Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-03-07

the prudent and judicious, those who fee
an interest in the cause of our common
schools, and who may be relied upon to be
active and earnest in dischargiug the dutie:
of their trust And especially select sucf
as will afford you the best possible security
that the teachers they approve shall be o.
such character as their high Office de-
mands. For we would again urge you to
guard well,-to use every precaution In
your power,-that those in whom are gar
nered up your dearest and fondest hopes be
not entrusted to the charge of an incompe-
tent, unfaithful and unworthy teacher. En-
ploy, if you please, novice to superintend
a business in which you have invested all
your capital, give, if you will, the pleading
and defence of cause in which your
whole worldly wealth may be involved, to a
fourth rate lawyer; and commit, if you
choose, the care of your health and life,
when disease has assalled you and death
stares you in the face, to an ignorant quack
but do not, o do not entrust the educa-
ton of your children,-the unfolding of
their immortal minds, and the formation of
that character on which hangs their eternal
destiny,-to those who would go to work at
random upon materials so priceless-thot-
less and careless. it may be, of the final re-
suits of their labors! The former errors
WILL it may be, lead to a ruined fortune, or
the cutting short of your years on EARTH
But the ruined fortune perhaps may be re-
trieved, and your life at farthest must soon
reach its close. But the last error,-that
which involves the miseducation of your
81. al. IL.
worldly wealth or a fleeing existence here,
and involves a loss which neither time nor
eternity can repair-a fatal aud Irretrieva-
BILE ruin.
1t is not enough, however, for you simply to
select your best and worthiest men for SD
perintendenis. When this has been done,
they should be given to understand that you
expect them to do their duty. This may be
done by your giving them proper directions
and the assurance of suitable compensa-
ton for their labors.
1t was the intention Of the undersigned
only to call your attention, at this time, to
the duty that pertains to the election OF
your town superintendent. But now that
we are in communication with YOU, allow US
TO add few words further. When you
have performed the duty already contempla-
ted, YOU still are moi, cannot be, dIscharg-
ed from all further obligation or concern in
regard to your schools. You have yet other
personal and individual duties to perform. !
YOU need to cooperate VITA Jour superin- !
tendents and with your teachers Ill every
possible manner.
We trust the Institute will be brought !
,v,thin ra,ch Of all ,ur y harS tho cnurS..
of the current year. These are schools de- |
signed to impress upon teachers a deeper
sense of the responsibility and In portance
of their wn,k to impair, to them knnWl- I
edge of the best methods of teaching, and
the best mode of adapting their instructions
to the different ayes and capacities of chill |
dren and, generally, to ensure to them a
higher skill and more full success in labor
fraught with so momentous consequences. |
But without general system Of co-opera-
ton on your part, teachers, however well
qualified, sk:lIful and faithful, must come far |
short of accomplishing the good they might /
otherwise do.
We cannot here enter into the details of
your personal duties in relation to this mat
ter, but we strongly and earnestly entreat
you 10 turn your dlleHtiOl 10 inc SUBJECT
and study those duties for yourselves. Our
schools need improving. They should ell
sure to our children higher intelligence
purer virtue,-greater usefulness. The i'm
provement demanded will require your ei-
forts; but no great good is obtained at
cheap rate. And, in closing, we would
appeal to your regard for the honor and
prosperity of the state, which we doubt not
you are proud to call your own; to your
concern for the best welfare of society to
the interest you feel in the responsibility,
the usefulness and happiness of your chill
dren or, if you have not children of your
own, we commend to your special regard
tine States whole Ninety-eight Thousand
" buds of promise'-and ask you, respect
fully, but with the expectation that the re-
quest will be needed, that you will employ
your best energies, -your most earnest,
faithful and perseyering efforts-to sustain
and build up our common schools.
H. EATON, State Supt
Middlebury, Feb. Is, 1850.