Litchfield enquirer., 1837-03-09
FOR THE ENQUIRER. COM MGbN SCunHAE Nn

FOR THE ENQUIRER.
 COMMON SCHOOLS-NO. 2.
 In my last spoke of the manner in which the board of visitors sometimes perform their duty as the cen- cers Of teachers. We will now see how they dis charge their trust in relation to the schools while 5 operation.
 Having commissioned teacher, the statute seems to imply that it is their duty that he fills his re- sponsibe station with propriety, and manages the school in accordance with their wishes 20 as to se cure the greatest possible amount of benefit to the scholar. The statute also gives them full power to re- move such teachers as from experiment prove to be unworthy, and expressly provides that each school be- visited twice during each e by at least two of said visitors Thus. they are literally constituted the guar dians of these schools, and more important trust can hardly be pointed out, all the circle of our social and civil relations But how is it executed? As might be expected varously to be sure as suits the conven- fence of those to whom it is committed or as the inte- rest they feel in the education of the young, and a feeling sense of personal responsibility, prepondera,ea over the claims of oer and more private ayocations, or the reverse. With few honorable exceptions, the discharge of this most important trust is made mere formal service, apparently performed more with refer ence to fu6lment of the letter of the law, that the public funds may be received, than with any expecta ton of beneftting the schools.
 But whatever may be the views with which the ser vice IS rendered, thing is certain, the manner in which is performed tends more directly to generate time-serving spirit in both teacher and pupils than to any more beneficial result
 Perhaps some may think that place wrong esti- mate the effects of the formal discharge of the du-
 ties of the board of visitors or that am wrong in at- tachng the character of formality, but careful ob servation for many years past will not admit of my rendering more favorable judgment; and if scept- cism exists this point, it must result from want of close observation, the observer must have viewed the subject from much more favorable position than it has fallen to my lot to occupy. Let look few specimens by way of illustration. A school is com. menced the teacher feels ambitious. and after few days for arrangement he expects those under whose supervision he is 10 labor will call and zee that hs starts upon the right track. Surrounded by children and youth, some of whom manifes: strong symptoms of waywardness, and all. sufficiently uninclned for application himself perhaps psinexperienced-he looks
 to the visitors with flial feeling, and expects from them counsel and encouragement in his truly difficult work Day after day, and week after week, he waits and looks for the expected vsit but looks and waits in vain The parents of his charge manifest but little interest in his employment, and those whose official duty it is to care for him. and superintend his move mens leave him to himself and he begins to feel that he has attached undue importance to his occupa- tion Perplexing labors, day after day, crowd upon him and depress his spirits. He is ready to yield to- Encouragement, and begins to took forward the ex praton of his term of engagement, bracing up his nerves to endure with as much fortitude as possible the tedious intervening hours Under these circum- stances and when his term of service has nearly half expired one two of the long expected visitors make their appearance-they in haste, make apo loges of some sort for calling sooner and proceed to hear uery short exercises from the scholas- Every thing must be brief as they can spare but little time. These brief exercises concluded, they make a. few commonplace remarks, in which they express satisfaction in seeing goodly number of children and youth at school, pronounce commendation-per- haps wholly unmerited-on the general appearances the school express their hope that they may visit it again before its close when they shall expect to wit ness great proficiency, and after commenting all con- cerned to the care of Israes Shepherd make hasty exit. The impression left the mind of the school can be as readily conceived as described; and this whether early or late in the te-is quite too gener any etIG ChaEhCtcI OA we occ AOuAuS of the paternal care and supervision by the statute, until near the close of the term, when these guardians called upon to attend the examn-' aon, and then they are so engaged that but one of them spend his time to witness the exercises and another spend five minutes just to make the visit legal Will any say,"i if such an instance as the one described ever occurred it was an ertrems ense 7"- Then take another example: instead of the school being formally visited near the middle and at the close of the term it continue on under the circumstan. ces above described from beginning to end without being looked upon by one oi the board, when some days afer its close the teacher and scholars sum- moned together for Aa!f dayas sort of supplement to the term, during which time tDO sisss are grausy made by GeputatiOn from ts Hoa Beard, 'Oih a" ''- terusission ef fffesn minItes bstsDeea ttsas.
 Isay nothing of the many cases which are known to exist in which no effort made to fuln! even the letter of the law and where the cerhcste o the school societv's committee contains meSess@ peTufyor ar, enst an attestation of that which IS entirely unerue
 hey having no of knowing whether the visitoEB have performed the duties assigned them without m. stituting personal inquiry, seem to prefer taxing tor granted scenes like those above described and alluded to- the conclusion has been forced upon me that the statute regulating the oversight of our common schools is like the law Of which Paul speaks, which, though ordain- cd to be unto lie, was found practically tc be unto. death. FARMER.