The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-01-31
Education in Vermont.

"a iONloN; DSQ, Dcihcli-
Dear Sir The past history, aud
the present character of common school
education in Vermont furnish no topic
on which the intelligent citizen of the
State may not be supposed to be well in
formed. And yet is it not possible that
this important interest TO the common.
wealth has been strangely aud unac-
couutably overlooked and neglected
Do not the facts elected 50 testify
This is a subject of no ambiguity. tits
a matter. the investigation and correct
determination Of which. require no ex
tonsive research in books. nor collection
Of evidence from remote sources; but one,
naked and open before the public eye in
every town and school district There.
fore the design of the present. commune
cation will be accomplished by making
some general inquiries.
|. Is DUr Schooi htic, in all Us zrort.
sions and penalties aoiseiy aetoptGt Ia he
establishment and maintenance Of q
high ordcr Of common schook ciucatioRi
Has it the specific acquisitions and sane
tious necessary for this purpose Is
not it's true character learnt from It's
ineiliciency and its utter failure to Sc
cure the end of its enactment? Is not
this a topic worthy of the careful exam
nation not only of the legal profession,
but Of every intelligent citizen Of the
State2
Are our School houscs, with res.
poet To l0cation, dtmeaSioas. dhitn,le
neatneSs anil elegance convenience anil
attracticchcsS, achat tie heahh. i'm.
proren,ent anil happineSS Of tie scls0I
ars demand' With comparatively few
exceptions are they not tho reverse of
all this WUald not a graphic dcscrin
ton of these structures furnish mos, re-
markablo specimens Of the unfitncss of
things Are they an honor to the gen.
crosby and taste of the fathers? Are
they just to the children? Were com.
mittcc appointed thoroughly to examine
and report upon this subject, would not
their disclosures furnish sad proof of
great negligence and rudeness some
where
3. Haze o1y scho14rS rise julisi-
ms o"d UNIFORM seiccfion If ted 6ooIS,
IN ereiy department u7H ahich Mcy
cHGear0r 10 ac1UatW McmWIces! Have
they the best teNtual helps. which
modern advancement can furnish And
is sufficient care taken to have as few
different authors in each department. as
judiciops Classification Of the school
will allowl Or does peunry and mig
gardlincss eddy turn scholar and teacl
er off with the old, obsolete author. or
with the one that costs the least. thus
compelling the former to attempt to
learn to very great Disadvantage and
subj Getting the latter to insupcrablc i FL
culties, with respect to the classification.
order and Improvement of the school ?
May not careful attention be givcr to
these inquiries with great pr3pricty {?
Will not parents make the examination.
which the Importance of the subject de-
mands. that they may ascertain aud cor
rect all existing evils in these respects ?
L. Are The 5000 Scb0I GiNricts in
Hc Statc proruicu rith HJrayics, con-
t0jning maps, charts. gAoLcS, hqrgc dir.
H0n0TIcS. g0ccftccrS, anil Othtr IookS If
rycycAce. 10 all the researches ofud-
rahccd schoIarS' How many such H..
brarics are to be found in the State 3?
Where are they located How many
volumes do they contain ? What is an
nuhlly expended to replenisl them
5. 1re all who arr ontru0cd trHh tie
eol~cation ofoU 100 600 Scholars, ana
IGci far the diGcNh, responsible 0na
important scrrjcc uhon uhich they hare
presumed 10 enter Are their minds
disciplined and enlightened IN thcv
k1to'c that ,ehich Mcy hurc engaged 10
f-ach' Are they themselves capable Of
learning, and Of teaching children how to
learnl Arc they examples of stuijaus
habits aud Of good scholarship Have
they facility of communication-of i'm
parting the knowledge they possess
Have they the intellectual and moral elc.
mcrts, the consistency and weight Of
character. the industry, integrity. amia-
blencss. patience and perseverance need.
ed to ill their office ? Are these the
high qualities of our 5000 or 1000
teacher, Let them be carefully exam
med and well known
G. A,c tie Scho0h ofthc STATE snljcct-
cd 10 rig'Iaat, Morough. discriminate
ing. and commanding f0lcn SupcryiS.
ion Is there IN each torn h,caiy
constituted BoaId. 1cho take the orcf.
Sight IF teachers, Schol0rS, 6ookS, al
whdtcreI relates 10 tie Scho0ls. anil see
that all parties IN interest do thcir
dmV! Does this essential par, of the
machinery in system ofcommon school
education exist in all our towns2 And
is it sustained by public scntimcntl Or.
do parents oppose or ridiculc the idea Of
selecting from their own number, such
as are the most capable of seeing that
those inexperienced youth to whom they
have committed their own work, do their
duty. and who will cndeavor to see that
the money, which they contribute for
the education of their children, is wisely
expended
7. is there nothing IN our school lar,
schook houses, @inted compensation,
,eant Of .fduhful supervision, and IN
Tie comparatively loO and depressed
standard IF education ia tie State,
,ohich iH(HceS m0Hyof our best tedchcrS
10 90 iHt0 Other States, 'chere arc better
schooiS Than IN air. State aud mhich
M their places acith incompetent tcach-
erS from abroad! Is not here a mat
ter to be looked afier2
7. Are The 100000 anaHaHy spent
to cducdte'thcSISiAg generation ccpcHR,
Cd Ia tie best adcaHtGSe!
These questions are asked, My Dear
Sir for the purpose of LEADING TO n ecn.