Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-10-09

legislators went to Montpelier |
and in their determination to
make everything rigidly conform
to the new learning they deter
mined to destroy everything that
did not strictly conform to the
new system. A mans loyalty to-
the subject of education was tes-
ted by his absolute devotion to
the system, and if he did not con-
form in his views to certain theo-
ries he was regarded rs behind
the age, charged with being un-
progressive and excluded from
the society of the friends of edu-
cation" The first objects of
their furious zeal was incorpora-
ted school districts. But when
they got to Montpelier and the
matter was ventilated it turned
out that vast sums ofmoney had
been invested in those educa-
tional enterprises, to disturb
which would be attended with
so great pecuniary loss that
scarcely a man was left who had
any desire to carry on the icono-
elastic enterprise. And so these
districts stand as monuments OF
private benefaction, and the
money which would otherwise
have been taken from the cause
of education still remains devoted
to the uses and purposes con-
templated by generous benetac-
tors. Of course there are many
things which look queer. 1t
seems questionable that the
State should be appropiiating
money to institutions with which
the people could not see the rela'
ton which the State bore tc
them. A resolution was intro
duced into the legislature inquir
ing into the situation, and the
relation which the State Norma
Schools bore to the State. 1twa:
rejected by one branch o
: the legislature, but afterwards
adopted. And now a committee
f of investigation has reported
: The report SHOWS The State 10 b'
in an unbusiness like attitude
We are not inclined to differ from
: men who think that when tn
: State appropriates money l
7 ought to have some systemati
: control of it's expenditure. Thi
y all shows that legislative retorr
e should be directed understand
t ingly, and that economy doe
: not consist in a general and III
f discriminate reduction OF eN
e penses. The question is no
e alone whether the aggregate ex
S penses should be arbitrarily re
= duced, but how and where is tn
a public to get the greatest beneh
e from the money invested Th
State is not so wanting in fnar
D cial sagacity as to make it nee
t essary to make appropriation
:, and leave it to individuals to de
y termine how the money shall b
S expended. So if this is wrong
: and the situation certainly seem
to warrant careful inquiry
0 ought to be put on strict bus
: ness lines, and so should all tn
S details of our school system b
n carefully inquired into. No
e with the penurious motive sue
e gested simply by the fact tina
4 the education of our children
5 costing too much, but how ca
: it be made with more or equa
: efficiency less expensive? Every
e thing for economy, but not on
Y cent for reduction at the expens
of the cause.
e Dangerous The whole countr,
/. Legislation. is fighting agains
e private or individual designs
] they are so rife that sometime
/. they seem to threaten state G
e things that will engulf the coun
} try in disaster and perhaps ruin
This legislature like all other
t will be beset with them. Mel
e will seek the aid of legislatio,
with concealed motives, ant
r there never was time whet
: greater care should be exercised
: to prevent the subordination o
f legislation to enterprises which
are not strictly public. There il