The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-10-06
Correspondenoe Of the Register.

PIrrsFoRD SErT. so. 1852.
Mn J II BARRETT,
Dear Sir:
As | know that you make a
good use of public documents, send you
herewith some relating to the Normal
School at West Newton, Mass.
visited that Institution a few weeks
since. 1t is in fourishing condition.
The number of pupils is about ninety, an
der the care of Rev f. S. Stearns. Prin-
cipal, and three female assistants Most
of the instruction, the mere class
teaching" dcvolvcs upon the assistants.
Mr.. Stearns, in his last Report, ex-
presses :" the conviction that it will be-
come more and more necessary for the
princil al to abstract himself from regular
class-teaching, and to devote himself to
the more miscellaneous and less pleasing
duties of serving whomSoever may come,
and of general supervision; indeed, it has
long since come to this, that he regards
mere class teaching, when he can get a
chance to engage in it, as his pastimc
rather than his first duty"
Pupils are received on examination i'll
the common branches, and declaring
their intention to remain four consecu-
tive terms and to engage in teaching i'll
the schools of the state The attention
of pupils is directed, LIST, to a thorough
review of elementary studies I'd, to
those branches of knowledge which may
be considered as an expansion of the a.
boyc-namcd elementary studies, or col
lateral to them; Sd, to the art of teach
ing and its modes"
The advanced studies are equally pro
portioned according to the following dis
tribution. into three departments, viz
list, The mathematical, I'd, the philo-
sopLical, Sd, thu literary.
Tile course Of aufy requires Jo"r
terms for its complexion, at the end OF
which time, every graduate is entitled to
the regular certificate of the institution
The number of graduates is $50, of whom
six are distinguished as having " honor
ably completed" a longer course.
When it is rccollccted that this in.
cludes the time spent in reviewing the
ele mcntary studies that much atten-
ton must be paid to photography, ETY.
mology, rawing. clOcution and compost
ton, and to the theory and practice of
teaching it will be seen that too much
must not be demanded of these schools.
They are doing a good work. and doing
it we'll. They are especially needed
where the Academies are not sufficient
ly numerous to prepare teachers for the
common schools, or are not adapted to
this work.
The question is often asked, rs a
Normal School the next want of Yer
mont ?" The question whether such a
school might not be expected to be of
use to the cause of education in the state
is very different from the one, is it
desirable to put forth the efforts requis-
lite for its immediate establishment ?"
Such efforts, if put forth, should be
based upon distinct understanding Of
the objects which can be accomplished
and not upon extravagant expectations
which can never be realized
There are directions in which all the
efforts of the friends Of education can be
lccH bestowed.
We need at once more efficient su
permtendence for our schools and sys
TEN of graduation with high schools ii
all our larger villages
BY unanimity and energy these caa
be secured. Yours truly,
c. A. l..