Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/336

 316 VERMONT school, a state librarian, a geologist and cura- tor of the state cabinet, an adjutant and in- spector general, a quartermaster general, a judge advocate general, and a surgeon general. The supreme court comprises a chief and six associate justices, each of whom receives an annual salary of $2,500. A general session of the court is held annually at Montpelier, and an- nual sessions are held in each county. County courts are held by a judge of the supreme court with the two assistant county judges. United States courts are held in Burlington, Windsor, and Rutland. Judges of the supremo court are chosen for two years by joint ballot of the legislature. County and probate judges, sheriffs, state attorneys, and high bailiffs are elected for two years by the freemen of the counties, and justices of the peace by the free- men of the towns for the same term. The general election for state officers and mem- bers of the legislature is held biennially, on the first Tuesday of September in even years. Every man of the age of 21 years, who is a natural-born or naturalized citizen of the Uni- ted States and has resided for one year in the state, and is of quiet and peaceable behavior, becomes entitled to the privileges of a free- man upon oath or affirmation that in voting he will, according to his judgment, aim to promote the good of the state. Town meet- ings are held in March of each year. For the rights of married women concerning their property and earnings, see HUSBAXD AND WIFE, vol. ix., p. 87. For the grounds of divorce, see DIVORCE, vol. vi., p. 160. Vermont is repre- sented in congress by two senators and three representatives, and has therefore five votes in the electoral college. The total liabilities of the state on Aug. 1, 1875, amounted to $328,- 584, including the funded debt of $167,500, of which $102,000 will fall due on Dec. 1, 1876, and $65,500 on Dec. 1, 1878 ; the agricultural college fund of $135,500; due to towns from the United States surplus fund, $11,520; sol- diers' accounts, $12,178 ; outstanding checks, $1,886. The resources were $324,940, inclu- ding $320,377 cash in treasury and in banks, and $4,563 taxes due from 11 towns. Exclu- sive of the sinking fund account, the receipts into the treasury during the year ending July 31, 1875, were $500,656, and the disbursements $510,230. The valuation of real estate in 1875 was $81,106,760, which is about 40 per cent, of the real value, estimated at $200,000,000. The grand list of the state is 1 per cent, of the val- uation. In 1872 the state tax was 40 per cent, on the grand list of $1,171,619 ; in 1879 it was 35 per cent, on the grand list of $1,175,476. Adding the tax on gores and unorganized towns, and deducting for abatements and collection fees, the amount of the tax was $448,408 in 1872, and $393,660 in 1873. According to the federal census of 1870, the assessed value of property was $102,548,528, including real es- tate returned at $80,993,100 and personal at $21,555,428. The true valuation of real and personal estate was returned at $285,849,553. The state asylum for the insane, opened in 1836, is at Brattleboro, on a beautiful site of 20 acres. It has accommodations for from 450 to 500 patients. During the two years ending Aug. 1, 1874, the total number of inmates was* 699, of whom 245 were state beneficiaries; average number, 473 ; discharged, 172, of whom 48 were recovered, 87 improved, and 37 sta- tionary; died, 37; remaining, Aug. 1, 1874, 471, of whom 163 were state beneficiaries. The expenses of the institution during the two years amounted to $213,929, of which $56,214 was for building account, and $14,210 for re- pairs and improvements. The institution is subject to the inspection of the state commis- sioner of the insane. The state prison at Windsor had during the two years ending Aug. 1, 1874, 151 convicts, of whom 85 were in confinement at the end of that period. The income of the prisons for the two years, chiefly from the labor of convicts, was $28,381 ; the expenses were $25,081. The convicts are em- ployed in the prison in making shoes; their labor is let to contractors at 70 cents a day for each prisoner. The state reform school was opened at Waterbury in 1866, and removed to Vergennes in 1875. Boys under 16 years of ago are committed by courts, parents, and guardians ; they receive instruction, and are employed in industrial occupations. The whole number of inmates from the opening to Aug. 1, 1874, was 416, of whom 145 were remaining at that date. The current expenses of the in- stitution were $20,088 in 1872, and $21,848 in 1873. The average annual expense of each boy to the state, after deducting earnings, was $85 27. Vermont has no institution for the deaf and dumb, or the blind; but an annual appropriation not exceeding $5,000 is author- ized for the instruction of the deaf and dumb in institutions of other states, and not exceed- ing $4,000 for the benefit of tho blind. In 1874 the board of education was abolished and the supervision of common schools vested in a state superintendent of education, who is elected biennially by the legislature and re- ceives an annual salary of $1,500 and travel- ling expenses. Among other things, he is re- quired, upon written application of 25 teach- ers in any county (except Grand Isle and Essex counties, in which the number may be 15), to hold a teachers' institute once a year. In each town a superintendent is elected by the people annually. It is his duty to hold two annual examinations of teachers, and to grant certifi- cates. Principals of graded and union schools are not required to obtain such certificates. The town superintendent is required to visit at least once a year all the common schools of the town, and to make an annual report to the state superintendent, who reports biennially to the legislature. Each organized town must maintain one or more schools ; when neces- sary, the town must be divided into school districts unless it has abolished the district sys-