Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-10-11
VERMONT SCHOOLS.
biennial Report of state Superintendent
of Education stone.


Montpelier, Oct. THE biennial .'e-
port of state Superintendent NJ. 8.
stone has been made public. 1t con-
tains much valuable information and
recommends. some extensive changes
in the school system and laws. Ex-
ccrpts of the report follow:
WASTE or SCHOOL MONEYS.
Every Industrial corporation or bus
mess enterprise expects to realize as
large dividends as possible from invested
capital. To insure expectations. skilled
labor Is employed, material Is purchased
at lowest cost, machinery is kept in most
serviceable condition. and waste is re-
duced to a minimum. That same saga
city, economy and oversight that charac-
terize the successful administration Of a
business concern are nec,led also in the
administrators, of local school affairs.
Nevertheless, the same successful bus
mess methods cannot be employed until
some notifications OF the present system
OF local supervision is made. Skilled over
sight In school matters is as much need
ed as in manufacturing and until over
sight Is introduced, the present ussne-
cessary waste In local administration of
schools must continue. The most marked
forms of waste as follows:
Incompetent Teachers. The most glar-
ing waste in our public school adminis-
tration Is the employment of unframed.
unshlled and inexperienced teachers, and
leaving them without competent over
sight and direction.
Two irresistible forces have been oporat-
ing against the efficiency of the rural
schools, one on the part OF school ofl-
cials, the other on the part OF teachers.
Unless some relief is afforded 500, many
of these schools will hecome comparati-
vely worthless. It is noticeable that the
remote rural schools are becoming moro
and more Disseminated against in the
employment of teachers and are becom-
ing more ard more incompetent on ac-
count of this discrimination. Although
school boards feel that justice docs not
demand high priced and highly trained
teachers in the small rural schools, on
account OF the excessive cost pcr pupil
nevertheless the greatest Discrimination
is on the part of the teachers
II Is discrimination that can
not he remeded by argument or by
Legislative enactment; it is natural. It is
justihable. it Is productive of the pre-
sent conditions. Skilled teachers decline
employment in the rural schools for the
following reasons:
REASON FOR CLOSING SMALL
SCHOOLS.
There is only reason for the closing OF
the small school, the unprofta beness Of
its maintenance. Society is the chief
beneficiary Of education. and the child is
schooled IN order that he may contribute
as much possible to the reciprocal
good of society and himself. The average
child in the ordinary small school is not
accommodating that knowledge and acQuir-
ing those habits that At him to his
highest capacity for service to himself
and society, and. furthermore. he will
find himself seriously embarra ssed in
his competition in life with those who
have received better advantages ard
training
ADVANTAGES OF CONSOLIDATION.
Industrial Science. In one respect the
public schools OF Vermont are lamenta
bly, lacking; namely, the acquaintance
on the part of the child with his environ
ments. The great majority OF the child
rem in Inc rural schools will continue in
rural life. Therefore, is it not reasona-
BILE to direct the work OF the school room
somewhat to this end? A casual examina-
ton OF present day school books and an
observation of the work Of the school
room. especially of the high schools, snust
lead to the conclusion mat the public
schools of Vermont do not aim toward
the chief occupation Of the people of the
State and the States chief Industrial in
tercst. 1t may seem an arrangement of
the public schools to say that they alien
ate from agricultural pursuits, but it is
an hypothesis worthy of consideratios,
To correct the present fault something
needs to be done. II is difficult to pres
cribe a specific; but probably no subject
can he introduced into the public school
curriculum that will so speedily remedy
existing defects and so vitalize and unity
school ought to be instructed in the agri
cultural conditions, processes and Or
ganizations of the community and State
in which they live, they should be taught
the selection and care, the feeling
and breeding of stock. they should know
the kinds and adaptabilities and treat
men.s OF soils. they should be informed
concerning the rotation, care and market
ing of crops; they ought TO be skilled in
the handling, care ard repair of machiu-
cry; and they should study the adapta-
tion OF means to successful ends. II is
far more profitable that a child study
the agricultural conditions and products
of his own town than to learn from text
books what is raised in Patagonia; it is
better that he should know the compost
ton of the rocks and soils along the
wayside to school. than to acquire useless
facts OF history. it is more practical for
him TO reckon the cost of fencing or
filling a home field. OF calculating the
profit of the dairy or sugar orchard OF
estimating what the value OF young
timber tract will be twenty years hence
or the cost OF rearing a calf or colt, than
TO figure out the dry irrelevant problems
the whole range of common school sub
5ects can easily be arranged ard correlat-
ed with elementary agriculture as q
body. and thus new life and interest will
be infused into everyday school occupa-
tior The scope of Industrial instruction
should extend to the housing, clothing
and feeding of a family, to marketing
surplus animal and vegetable products
and to co-operatioD In the purchase of
supplies and labor, and to the business
administration of farm. Here is n
large and useful field for observation
and study ou the part OF the pupils, but
the text of nature has been practi-
cally closed for the reason that our
teachers have been ignorant Of the sub
ject, have found it easier to hear lessons
Loo,