Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-06-13
To the friends Of improvement in
Education throughout the
State Of Vermont,

] was requested to procure authentic informa-
tion respecting the school-laws of the free
States, and especially Of New England, and to
publish such Information as widely as possible
through the newspapers. The object OF this
course was to show, how Far Vermont, which
had once stood foremost in regard to common
school education, had now fallen into the rear,
and thus TO prove the necessity OF immediate
legislative action, If we would have our youth
stand even on an equal footing with their COM
petitors for independence, influence, and use
fitness. have performed the first part Of the
required duty. l have opened correspond
ence with official characters and others, in
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, and Ohio, all
of whom have kindly and promptly complied
with the request OF the convention, some by
furnishing me with their school-laws in PAM
phlet form, Others by procuring and forwarding
transcripts from their Revised Statutes.
II was my intention TO have laid the informa-
tion before the public in the cords ofthe Stat
utes OF the respective States. But, BY arrang.
ing it in this form, the length Of the article was
so great as to interposc a serious obstacle both
TO readers and printers. therefore determine
ed merely TO present the substance OF the in
formation through the newspapers, and to con-
fine myself for the present to the important
points OF, |. Examination of Teachers H.
Superintendent and Regulation of Schools !;
Ill. Uniformity in Books, by Selection Of the
Profitable, and an Exclusion Of the unprofta-
bic or hurttul. shall be happy to afford an
opportunity. to such gentlemen as may desire
it, to examine more infinitely the statutes
which have collected, in a tour which shall
shortly take through the principal towns o(the
State.
l. Examination of Teachers. No teacher,
in any OF the States enumerated, is allowed 10
commence public school until he or she has
exhibited satisfactory evidence, to the proper
committee, OF good moral character, and I'M
dergone strict examination, as we'll as to ab-
ity TO teach, as to literary qualifications. In
some Of the states, the act Of commencing to
teach without certificate from the committee
is made penal offence. In several states, the
certificate may at any time be withdrawn,
should the school prove Improbable. Every
where preliminary examination is ndispensa-
BILE, excepting in
VERMONT, Where no examination of
teachers ,ohatever is prouided for By lao, and
where with few exceptions, such thing is
never even dreampt Of
IL. Pisitation, Superintendent and Reg
ulation Of Schools. In all the enumerated
States, more or less strict and frequent visit
alton, superintendence, and regulation Of the
schools is required by law. In New Hamp-
ohuC oiOhO thCiC 10 a cCChitlS CACCpLOu " tiiS
rule. There, any town, assembled in town
meeting, "may vote to dispense with the serv-
ices of the Experimenting School committee
30 far as relates to the examination and inspec-
ton of schools But the value OF such exami-
nation has been too strongly lelt throughout
the state 10 allow to such an exception more
than nominal importance. Unfortunately, how
ever, the cases in which towns haze awaited
themselves of the multiplying clause, are precise
ly those in which il is most injurious TO their
true interests. For it may generally be taken
as rule, that strict superintendent is valued
by the community in direct ratio to the eff
cheney Of the schools. But, while all the States
around have been thus careful OF the vital in
terests Of their youth, how is il with us
In VERMONT, the law makes no provision
achGteUer for these important points, and, with
very few exceptions, there is no such thing
known here as examination or superintendent
ofschools.
iii. Uniformity of Books-Selection of
the Profitable, Exclusion Of hte Improbable
or Hurtful in Ohio and New York, the
statute makes il the duty of the superintendents
to determine and recommend the school books
best adapted for the course of studies. In
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, and Connecticut, the law enjoins
the committee to direct what books shall be
used
VERMONT here again stands alone. Her
law neither commands nor authorizes either
direction or recommendation. TIE conse-
quence is Babel-ike confusion Of books; good,
bad, and Indifferent, indiscriminately mingled in
almost every school, bidding defiance TO class-
fication, order, or method. In school visit
ed during the past winter, owing 10 the diver
sty OF books, most Of which, though good in
themselves, were wholly unsuiled to The capac-
ty of the child, the largest reading class con-
sisted Of Two children. And thus the time,
both of instructor and pupils, was completely
FILTERED away. In such a situation, the best
teacher would be poweress.
In all the States enumerated, the important
duties Of which have spoken devolve on
committee distinct from that which selects the
teacher and manages the prudential matters of
the school. The latter committee furnishes
the wherewithal; the former sees that il is
carefully and prQ6tably used. The latter pro-
vides teacher; but he cannot stir step till he
has exhibited his proficiency, and given evil
dence his moral character to the former. In
the New England States, the power of the su-
perintendents is confined to the topns by which
they are appointed. In New York and Ohio.
there are county as well as tolpn superintend
ents, an arrangement found 10 be highly profit
able, since it has a powerful tendency to bring
all the schools under the supervision of the
former officer up to the highest grade; that Of
the best in the county.
Allow me to close with few simple oues-
tons intimately connected with the facts above
stated: Is there no danger, then, would ask,
that Vermont will be flooded with lazy, lncom-
pesent, dissolute pretenders to the name OF
teacher, who, though unable to pass the ordeal
required in their own State, will readily pro-
cure schools here, if the ,cages asked are sufi-
e,ently totD There is something more in this
than mere surmise. 1t is becoming well
known ~ the border towns of New Hampshire,