The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-02-11
To the Teachers of Rutland
County.

in the education of youth This however,
cannot be effected, unless the Superintendent
insists upon a steady advance in the quaifca-
ton Of teachers, and withhold license from
S those who neglect to avail themselves of the
: abundant means of improvement around them.
Accordingly, although the State Superintend-
) ent recommended that the standard of quail
ication should not be set too high in the first
5 instance, lest portion of our schools should
, be deprived Of teachers, he has since repeat
, eddy reminded the County Superintendent
Of the necessity of a continual advance to
higher and higher attalnments.
Under these circumstances, feel it to be
my duty to lay before the present teachers Of
the county, as well as those who are prepar-
= ing to teach at future period, the defects
that have already been manifested in order
that those who are equally deficient may be
: properly prepared before another eXamina-
ton takes place, either by public instruction
or by private study.
/ Writing, photographic Punctuation s. use Of
Capitals In all the examinations, in which
| have been engaged, where jointly or alone,
l have required more or less Of the answers
to be given in writing. This exhibits, in one
view, their proficiency and facility of express
sion and in syntax, as well AS in penmanship,
orthography, punctuation, &c. The requisi
ton OF written answers served another eX-
cellent purpose. 1t is demonstrated to the
satisfaction of the candidates themselves, that,
in teaching photography, too much depend
ence must not be placed on oral Spedtng.-
They readily perceived from their own blum
ders, that naming the letters in the words, and
writing them correctly, were really different
accomplishments, and that the former did
not necessarily include the latter, II fact that
has long been familiar to those who have been
investigating education
Most of the teachers, then were found de.
fective in photography, that is, in writing
words correctly, though few or none were
found to be so in oral spelling. Most of them
were also unacquantel with any better mode
of teaching photography, than the one which
had proved such striking failure in their own
cases. Almost all were defective in punctua-
ton. Quite a number acknowledged that
they had not paid the slightest attention to
the subject. Most of the candidates could re-
peat the rules for placing capitals, though
many failed in carrying them into effect, thus
affordng many an additional instance to that
already given in the case of photography, of
the essential difference between theory and
practice, and of the danger Of relying on the
DRY alone.
In penmanship there was every variety,
from the stiff schoo-hny hand, " that of the
fluent ready writer; from the most illegible,
to that which could be read with the utmost
ease. Generally, however, the chief defect
lay in the most important element and prin-
Icipal beauty of writing,-egibiitv And
this in fact, was the most neelec ed where it
was most necessary, in places where no aid
could be received from the context, viz in
proper names and figures.
Redding. The reading was almost univers-
ally dull and heavy, and in uniform tone
and manner; such as was better calculated TO
put hearers to sleep, than to excite and keep
up lively interest The emphasis was alto
gether insufficient; and the little there was
frequently placed on the wrong words, so as
to mar the sense. In order to ascertain
whether the candidates would be quick in no.
ticng the fault of the learners, they were
called on to read alternately, while the listen
ers were desired to crticise us they would in
their schools. This exercise proved a total
failure, as was indeed to be expected, since it
was improbable that any one would notice the
errors that he was constantly committing.
arithmetic and Geographic. In these
| branches of instruction the candidates were
not so deficient as in the more important cl-
ementary studies already noticed. The rules
of arithmetic could generally be repeated and
the questions worked agreeaby to those rules.
But when the reasons for the rules were re-
CURED; when the why and wherefore, words
that ought to be continually in the mouth of
the teacher, were called for, the usual ans
wer was, " Such is the rule, This is the way
we have been taught. We know nothing fur
Their" Bit what is this better than trudging
like blind horse in mill. In geography,
in like manner, the facts were generally ia
miliar; but when inquiries were made ms to
principles, detects were sufficiently glaring.--
Few understood the distinctions between Il
great and lesser circle could tell why the
tropics and polar circles were placed in their
precise positions or where our antipndes were.
! In IL class OF fourteen candidates, every one
wrote as an answer to question on the latter
subject SIN China" To the question where
does the parallel of Rutland strike the west
of Euro 90, some answered In Great Brit
aim" others "In Germany" in Holland
or In the North of France"
Grammar. There was less deficiency here
than in any of the other studies, ifby grammar
we understand merely how to parse words
But ifthe Specification be extended as it ought
to be, to photography, Punctuation and anal
ysis of sentences, grammer may be placed in
the same category with its sister sciences, and
the whole range ofcommon school studies con-
sdered alike defective, alike in need of
thorough reform.
And now let me inquire whether it be
proper that affairs should remain in this con-
dition whether it be reasonable that the very
important task of instructing youth should no
lonrer be ntrusted to those who are so very
deficient in the first elements of edu"at on
whether the Superintenients will perform
their duty either to individual parents or to