Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-12-03

GENTLEMEN The relation which you sustain to
the Common Schools induces me to propose some in
quries, and suggest few thoughts for your consdera
ton at the present time.
In few weeks all the schools in this county will
have commenced, and much, very much, of their sue
cess depends upon the athfulness with which you dis
charge the high trust eposed in you. You are to Sc
ect the teachers, who for the next three months, are
to have charge of the thousands Of youthful minds,
found in our numerous schools. Upon you deVoves
the special guardianship of the entire interests of
schools. Your office presents you noble sphere OF
usefulness. If faithful untold blessings will be the
result. Ifremiss the consequences must be mschiev
GUS and runous. You have probably already engaged
teachers for your respective schools This work it is
hoped has been done with care, and with more regard
to the fitness of the candidate for the Office than the
price demanded Having hired your teacher, new,
and important relation is instituted between you and
him. He is in a comprehensive sense yOur teacher
You are to be his special friend and counselor Should
there be preudces against him, on the part OF some
families, you the proper mediator between them.
Seek to secure on his behalf their good will. Your
eye and ear should be open and attentive to the
school watching its progressively to respond to
its clams and prompt to quell the first rsiags of dis
content You should be slow to believe aught against
your teacher but if after your school commences,
you find that you made mistake in your choice of an
instructor the sooner that mistake is rected the bet
ter Do not retain an unworthy teacherin your school,
simply because you have hired him and he has com
menced operations. Your contract with him was based
on the supposton and he knew it, that he quail
fed to do the work. You believed HIM to be thus
qualified, and, if honest he believed himself to be- but
experiment has proved that you both were deceived.
The State Supt in his address to Co. Supts. of Dec.
last expressed the sentiment that it is far better to
have no school, than to have bad one. Is not this
sentiment just? Evil habits and errors contracted du-
ring the short space of three months, in bad school,
may cost the labor Of years to eradicate. Do not hen
repeat with emphasis, retain an unworthy teacher in
your school,
Suffer me to inquire, is your school house in good
repair? Have you examined it particularly? Are
the windows whole and well fitted? Is the stove in
good condition. Is the flooring tight? Is the pUs
tering, on the walls, and over head whole? Are the
seats and desks in good repair and comfortable? Is
the house clean? Has it been banked? Or, does the
wind have as free circulation under the flooring of the
house, as around its walls? Are there no loose clap
boards? Have you good dry wood? Is it housed?
Is there shovel or tongs at the school house? Is
there broom there? Pail and cups? Is there
good blackboard for the use of the school
would Of an nar1v visit IN
the school, by the prudential committee Do not,
entreat suffer the first week to pass without discharg
ing this duty. And repeat these visits, thereafter as
often as practicable At your first visit please make
special inquiries in regard to the supply of books their
&c. &C.; and if there should be defcien
cy or want of uniformity, you not persuade those
concerned to remedy the evil
Respectfully, f. j, SCOTT.
Montpelier, Nov. 80, 1876