Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-10-16
HOUSE BILL NO. 33 !
ABOLISHING GRADED SCHOOLS.

Introduced by Or. Weston of New
fame, but the Author Someone
outside the LeglsIature-A Meas
ure of confiscation, Etc.
One of the bills that appear to have es-
capped editorial comment throughout the
State, is No. 80, which reads as follows:
"An actabolishing Incorporated school
districts.
''Sec. l. All acts or parts of acts here
tofore passed by the General Assembly
Incorporating school districts in this
State are hereby repealed.
'Sec. 2. The school directors of any
town, in which are incorporated districts,
shall take possession of the school
houses and other property of said incor.
porated district. and shall conduct the
affairs of the district in the same man.
ner rs is now provided for unincopOrated
districts.
''Sec. 3. Any Indebtedness that shall
rest upon the district for the purchase or
repair of school houses or grounds shall
be paid by the town, all other indebted
ness shall be paid by the district, and
suitable tax, to liquidate the same, shall
be voted at the annual school meeting
| held next after the passage of this act.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect
April 1st, 1896" -
The schools that are proposed to be
effected by this bill, should it become
law, are the Graded schools of Vermont.
1t is now over thirty years since this sys
TEN began in our commonwealth, and
such schools exist in every considerable
town, and, in Bennington, two such
schools have been prosperously running
for years. Many of our Graded schools
have won much wider reputation than
within merely State lines, and now it is
proposed to abolish them in one breath,
and confiscate their property in the next.
The injustice contemplated can be seen
when the gifts to such schools are taken
into account-cabinets, museums, labra-
tories, etc., given by public spirited men
| to said schools, and for which there
would be little use if they are reduced to
''the same manner as is now provided
for unincorporated districts"
#x*
The Bennington Graded school has
been in existence nearly quarter of
century. 1t has National reputation,
and this bill would reduce such school
to the level of the town system as at
present instituted in Vermont. Confes-
sedly the present school law is an exper-
iment and the Executive recommends
amendments. Is it craftsmanship to
throw this established institution into
the vortex of readjustment of school
matters? Is it fair to do the same with
Brattleboro, st. Albans, Montpelier,
Brandon, Middlebury, and all the towns
where Graded schools exist? 1t may be
good Democratic politics but is in no
sense the probable action of Republicans
of the Green Mountain State, if they
know it.
We have asked of Maj. A. B. Valeu-
tine, statement of his views in this
matter, as it effects schools in Benning-
ton. We do this because he is one of a
very few survivors of the early Boards of
Trustees, was one of the incorporators
of our school and knows all about the
subject. Maj, Valentine gave his views
in opposition TO the bill as it now reads:
1st. Because the town gets $4,000 or
100000 worth of property without pay
ing one cent for it. The village of Ben
ningtOn paid $4,000, at least, for its
school building and appurtenances, and
manifestly it would be great injustice
to take this property and turn it over to
the town without the towns paying into
the village treasury the full amount ex-
pended, there being no indebtedness on
account of the school property.
2nd. The management of our Graded
school is unexceptionally good, each of
the seven wards is represented on the
Board of Trustees, who are the sole man
ayers of the schools, and have personal
and local pride In their success.
Sd. There is absolutely no call in this
town for any such radical arrangement
as is proposed by the bill; and why
should there be? for the doors of the
school are always open to scholars of the
town outside of the village, at tuition
very low-down to actual cost. No one
complains of it and everyone is satisfied.
Furthermore, the cost of running the
school is equal to fifty cents on the dol
lar of the Grand List; and the throwing
of the expenses of the school upon the
town, would increase the town tax at
least twenty-five cents on the dollar; and
why should outsiders be obliged to stand
this increased taxation without any re-
turn for it, as but very few, probably not
twenty scholars, would come to the school
outside of this village, and they, as be-
foresaid, can come at a very low tuition.
And here it is proposed to tax everyone
outside the village to support school to
which it is impracticable to send their
children. And when practicable they
can send their children at less cost to
themselves than the increased taxation
would amount to. Maj. Valentine states
his belief that if vote was taken in this
town, of the 900 voters outside of this
village, not 80 of them would vote to
have our Graded school supported by
town tax.
~
Bennington, moreover, is one of the
towns where there is no friction with the
town system. The town system here is
a complete success and there is no kick
ing because of it. With two Graded dis
tricts in town, the law of 1890 went into
effect without a struggle, and we do not
think anyone can be found who cares to
disturb the present settled order of
school matters. The legislature should
kill the bill. And we have no doubt but
what the "Wisdom and Virtue' will do
so at the first opportunity.
PEEn'S AppEA Tn pucINEcS