Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-06-02
Cannon Schools.

nuaIly in the am,pori Of teachers and building
elegant school-hotscs as was expended for that
obiert 20 or % years arn. The public treasure
was never more lavishly poured ont, and yet our
district schools do not flourish. The diitculiy' 4
appruhcnd. can ~ some degree he attributed 20
the sources from which we draw our knowledge I
Our teachers are taken too exclusively from our
high school. and colleges. and few If them have I
ever entered district srhool-housc. They IN
dcrstand well the higher branches Of science but
know little OF first principles"
We think Mr. Petiihonc mistakes the cnu'c Of
the evil he complain. o. The difficulty IS not
that too 81 few Of them have entered district
school house" but thnt too many Of them have
entered nothing else, and, is impossible TO I'M
dersland treH the higher branches of science,
viihou, a thorough acquaintance with 4" irsi
principles" If Mr. Pctfibonc desires to elevate
the standard Of education in common schools, let
him not lower, but elevate the standard Of edu-
cation among teachers, and then bring about =
state OF things which shall secure to the comPe-
ten; teacher an adegaie compensation tor his ser
vices. and the object will be attained You do
not peg your teachers wages equal to the most
common ial,orers in your felds-yei the quali-
fed teacher mus, spend two or three years in
unpruductive labor AZ school, besides a consider
able outlay OF money, before he tan begin to
carr ANYTHING or course, he viii not teach
school for surh compensation. if he can earn
more in my other way. school teaching soon
sequenily the resort 100 frequently Of irnora-
muses. who don't know enough to know that
they know nothing" or n persons unable from
III health Or other causes 10 engage IN other la
bora When YOU desire to build a house. you do
no, 90 into tine street. and hire common laborers,
or even incompetent merhauics for thai purpose.
merely because they work cheapest You IN
derstand better YOUR own interest. You engage
a skiiul mechanic, who understands his trade
and you expec; to pay him higher wages, cor
--c;iy regarding Il a. true economy. But in the
employment Of common school teachers, thu,
principle OF ECONOMY is generally lost sirh, Of.
and risapness NJ rgqsi ~ the chief con-de-n-
tan. The whole cnurse aud characic- o. after
life takes is direction aud color from eny edu-
cation, for Just a. the twig is beni the trees
Inclined and though parents love their children
devoicdiy. 1--we for them, and make their happi-
hes and surrc-s IN life their constant ssuiy vet;
strange to say tiry take less pains IN the sciee-
ton Of the archiier; upon whose instruction Their
future condition dslrntis, than in the choics o
me- hanc 10 build house.
Children sleep away 3 half dozen yeau NJ
school. and having learned lev things by rots
iiAe The parru, bat viihnu any new idras, their
education : finished, and they go out into thu
world to lament many Of our readers doubt
les nov do that they were no; made to com
prehend, IL early youth, the value, imporiane,
and consequence Of education As soon rs chill
drvn ar able 20 wall, they art hurrisd OF II
the sehOos-houso, to get them GU, OF the way
, Thcy are made to 81; still, perhaps with booi
before them, four or six hours day an irksoms
task y assigned them the desire for loe0uosioI
and play, which Is Necessary. and which naiur'
abundantly provides. tor the development Q
their mental and physical powers, a. checked
and restrained aud they come to iooE upon th'
/. sahOoi-house sa q prison Tins , al wong a
every one viii feel who has passed through II
Children learn things brought within their com
prshension. alnsus; By iHtnllion, and few an
aware Uf their extraordinary powers Of ooserv@
ton and imitation. Bli they must be reached
through their affections; their inteliects mus
no; be ove-sirained and Instruction mus b,
ziade a'fac:ius. Il must no, restrain and des
troy, bul enter into and make z par; Of the nat
urAl impulse 10 exercise and plsyiulncs. Hence
comPeteHi female ieaeberS as they have mort
sympathy for and Einre readily engag, the al
fections, arr the proper instructors Of childhood
It would be far preferable and mon economics
10 Keep The young from school altogether, uni
ten or twelve year Of age, and then give then
two years' schooling under competent teacher
than ten years confinement under an Ignorant
taskmasier Il y gratifying To know ihata great
and beneficial change IL being made in the sys-
TEN Of common school education, and that jnsier
views ART beginning to prevail Of the capacity
and mode OF instruction OF the Young.
We hsve said more than We designed upon
this subject, though il is upon which we feel
a deep interest. We intended at this time. only
10 notice a report before the British Parliament.
Of the state Of education in Wales, which we find
in the Westminster Ksrieu for April Teacher
are selected there upon pretty much the same
considerations that they have been here, and
their wages wary from .f.g to eighiy dollars per
year. The report says;
The teacher IN North Wales ART drawn from
the lowest class IN society. which contains ndirit-
uais competent "a read, write and cipher In manv
eises even these conditions dispensed with. and
any person who Is supposed to understand the Eng
iish language better than his neigibors is cnrour-
aged 10 undertake the uficc Of srhOolmastcr Fe-
males OF the poorest class being cnahlsd while
I engaged In domestic service. 10 acquire q kno1l-
edge Of English with greater fariify ihan men the
class Of schoolmIsiTefscs Is compO-ed Of persons
vino have been employed seamstresses. charwo-
men and servants OF the most humble description
The teachers could nut even speak the Eng
lish language correctly. The report says:
. In iarg, free school at Holi county of Den
bigh the master speaks English with broad Che
shiTr dialect, and very ungrammaiically lie said
he went and tauohed some byes' ibovsl lie pre-
faced question 10 whether had not met with
mary ignorant schoolmasters hv sewing ne bcinr-
IN interested party. And while ] was examinin..
class he directed the children 10 stand baoker'
lie used no boob in hearing the reading lesson and
when he Thought thunder was committed lie cor
rected II by committing another"
OF the state OF education among the scholars
Of the upper classes, the following are specimens
The Commissioner WIN drew M, the ra,,,-- 49,.