St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-11-01

house in the afternoon, and there is
every indication now that it will 60
through without opposition. Mr..
Hazen is a firm believer in the educa-
tional advantages included in the
bill, and his views have been cordi-
ally endorsed by his associates in the
senate.
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
Gov. Woodbury. has made the fol-
lowing appointments, thesenate con-
frming them in executive session
Friday afternoon:
Chairman State Board Of Health
DIR. !. H. Hamilton of Richford.
Tax commissioner-D. J. Foster of
Burlington.
Supervisor of the Insane-Dr. c.
NJ. Ferrin of Essex.
Directors of the State Prison and
House of Correctional. D. Hazen Of
St. Johnsbury and M. o. Perkins of
Windsor.
Trustee of the Reform school-N.
W. Fisk of Isle La Motto.
Trustee of the Insane Asylum, Geo.
w. Wing of Montpelier.
THAT BILL TO ABOLISH INCORPO-
RATED SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
The hearing last Thursday even
ing, on the bill to abolish incor-
porated school districts, called out
large and interested audience. The
weight of argument was mainly one
way-and that against the BILL
Giving the 'anti-abolish" men
credit for being actuated by selfish
motives to some extent, it must be
admitted that the bill as introduced
is rather sweeping and, unless it is
modified by amendments supplying
something in place Of what is sought
to be swept away. it will not be re-
ported favorably by the committee.
Passed in its present shape, this bill
would undoubtedly make mischief in
certain localities, and, at this COM
paratively green stage of the town
system in Vermont, the legislature
will take no chances in this direction.
THE FREE TEXT BOOK BILL.
This important subject is handled
in substitute bill which was report
ed from the committee on education,
and came up Yesterday afternoon as
a special order, but was sent hack
to the committee for further treat
ment. One feature of this bill meets
with considerable opposition-name-
ly the provision for a central board
(the superintendent of education
and six others to be appointed by
+ I3o ~ + L,a
text books for all the schools of this
state. Objection is made to this
state uniformity in text books, as
books suitable for one locality might
not be wholly suited to the schools
of another section; and also on the
ground that such plan would open
up the way for big Job" to the
detriment of the states best interests
Effort will be made,
before the bill gets into the house
again, to do away with this and
provide for the operation of the law
by county or town boards-prefer-
ably the latter, because of the
smaller expense connected Herewith.
THE TOWN sYsTEM.-A CLOSE CALL.
The loneliness still existing in
some sections of the state on the
question of town system of schools
was made unpleasantly evident in the
house yesterday morning over the
report of the committee on the "local
option" bill. allowing towns to re-
turn to the old district system of
schools "by vote at any annual meet
ing" The bill is the product of Mr..
Comstock of South Burlington, and
may justly be looked upon as a de-
cidedly retrogressive measure. 1t
was ordered to third reading by
the close vote of 1O2 to 99-some
thirty or more members being alb
sent and not voting. The opponents
of the bill, who believe in the town
system, were taken by surprise, and
not word of debate was spoken in
connection with the vote. The third
reading of the bill was fixed for this
Five Caledonia members
voted in favor of this measure-name-
~, McLaren of Barnet, Packer of
Newark, Stevens of Walden, Wilson
of Lyndon and Works of Waterford
SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION.
The choice of this officer is to be
made this afternoon, and two other
candidates have been doing a little
work on their own behalf this week.
One OF them is Principal Williams of
Vermont Academy at Saxton's River;
the other is c. S. Davis of Benning-
ton, who tailed Of a re-appointment |
as county examiner two years ago |
and now seeks a bit of vindication. !
At present writing it seems certain
that neither of these gentlemen can
carry his own county delegation
and that NJ. S. Stone will be |
chosen this afternoon by a good ma
Iority. Caledonia county voted |
yesterday to support him unanimo GUS
". The ballot of the afternoon is |