Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-10

towns to pension teachers. providing Tor
medical inspection of school children. and
authorizing the state board of cduca-
ton to purchase the normal school prop
crtv at Castleton and to lease the nor
NAL school building at Johnson
In addition to the foregoing are four
measures that most signally mark a
new era educationally and stand as UNI
assnilablc evidence to the progressive
craftsmanship of your last Assembly.
L. The first was an appropriation to
the Austlne Institution of Brattleboro
for the purpose of erecting building
for the education of the deaf, dumb and
blind. Heretofore they have been edu-
Gated outside the state, but hereafter
they may be educated by the state at
cost in the Austine Institution.
.. The second important measure was
the change in the date of the school year
from April to July I. This change
was so reasonable that 1t provoked no
discussion, and 1t is now a surprise that
the state should have continued so long
with its insists, disiointed and overlap
ping census reports, official, fiscal and
scholastic years. This is apparent when
state that the census year of Yer
mont was February T. the school direc-
tors report year was February 10. the
official year began March meeting day,
the fiscal year began April !. the super
intendents' year began July | and the
scholastic year began September /. All
school business is now conferred upon
single date and can be transacted with
out the DELAYS and confusion previously
prevailing.
,;,I i,,,p .fnv, sob tgtr r.
passed by the General Assembly of 1910,
and one that introduced new and
necessary feature into our educational
system, was the creation of a State
School of Agriculture at Randolph Cen
ter When reflect upon the impor
lance of agriculture and the extent to
which the people of the State are en-
gagged in it. then the Importance OF this
new institution is appreciated. The edu-
cational system of the state. especially
In It's secondary courses, had not in any
noticeable degree aided the State in the
development of it's resources. in reveal
ing the opportunities within its limits.
or in conserving its population and pos
sibilities Therefore the State School
of Agriculture was established That it
will perform its purpose. there can be
no doubt; and. that 1t meets a demand,
the present large attendance testties.
4. The fourth important measure
marked n departure in the system of
teacher training in New England and
was introduced into the Vermont sys-
tenn for the purpose of meeting a condi-
ton that could not be met in any other
way. The normal schools of the State
never have and never can supply the
rural schools of the State 1t is doubt
full if they can supply the graded
schools. Concerning the number who
would probably graduate annually from
the Vermont normal schools. there ara
no valid grounds for surprising that the
proportion in Vermont will exceed rhe
proportion OF other New England states.
on such basis. the Vermont normal
schools will produce less than Eighty
teachers annually. This number falls
far short of the three OF four hundred
needed annually, and the schools need l.
ing trained teachers the most, would
probably receive the smallest percentage.
For years various attempts to elevate
the standards of the normal schools or
to secure through legislation better rural
conditions have been stoutly resisted by
representatives of certain institutions,
that ought to he leaders in educational
progress rather than hindrances 1t is
not consistent with justice or with gooG
public policy to sacrifice State interest
to local interest. or to Jeopardize the
common schools for the sake of one or
two favored institutions II is most
hopeful sign of the times that the peo-
pie If the state begin to appreciate the
90
The State republican platform incorpor-
ated the following words:
/ Will" the large central public schools
of the state are doing splendid work,
the small rural schools are not keeping
pace For the present these latter
should he the especial care of the state
In so far as their standards can be i'm
proved by more liberal state aid. it
should be extended"
The state democratic platform declar.
ed rs follows:
I've favor a more liberal extension OF
the benefits of our school system to the
rural communities and the introduction
of more efficient supervision of such
schools.
The chief educational problem to-day
Is the development % the country school
and tire rehabilitation OF the countrvsidc.
The country schools have been unfair
ly Disseminated against in kind of
buildings, In quality of equipment in
number of weeks. and in character OF
instruction. Justice demands that equal
ity OF educational advantages shall be
afforded and tina. the country child he
given tho same school opportunities. 50
far as possible, as Tire city child
The rural schools have always been
the experiment station of teachers II
they tested out well. they were brought
| into III" grades. This process will prob
ably continue for years, but If it is To
continue then IN all justice and fair
ness ia In" country children. tho State
should send them the best teachers Dos
sible. because the normal schools can
never supply the rural schools with
tenchors, and because fairness demands
that tn" previous Determinations cease,
the teacher training courses have been
established
Twelve such courses were provided for
during the past school year. skilled
specialists were employed and one hun
dred and nifty well trained teachers en-
tered upon rural school teaching this
season. This large accession OF trained
recruits to the teaching ranks of rural
schools adds force OF no trivial power
ana Is an educational event of no mean
magnitude
OUR NORMAL. SCHOOLS
In accordance with the declared pur.