Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-10-13
The Common Schoo1& Board
a of Education.
az n n rSSrcsfrio IA
I. Every CHR ID peskpct right to an
education, hnd tMseH Corris6Beding duty


?. Such education consists in an early,
symmetrical and full development of all the
faculties. physical, intellectual and moral.
3. This development of the faculties is
secured by subjeciing them to early, con
tinusd and appropriate exercises.
4. To furnish these exercises at proper
times and in due proportions, schools must
be established, regulated and sustained by
the State. OBJ I3kf0--0 90 -sAao
5. Tha, the schools may be fued for
this purpose, they must be under the con-
slant care of an intelligent, supervisory
board, clothed with ample power, and sup
piled with abundant means 10 execute It's
important trusts. HDi ~7~H0h
Extracts from the Lecture Of DR.. Hop
kins delivered before the Vermont Teach
ers' Association, at, their fourth annual
Meeting, August 1854. ro r.
Education is the mighty work which
brings forth the ihnate faculties Of our ma
ture, in such form as shall give uIen their
best direction, aail secure their most availa-
bic results for tie welfare Of the individual
and Of society. There is no work ofso much
magnitude none Of sn much Importance,
none which dediands 80 rare n union
of wisdom and affection, OF prudence
and firmness, ofpatience and hope, OF deep
insight into the powers ofthc intellect aud
yet deeper sympathy with the feelings of the
heart and the desliDy of the Immortal spirit.
There il no work which lnclndis 50 many
departments, since il Is bound TO provide at
once for the body, the mud, and the SOUL
There is none IN winch mistakes are so hard
TO remedy, because II epsrales upon that PEI
Rod of life which is most easily Impressed
for good or evil. and The Impressions on
which il is 50 diflicuh 10 office There IS
none which demands 50 muIiiori an influ-
ence TO make its results successful There
is none 50 sure ~ co e lnine, directly or
indirectly, to every individual sfs-l
propose 10 place before you some thou. hts
upon the several agencies which should con
cur in the work OF education, IA order 10 at
tam the bes, result ~ the hupc that yon will
find them suggestive, o. least, Of profitable
reflection.
With this Wow, thcref5re. let me ask
attention Ia the agency Of Government, OF
the parent, OF tnu. teacher, Of the pupil, Of
circumstances, aud Of divine 7 evidence, IN
the work Of education. For each Of these
has an important, and some # them an in
jlspenssble part 20 perform. in securing the
best ins;rumentallty. for The individual and
the community. And while II is true that
the professional teacher must feel special
interest IN the subject beyond all others, be-
cause il is his particular vocation. vet trust
YOU will find that there Is no one who may
not have certain share Of influence IN the
final result
/. First then. let "a consider the agency
of Government. or the leo Stature. who h,,,.
committed 10 Them Tho Noble task of crowd.
ING by positive law. for The cducntion of the
whole neopls And this. Won may saw. thew
have done. and done we'll: by The sys,
tenn of onr public schools. bv the rlsrierinu
and endowment of Academies and ,oilepes
and by sundrv wise onactments concernfno
the qualifications of teachers But vet
while / cbrerfully applnud all this. INNS,
take the liberty of doubling whether ON
government has vet come IN. bv many de.
grees. TO lis fill measure of responsibilitv.-
1 For il is certain that Tho system is far from
producinc its intended effect. One seriop.
| fault lies in its falling TO secure a sufficient
compensation FOR teachers without which i
is impossible TO have that most inporiant of
all secular professions invested wih It's true
responsibility and pormaneuce; and hence
we see EVERYWHERE that oar urinary sch,ol.
and ven our academies are often supplied
hv class of mon. who have mn idea of he.
ING content with teaching as a profession
but only pursue 1t for a few wears. as a con.
yenient steppinp stone TO sometime better
That m,ny of these are good and successful
instructors grant. most willingly. But no
man piyes his whole mind and energy of
purpese TO anv business which he intends Ia
abandon MS soon as he can and if Is A more
absurdiiv To oxpect If. Neither can an,
man. Whatever his talenis may be. do ms
best in his vocation. until he has acquired
that practical knowledge which time and ex-
perence alone can give But how can time
and experience add their important nilu
ence, when the profession Is lorsaken bcfor,
/ the period of youth has passed away :
/ Hence, IN my humble Judgment, there i
still great Improvement TO be accomplished
in order TO secure a regular supply Of quail
fled teachers, who shall be willing to adcp
their calling as an honorable aud suiiiclen
business for life. And this can only be dom
by providing them with the certainty OF
fair and even liberal compensation
There is a second point, however, whic
seems to call for some more stringent legs
lation, VIZ: the insuring a more regular Il,
tendance at the public schools. For al
though II may be assumed that the des re q
education is SO strong and universal, tina
there Is no danger OF The means being neg
ected, yet cxferlerce proves that there ar
many thousands ofchildren, whoare neverser
to school OF al aud who grow up IN igaoraus
and vice, to be the pests vi society. 1t is
grave question how far our legislator
should 60, ia the correction of this enormou
|, and Increasing evil And therefore | ma
/ be excused il venture to suggest an apprC
, pirate remedy.
lie, me advert, then. n the priaciple q,
tablished In ,ho ancient commonwealth
/. Snar,a. where ali the children. from the ao
I Of seven years were considered as the chi
! dren nj he .Stgie. and as snch. were ob,ire