Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-12-04
Vermont Education.
Published under Tie sanction II the State Teachers
Committee.
WHAT SHOULD SCHOLARS STUDY AT TIE
COMMON SCHOOL

| WHAT SHOULD SCHOLARS STUDY AT TIE
COMMON SCHOOL,
We answer. Those things which they most
. nco 90 know, And what are they They will
uCcosst trly vary some8hit ia different eohools,
ami with different f-hoar., according to ace aud
previous trhuing; but , general rule, Rs1diac,
>p'N7g, f,hHs, Artim0'c. G.ograpiy, Htstory
ant Caw,9,ri,a 1houid constitute the prnoprl, and
m noT caN.,, tie oaiy 'iags, thn sh,ud, at pres'n,,
30 ',4i,d anil ,aggM N ou, Vermont Common
&-5 is. A thorough knovl edge Of those is fun.
danoutol to pro6ooncy in tho higher b'auchcs,
AID besides, is that knowledge which all our youth
.n -t ns-i to Fl them for the business Of life.
There nay be some few schools Of this class into
which other ana more advanced studies may be
prch'cvly introduced and 1t s to be hoped there
will b. many more by ald L.. bc' if wo mistake
not. al present, tie g,et and almost universal
defect Of our non son, oil Eiuo.ton consists in
awlat of d,sojflne in these elem snt.rg branches.
This deficiency has resulted from various cau.es
Inc multiplication Of Academies and -elect
'caoal5 ha. hal something to do with it. Scholars
having attended these during part of the year
VISA to prosecute the same studies wuen they re-
tuta to the Common School for the winter term.
aaI through their own in1uenc' ard that Of their
r'rent,, tnev generally succeed in procuring tho
i ds- .ed asses tor this purplse Tea here. TOO in
uot iev ins'a1ce., consulting their own tastes in
pro creme to the wants Of their schools. 4 pre-.
lsrrin, to tca what they have studied at he
':d irnv or College. have introduced their favor
lite stu lies ant 1t books into tho District School
Pa-er s, moreover. ambitious to sec their children
advanced to higher stu les, have too often favor-
ed this course, not con sidering that all .uch ad.
va0cemenf, if premature, necessarily fails Of its
O. jet, ami only tends to make superfsal schol
rs or IN re dllarls inste ID Of iuteIligept women
aud tpablo businpss men.
Thee md other causes have b,en for years
modifying tho charao,er and diIniuishing the use.
fulncss OF the Vermont Con mon School. They
aaye diverted from tte study of the primary
branches enumerated sboYc, large portion Of
cur youth WIN have hitherto had no careful train
Ing ia rn.,n, ani mpnopolized So much Of the
T,scncr-s ii nc with other cia,,s, tn u hesding.
~o.luug eoj Writing have been crowded out Of
their y ltc place, and treated as comparatively
important things. Tue result is that multi
tnirs uc v1utn among Us, our young women and
y3.u. men. who are wholly dependent upon tho
,oul.u % school for their education, are faiin;
20 ac.nls' in cIp,city to read, write and spell,
sum. ,l. TO save th,m FROM pity or riiiculs,
wherever .hc.r prodciency--or rather their def
cheney n .hcse b anches IS put upon exhibition.
A.i &c, IN ycr, many vi these schOUls, and CON-
posed 4 scholars 50 deficient in these things, will
10 fou94 c'a.ss5 s,adyins, or attempting to study
pny-i log, Natural Philosophy, Algebra or even
Astronomy, and sometimes, too, where teachers
can give ,uon ilstruction, n class of oeginner. il
Lain.
All th's would bo proper. and besides a cause
~ graduation, if il Ieprese tod the actual cApa-
c,ty aud wants OF these schools, but when, as ia
most cases q Little cxrnair ntivu shows ma, j,rity
of tue scholars composing these classes ar inca
ft"'c re, ding decen'lv, -pelling large Ia't Of
10, v9rl- 81 in their l.verat.pn correctly, or
of composln, ard gritiug crlmati-lily sud legi-
My IN uclinary business letter. their course Of
study seems not together suited to their eants,
or credible t. Ito discretion Of their Ttacher.-
There rs NJ -Nlsgerati9n in ,ying that mutt
tul6, ui ,eho ars in cur comm n sohnols IN Yer
10 +. arc wasting IN .t of their time and render.
,u. tue services Of their Ty,chors both for them.
solves and n ,se associated with them comparative.
ly useless, by td prevalent habit Of attempting
things fo, watch they have no adequate pre-.
,l14,..- &, d cipl2e, aud II ia tine the pubic
ltteat p ae-y called to !. snl something done 70
-or!g-J .ae evil.
B-t i; lD2y be atked sha;o can be done. and who
shall d. il We aneRer--Let that bs done which
need. 10 oe dca5. Let :ae Comm School oe con-
tael to its legitimate business Of teaching the
eor-.-on branches, " at least, before any othe:'
are attempted let thorough irqusition be made
Of the reading, writing and spelling capacities
VI al who OH undertake them Let An b
neti,, Geugra ny, the Il stories Of state and
Cauatry, Wit. exercises in Competition, have pre-
c deooo next until such scholars have made ia b
mllihr and thorough aolIsinrance with them. and
t.sro will then be little time leit. and few csndi.
dl'es for hi CHER studies 10 the common sohoo. In
hort let the Common school neither aspire, mr.
uuderla.s g do the work Of the Academy and
College, and ve shall . on have more useful
know edge among the common people, aud the
Academy and College will no longer be obliged.
a nov, to d. tho work of tbs 'mnou School.
Butwhl shall tn 1t this is done superin.
te7dsnts and psrentt must initiate the rcforna-
tion. They must first Of all require teacher, TO
tc qualified to te'ch and teach thoroughly the ell
ementary ana common Cchool ttudies, II in ad-
ton to these they can teach Algebra, Philo,o-
pay, Creek, Latin or On thing else. and do it
we'll, 20 much the better but let it be under
stood that TO certificate Of com, eteney to teach
the higher branches, not oven College Diploma
Is sulicieat evidence Of Oues qualification 10 eseh
ia the common school Improbable a it may
,eep, it is undoubtedly tue, that tho Primary
school Geacners Of the state are to-day better
ta.iiel, body, to teach in Academy than IN
the common school They have bestowed but lit
tie stuiy aud had no training upon the elenen-
tary branches, and consequently have but Little
IL, tor the service they are undertaking to per-
form.
Town Superiutcndeuts entrusted with the exam.
inatior and u, nsing Of Teachers have much to
du IN ths matter. aud should so exercise the right
snl uty Of inqu's tion, that all candidates for
cmrl1 meut shall make full proof o their compe-
tency To teach, not the higher branches that be,
/ long elsewhere but the specific and elementary
things that first II all, and most OF all, need TO
be tlu. ht in the conmon school
Whenever they will do this and DO it persever-
ins'y, We SHALL soon have report Of new era in
/ the history &C Popular ElulItion in Vern ont.
/ 81 Johasblry, Nov. 20. C.
GuL CASE OF Rev. j. DOUGLASS. The Re.
/ fo,iJory states in reference to the case Of