Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-10-20
Normal School Fight.
(Brattleboro Reformer)

According to the Rutland Herald,
Charles II. Stearns of Johnson, Re
publican candidate for town represen-
tative and pretty sure 10 be elected,
and other reactionaries propose at
the coming session of the legislature
TO restore the state normal schools at
Johnson and Castleton and TO make
a shakeup of the whole educational sys-
tenn of the state The Herald claims
to be reliably informed that the at
tack of the Johnson cohorts-and Mr..
Stearns has rallied quite a following
of prospective membership already
will be directed along three lines
1. Inefficiency of the state board
of education;
2. Its expense;
8. Its remoteness and overlordshi-.
The defense of the general educa-
tional system of the state and the
efficiency of the state board of educa-
ton may properly be left to the board
itself. Serving without pay, other
than expenses while away from home
c. Official business, the board Is in
tended 10 have only general over
sight of educational work, elect .
state commissioner of education and
leave the work of the department TO
him and his subordinates. The board
consists of five representative Vermont
ers of whom Luther B. Johnson of
Randolph Is chairman.
The fight for the restoration Of the
normal schools Is headed by an able
contestant in the person of Mr.
Stearns, who has had wide business
and legislative training, having serv-
ed as a member of both bodies of the
legislature and as lieutenant govern
or of Vermont. He also has had ex-
tensive training in defending the nor
NAL schools of the state. More than
80 years go the state superintendent
of education recommended the abol-
ishment of the normal schools, three
at a time, believing they represented
TOO great q dissipation of energy.
Since then special commissions have
been appointed TO investigate the nor
NAL schools and in every instance
these men have recommended their
discontinuance. Yet every time Mr..
Stearns led successful fights to re-
tain them, until two years ago when
he was out of the state and the legis-
lature voted TO discontinue them.
Mr.. Stearns will face new difficult
ties, however, IN the legislature OF
1921. The schools have been voted
cut of existence and a move started
to establish new central college for
teacher training. In his efforts to
have the different schools restored
Mr.. Steans will have TO show that
more than one such school Is reces-
sary TO properly train the young peo-
pie who desire TO become teachers
The small number of students at the
normal schools for years past will
tend to show that more than one
school is unnecessary. The large
teaching forces maintained at John
son and Castleton and the cost OF
heating and maintaining two plants
/ indicate increased state expenses
/ Increased expenses mean increas ed
taxes and representatives from towns
already overburdened with taxation
are not likely to vote increased ex-
penses for the benefit of the localities
where the normal schools have beer
] located. In fact it looks as If the task
lof restoring these two normal schools
would be too great for even such a
fearless and able fighter as Mr.
/ Stearns.