The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-07-11
The Normal Institute.

We earnestly bcspcak the public favor in
behalf of the effort row making to provide
at this place the means Of more thorough
training Of our common-schO0l teachers 1t
is not possible to estimate too highly the inn
portancc of such training. If a special ed
ucation is necdful for the lawyer, the phvsi-
clan, the Clergyman. or the merchant. land no
one will venture to say that it is not needful
to the successful prosecution of either of those
employmcnts.) equally necdful, if not more
so, Is it for the teacher. Incompctcncy and
lncfficicncy in this department of effort are
productive of results as disastrous as attend
similar defects in either of the other spheres of
action that we have mentioned. And vet bows
and girls with minds too immature and I'M
furnished to be fit even to commence prcpa-
ration for active life, rush into the business
OF school teaching as the unthinking horse
rusheth into battle, all unconscious or I'M
mindful of the lasting injuries they inhict on
the tender minds and hearts of their pupils
There are this very day scores of persons
engaged in teaching school in Vermont. who,
if put on examination for admission as schol-
ars in the higher grades of graded schools,
would be disgracefully rejected Good-na-
turcd superintendent have given them GER
titcatcs, easy committees have employed them,
careless parents tolerate them. and the next
generation of men and women will feel the
sad consequences Of their incompctcncv But
we are glad to believe that in many places
and we hope soon to believe that EVERYWHERE
higher qualifications are demanded of teach
crs. There are teachers Of common-schoolS.
not a dozen miles from our office. who would
grace the highest chair Of instruction in any
academy in tn" State. They have been ed
ucotei for the business of Instruction. We
hope to see the day when equally competent
teachers will be required in every common
school il Vermont The demand for such
teachers is already greater than the supply.
and vii! increase for many wears to come
10 bring the means Of educating such teach
crS within nearer reach of those who wish to
make teaching a profession. the trustees of
St Johnsbury Academy propose to establish
department of instruction having special
reference to that object. The instructor in
that department enjoys reputation as a
teacher second to no man in the State. and
We can confidently assure those who may put
themselves under his tuition that if they do
not become accomplished and successful teach
crs. the fault will be their own. and not that
of the man or the means provided for their
instruction. We hope the first session of the
st. Johnsbury Normal Institute will be large
iy attended and that its good effects NAV be
felt in many district school this wear and
many years to come.
ACCIDENT on TIE P,SSU MPsIC X. R.-Thc
down Passenger train on Thursday, ran Off
the track at Barnet in consequence of a mis-
placement of the switch Mr.. David Law
renee, a brakeman. had leg badly broken.
and it is feared amputation will be necessary.
y messenger was despatched to this place for
an engine and cars. We have not learned
how badly the train was injured.
20" We see by the Register at the St.
Johnsburv House that James Buchanan was
here last Tuesday, There was no great pub
lie demonstration. and we are are rot quite
sure that it was the same James who
'swore. if democratic blood should make
his veins look blue.
He'd cure it by plilcbotomv when this old hat
was new.
e Our ncighbors in Orleans County arc
administering justice to the rogucs. with but
n slight tcmpcring of Mercy. A dozen of
them are >nugly shut up in Jail. and the
Grand Jury at its recent session found bills
against thrty-thrcc more. We are glad to
see the ounce of prevention which is better
than pound of cure, is being administered,
by means of thorough enforcement of the
..,;I;,o.I. u soror,, ;~.,.,,.a.e Wv
u;u y. f,una in ,ro,hor .o,umn
Az .~c,.>r Sp,,,,<c-roo, W. bo,olo
fore u, the first edition Of "Tbc American
Definition Smelling Book Bx Abner Knee-
land, Scboolma.1er" published in 1902 Il is
,rob,blv the fret s,elI;no hook tb.t f,,o,,od