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 VERMONT 317 tern. The school officers of each district are a moderator to preside in the meetings, clerk, collector of taxes, treasurer, one or three audi- tors, and a prudential committee consisting of one or three voters in such district ; they are elected by the people. By act of 1870 towns are authorized to abolish the district system, and to vest the management of the public schools in six directors elected by the people for three years, one third each year. The law of 1872 authorizes towns that have abolished the district system to return to it. Vermont has no school fund, the schools being supported by direct taxation levied by the towns. Under .the act of 1867 every child between 8 and 14 years of age is required to attend a public school at least three months in the year, un- less he has been otherwise instructed for a like period, or has acquired the branches of learn- ing taught in the public schools. No child of this age who has resided in the state one year shall be employed in any mill or factory unless he has attended a public school three months within the year next preceding. A penalty of not less than $10 nor more than $20 is imposed upon every parent, guardian, or em- ployer violating the provisions of this act. The condition of public education in 1873 and 1874 is shown by the following statistics: PARTICULARS. Number of organized school districts. " of fractional districts " of common schools " of academic and private schools Children between 5 and 20 years of age " attending common schools.. " attending all schools Average daily attendance in all schools Average length of school year (weeks) Number of male teachers " of female teachers Current expenses of schools Total expenditures for schools Amount raised on grand list: By districts By towns... Average yearly cost of schools Average weekly cost per pupil : Enrolled Attending Estimated cash value of school houses and grounds 2,168 487 2,68T 100 &3,4S5 88,706 17 23-5 601 8,513 $462,685 $548,815 $382,841 $86,295 $176 43 $0 30 $0 44 $1,827,846 2,224 530 2,782 96 87,541 70,918 78,139 18 22-3 667 8,789 $515,231 $621,161 $409,421 $66,685 $185 17 $0 32 $0 44 $1,339,864 In 1873-'4 teachers' institutes were held in all the counties, and were attended by 982 teach- ers. The state makes an annual appropriation of $1,500 for each of its three normal schools. In 1875-'6 that at Johnson had 4 instructors and 101 pupils ; that at Randolph, 9 instruc- tors and 250 pupils; and that at Oastleton, 2 instructors and 75 pupils. The university of Vermont and state agricultural college, in Bur- lington, chartered in 1791 and opened in 1800, has an academical, an agricultural and scien- tific, and a medical department. The course of instruction in each of the first two depart- ments occupies four years. In the agricultu- ral and scientific department there are courses in agriculture and related branches, theoretical and applied chemistry, civil engineering, and metallurgy and mining engineering. Besides the usual academic degrees, the degrees of bach- elor of philosophy, civil engineer, and mining engineer are conferred. All the courses in the academic and scientific departments are open to young women. In 1875-'6 there were 25 instructors, of whom 17 were in the medical school, and 153 students, of whom 62 were in the medical school. The university has a library of 16,000 volumes, a valuable museum, and the nucleus of a gallery of art. Middle- bury college (Congregational), at Middlebury, was opened in 1800, and in 1875-'6 had 8 in- structors, 53 students, a library of 18,000 vol- umes, and a valuable cabinet of natural his- tory. Norwich university is a military col- lege under the patronage of the Episcopalians, at Northfield. It was opened in 1834, and in 1875-'6 had 6 instructors -and 41 students. Other prominent institutions of learning are the Vermont Episcopal institute in Burlington, the Vermont conference seminary and female college (Methodist) in Montpelier, Green Moun- tain seminary (Baptist) at Waterbury Centre, Goddard seminary (Universalist) at Barre, and St. Johnsbury academy at St. Johnsbury. The total number of libraries in 1870 was 1,792, containing an aggregate of 727,263 volumes. Of these, 1,056 with 405,536 volumes were pri- vate, and 736 with 321,727 other than private, including the state library, 14,158 ; 82 town, city, &c., 52,368 ; 4 court and law, 3,023 ; 58 school, college, &c., 38,735 ; 544 Sabbath school, 182,840; 11 church, 8,517; 3 in charitable and penal institutions, 1,408; and 33 circulating, 20,678. In 1876 the state library at Mont- pelier had 17,000 volumes. The total number of newspapers and periodicals in 1870 was 47, having an aggregate circulation of 71,390 and issuing annually 4,055,300 copies. There were 3 daily, with a circulation of 3,190; 1 semi-weekly, 2,200; 43 weekly, 56,200; and 1 monthly, 12,000. In 1875 the total number was 68, including 6 daily, 57 weekly, and 5 monthly. The total number of religious or- ganizations in 1870 was 699, having 744 edifices with 270,614 sittings and property valued at $3,713,530. The denominations were: DENOMINATIONS. Organi- zation!. Edi- ficei. Sittings. Property. Baptist, regular 115 114 87,935 $462,200 16 16 5,310 44,500 Christian 14 14 4.350 81,200 183 188 75,925 1,054,400 Episcopal, Protestant 83 5 84 5 11,228 1,280 848,100 6,100 Methodist 180 184 60,825 884,580 Presbyterian, regular 7 2 7 2 2,706 650 20,200 6,000 40 40 25,000 401,500 15 15 4,450 89,000 Spiritualist 1 1 800 2,500 4 4 1,900 53,000 60 60 19,710 220,000 Unknown (unionl. . . 24 65 19,550 141,800 The first white settlement in what is now Vermont was made in 1724 by the erection of