Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-02-07
For the Walclmau and journal
WASHINGTON COUNTY GRAMMAR
SCHOOL.

SCllOOL.
Having the pleasure of attending the semiannu.
al examination of this school last week, ! cannot
forego slight expression of the lively qualifications
which the highly successful character of the exer.
cis's afforded me. 1t was in reality, what it pur.
ported to be, an examination i'll the proper sense Of
the term. Many, if not most, of the so.called ex.
aminatons in ON high schools arc in fact nothing
but arrant impostions scientifically played off upon
The creduous public. TO practice upon The gull
bilhiy Of The Scrcreign pe0p'e, Uhdt Iorbids is a
problem pretty commonly worked at by men of all
callings, but by none is the required answer, zero
more readily given thun by schoolmasiers general
". The laws oFthc institution, under their chargc
perhaps require the periodical recurrence Of pub
Iic examination Escape evasion is ont of tie
question. The ordeal, rcpulsvc as it may be- must
be met Past rcmissncss and uniaithiuiness must
be exposed. Teacher and scholars are sorely dis
mayed. What shall be done? IN the trying cxi-
gency, the Genius of Hu1buggery is successfully
invoked; and at the suggestion of this kind dvinl-
y-so deservedy popular now adaysthe schol.
airs are systematically indicted, a week beforehand
into the plan and oil the details Of the coming ex-
animation, and particular portion Of each study
comprising few pages, is marked ont, by regular
mctes and bounds, as their especial fcll ol labor
.ic lceH y0W Par there all the honor lies, bccomcs
The universal motto; and the dest and duIles are
unable to withstand the temptation Of gaining hon
or, at so cheap rate. Every one cons aud re-
hearses, rehearscs and cons; till, all things got in
readiness that can contribute to the desired effect
the evcninl day arrives, the scene opens, the teach
er manages the wires admirably, the scholars an.
swer every question to the end of the chapter with
surprising promptness and accuracy the curtain
drops, and the whole school, the most ignorant
bocshcad not excepted is enveoped in n blaze Of
glory. | have often seen all this nav. ! know
something of 1t experimcntaIy, for when n school
boy was frequently called upon myself to figure
as one OF the drdm1tis persona in farces of this de-
scrlptlon; and as | have observed the ardent glow
OF satisfaction irradatng the countenances of the
unsuspicious audience, and the serene self-compa-
cency softly beaming from every feature and Inca
mcnt of the teachers vsage, have thought that
tiudibras was not tar from right, when he declared
that
Doubtless the pleasure s rs great
Of being cheated cheat.
But am sure that no such clap trap management
was resortcd 10 upon the occasion, which suggest
ed this hasty paragraph. The whole examination
was conducted with the most perfect fairness. and
the most rigid scrutiny The pupils were examn-
ell upon all parts OF their studies ndiscrimnately,
and the sum total of their know ledge, in every
branch they had attended to in the course of the
term, was unreservedly exposed to the public view.
The result was such to reflect the highest credit
b9th upon the instructor, and the instructed. 1t
was not however the mere amount of know ledge
displayed, that struck me so fayorably; since that
is matter Of minor consideration. 1t was tie
mental discipline evinced, the manifest nyigoration
Of the intellectual faculties by habits of though
and sefreliance, that afforded me particular pleas
ure. The folly of loading the memory with an IN.
digested iarrago of dead flcts. which too many
consider the sole end and object of educaiion and
the comparative worhessness of artificial rules
without proper understanding of the principles
which they involve, seemed 10 be properly apprec-
ated by the teacher and to have been faithfully and
successfully inculcated upon the minds of his
scholars and the result was plainly discernble,
upon the DAY Of examination, in the healthy yigor
Gus intellectual growth of all, almost without cx-
cepton.
| am persuaded, that whatever confidence shall
be reposed in our institution under its present eX-
celIent maLs cment, will not be misplaced. 1t is
idle, however to conceal that great Indifference
prevails, in the public mind of this community gen.
orally, concerning the fate Of our Academy. This
apathy is shameful to US, and fear has done not
little to give currency to the ungrounded taunt, that
we cannot appreciate anything that has not the
clear ring of IA silver dollar Montpelier is daily
advancing in wealth and Importance, and honorable
pride, if nothing else, should prompt us to support
literally only literary institution, and not per-
NIT it TO drag miserable feeble existence for
want of patronage No town in the State can
boast of superior advantages, and if We do not
properly improve them, we do ourselves greet in
justice, and incur merted rcproach.
OBSERVER.