schools, transportation, super
vision, etc., the superintendent writes
with the force and directness that are
the products of study and observation,
and of faithful and energetic perform
ance of the duties of his office.
An Imperative Public Duty.