Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-10-30
For the Freeman
TOT tHU IuoIIdH'
School Laws of Vermont.

1enient sze-the appointment of prudential
&C.: which, as a matter of course,
was one essential in starting a new State
Things continued in the same way, without any
new laws worthy Of note, until Nov. 5th, 1916,
when the Legislature, seeing the ne.d of some
important move 10 raise the standard Of educa-
ton in our common schools, passed the following
law:
The appointment of one or more Town Su.
perintendents, not to exceed three,in each town,
whose duty it is to examine teachers in their
respective towns, to give certificates TO those
qualified to teach, to visit all the primary schools
in their respective towns once at least each year,
and exercise general supervision over them.
This law is now in force. It was undoubtedly
calculated for the good of schools, but IN the
way it has been managed it has been of little or
no benefit. In the first point of view, qualified
men have not had the Office for to my knowl-
edge the people have, at their March meeting,
talked the subject over to ascertain who would
take the Office cheapest, lest some one should
get the Office who would maze some effort for
the advancement OF common school education
are made, the people actually voted not to pay
their Superintendent anything for his services:
consequently he resigned, mot being present at
the time,) and the Selectmen appointed one in
accordance with an act passed in 1850, entitled
" An act relating to Common Schools" Wheth-
er he will receive his pay Or not, is a question
which remains to be settled in the minds of
some who thought that they had struck blow
at education which it would not outgrow for
some time, but the ldp on the subject is us plain
as their ignorance. AND / ask all who have
given any attention to the subject what has been
the ability of majority of our Town Superin-
PENDANTS and how have they discharged the
important duties devolving on them? FIRST,
they have given certificates TO all who have
made application, tr nearly all, not examining
them thoroughly, nor in all respects which the
law directs. have witnessed the examination
of over one hundred applicants, and never saw
but one turned away without certificate, and
that one was far superior scholar to some who
received certificates. have known Others to
have theirs sent to them, whereby the Superin-
tendent tells rght.down fasehood for bis
certificate commences: Mr.. - has been
this day examined" &c. For me to tell those
who have had an opportunity of knowing that
> majority CT our common school teachers are
no more fit for the responsible station which they
hold, than majority of our houels are fol
school houses, would be wasting time and pa.
per. And the manner in which most of oul
Superntendents visit schools is of very little
benefit. They generally come in during the
last two or three weeks of school, and | have
been visited by the man who called himself thu
Superintendent the last day of school but one
although should not have mlstrusted his offic,
by anything he said or did, OF by the inlellec
displayed. They almost Invariably come in a
: the eleventh hour for f" the man who came a
eleventh hour received penny likewise" Per
haps some may think it is my object to misrep
resent things, but it is not So have writer
r Just what have witnessed repeatedly, aad
- know it to be the manner in which majority o
our schools have been managed.
i. Some may ask, how ought the subject to b.
q managed? will answer-there ought to be
!. Town Superintendent appointed by the Select
@ men Of each town, and the man best oualife,
q ought to have the office-not some office seeke
r who depends upon the public treasury for hi
,. support 1t ought to be the duty of said super
lntendent TO visit each school in their RESPECTIVE
). towns during the first two weeks of school,
q spending half day in each school, not on III
n road, nor visiting in the neghborhood; and the
should make a thorough investigation of tn
condition of the school, the house, and tn
teacher, his manner of teaching the severa
branches, and, above all, his government; an
II IT he finds the teacher is not doing his duty, h
g should be free to tell him so-not in school, bu
e out-and give him all necessary advice. H
e should visit the same school a second time a
d soon as may be deemed expedient, and if h
y finds the teacher does not alter his management
J. have the power to dismiss him, and in coniunC
II ton with the committee, substitute one whor
e they think isqualiied.
u There ought also to be different degrees {
certificates, mot town and county, so that tn
: eacher who has proved himself to be a goo
= teacher, can be distinguished from the gre.
" mass who are not worthy the appeaton {
y teacher. Good teachers do not get an adequat
y compensation, as general thing, and unquahfie
10 ones get douby what their services are worth.
= A good teacher Is cheaper at $lS 90 per montl
: than an unqualified one for nothing. Perhar
some may doubt it at first, but experience ho
10 proved it true. To be able to see all the beai
&c ings and influences teacher has on the schoo
u we must look farther than the amount of book
, education obtained. The teacher exerts infu
. ences on the scholars which they retain unit
death. How often do we hear aged people quo
ting sayings aud doings OF the teachers of thei
childhood! Why was 1t that the heaviest tax
payers in Buffalo asked to have three times thei
o school tax raised in 1888? Because they sal
n by paying one dollar of school tax, they save
!. three AoIars tax for the support of paupers an
criminals. 1t is high time that some new move
l. ment be made for The improvement of common
# schools, and l ask the candid judgment Of GU
!. present Legislature to weigh the subject at theI
q present session, and if they deem it expedienI
q pass some new act, such as they deem best suit
n ed to the necessities and wants of the people
q and drive away that dark cloud which hang
q over our conman schools in Vermont and tn
q first move necessary is TO lid our schools Of tn
y great number Of bungling counterfeit teachers
Yours &c