Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-04-29
For the Freeman.
REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF COMMON SCHOOLS
Waitsfeld, ~, March, 1852.
(orrrprD FOR puDL,oArIoS BY pnQvEsr.)

Among the evidences Of increasing in
crest in Common Schools, which we ENJOY
n common with very many towns OF the
State, is an Improvement in the condition
If our School houses. We can boast Of
hree as beautiful and commodious school
houses as are to be found in the county;
and the others are all very good looking and
creditable. The past year, The Mil Dis
lrict has substituted for its old house, which
vet did not answer to the description of sew
eraI old school houses mentioned IN the last
State Report, an elegant new one, which at
once gives a new character to the school.
Il proves attractive; for the roll has IN
creased from % as it stood last winter, To
81 this winter. 1t is very tasteful build
ing, economical yet generous 10 its arrange
ments, and very chaste and agreeable IN It's
painting. 1t is matter Of regret that the
Centre School House, in being moved and
neatly fixed up was not enlarged according
to the original plan. In my first visit to 1t
this winter, the scholars were slowed, In
some instances, three in seat, beside two
in the desk, and four on the desk steps,
This is altogether too close crowdlng; for
.r>.,m in a school house is one Of the first
Of convenienEes. The South School house
on the river is also quite too small and in
convenient for the increasing number Of
scholars. But | am glad to report that
they propose to repair and enlarge it this
summer. 1t is to be hoped that they will
do it to the credit Of themselves and the
town.
The proper qualification and instruction
Of the teacher is fundamental point in our
school system The expenditure Of money
by the State on Teachers Institutes and
Normal School is really more profitable aud
BETTING, than to bestow all the public mo-
ney directly on the schools. For if good
teachers are provided and their value learn
ed, districts will prefer them, though they
be obliged to pay larger tax. The Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction in Ken
lucky makes a suggestion Oil this subject,
which it would be profitable for this State
deliberately to consider 1t is only three
years since that State has adopted he com.
mon school system, yet their annual expen-
diture of public money is $4,000 more
than of this State. The Superintendent
suggests to the Legislature the plan of maxi
ing Transyvauia University the head Of
the Common School system; and out Of
$l25, 900 Of public money, to apply So, 600
for qualifying teachers. Would it not be
better" he INQUIRIES, "to spend $4,000 to
furnish 200, 600 children with good teach
ers, than to give each Of these children four
cents piece, and allow them to have poor
teachers ~ (Vt. State Report, p. 40)-
Vermont has about half this number of
scholars; and how greatly would half this
expenditure, or 81, 900, for securing better
teachers, improve our common schools
The proportion Of male teachers in town
is increasing, and also the number of school
children Last winter there were male,
and 5 female teachers; this winter 6 male,
aud 3 female teachers. There have been
LAG weeks taught by females, at the aver
aye wages of 1857 per week. There
have been u weeks taught by males, at the
aveFage of $4,02 per week.
nc 1ot" CAPObSS vi INC sCHOolS mas Oeen
Wages of male teachers, S2595
p" " female 22950
Board of teachers, 1851
Incldentals, 1900
Total, S7768l
The number of school children in town
is $40. The number of scholars, enrolled
by the teachers in summer schools, was
254; of which the average attendance at
my visits was l6l. The number of scho-
ars enrolled in the winter schools was
1922 average attendance at my visits, 262.
Three schools had a term of ID weeks; two
term Of IA weeks; one term Of l6
weeks; paid by district tax. The other
schools had the usual term of IL weeks
The schools Of this town have good de-
gree of uniformity in school books. The
benefit is seen in the schools not being
crowded with classes. But | noticed one
evil ofthis kind this winter. In the Centre
School, in consequence of having both
Sanders and Towns Readers, there
were seven classes, where were all that
were needed. In the South School, Towns
Series is wholly used in the other schools,
Sanders Series. The lower numbers of
the series, e. g. Sanders First, Second and
Third Readers are 81 soon finished, and the
pupil passes so rapidly from one to the 9TH
er, that there is not need Of these being
changed very often. The highest Reader IN
The series is used longer, and the scholars
may get weared of ii, aud change may
be desirable. To effect this both Sanders
Fourth and Towns Fourth, may be used
That excellent book, which is yet found in
some of the schools, Porer's Rhetorical
Reader, is good ore for the most advanc-
ed scholars.
Many teachers carry their classes very
rapidly through the Reading Book. Some
classes have gone over their Reader Two or
threetlmes tins winter. This mist kes the
object ofthls exercise in school. II is bet
ter TO drill the class on shorter lesson I'LL
they read it well. There is no study in
which there should he so much instruction
aud practice, as in reading.
The Spelling Book, | always desire TO
see, when visit school at the close, near
ly or quite finished by the first class In
some schools in town, the first class have
not finished the Spelling book for years.
The teacher should so arrange 1t, either by
frequent sPeiIings, or by putting them for
ward in the book, that ordinarily the most
advanced scholars shall get through the
book with the term.
| have been pleased to see in most of the
schools this winter, the scholars in Arnh-
melic arranged in classes, as in other
branches. 1t has been too customary for
them to cipher independently of each 9TH
er, and not in classes except to recne the
rules. But there are many advantages in
keeping the class together. No recitation
is more profitable than that in Arithmetic