The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-02
Commissioner Hillegas Rec
ommends Retention of
Most Features
TRANSPORTATION IS
NOT SO EXPENSIVE
Some Towns Have Taken
Undue Advantage Of
Laws Liberality

A summary of the report of State
Commissioner M. Z. Hillegas of the de.
partment of education, to be submitted
to the Vermont legislature, is given be-
low.
During the past year attention in
school matters has centered in the opera.
ton of the school laws enacted by the
legislature of 1915. The administration
OF these laws has not exposed any Sc
rious defects. Many of the difficulties
experienced during the first year when
school officials and others did not fully
understand the meaning of the acts were
not manifested at the beginning of the
second year. In the future, the meaning
of the law will be greatly clarified by
that part of the work of the commission
er to revise public statutes which re-
lates to the school laws, which, after
careful reading, the board gladly COM
mends.
The feature of the law which has re-
ceived greatest consideration is that
which deals with transportation. Each
child who lives q mile and half or
more from school is now entitled to
transportation if this is feasible; other.
wise the town is required to board him
near school. Some parents misunder-
standing the purpose of this law de-
manded and received exorbitant prices
for conveying their own children TO
school. The abuses of the law have quite
naturally received greatest attention. 1t
should not be forgotten, however, that
by far the larger number of parents are
acting in accordance with the spirit of
the law and are making positive sacri-
fees in order that their children may at
tend school with reasonable comfort. In
every case the provisions of the law are
adequate to prevent abuses. School Of
iicials are now generally aware of this
fact and the law is better administered.
The total cost of transportation and
board for the year ending June &c. 1916,
was Sl67,6S5.36. OF this amount the
state paid S8Sl6336. The difference in
cost between carrying every child who
is entitled to transportation under the
present law and the cost of partial trans
portation such as existed under the pre-
vious law is less than $4,000. The |
average daily cost per child for trans
portation in 19l5-I6 was IS cents. Re-
ports from various superintendent and
school directors indicate that the cost of
transportation for the present school
year will be somewhat less than it was
during l9l5-l6. The present law is as
just and effective as any that could now |
be devised. The state board of educa-
ton, therefore, recommends that it be re-
careful study OF its working shall in /
dictate the particulars requiring amend
ment.
Teachers Salaries Increased.
The act which authorized the state
board of education to pay the sums OF
SO, SO or "a per week to towns employing
teachers of requisite training in their
rural schools has had most beneficial eff
fects upon the schools. These rebates
cost the state $9s,3l2.30. In few towns
the rebate was used to lessen taxes and
teachers and schools were not benefited.
That this was not of common occurrence
Is shown by the fact that the increase in
teachers salaries between the school
years 19l4-l5 and 19l5-l6 was more than
ii per cent, while the rate of increase
for the several preceding years was about
6 per cent. In addition to the amount
selves increased the teachers salaries by
$4,000. The increased salaries are at
tracing teachers with improved train
ing. The number of permits has de-
,reased from 100 in 1914 to three in the
present fall term. The board has been
also able to raise the requirements for
so that no one may now be-
Yin teaching in Vermont without at
east one year OF professional training
Ind even those unframed teachers who
nave had successful experience in this {
tate prior to July /, 1916, are required
% secure professional training if the
owns employing them are to receive
tate aid. The board recommends that c
his provision of the law remain un-
hanged.
Supervision. e
In conformity with law, the state :
,oard of education divided the state into I
convenient districts and appointed the
equisite number of superintendent.
During the years that supervision was
pLlondi 10 per CtHb VI tue toNns having
8 per cent of the schools and SO per cent q
4 the school children of the state adopt :,
d supervision. In 1915, the last year !
hat supervision was optional, it cost .
99,0l479. OF this amount the state
aid Sos ,s90.6s. The total cost in 1916 a
ras Sl29, s65.54, and the states share .
Tas sll0,993.l6. IL appears, therefore, u
hat to place all of our schools under :
supervision has increased the total cost s
v only S30,S50.75. Looking at the cost
{ supervision from a different angle, the q
GARD paid on an average Sl.s7 per child :
nd S37.SS per teacher in the districts
here il appointed the superintendent
his is less than the states share per
sacher in the cities and towns employ
IL their own superintendents, except in
ie cities of Barre, Burlington. Rutland
nd st. Albans. During the first wear of
leir service the superintendent have
zen forced to give a great deal Of time
the details of organization. They are
DIV in position to render effective serv-
e in assisting the teachers to improve
struetion in the school rooms. The
ard recommends that the provisions OF
le law dealing with supervision remain
During the school year ending June 80.
ll6, six junior high schools were main
ined in village and rural communities
.tersl Of these were located in places
sarfv adapted to the requirements of y