The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-15
NEED STATE MONEY
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Appropriations Now Going to
Vermont Colleges Should
Be Transferred.
REPORT AFTER EXAMINATION
Carnegie Foundation for Ad-
vancement of Teaching Con
cludes Investigation.
REPORT AFTER EXAMINATION

New York, February 14.-The first
critical investigation OF all the edu-
cational facilities OF any State in the
Union has Just been completed by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advance
ment OF Teaching. The State selected
was Vermont, and the work was I'M
dcrtaken at the request of n committee
OF the State Legislature. which desired
TO examine and improve its entire edu-
cational system.
4 summary OF tho foundations report
was made public to-day. One of tho
recommendations Is the transfer to the
,public schools OF the money that the
State now gives to colleges. The Uni
versity of Vermont, AIiddlebury Col
lcge and Norwich University. no one
of which IS owned or controlled by the
state have recently received increas-
ing State aid. n total of $50, 600 Il year
in 1909; $4,000 In 1871. and 100000 in
1918 The report recommends the with
GrRwal OF these subsidies because Yer
mont cannot afford 4 regular State
university: because 1t is unwise to give
public money and public prestige to
private corporations: because the col
lcEes have not used their subsidies
wisely. and because they got along
very we'll before they were given state
aid, and II is evident that they will
be cared for through private bonevo-
lence.
The report says that the University
OF Vermont neglected agriculture and
used Its appropriation for n medical
school that can never he successful
with the small amount or clinical ma
tefial that Is available IN Burlington.
Norwich University used its appropria-
ton for engineering In n location anc
with an equipment far inferior TO those
of the University OF Vermont. Middle
bury College also used Its appropria-
ton for subjects already provided by
the other Institutions, and for depart
Inent for training high school teach
ers, OF which the state has already
an oversupply. Tho effort to gain these
subsidies from the Legislature, more
over. according TO the report, involved
the institutions In an unfortunate cdu-
cationei and financial rivalry
The public schools, on the other hand.
need money. They provide the entire
education OF moro than nine-tenths OF
The children in the state.
Half OF the teachers, however. have
had no professional training. and arc
paid only 50 a week, or less. The report
recommends that the State spend on
the common schools what 1t now gives
the colleges, and as much more as II
can AFFORD, giving the teachers better
training and better salaries; providing
them with more aid and guidance
through better supervision ana a more
helpful State administration. 1t is
recommended that the dozen training
classes for teachers that were estab-
lished IN the high schools in 1910 be
multiplied so that every new teacher
III the state shall be high school
graduate with professional training.
These classes graduated more than n
hundred such teachers last year. and
soon VIII be able to supply the entire
400 that the State needs annually. The
two state normal schools, the aban-
Comment of which Is recommended,
have provided less than a dozen such
teachers each year.
il is further recommended that the
teachers together with n new State
Commissioner OF Education, several
deputy commissioners and n number
of supervisors, gradually work out IA
now program OF studies for the schoo!
which, without interfering with its
academic character. Will relate 1t more
closely to the daily life OF the pupils
II Us recommended that the high schools
include vocational courses that there
be special agricultural schools and
that the work of the State Agricul-
tural College be made OF greater value
70 the farmers. Further school con
solidation. WITH transportation where
ever necessary is. also recommended
both for elementary and high schools
so that every community may be with
in reach Of first-rate schools instead Of
scattering Its money and care among
large number that are inferior