The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-04-08

The first relates to elementary
schools. Ii creates a new board Of
education Of FIVE members, to be ap-
pointed by the Governor who in turn
viii appoint a commissioner Of eduea-
ton. A inform course Of study IS TO
be- provided and the schools are 10
be supervised by superintendent ap-
pointed by the central authority, and
these superintendent viii be watched
over by a limited number Of super
visors. Cities and incorporated dis
tricts with % or more schools may
select their own superintendents and
pay them in addition to the State pay.
The school unions are not confined
to town lines, but to groups of schools,
and union may be composed of
schools in two or more towns. The
school age is raised TO six years and
the school year is increased from 30 to
90 weeks. A minimum wage Of $S
week for teachers in strictly rural
schools is provided with additional pay
from the State of 50, SO or S4, accord
ing to the teachers qualifications.
Transportation Cost to be Paid
The State also pays for transporta-
tion over one and one-half miles in
towns having a grand list of not over
$4,000, and aid is given other towns
in accordance with the ratio their
grand list bears to $4,000.
The cost under this bill in round
numbers will be $430,000, or some
100000 below what would have been
necessary had the commissioners bill
been adopted. The increase over the
cost in 1914 is $57 900, to be met by
increasing the State school tax from
eight to ten cents.
The second substitute education bill
relates to the establishing Of senior
and Junior high schools. The commits
sion bill would have Obliged towns to
maintain either a junior high school
with four years or a senior high school
with two years, and would have COM
tpelled vocational education, while the
substitute measures makes it optional.
The Colleges
/ The recommendations of the foun-
dation and commission concerning the
colleges were reversed by the Legisla-
ture. With the present appropriations
all made annual appropriations, the
colleges find themselves more firmly
entrenched than ever before and .he
State obviously intended to pledge
itself to a policy of State aid on the
same scale as at present. The Medical
College received an additional annual
appropriation of $6500, which will pro-
vide all but about $4,000 of the annual
revenue which the American Medical
| Association fixes as necessary In order
that the college may remain in Class
A. The probability that Norwich Uni
versity will be taken over by the fed
eral government was new element IN
the situation this year.
One bill was defeated by the Senate
without ceremony, which will probably
meet with more favor in the future,
after its fairness and reasonableness
is understood by the State. This was
the universal scholarship bill, which
would have established new policy
one OF State aid to students instead OF
State aid to colleges. After consider
ing Norwich, the Medical College and
agricultural extension as entirely sep
arate propositions, since their services
are distinctive and are non-compet-
tive. this scholarship bill would have
devised new method Of appropriating
to the University of Vermont and TO
Middlebury College. 1t would repeal
all present appropriations to these two
! institutions. In their place an sso
scholarship would be givcA to every
boy and girl in the State that wanted
college education within the State
the student to choose which college he
preferred to attend. Not more than
$4,000 would be appropriated in this
way. II over 625 students applied for
this State aid, the amount OF each
scholarship would be scaled down. II
was believed that many needy boys
and girls could get college education
under this plan, that are now unable 10
meet the full tuition fees. 1t would
also keep the colleges out Of compen-
tion at the State House, and make
them compete only in their offerings
TO the youth of the State. 1t would
help the colleges only in the exact
ratio as they serve the State, TINS
plan. devised by Newman X. Chaifee
of Rutland, will probably get more
4 favorable attention later.
/ The Budget
A State budget it created, to be en-
forced BY a committee of State Off
GERS. This may work great changes
by introducing more system in State