The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-11
COSTS OVER 100000
State Board Recommends Less Trans.
porting OF Pupils.


Montpelier, Jan. S.-The transporta-
ton problems have become serious
questions In the educational system
OF the state according to recommends
tlons which the state board OF educa-
tion will make TO the coming leglsla-
ture in their report. II is costing the
towns In the state more than 100000
annually to transport children TO the
schools while the total cost Is over
100000. about one-half being paid by
the towns. 1t Is understood that the
legislature will be asked TO change the
law governing the transporting OF
children.
This problem is threefold: First,
the farmers and parents are not sat
isfied with the present transporta.
tion law. Two cases illustrate this
| dissatisfaction In the town OF Bar
nard farmer paid well for farm
4 because II was near a school, only
to find this year that he must carry
his children to school. the one that
was conducted near his home having
been closed. Another case Is In Tin
mouth. They have to be carried away
Monday and brought back Friday
night.
( The second problem has to do
with the towns attitude. Transpor
.tation is costing almost 90 per cent as
much as the salesladies of elementa
ry teachers and the directors are
finding It extremely difficult to pro
vide transportation at price that Is
within the means of the towns. The
school directors are between two
fires, on the one side trying to keel
down expense relative to transporta
ton and on the other the insisten
demands of those who regard transpol
tatlon as q means for securing towr
money.
The third reason for the change i,
the state point OF view. The elimina
tion OF the rural school has destroy
ed an institution which of old plav
ed an important part in the earl.
history Of Vermont The removing
OF the schools has changed the neigh
bcrhood conditions and the direct in
fiuence Of the schools In rural CON
munitlos IN no longer felt. II Is
fact that many of the high aspira
tions OF those who are OF influence 1
the state can be traced to their train
: Ing In the rural school, and many G
+ the best motives OF our own live
trace back to these school days. o
4 1cials say
q The state board will recommen,
e first, that the transportation law
!, changed by modifying II. leaving
r, so that the directors may transpor
3 subject to roper appeal II occasio
: arises; second, that the educationi
f; law bo modified toward the restor
: tion of the rural school.
t. The following figures are interes
y ing along this line. Preceding 191
D. before the present law became {
n fective, there was general transpol
alton uuder the town system OF ira
sportation which did not carry col
pulsion. In that year 1928 childr'
were carried to school. When q
n now law went into effect there W
an increase to 542i children In 10
a and there was like increase In {
n penses from S12S,0OO to Sl67,0l
ID There was reduction IN 1917 a
IT, In the last year 1900 children We
c. carried and the expense lncreas
10 owing to the fact that the people Il
IN that transporting children to sch'
IN costs more than It used to.
al. The restoration OF the rural schI
%. will mean that vacant schoolhoul
10. will be used. others repaired o
'st some new ones built. II will pro
ar bly, cost n little more than transpC
alton but the parents will be bet
mt satisfied, the educational board poi
ce ouI