DECENNARY OF FREE SCHOOLS. 



The free school system of Conoecticut has now had a trial 

 of ten years and is no longer an experiment. This " new 

 law " was so radical in its character as to meet general opposi- 

 tion when first proposed in 1867. During the next year there 

 was so great a change in public sentiment that it was enacted 

 with great unanimity by the General Assembly of 1868. The 

 struggle whicli this system had to wage for its existence is 

 over, for it has been amply ratified by the people. The 

 gauge of public interest is the increased burden of taxation 

 which the people of Connecticut have chosen to bear, for 

 school taxes are self-imposed. The amount raised by taxa- 

 tion for schools ten years ago was $628,152.12. The amount 

 raised by State, town and district taxation last year was 

 $1,252,248.63, or about double the amount reported in 1868. 



The enemies of free schools have either been converted or 

 learned the futility of open opposition. Dissentients are still 

 found whose sympathy is needed to give the highest efficiency 

 to the system. As the condition of the schools in each dis- 

 trict answers largely to local public sentiment, the cooperation 

 of every parent and citizen is essential to the fullest success. 



A brief review of the history and results of the free school 

 system furnishes encouragement to its friends, and presents 

 facts fitted to satisfy the minds of all honest doubters. Con- 

 vinced that the rate-bill was wrong in principle and harmful in 

 practice I directed my earliest efforts, on entering the service 

 of the State, to secure its repeal. During the session of the 

 Legislature for 1867, the Joint Standing Committee on Edu- 

 cation finally consented to recommend a bill for free schools, 

 though with little faith in the measure and no expectation of 

 carrying it. As the bill met no favor in either House, out of 

 courtesy to its author, it was referred to the next General 

 Assembly. During the next year the subject was fully dis- 

 cussed in numerous meetings in all parts of the State, the 

 Secretary giving two hundred and six lectures on this and 

 kindred topics. 



