The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-30
VERMONT SCHOOLS
ARE INADEQUATE
Says Vermont Educational Commission
in Reporting Along Lines Quite
Closely Following Carnegie
Foundation Findings.

| lust submitted to Governor Fletcher, iol'
lows quite closely the findings and rec
concentrations made to the commission
by the Carnegie Foundation investigators
several months ago.
Findings Reported.
The findings of the commission are as
follows;
Teaching in rural schools unsuitable
for daily life of pupils and mostly prep
aratory for secondary schools;
Secondary schools still more insult
able and mostly preparatory for insti-
tutions of higher learning. and therefore,
of benefit to but one-tenth Of their pu-
| pills;
Length of school term insufficient;
| Lack of adequate vocational training
for pupils and efficient normal school
| training for teachers;
| Insufficient emphasis on agriculture;
Appropriations 10 institutions of high
er learning too large according to states
property valuations
Duplication of effort in q v. NJ, Mid
dlcburv college and Norwich university,
which are declared to be private institu-
tions and not entitled Of right to any
stated aid.
Recommendation.
The recommendations OF the commits
sion are similarly condensed as fol-
lows
Consolidation OF rural schools;
Establishment OF junior high school
h, Ia
for pupils from IL to l6 years OF age,
including the seventh and eighth grades
and the first two years OF present high
school course;
These Junior high schools to teach
commercial subjects. domestic science,
manual training and agriculture, to the
end that they may be finishing schools
for life" in case the pupil goes no fur
ther;
Establishment OF as many central SEN
ior high schools as the number OF pupils
shall demand, the curriculum TO include
special vocational training as above and
also high grade courses for pupils from
IL to 10 years Of age who may be fit
ting for college;
These senior and junior high schools
10 articulste directly with each other
for the purpose of increasing the per-
centage of pupils who take advanced
studies;
Increase school year to SO weeks, which
is about the average Of the country, thus
adding nearly two years to present
length of schooling;
Dissolve all specially incorporated
school districts $50 in numberl and bring
all schools under The general law;
Instruction designed ito educate youth
toward the occupations Of the comrnt-
mites in which they live; This is the
KEY note Of the whole report.
Strengthen staff and equipment Of
state agricultural school, increase ap-
and add manual training;
No financial aid TO University OF Ver-
mont, Middlebury college or Norwich
until state has perfected its
full constitutional duty TO public schools
and then only in return for some speci-
fic service;
On the theory that teachers trained
within the state are more valuable thar
those trained without, state appropria-
tions 10 be expended by the state board
through arrangement with the state ag-
ricultural college to train teachers for
teaching agriculture in the junior high |
schools; also by arrangement with Mid |
dleburv college to train teachers for |
teaching the higher courses in the senior |
high schools;
Corporation in federal extension work
in agriculture;
Abolish Johnson and Castleton Normal
Schools
Discontinue normal schools at John
.on and Castleton; and develop training |
courses in secondary schools TO train |
teachers for elementary schools and
EARLIER years Of Junior high school.
The report deals very fully with con-
itions at the University of Vermont,
bout 6s pages Of the 2s4 being devoted
% a careful review of the founding and
history Of the institution in determining 1
whether it is a public or private institu-
ion.
After considering the brief submitted
" the university. the commission con-
.ludes that Ira Allen was the perfcient
ounder of the institution and not the
tate. II finds parallel in the Dart
mouth case. in which that corporation
vas held bv Chief Justice Marshall to
,e a private eleemosynary institution.
II finds that the kings prerogative"
doctrine. taken from English jurispru-
Ienee and invoked in the brief of the
University is not recognized in this eoun-
nv and finds support for this conclusion
n the fact that during the War of 1912
rms were stored in the university build
ng and soldiers quartered therein, the
corporation settling directly with the ma
ional government for rental thereof.
II also cites the case of President John
Wheeler. who claimed exemption from
a axation because that right was original
' conferred by the state and could not
= revoked for the reason that the uni
ersitv was a private corporation. The
4. Iohnsbury academy cases are also
tied.
Federal Money Not Misused.
As 10 the misuse of federal appropria-
ions. the commission finds that the ap-
received under the first Nor
in act 1882 for agricultural expert
rent stations have not been improper
y expended. but that under the acts Of
oneress Of 1890 and 1907. "a dispro-
small part thereof" has been
applied 10 agriculture. Nermont's pre-
ominatine industry of life"
II also finds that the college Of medi-
~, IN che T-riveruitv Of Vermont does 7