The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-02-29

the children in Readsboro. Sandgate
and Sunderland, and for portion of
the children in their own district, but
the rest of the district receives the
same advantages afforded a generation
ago.
The remedy proposed of building
more school houses so that the resi-
dents OF the Lyons" district may have
less advantages is a selfish though
quite human move. II will benefit no
one. 1t will not lessen the expense
nor lower the tax of the district, but
will only make more difficult any flu
ture move for centralized system.
The state law expects each child tobe
furnished both common school and
high school education. The present
district schools do not fit pupils for
high school as required by law. yet
the number of town pupils in higher
| grades Is continually increasing and
soon the number in high school will
increase thus increasing the expense
of the town district.
| There Is only one wise and progress
sive solution OF this problem and that
is the consolidation of the Bennington
graded school district with the town
district. This would prove a benefit
to both districts, would enable us to
draw $1,000 from the state for super
vision, would increase our share of
money from other funds, and probably
tax of fifty cents would give the
whole consolidated district the benefits
of a graded system. The rural schools
would mostly be primary schools,
the advanced pupils coming into the
village. ST. Johnsbury, and Bellows
Falls or the town of Rockingham have
had the town system for several
years. They each very nearly present
the same conditions as would exist
here If the above mentioned consoli
dation could be effected. They have
an attendance of about 1890 pupils
grand list $4,000, 30 schools annual
expense of about $4,000 which with
state aid is provided for. by tax OF
about so cents. II is reasonable to ex
pect that Bennington could do the
same. Transportation would be large
ly provided by trolley lines and the
state would return a liberal portion
The town district last year was credit
Gu Win SS,ot1 udy IA thN
nine districts and 9445 days in the in
corporated district of which 2295 days
were in high school and 1850 In the
grades. The 22674 days in the nine
district schools cost s3050. The 715(
days attendance in graded school cost
1857 90 and I'm high school S345, The
cost per days school per pupil In
graded system, tuition paid by town
was 1919 cents, while the cost in the
district schools was 1876 cents. Or
on basis of enrolment as follows:
There were. 221 different pupils en-
rolled in the nine districts and 20 In
the incorporated which shows as cost
per pupil Of $3.50 in the districts and
$1224 for those whose tuition was
paid. The 22l town pupils do not at
tend school regularly as the average
attendance in the 9 schools in only 125
or IA to the school and that for 36
weeks of school. The average atten.
dance of town tuition graded pupils
in the Incorporated district is SO.
That is 1t costs the town district
s24.45 for pupil based on average at
tendance for pupils in district schools
SO weeks and $3.50 for tuition pupils
for 80 weeks. If the town district
would enforce the compulsory atten'
dance law 1t would require two school
houses to accommodate the pupils
lnow attending the graded school
The teachers wages at the present 81
a week would amount to owe r $500
which with fuel and supplies would al
least equal the present expense. Will
not the farmer apply business princi
pies to his schools? Would he hest
tate to pay fifty cents for good seed
that would give him crop although
he could get for thirty-five cents seed
that would give him half crop. II
is time for the Bennington rural dis
trict to give its children the education
that is their due.