The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-10-24
THURSDAY EVENING OCTOBER mot


:, ing IN other pursuits. 1t should be
Pr9cS@on, as honorable as it is rcspons
bic. There will be good teachers whe
we snail mature common school systcr
which shall create demand for, and fur
nish the means Of rewarding them.
: There should be, furthermore, an ey
animation into the condition of the schoo
houses, in reference to their size, seat
: my, ventilation, warmth, location, and tn,
grounds connected with them.
Information on all these points Shout,
: be embodied and hroubht out, in order t.
awaken the public attention to the ncccs
slly OF vigorous and systematic efforts tol
reform. And this must be done under
legislative authority, by parsons compe.
tent to an inspection, and to the making
OF It's results ineligible, aud useful, as q
basis Of future action. Such inyestga.
IONS have been the first step in the pros
ecutlon of educational Improvement in
the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts
ana New York, producing, within few
years, great and beneficial results in
lhese state. win Vermont longer hest
tate to follow their example' On you
rests the responsibility of deciding this
question. | would not urge too hasty and
headIong efforts at improvement. Grad
naI progress is the law of advance to
sound and vigorous maturity in every
thing, But there can bc M cdvo,co
without beginning.
How shall this beginning be made: is
a question for immediate consideration.
he exploration suggested, to be of any
n'ol'' must be uniform, universal and
thorough. To make it such, compensa-
ton Is obviously indispensable. We have
once tined it without, and iailed, and
without 1t; we Shall fail again. There
must be an efficiency which the rcspon-
S'ni'l'y OF accepting trust with coupon
sa'ion' can alone secure. BY what arcn.
cieS the work shall be done, it will be for
your wisdom to determine. 1t will be
worthy OF consideration whether thcy
may not he such, III part, as shall he
needed Tor the general supervision nee
eSSaFy to carry forward and perfect
system OF educational improvement; such
Tor example, as n board Of commission
erS rs IN Connecticut. or of cducation Ms.
III massachusetts, or a general Superin.
lehdeut ct common schools with County
superintendent, as in New York. There
may be advantages worthy of considcra-
ton IN the direct and undivided response
blI'ty OF a single general Superintendent
cy, while the County Superintendent
may well be supposed from the range
given Tor their selection, to be fully COM
petent to exercise the the rigid supervis-
ion, and make the suggestions Of i'm
provcmcnt Indispensable to progress.
This corrcspondes somewhat with the
PrnssIan system Of superintendent, as
described by the Secretary OF the Massa.
chuscts Board Of Education in the late re.
port ct bis visit to Europe, for purposes
connected with educanln. The Kingdom |
1t appears from the report, Is divided into
circles or districts, in each or which there
is "one or mere school commissioners or
inspectors, selected from The most talented
and educated men in the ommunty-such
as would be appointed presidents or pro.
lessons IN colleges, or judges Of the higher
courts. The whole Purssan system" says
IN author oilhe report, Impressed me
with deep sense Of the vast difference
IN the amount Of general attainment and
talented devotion TO the cause of popular
in that country, US compared
with any other country or state have
ever seen" Over all the other funciiona.
lies entrusted with the execution of their
system, is he Minister of Public Justice,
who IS member Of the Kings Cabnet-
Such has also been the case in France
since the late organization or,heir system
II public instruction."
Under the New York system, it is the
luty Of the County Supcrtcndents to visit
he schools in their respective counties,
consult with the the teachers, aud town
,uperinlenden,s, deliver lectures on edu-
cation, aud cndcavor To awaken an in
,rcascd interest on the subject orcommon
school education. These latter rcquisi-
ions form avery important part Of that
yslcm; as it is obviously vain to attempt
u reform unless the people can be brought
% take deep interest IN it. There must
,e the cooperation OF an enlightened pub
ic sentiment, or nothing will be DONE
We may legIslale; but alter MI, little can
je effected merely by the high pressure
II legislation. 1t must be adapted to a. {
yaken, aud concentrate, and give effect to
he energies oflhe community. And what
,annot Vermont accomplish in this matter
{ she shall undertake. and what motives
o undertake. and TO perseycre, can be
compared with those which are connected
With The vast results Of the mental and
moral training of her children!
The carrying ont. and perieciing, Of an
adequate system of educational improve.
nent will of course involve ultimately,
considerable expenditure; hnt as the ne
,essity for it shall arise, will the gradually
benefits oflhc system make the
contributors To sustain il, easy. aud their
burden light. The expenditure on the
.,rt ,T tho St,to unrpsCarv In commence !