The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-03-03
GRADED DISTRICT
MIGHT WELL Be
ABOLISHED
State Now Offers Better Sys-
tenn Of School Control
WOULD SAVE $4,000 YEARLY
Would Also improve Rural Schools
and Give Equal Advantages to
All Parts Of the Town.
SAVE $4,000 YEARLY

For several years state legislation
for public schools has been progress
siye and consistent It's object has
been twofold, to improve the system
and to equalize the burden of taxat-
ion. The former is being attained by
the Capitalization OF control. the max.
ing OF education a state rather than
local matter; the latter is accom-
plished by the creation Of a large
permanent school fund, the income OF
which is distributed by various meth
DDS; and two special funds one of S45,-
600 and one of $4,000 the income of
which is given to those districts
which are raising a large local school
tax. The principle is that the state
helps those who help themselves. The
old district organization was replaced
by the town system though the yari-
GUS Incorporated districts were allow
ed to continue their organization or
TO surrender their charters and be.
come part OF the town district.
In order to encourage the superyis-
ion the state pays $1,000 of a superin-
tendent's salary in towns paying AT
least $3.50, and by another provision
pays one half OF all salary paid said
superintendent in excess OF $1,000, up
to the limit OF $500. That is a town
paying its superintendent $500 re
ceives from the state $1,000, but such
superintendent must have under his
charge at least twenty-five schools.
In order to do away with small,
poorly taught and improbable schools
the state encourages the Transports
lion of pupils and appropriates S20-
| 300 annually which Is divided among
those towns that transport pupils.
All towns are required to furnish
high school education and those towns
not maintaining a high school pay
tuition for their pupils In high schools
elsewhere. A portion Of this expense
is also borne By the state provided
The town raises a tax Of at least fifty
cents.
An eight cent tax is levied upon the
entire grand list of the state to aiC
in carrying out of these provisions
and other special appropriations ar,
made by the legislature.
The Incorporated district of Ben
ningtOn With the town district pays {
state school tax of $4,000 and draws
back from this and all other funds
less than one half that amount Tn,
village having only twentyone school!
does not form a supervision distric
and therefore does not draw the $780,
/ stsI ~
No pupils are transported by tn
town and as the town district tax Il
less than fifty cents they do not share
in the division OF the various specia
funds and appropriations II the Ben
nington incorporated District woult
vote to throw up its charter and be
come part of the toxin district the,
would have the necessary number o
schools for a supervision district ant
could maintain >the present higl
standard OF the village schools i'm
prove and grade the rural schools, OF
fer equal advantages to village ant
rural pupils. provide a graded system
and a high school course for all, an,
that by tax of only fifty cents on tn
grand list. The incorporated distric
would be required to pay OF its owl
debt which could be accomplished b
ten cent tax levied for four years
This statement is fact not guess
work The grand list, 1908, of tn
combined districts is 1901 A fit
cent tax less collection fees woul
net $2l ,6i4. The district would draN
from the state over $4,000, making Il
round numbers $4,000 for schoo
purposes an amount sufficient for pre-
gressive but economical administrat
ion of the schools.
Under the town system the school
are managed by three school direC
tors. The system is in force in tn
e town of Rockingham, which include
the villages of Bellows Falls and SAY
tons River in st. Johnsbury, st. A
) bans and other places in the stat
about the size of Bennington, and
has been uniformly successful an
satisfactory Fairness to both the Ia
payers and to the rural young peopl
demands this change of organization
b The state has established a mos
excellent school system and thos
who fail TO take advantage of its pre-
visions are standing in their ow
light and paying taxes to supper
good schools In other town that hav
life and are willing to progress. Tn
T saving to the taxpayers of $4,000 Wi
be a good thing in itself and especia
" when Il will also secure enlarge
advantages for rural pupils. Ber
nington county rural schools ar
among the poorest in the whole cour
try and the bennington town school
are not the best in the county. Abou
one third of the town pupils are give
the advantages of the village school
their tuition being paid by the tow
5 while the rest of the district has I
!. be content with the old distriC
{ school which fails to prepare pupil
I for high school, and thus many pupil
. are deprived of an education becaus
( unable to pay tuition for two or thre
D years In preparation for high schoo
{ II is time for Bennington to get int
n line