Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-11-22
TAXATION AND THE SCHOOLS.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
basis. Many things have been done
to improve the rural schools: change s
| from the district to the town system,
town ownership of textbooks, summer
schools for teachers. state aid tor
| transportation and professional super
! vision.
While secondary and higher educa-
ton have been we'll looked after, and
the schools of the larger centers also.
the most important part of the pubic
welfare, from an educational point OF.
view has not received merited atten-
ton.
Half of the entire school population
of the United States attend the rural
schools. In Vermont in 1910 there
were 1926 pupils in high schools and
academies, and 66.615 in elementary
schools. These figures show that
less than per cent of the school chill
dren of Vermont go to high schools
and academies. These are an I'M
portant part IF our population. but
the 80 who do not go are vastly more
so.
Census figures and returns show
that the rural communities of the
United States are decreasing IN popu-
lation and that urban population Is IN
creasing. In 1900 the urban popula-
tion was about 4 per cent. This is
not, as is sometimes said, due to the
rapid growth of our cities independent
of their gains from rural population
A study of the whole situation shows
that the country is always contrlbut-
ing It's young men and women toward
the uphuilding of the cities. Vermont
is suffering from this tendency. She
has no large cities to attract her youth
hence they go forth into the cities OF
other states. A study of the history
of the business, political, professional,
and social life of other states shows
that Vermont has given and is still
giving large proportion of her sons
and daughters to the maintenance and
progress of the rest of the country.
But that is not the worst part of our
loss. Many young people dlscontent-
ed with the life and opportunities OF
the country are being drawn to the
cities by the glamour of city life and
the expectation of a better chance Tor
, advancement. A very small number
: succeed. We hear and read about the
doings of these, but of the large num-
Der who fail the general public knows
l nothing.
t Census figures show decrease in
, the population of many rural towns
, since about 1860. A natural conse'
2 quence is that as the rural population
? decreases the size of farms increases.
We do not need larger farms but
. more and better cultivated ones. The
only way this can be brought about is
: by keeping more Vermont boys and
girls at home. Back to the farm
r is a cry that arouses enthusiasm at
d any public gathering when used by an
/ eloquent speaker, who has no lnten-
4 ton of going back to the farm him.
- self 1t is a beautiful theory and one
that summer vacationists never tire
u of. The fact remains that the peopl e
:. in the city will stay there, also that
d many country people will continue the
a cityward movement. The important
n thing is to keep as many of them or
20 the farms as possible. The greatest
~ and most just criticism Of the schools
% of Vermont is that they tend to tralr
II the youth away from the country
e rather than to train them for life OF
~ the farm. Francis w. Parker says
e 1.-The tremendous advantage of ra
tional course of work in the country
% schools is that it would make stron2
~ binding union of the home and thu
&c school, the farm methods and thu
ol school methods. 1t would bring thu
to school into the farm. It would give
parent and teacher one motive in to-
st carrying out of which both coal,
at heartily join.
~ Much Of the subject matter laugh
~ in our rural schools is borrowed from
III the city curriculum. Nature study
IS elementary facts and reasons Of agrl
n culture, and instruction in the variou
ne crafts which make the farm chill
v. content with his lot in life and abl
at to receive the advantages of such
~ life should form part of rural scho
~ work When the child can be laugh
'0' that the old farm home is the mos
Ut precious heritage that can come Int
IN his possession, and that the tarr
re offers him an opportunity for achieve
ment equal or superior to opportun
cd ties in the city, then and not till the
w. will the welfare Of Vermont be ST
y cure. This can not be done under tn
50 present system of financial support {
ECU rural schools In fact it would TAX
IN wears to accomplish it even with tf
he financial part properly taken care o
elf At the present time the matter
he placing the country schools on a got
20 hass so far as the teaching OF tn
~ necessary elementary subjects a.
.,' concerned demands attention, and
lly this were done it would pave the W.
she for further advancement.
I'M Consolidation would prove a renee
ink for existing conditions. Small wes
rid schools should be closed and grade
vas or large district school, where tt
former is practicable. establishe
Cons olidation is most needed in tow
los of small and scattered population a.
she small grand lists, and it is in su
she towns that consolidation ard transpe
tation are most strenuously oppose
Opposition is largely matter of d.
,vo. lars and cents. No one can just
red plenne W. 80 r,,.. "a oaa;,st hov;
ere .Ln;s taves increased hevond wh
his they can afford to pay without DO
3ok- tive hardship. Here is an extra
life. from a Vermont union superinte