The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-12-15
FIGHTING FOR LIVES.
vermont's Three Normal Schools Attack
Central School Proposition.

At hearing given on the bin to
provide for a central normal school for
Vermont, held last night in Represent.
atiyes hall, the friends Of the present
normal school were largely in evidence,
Former Observation-Disclosures G, II.
Stearns Of johnson johnson has nor.
NAL SCHOOL, was one Of those most ac-
tive in the discussion
Mr. Stearns opposed the bill on the
grounds that the amount Of the APP
preparation would not provide such a
school as the state needed He did not
think that the class of girls that would
attend a normal school located at Bur
lington or Rutland would remain in the
state to teach. The present normals
furnished training for girls who could
not afford to attend a school located in
a larger place.
lie showed that the johnson school
had in lYe-year period graduated near
III as many al the school at Plymouth.
NJ H., which cost sl65. 600 In one Of
the years the Plymouth school had a
large increase in graduates and be found
out this was due to the fact that a
new superintendent Of education was
elected in New Hampshire that year
who worked in harmony with the prin.
cipals Of the normal schools. He
thought this might possibly apply to
this state.
He understood that this was an ad.
ministration measure and from the eX-
perience he had had with other admin
istration measures there was no telling
how quickly or what means would be
used TO pass it. He thought it was
important enough so time should be tax
en- for its consideration. A committee
had been appointed to visit the school
at johnson but had not done SO and he
had been told il was the intention to
report the bill in the morning and rail-
road it through lie hoped this would
not be done until the committee had
made It's report.
G. II. Merrill, principal OF the Ram
dolph normal school, opposed the bill.
He did not like the idea Of establishing
central school to kill off the other
three schools He said the state had
no normal school policy and never had
had an educational policy.
Mr. Morrill, whose remarks were quite
extended, was followed by Principal AL
len Of the Johnson school. He explained
conditions at that school and told of
the large amount of money expended at
johnson by the town TO make the school
better on strength of the legislation
passed two years ago.
Principal Leavenworth of the Castle,
ton normal school told the committee
that the state had not expended one
penny upon the plant mp to this year.
This year the board Of education had
expended a little over 81 800 for repairs.
For this the state had had the use of
the plant for AZ years without expense.
The amount asked for in the bill, $685.
600, would not replace the plant at Cas-
Teton.
Mr.. Davis Of Island Pond, who rep
resented Brighton two years ago, said
that legislature had a bill to appropriate
Sl25000 for a normal school They
thought there was Niger in the wood
pile and searched until they found him.
That legislature thought the state was
under obligations to maintain the pres
ent schools until 1910 and he was of
the opinion that this legislature would
find IL less expensive and more adyan-
tageous to spend The money on the pres
ent schools necessary to put them where
they ought 10 be,
As will be noted, the discussion was
very one-sided last night, only the OPP
ponents Of the proposed. central school
being much in evidence.