The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-02-13
An Illustrative Instance.

The Grut,u Times ply. Mason S.
Stone glowing trI ute on the occasion
Of bis recent aop)iu lent in the Pnilip-
pines. NJ S our', selection for the
impor aut pest in the educational ad-
ministraton Of tbs islands as beeh
the subject of fav 'rab CO nmrnt in yhe
Sta'e generillN.
All that mas bseu SAID Of Mr.. Stone
in this connection IS true, an in this
fact, for Verm mt, lies tn regret, the
misfortune, that h. il 40 n % "join the
innumerable caravan" of Vermonters
who have left the S ,te Tor their own
good anl for the welfare OF the States
or countries which have moved them
to expatriltiun There was no room
in Vermont Tor Mr.. Stone. The State
had no use tor this man whose services
were sought in dozen different States
and for whose ability and energy, in
the prime of young and vigorous
manhood, the new possessions of the
United States have made requisition.
So has it been With hundreds and thou
sands of other young men Of Vermont
in other departments of activity.
For eight years Mr.. Stone bucked
against the reactionary and unprogres-
sive spirit of his State in school admins
tration. The Legislature, at the last
session, again threw down, with some
thing like slam, the one proposition
that is needed to give efficiency to in
struction in the rural schools of the
State-in the schools outside the cities
and villages, and the graded school
districts, those corporations that have
arisen in some parts Of the State to
nullify the town system of school sup
port and management.
Mr.. Stone had biennially urged upon
the Legislature, with great force and
clearness, the need of better schoo
supervision, and the wisdom and expe.
diency of legislation to permit and en-
courage contiguous towns TO combine
to engage and support school super
intendent, professional and an expert
in this labor that is the foundation OIL
success in public instruction as well a'
in any other occupation or business
Individually towns could not assume
this expense; collectively they might
and if necessary the State could, anC
ought to, contribute some part of the
State school tax to the support of suct
an officer. But there has been the
same prejudice, the same inertia, il
respect Of this reform in school admin
istration that so long existed-and still
exists in many towns-against The
town system of school support. Tha
system was long fought with the yea
and desperation of fanaticism. 1T
enemies were, however, finally caugh
in flank movement in 1888, in the en-
actment of county system of super
vision, under which they writhed fol
four years, and in 1892 humbly accept
ed the town system as a means of re
lief. But biennially bills in some form
open or more or less ingeniously dis
guised, are introduced in the House o.
Representatives for the repeal of the
town system and to revive the district
system.
So has it been, and so probably will
it continue to be for an indefinite time
into the future, in the matter of COM
bining towns for skilled and efficient
school supervision, the only means Of
securing the help the young and mex
perienced teachers-not to mention
those who are old and incompetent
need for the successful performance Of
their duties.
There is work enough for Mr.. Stone
at home, but the State has no use anC
little encouragement for him, or mer
like him. The Philippines want the
college educated or normal graduates
for teachers; Vermont takes almos
anything, and is constantly kicking
down the bars, or striving to kick then
lower, that maintain even the existing
low standard of qualifications to teach