Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-15
NORMAL SCHOOL
FRIENDS HEARD
Opponents of a Central Institu.
tion before Legislative Com
mittee-Stone Qu,izzed.

Schooi, or In other words tho friends of
me present normal schools. had their
inning this evening when the committee
on appropriations gave a hearing on the
Dill Inc nearing was held in Represen-
'a'lNes' hall and attracted largo
audience. The hearing lasted until 1890
CLOCK ana not voice was raised IN
FAVOR OF the bill. State Super,ntendent
stone had few questions fired ut him
| mat gave him n few anxious minutes
and the speakers gave the committee
many facts tending TO show that the
present schools were doing good work
/ and should not he abolished
Senator Clark said that he thought the
| logical way to proceed would be for the
advocates of the measure to present their
views first.
Mr.. Dartt of Springfield. chairman of
the committee on state schools which in
/ troduced the bill said the bill explained
! Itself.
! c. II. stearns OF johnson asked Mr.
Dart If the bill contemplated one school
or another school to take the place of
the one at Randolph.
| Mr. Dart said that he thought only one
school was contemplated.
Mi Stearns said that he and others
had been told by the State superintendent
that this bill was not intended to inter
fere In any way with the present schools
! He was surprised that Superintendent
Stone was not present when matter #
such educational Importance was under
! consideration. Mr. Stcarns further in
quirod of Mr.. Dartt t. there was bill in
| his committee to abolish the present nor
nal schools If this bill passed and was
/ told there was.
SMALL TOWNS ARE BEST.
Mr. Stearns then opposed the bin on
the grounds that the amount of the an
preparation would not provide such a
| school as the State needed He did MOI
think that the cass of girls that would
attend II normal school located at Bur
lington or Rutland would remain in the
state to teach. The present normals fur
nishod training for girls WHO could not
afford to attend a school located in n
larger place
lie showed that the johnson school had
in hvo-year period graduated nearly
| as many as the school at Plymouth
\. H., which cost Sl65.oO0 In one of the
years the Plymouth school had a large
increase in graduates and he found out
IL
permit endent of education was elected in
New Hampshire that year who worke ed
In harmony with the principals of the
normal schools. He thought this might
possibly apply to this State.
He understood that this was an admin
istration measure and from the cyperi.
ence he had had with other administra.
tion measures there was no telling how
/ ,,if.ty1
pass It. He thought II was inportan,
enough so time should be taken for its
consideration. \ committee had hoon an.
pointed to visit the school a Johnson but
tad not done 50 and he had been told Il
was the Intention to report the bill in Tho
morning and railroad II through IL
hoped this would not he done until the
committee had made It's report
MR.. STONE IS QUESTIONED.
superintendent Stone. who had in
the meanwhile come in. was asked by
+. y. Collins, professor of pedagogy Al
MiddloburY College, If he knew what
the intent was.
Mr.. stone repclied that it was to es-
tablish a normal school. There wa,
no reference in ii to abolishing the
Stearns If II was not the intent Of tn.
committee to do away with the pres
cnt normals. Mr. Stone replied thai
he did not know what the intent o
the committee was
Professor Collins then rrcsente(
, some strong arguments against the
benefits that would he derived from
f such a school as tho hill contemplated
e He thought the state would be bette
served by schools located in small
: places.
e c. II. Morrill,, principal Of tho Ran
d dolph normal school, opposed the bill
. Fe did not like the idea Of establish
h ing central school to kill of tn
( other three schools He said tn
5 state had no normal school policy an
= never had and had no educational pol
Y ICY
e Mr., Morrill whose remarks wer
o quito extended, was followed by Prin
T clpal Allen of the johnson schoo
Il He explained conditions at tina
= school and told OF the large amour
= Of money expended at Johnson by tn
town II make the school better o.
"a the strength of the legislation passe
, two years ago.
. VALUE OF CAsTLETON PLANT.
p Principal eavenworth of the Castle
ton normal school told the commute
\ that the State had not expended on
- penny upon tho plant up to this yea
, This year the board Of education ha
- expended a little over Sl,3N for repair
. For this the State had had the use {
: the plant for At years without expens
- Tho amount asked for In the bill, sC5.O
" would not replace the plant at Castle
ton
;. Mr.. Davis of Island Pond, who rer
- resented Brighton two years ago. sal
that Legislature had bill to approprisI
- Sl25, ODD for a normal school They thougl
III there was Niger in the wood pile an
+ searched until they found MIN Ths
al LEGISLATURE thought the State was vi
u der obligations to maintain the presel
schools until 1910 and he was of II
Oh opinion that this Legislature would fir
ID IT less expensive and more advantageol
ps to spend the money on the presel
l. schools necessary to put them whe
g they ought to be,
CHURCH FEDERATION.
Montpelier. Dec 1.-THE first meeting
the state council of the Intcrchurch Fe
u Grafton of Vermont a branch OF the fe
u Grated council OF churches was held he
Gil this afternoon. The intention Is to bril-
he the churches together for cooperation
ne behalf of local community bettermei
nj to help any good movement, education