Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-04-07

the words, ard to pitch the voice into an
unnatula key? And does not reading
consist in merely p,cnorncing nolds-
the whole exelcl>e little Else than VERDI
age!
In Arithmetic, can the pupils make an
application of the examples OF the book, or
give a reason for one Of the rules they
commit? And what is tie renmanship
if YOU do not furnish the m;de pen, tie
ruled book, the school desk, and tLeround
COPY plate?
| Is The study of GeograI by much more
than committing the Wolds Of the book 10
memory? DO the pupils transfer the
mind from the words 10 the objects de-
sclibtd?
| Is not the study Of Grammar, also, a
mere exercise ofthe mt moriter and guess
! ing faculties? Do not children commit
the words Of the grammar and then guess
out the parts CT speech and syntax? Do
they lealn any thing Of the philosor by Of
theIanouage-any thing Of its primitives,
idioms, or genius? Do they correct their
col,oquial violations of grammar? And
is the choice and coilocation ofwords, tie
phraseoloev, the tolce and beauty of ex-
pressjcn, any better after studying gram
mar in the common school than it was
telore? Isit not all compuIsory unmc0n-
ing and almost use'csS?
The common sChLos, in their press Mt
low state, pretend to teach nothing tut
what we have mentioned-tEe mere in
strumCn:s Of Enowledge,-and it is seen
ly a little examination how def CtiyeIy
these are taught. Do these schools teach
any thing which makes the man? any
thing Of agriculture, of mechcni,s S, or of
the growth and health Of vegetab es and
animals? Do the common schools, as
they are now conducted, teach the chill
dren any thing Of their social duties, Of
their duties as public officers, Of their du-
ties to their country, or Of its history, law s,
and constitutions, or Of their duties TO
themselves ard their Creator? What
then, do our common schools teach? 4
lite SmoUer>"8 Of a fer in>trumentS Of
hn0u!ed gc-tha, which the dtmaCocuc,
he impostor, and tie fanatic would like
taught; for these agita,ors choose to have
he pc ople half educated; ENOUGH to read
what they say; but not enough to know
whether 1t is true or not-not enough to
make he PEOPLE thinking, inQuiring. rea-
scning indt pendent men. By no ncans:
the dcmaGouSe and the imrcstor must
, ,oob at the common schools with infinite
, pleasure ; they must see muchtO encourage
their arts, and invite the m to action!
Something must be done. Thelc have
T been Of late some fearful Warnings aud
no patriot will doubt or hesitate nlu.-
] The school funds in some of the states ere
large enough; the more the people them
? selves Do directly for the Schools the bet
= ter will e their supervision. Legislation
l. is rot what we want in several Of the
= states But one thing is wanted, and ii
e must be done throughout the Union
: PUBLIC SENTIMENT MUST BE
Y ENLIGHTENED. An informed pub.
] lie opinion must do that for the cause O.
| popular education, which it has done for
/ the cause OF temperance. We might have
e }cg's!aed en- lntemperance Up to the pres
e ent moment, but what good would it have
, done? There were laws, wholesome and
r strong, against this vice, lefore the public
: voice was heard. But what influence
=, had these laws? How inefficient will the
r best laws be when Public opinion is wrong?
I Laws seldom change opinions tut Cpin-
? lens change laws. Get public scntimer,
right and there is no fear bot what the
t laws will be obeycd Light then. mus;
be poured uIon the public mind. The
, Indifference and apathy Of pa:cnts-thc
: want Of preparation in teachers-tha lax
nd inf, ~ 4I,t, Of II, 81
= GERS mus lie published till they are heard
r and felt hy every citizen. Every thing
= must be done, that will induce the PEOPLE
f TO cooperate with the school system -
, Wanting this cooperation, the systt m
I may be admirable in its external orcani-
= eaton, and get not acoM 7rrU The in
| teinal res u.atitrs, these V hIch arc of the
/ most importance, and which ale, under
tie prest Mt state Of things, necessarily left
? to the people, have been c,iminaiy neg
Iected. And in democratic government,
} it is doubtful whether any thing hot the
: controlling voice Of public opinion, can
: reach the internal affairs Of the school.
The columns of this paper will be open
l ed to the ln;eir9tnt ard the experienced ;
1 and we respectfully request such TO make
: this periodical the able and enlightened
$ flend tie advocate ard the resistant -
, OF our common schools. He who sup
, plies deficiencies, lemt dies evils, or gives
r mental and neral light to his fellow le-
: nGs. EestoWs the greatest BLESSINGS that
= man can give. He who improves com
} mon schools, where the peoE lie ale cdu-
ca;e1, is the wa'mest friend Of freedom .
r for 10 educate US is to make US free -
Those who have enlightened mankind,
: land diftused useful knowledge through
= the whole community, have been the