Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-10-26
THE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from the list pages

and wherever given. The bill was refused
a third reading by vote Of 0S to Ill.
Representatives hall was well filled this
evening, on the occasion OF the annual
meeting of the Vermont Historical society.
An address was delivered by Hon. II. o.
Houghton OF Cambridge, Mass, a native
Vermonter. An interesting feature of the
evening was the presentation to the society
of a portrait of Senator Morrill, by the
Montpelier artist, T. w. Wood, aud the
Senator'S remarks in connection with the
ceremony.
The Hearing on DIR. Wcston's Bill TO
Abolish incorporated Districts.
But if the hall of the house was filled
the senate chamber was damned by gath
ering of a different Characterize hearing
before the house and senate committees on
education on DR.. Weston's bill to abolish
incorporated school districts. Nearly all
of the districts were represented. Mr..
Hines of Brattleboro was the first speaker.
He outlined the history of the Brattleboro
district, stating that they had a school
property worth sis, 900, on which was a
debt of SOP ,000 They had last year 1876
pupils in their public schools, and expend-
ed for all purposes more than SPA, 000-an
average of $2l.G4 per pupil. Their rate of
taxation the past year was a. per cent.
For the town district the past year the fig
ures were, approximately: Cost of schools,
S264G; number of pupils 337; cost per pu-
pill, SIS5; rate of taxation, 10 per cent.
The incorporated district had been quite
heavily taxed for several years in reducing
the debt on its school property, aside from
current running expenses. The people of
the district felt that this property which
they had accumulated was in the nature of
a vested right, and that it would be wrong
in principle and unwise in every sense of
the term to give the management into 9TH
er hands.
Ex-Speaker Martin spoke of the bonded
debt of the Brattleboro district, stating
that it was funded for a term of years, and
could not be met as required under the
terms of the proposed bill. The people of
the district took great pride in their
schools, and there now existed sentiment
in favor of liberal education that the town
taken as a whole could not be expected to
maintain He feared, therefore, that the
standard would be lowered without any
compensating gain. He thought that with
few exceptions the people of the incorpor-
ated district, and the people of the town
district as well, desired that their present
relations continue. The doors of the in
corporated district were always open to
those outside at a rate of tuition much
lower than actual cost.
DR.. Weston agreed with all that had
been said about Brattleboro schools No
doubt that town was getting good results
from the present arrangement, but We
were legislating for greatest good to great
est number and all should be served alike.
What was good enough for Rockingham
and other large towns ought to do for
Brattleboro. Other districts which were
put into the town system had valuable
school property also, and it was not true
that they now ceased to reap the full use
and benefit of it. Brattleboro village con-
trOlled the town. and the same efficient
school board would doubtless continue to
manage school affairs. If this bill failed
to pass, this and future legislatures would
be flooded with requests to incorporate,
and where, he asked, the justice of refus-
ing while the present districts continued
Judge Read of Rockingham said that he
did not oppose or favor the bill, but stated
that under the town system the Rocking
ham schools had come to be as good as
could be found anywhere. The people of
the whole town had the benefit of the High
school, and consequently all were satisfied.
a large number of speeches representing
the different incorporated districts were
heard to the effect that the people of their
districts were satisfied, that the people in
the outlying districts were not making any
complaint, that their schools were doing a
work that made them a credit and an honor
to the state, and that the inevitable result
of the passage of this or any kindred bill
would be either to greatly lower the stand
ard of education in the incorporated dis
tricts or greatly increase the rate of taxa
tion in the now outlying districts.
4 Free Text Books Bill.
The house committee on education re-
ported today a substitute for the different
free-teXt-book bills which provides that the
school directors shall furnish at the ex-
pense of their respective towns all neces-
sary textbooks and appliances. The books
are to be loaned to the pupils, and parents
and guardians are to make good all cases
of loss, destruction and unnecessary in
jury Any parent or guardian refusing to
make good such loss shall have the amount
included in his next town, city or district
tax. Pupils already supplied with text
books are not to be supplied with similar
books till needed. The governor is to APP
point in January, 1895, and bienially there
after six persons who, with the state SUI
perintendent, shall constitute a board to
select books for the entire state and make
contracts therefor with publishers. The
textbooks selected are to continue in use
for five years from date of contract The
books in only two branches of study are to
be changed in any one year. 1t is under
stood that both senate and house commit
tees have agreed on this bill and it presum-
ably has good chance to be enacted.
The committee on military affairs, of
which DR.. Weston is house chairman, leave
tomorrow for Bennington on visit to the
Soldiers Home. 1t is said that fifty or
more of the members of the house will ac-
company them, and it is already talked that
both house and senate will adjourn from
Friday noon till Monday noon.
Peculiarly Sad.
1t is a peculiarly sad experience that has
come to Mr.. Fred A. Rowland the first as
sstant clerk of the house of 1892, and the
appointee to the same position for the
present session. On Sept. 26 he was mar
ried and left with his bride for short
ocean trip down the eastern coast, intend
ing to be back here at his post on the sec
ond week of the session. Returning as far
as Boston Mrs. Rowland had severe at
tack of pleurisy which developed into
pneumonia and resulted in her death last