St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-11-18
s75O.oOo For Public schools.

S75O,OOO For Public Schools.
The special educational commits
sion in it's report to the governor
recommends that the state expend
$4,000 per year for the support
of the public schools, $450,O0O OF
which must be appropriated from
the state treasury. 1t shows that
$276,8SO.42 was appropriated the
present year so the increase asked
from the general funds of the state
is about $4,000 per year. To Sc
cure this additional income it is pro-
posed that the state school tax be
increased from eight cents to ten
cents on dollar of the grand list.
This would increase the states in
come only about $4,000.
The commission proposes that
Vermont should spend each year for
general administration including ex-
.penses of the board of education and
other administrative officers, $780,
600; for union supervision, $780,
600; for vocational education, $1O,-
600; for teacher training courses,
$4,000; for summer schools and ed
ucational meetings, $4,000; for
transportation of pupils of all classes,
$125,O0O; for instruction Of sec
ondary teachers, $4,000; for agri
cultural extension instruction, $15,-
900; for medical inspection of
schools, $1,000; for advanced in
struction in high schools. 100000;
for teachers wages, 100000; for
equalizing opportunities and ates of
expenditures, $23O,OOO
These figures show something of
the new work planned by the COM
mission. For instance, they propose
that more than twice as much as was
spent last year be spent for general
administ: alton through the board of
education and superintendent of ed
ucation's office, and about twice as
much for union supervision as is
now expended. We understand
there are less than rs PEI cent of
the towns of the state without union
supervision now. So it is evident
the board recommends better pay for
the superintendent of education and
the union superintendents.
The sum of $4,000 for transpor-
tation of pupils of all classes is over
six times as large as the amount ex-
pended last year. This indicates a |
large increase in the amount Of trans
portation to be done. But it D. o.
poses to consolidate not only the
elementary but the secondary schools
in order to give all the pupils the |
of enthusiasm of num-
bees and grading whether they re-
side in a small or large town.
But the hard headed man will ask |
if 1T can be reasonably expected that !
practically $177,5OO more a year can
be expended for transpo: tation and |
supervision of schools and school |
work and give us that much more
valuable education for the children. |
In none of these agencies is there |
any real education and the lawmak-
ers doubtless will hesitate to make |
such an increase of expenses outside |
of the schools themselves. Another /
serious and expensive feature would |
be the housing of the consolidated |
schools. This is an expense that |
must be borne by the town and rot /
the state and 1t is certain but few |
towns have sufficient buildings to ac-
commodate schools large enough to |
be properly g. AIDED. So consolida-
ton to the extent indicated by the |
commission can hardly be brought
about at once.
However, consolidation is desir-
able and has proved beneficial /
wherever undertaken. The promo. |
sition of the commission to establish
consolidated schools where they will
accommodate from a Typographical
rather than a town line standpoint
is a very sensible one. Many towns
have sections centering into another
town. sections that by themselves
are not large enough to maintain
hrst-class schools by themselves and
where the children cannot well be
transported to another section of
their own town. The children here |
should be taken to some central
place for all the children of that
valley or basin even if it is beyond |
the borders OF their town. !