Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1902-12-26
The School Laws.

The legislative work OF the session OF
1902 which attracted general attention,
and was really momentous in its rela-
tions and results was the passage OF the
license local option bill. More work was
attempted and probably more accom-
plished in the several lines of railroad
legislation, chartering new enterprises
and amending the school laws than any
other legislature in recent years can
show.
By an appropriation passed in 1900
the school laws were to- be issued in one
volume. The work was not Forthcoming
and it was thought best to make a slight
addition to the appropriation and in
clude the acts of 1902. Having in view
this publication the committee on edu-
cation undertook to revise and simplify
the laws relating to the division of pub
lie money and truancy and school at
tendance, on the basis of equalizing and
promoting school advantages. A small
appropriation was granted to the State
Teachers Association to enable that
helpful organization to secure the SER
vices of the ablest speakers and lecturers
at their meetings.
Provision was made for increased
clerical service in the Office of the Super
intendent of Education and for the dis
tribution among teachers and school
officials of circulars of educational
information, compiled by Superinten-
dent Ranger. The law relating to
holding institutes and educational meet
ings in different parts of the state was
amended so as to allow the State Super
intendent wider discretion in deciding
the length and expense of these meet
ings, according to the special needs of
each case, but no greater aggregate ex-
pense was allowed. The result will be
to promote the efficiency and widen the
educational influence of our industrious
and able Superintendent.
A bill of considerable local interest
empowers the state library commission
ers to donate books of the value of BOO
to the Free Public Library OF Guildhall
founded by Col. E. Z. Benton. Any
citizen of Essex county while attending
the county court may enjoy the privileges
of this library.
The sum of $4,000, less than one per
cent. of the state school tax, is set aside
for distribution among those towns
which raise the highest local tax for the
support of schools, the equalizing board
to consist of the State Superintendent
the State Treasurer and the County Elk.
aminer of Washington county. Several
large towns as well as small ones are
eligible to the provisions of this act.
Several amendments were made tC
Chapter 35, relating to teachers certifi
Gates, with the result of making con
ditions less exacting and inconvenien
to teachers Section 657 provides tina
certificate of the first grade or of tn
second grade, granted on examination
held by a teacher who is employed con
tinuously in the same school shall renal
in force during such continuous EN-
ployment.
The number of permits allowed i
any town during any school year is ii
creased from three to six, a change Q
doubtful propriety, which the Hous
tenaciously insisted on. 1t is also pre-
vided that a person who has received on
permit shall not be eligible to anothe
Senate bill 2O7, an act to provid
and equalize school advantages receive
the unanimous support of the joint con
mittee on education passed the Senat
without opposition but was held up
the House. 1t provided that: "Ever
child of school age shall receive reasol
able school advantages either in tt
town in which he resides or in SON
other town." The bill abolished Il
mile and half conveyance clause, lea
ing discretionary with the directo
whether they would board, convey, no
a local school or send the pupils out
town if more convenient. On negle
Or refusal of the directors, on an appe