Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-07-24
For the Waterman AMI Journal.
OUR COMMON SCHOOLS,-No.I n.


II is not only vastly important That every school
district be furnished with "good and pleasantly
located House." but special pains should be taken
to secure competent Teachers. By competent
Teacher mean such person as is well qualified
to discharge all the duties connected with the in.
structon and training Of the young mind. do
not expect TO find in the Teacher perfection but do
contend that he should possess certain affiliations
or not be allowed TO enter upon the important bu-
siness of school keeping. The first thing | will
mention as an indispensable requisite, is, good NOR
al character. Nothing is more certain than that the
Teacher leaves the impress Of his own character
on the mind of his scholars. 4" AS the Teacher is
so is the school," If VIC expect or desire that our
children may grow up to be respected and useful
we must furnish them with teachers Of good mora
character, such will lmpart by precept and en-
ample, the great lessons Of integrity and virtue
Otherwise our children will b. educated for dis
grace and ruin. And we have only to neglect to
exercise proper care in this matter 10 secure the
introduction of such teachers. They are abroad in
community, and more or less of them are employed
every season. in our schools. Have parents snffi-
ciently weighed the consequences of committing
their children 10 the and instruction of proane
and dissipaied instructors? Would they arm them
for suicide? Would they administer TO them poi
SON? If not, let them not allow them to come I'M
der such influences.
Again, the Teacher should be well verscd in
those branches which he is about to teach
do not mean that he should understand the
books merely, which are 10 be studiod. He may
know these to perfection, and yet be incompetent
to teach. He must understand principles. 1t is not
enough that he can perform the examples in Arth-
metc and recte the rules in Grammar he must
thoroughly understand the tchya and wherefore in ev-
cry case.
Otherwise, he is mere machine, and his schol-
ars will no more understand his instructions than
they could The operations OF steam engine, by
merely seeing it in notion We have already too
many practical Illustrations of this system of in
structon; too many Teachers who possess no
practical knowledge of the branches taught, and
of course are qualified to lmpar none to their pu-
pills.
Again, the Instructor must be cap, 20 teach"-
Knowledge is not the only prerequisite to success
in teaching. person may possess all that can or
need be acquired and yet entirely fail in his efforts
to instruct. He must have the power to commun-
cate and illustrate. But this power cannot be nc
CURED. 1t may be cultivated where it exists but
cannot be created whore it does not. The Teach
or, like the Poet is child of Nature, and not Of
Art. But would we have competent Teacher,
must require in addition to what has been men
toned, good common sense or power Of adaptation
to circumstances, the power Of self government
and discrimination of character, patience, cheerful
ness, energy justice, kindness and consc entious.
ness. But proceed to enquire why do not
have well qualified Teachers in Vermont. | will
suggest two reasons:
/. Good Teachers are not sought for There is
no standard by which their qualifications can be
tested The law is silent on the subject. The
business of employing Teachers is left entirely to
the districts, and in many cases they decide in view
Of other considerations than the candidates quail
fcations for the duties of his calling Therefore,
as we do not aim to secure the best teachers, we
are very liable to employ those not qualified.
9. We are unwilling to pay what the services Of
good teachers ought to demand. They cannot af-
ford to spend the necessary time and money to
qualify themselves for teaching, with no hope of
employment or compensation for their scrvlces.-
Those who are well qualified, seek employment,
usually, in other States. And as another consc-
quence, many do not qualify themselves, who other
wise would. To be competent to teach, would in
many cases be an objection in the mind of the
agent, if perchance the candidate should demand
more than ten dollars per MONTH He would at
once be rejected, and the mere s1plng who has at
tended some /" High School" six months would be
employed in his stead. Here there is an obstacle
in the way Of eleyating teachers and of secur.
ing such as qualified to take charge of our
schools.
There is reality in the above representation
The picture is not shaded too darkly. Facts will
establish the truth Of my assertions. large pro-
portion OF the teachers in this section of the State,
receive from eight TO ttcelue dollars per month"; if
males, and if females from three to four dollars
In almost all cases, they required to board about
in the district, and in bon,fi Themselves
One district, TO my knowledge, is in the habit of in
structing the agent to pay but nine or ten dollars
per month in the winter, and three in the summer
season. Another district, not thirty miles from
here, has teacher now employed, for Hiyiy-ttres
and hat cents per week. This compensation
would enable the lady to purchase cheap calico !
dress in sir ireekS, for three months hard labor,
she could pay her expenses at country Academy
for fraction more than iteo tceeks! Oh, avarce,
how blind and cruo thou art oh shame where is
thy blush! Let us not talk of female seryitude in
other lands, until the shaded of HeRthenism are
dissipotcd from our own State
ii. o.
The mining and smeltin0 husiness II, Illinois