The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-03-31

Nesf,y aor htF 81 ~. Teaches IN ihc
Eag Parish. dunng tie year, haze had n
icrnl right % their ~aeer. - thcy dA ~,
present hcnsclss hr ctaunnaton and dt4
NJ; Of course. receive TIE prescribed ccrsih.
catr II qashacauon His Tor the ro~n. Il
in ihat judgment u Is desirable. 10 tste
such mcssufes - NAV be ncccssary 10 pre-
went future violations " the isW. II ON
inittees wlll pay wages toteaohers vhe have
not bern examined, u u nos to BE- expected
that persons intcrdtng 10 icseh. all take
the nrcosSary trouble 10 undergo an exam
inAfsen. Oring 10 The dissatisfaction with
the teacher of ono Of the summer Schools.
she Dad nai kcep the whole trim for which
she hsd been engaged. With this cSoep-
ton 81 the schools have gone hlrinomoasly
through their usuil iernsi and | believe
with general satisfaction 10 the districts.
Al the SKINNER Schools were taught by
females. of the teachers M the Wintcr
S,hools. Eve we're females.
Though our schools would compare "a.
yorably with ,hose IN other towns. they
have Mt yct risen to tina, eminence which,
), was hoped, that under the fostering care
Of a wise legislature, they would Ger this,
have reached. Abandoned BY the State,
which had taken the i%ncipieni steps, which
IN other States, have led TO such valuable
results, u remains now for the Town Itself
10 pursue such measures as may be ncccs-
ssry 10 remedy the existing defects Of our
school system.
u occurs 10 me 10 suggest in the first
place, the necessity of a more %frcqucn, and
thorough visitation Of the schools. ! have
found, that where | have passed in a school
time enough to hold a partial examination
Of the scholars; and give them some familiar
Illustrations Of subjects embraced in the
course Of study, it has awakened an interest
in their minds aud given them an Impulse
that has encouraged the Teacher and left
IL impression on the school. But the SUI
pcrintendency cannot be made more effect
ual IN this respect, until a more liberal APP
preparation has been made to cover the ex.
pense. No. person qualified for the duty
can afford to perform it for any thing like
the present compensation.
A second difficulty to be overcome, lies
in the incapacity of the teachers. And
this is the formidable difficulty in the way
Of the improvement of our schools. We
have had our share of respectable teachers
respectable that is, when tried by the
common standard-respectablo when com
pared with other teachers of the usual quail
MISUNDERSTANDING perhaps, all that enters
into some persons conceptions of a perfect
teacher-but barely respectable, when
measured by what in this day of Intelligence
ought to be the only standard of Judgment
in such cases, and which is the only stand
ard where the true nature and ends of ed
ucatlon are understood, and the interests Of
public schools are properly protected aud
iurthercd by law. Any one familiar with
the appearance Of a school trained under n
teacher educated for his profession, could
not fail to see at n glance on entering one
of our ordinary district schools, the absence
of the essential attributes of a good school;
he would be struck with the imperfect dis.
cipline-a defect that would quickly disnp-
pear before the decision and tact that come
Of n due preparutiUn for the business or In
structlon. In almost all of our schools
there is an immense loss Of time. The
teacher is compelled to be industrious, to
get through his duties in the hours allotted
him. Only a small portion Of the time of
the scholars is occupied in study. This is
owing to a want of arrangement of school
exercises, SO that the whole time of the
scholars, may be spent either in study or
recitation. Time which is not thus occu-
pied, passes tediously, and scholars can
hardly be blamed if they seek relief in fun
or mischief. The patience of the teacher
Is put 10 a sore trial and his labors greatly
increased through his want Of a faculty Of
arrangement, so rs to accomplish the most
IN n gwen time and with the greatest ease
TO himself.
Ordinary teachers compare about as IA
voraoiy with those who are properly quail
ned for their work, as do the officers of the
State Militia, with those of the Army and
Navy and the schools under the care of
these two classes Of teachers, differ as
widely as the Militia and the well-trained
regiments of our National defence. The
comparison is no disparagement and was
not intended to be, either to the teachers of
our schools or TO the Military Of the State.
With no better advantages the officers Of
the National Corps, would not be a whit
superior TO those who appear only OCCASION
ally on parade TO drill the freemen Of the
State. And with adequate training the
rank and file Of the Militia, awkward aud
unskillful as they may be, would be trans
formed into a body US graceful, expert and
formidable, az the old Grecian Phalanx or
Roman Legion. Give our teachers the op-
Poruniy to learn the most approved modes
OF teaching, and TO be trained practically
by the best rules, in the art Of instruction
and discipline, and they would have no su-
Periors' and our schools in their hands
would be the pride Of the commonwealth.
If am asked why I present to this meet
ing a subject over which j, has no control
a subject that properly belongs to the Leg
i%slature, | answer, that the ffeemen Of Rut.
land, help 10 constitute by their representa-