Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-13

than to call your attention to the report
OF the attorney general and his sugges-
tons in regard to this.
| wish also to call special attention to
the recommendations he makes regarding
grand iuries. Both these suggestions are
very valuable and If followed would be a
move in the right direction There Is an
other matter which would be the means
of reducing expenses very materially In
the administration Of justice. and de-
sire TO call your attention to Il at this
timc. hoping that some action will be
taken to correct what | consider n ser-
GUS defect in our system. and one pro-
ductive of much expense both to tho
State and to parties In litigation. AS the
law now Is, and repeatedly announced by
tho Supreme Court. whenever that court
Is called upon to review the action Of the
county court. II the Supreme Court finds
any error, a case must be reversed and
new trial granted, unless the record AFR
matively shows that the error was harm
less. 1t seems to me the rule should be
that the Supreme Court should not re-
verse unless that court was Of the opin-
II
trial twere granted, the result would prob
ably no different. I do not believe It Is
right that n case should be reversed in
the Supreme Court and sent back for
new trial. simply because come slight er-
ror may have been discovered even though
that error could have had no hcaring on the
result of the trial It Is manifestly proper
that any case should be reversed where
an error Ia discovered which probably
would have had any effect on the result
! of the trial, but where such error could
have had no effect It seems to me mani
testify improper that such case should he
reversed; but as | understand the law Mt
tho present time 1t is obligatory on the
court to do so.
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS
This subject is the most important ono
which will come before YOU. because the
quality OF the education of the child de-
tcrmines the degree of intelligence. NOR
atty. and prosperity which Shall be on
| joyed by tho people of thi7 state. The
| last census showed that we had fallen
from our position Of fourth. MS regards;
| illlteracy, TO tho 2s,h place; a condition
very much to be regretted. 10 not. how
/
of the condition of orr schools. but is
rather. because so many foreigners have
come into our State to work in our fac
tories. mines and quarriea. whose fam
| llies have not had the cducation advan-
| tages that We have here. Under the pres
| Ont law it should be Impossible for any
| child of school age to be without an edu-
cation. and where such conditions exist
| II Is entirely tho fault Of those in atl-
| thority. II Is useless TO pass laws that do
not have public sanction and approval
| and that the authorities either will not or
, cannot enforce. 1t must, therefore, UNI
der the present law, be simply a matter
| OF enforcement In order that every child
! may have at least n good common school
education. But there is an important
I matter which confronts Ms and which We
should carefully consider. and that is tho
quality Of the educational ADVANTAGES
that are provided in the smaller districts
| throughout the State. What Is said in re-
| gard to this docs not apply to all such
districts. because In many cases those
having charge Of this matter are broad
minded men. having the desire to pro-
vide the lost +. ilities possible. on the
other hand, thcre are very large mum
| Der Of schools under the control of those
who seem 20 be simply trying to soc how
cheaply the schools can be managed. |,
does not seem with them to be a question
of quality but of cost: to my mind this
Is the most serious matter which con-
fronts us to-day. No one would expect
a carpenter who had never had any train
Ing or experience to do n fine job OF cabi.
net work. No one would expect a mar
| without experience in that line to be able
| to instruct others In bookkeeping. mel.
Their should we expect young girls. whc
| have had neither experience nor train
ing. to successfully teach the children If
our schools. The mind of the child is like
the delicate fllm Of the camera on whiCf
all Impressions received arc recorded aut
those impressions made during the schoo
age are such as Will follow through life
The training received during this periot
Is the foundation on which the future sue
cess or failure OF the child depends. II i,
exceedingly important therefore, thai
none but those who have had speca
training and are peculiarly fitted for thi.
work should be employed MS teachers ir
our schools t'nder no circumstance,
should immature girls who have received
practically no training for this work. be
employed 1t is because of the necessity
for trained teachers, that we have in tn,
past. and are at the present time pro
viding normal schools where such train
ing Is especially given. At present thi.
State maintains three normal schools
one at Cas,leton. one at John
, son, and one at Randolph Center
. These schools are under the super
vision OF the State board of education
consisting of the Governor as chairman
and the State superintendent OF educa
ton. as members ex-ofiico, and thrc,
members appointed by the Governor
This board has a general oversight o.
. the schools, and directs as TO the policy
to be pursued Previous to 1905 N,
normal schools had an appropriation O
, S.? 800 annually. II was found tina, thi,
amount was not sufficient to provide FL
, tho wants of the schools and the Lac
Legislature Increased the appropriate,
BY $500: this last amount to be divide,
between the schools as the State boar
! OF education thought wise. The repor
Of the board will show that much worl
I has been done in putting the buildings II
proper shape and the money SO cxpende,
has provided many necessary improve
, ments 1t also seemed wise to change tn
course of instruction and to provide
more efficient class of teachers Thes
changes have been made and In the futur
, the schools will offer n very high elias
of instruction and training The ap
, proximate membership is two hundre,
: one-half. the remainder being divided be
ND Pa 4