Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-03-24
VERMONT'S SCHOOL LAWS.
In Relation to Advanced Town Scholars
and Their Tuition.

In Relation to Advanced Town Scholars
and Their Tuition.
Judge II. II. Wheeler of Brattleboro
has contributed an interesting discussion
of school question to the Phoenix as
fallows:
There seems to be some misappre-
hension about advanced town scholars
and their tuition. By section 6S3 of
Vermont statutes common schools are to
be provided at which "all pupils shall
be thoroughly instructed in good be-
havior, reading, writing, spelling,
English grammar, geography. arith-
metic, free. hand drawing, the history
and constitution of the United States,
and in elementary physiology and
hygiene with special reference to the
effect of alcoholic drinks and narcotics
on the human system, and shall receive
special instruction in the geography,
history. constitution and principles of
the government of Vermont" No
authority is given for providing for this
instruction in any other schools, except
that by section ESQ 'as amended by No.
% of the acts of the last legislature. "a
in an adjoining town. who can evidently
be better accommodated in such school
may demand the privileges of said
school," etc. This refers to adjoining
towns. and not to adjoining districts,
By section 6S1 the directors are required
"to provide for the instruction of pupils
in the higher branches of English in the
graded schools of the town district
NAV establish schools for teaching these
branches, and when there are no such
schools they are required to provide for
teaching them in the high schools, acad-
emies or semnaries of the town, or If
none, may do so in an adjoining town.
And by section 700 every town may, and
any town containing 2500 inhabitants is
required, to maintain high school for
instruction in "English literature, high
er mathematics, the sciences, political
economy, civil government. general
history and rhetoric, and may give in
struction in Latin and Greek languages,
and other advanced studies,' and by Sec
ton 702 town having an Incorporated
graded school or academy "shall secure
the instruction in said high school or
academy of all scholars resident in the
town district whose proficiency will per-
nit thereof, If they shall desire such in
struction," etc.
This town contains 2500 inhabitants
and has in 1t an incorporated graded
school, and has in the town district an
incorporated academy at which these
branches are taught. Here are no pro-
| tn, II,
school branches anywhere but IN the
common schools: the provision for in
struction elsewhere is for such instruc
tion in the higher branches mentioned
The examinations are had for the pur-
pose of ascertaining whether the common
school branches have been learned
sufficiently to warrant proceeding to
the higher branches and passing the eX-
aminations warrant providing for in
struction in the higher branches only at
the expense of the town district.
By section 673 before, and as amended
by section "a of the acts of the last
session. the directors have always had
authority to designate what school
scholars shall attend, but they have
never had authority to send scholars tC
any but the common schools for in
struction in common school branches.
Whether the law allows providing fol
advanced scholars out of the town dis
trict, when there is an Incorporated acad-
emy within it, is not entirely clear. If il
does the best interests of all require that
substantially all should be provided for
there to keep it up. If it should fail q
high school In the town district woulC
be required, and, if had no advanced
scholar could be provided for elsewhere