Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-09-03

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ney. Subject, Mental Development
| Mental development the speaker asserted,
| is based upon and is the enlarged expansion
of the mind through natural law. All true
development is from within. Although ca
pablo Of great expansion, mental development
is confined to the possible capabilities of the
mind. The mind of man cannot become the
mind Of an angel or of God. Among men a
great variety of natural endowment exists
Equally true is it that there exists the same
variety in kind of power. Each mind has its
distinctive mould, its liking and tendencies,
consequently its affinity to particular studies
and pursuits. The influence of parental cul-
tnre n mental development is great. On
the one hand, see the effect of Byron's earli-
est training in the ftful but aimess career his
/ life displayed. On the other hand, see by
/ the bright ray cleaning through the thick
darkness, that Burns had a beginning worthy
/ Of a better end Tho early removal of Cow
/ per's mother called forth in his nature the
pantive aud sweet, imparting most peculiar
tenderness. The climate and scenery were
referred to, as giving peculiar development to
the mind. Abiding to the influence which
the political condition exerts, the address
closed by showing that until view of the
| spiritual world was unlolded to it, there could
be no true development of mind.
AFTERNOON.
John l.. Richardson, a delegate Of the
Pennsylvania Teachers Association, by in
vitation. addressed the association on the
present condition of the common schools of
his State.
Mr.. Conant, from the Committee to nomi-
nate officers, reported the following list,
which was adopted
/ Presi3ent Rev. CALVIN PEAsE, ID. d.
/ Tico Presidents, ]. f. Bolton, Esq. Add
SON Co.; Rev J. d. Wickham, Bennington /;
I j. X. Colby, Caledonia; A. f. Leavenworth,
/ Chittcnden Loomis Wells, Essex: Rev. S.
/ l.. Elliott, Franklin; Rev. o. G. Wheeler,
Grand Isle, Charles II. Heath, Lamoillc ;
r. Farnham, Jr.. Orange Rev. J. II. Beck
with, Orleans; b. F. Winslow, Rutland c..
r. Ballard, A. NJ, Washington Rev. G. b.
Smith, Windham; Hon. Crosby Miller,
/ Windsor.
/ j. S. Spaulding A. NJ. Barre, Treasurer
Moses Burbank, A. NJ, Ludlow, Auditor
/ Rev S. J.. Elliott, A. NJ, Fairfax, Sec'y
Erccutipe Committee, Rev. ]. H. Worces-
ter, Burlington Prof G. n. Boardman, Mid
dlebury Rev. A. Webster, Mortified,
The Hon. VIM Slade of Middlebury de-
livered an address on Thoroughness in Intel
lcctual Education, of which the following is
brief outline.
/ 1t has passed into proverb, that, What
ever is worth doing at all, is worth doing
WELL 1t is equally true that whatever is
rot aonc well is not done at all. Great
minds grasp not only the outline of great
plans and works, but the particulars. Many
do not know the meaning of thoroughness in
Lodi, nah fig1 gJ
The books through a prescribed course
| Books arc the instruments for developing and
maturing the mental powers, which are the
great objects to be secured in education. Ed
ucaton is great work, yet very inadequate
views exist concerning it. The great diff
Guilty is to get pupils to think. Education has
been superficial, especially so in the case of
females. Substance has been sacrificed to
show. This defect originated in great err
ror in regard to woman's capacities aud her
true position IN the social scale, with the addi-
tona notion that high intellectual culture
units her for her appropriate duties The
remedy for this is to be found in good teach.
ing. This commences with the beginning o
education. Teachers must inspire courag,
D and confidence in the minds of their pupils
a Thought should be awakened in connection
be directed to the proper definition of words
! They should not pass to higher branches til
they have mastered the common. Teacher
I must be firm on this point Teachers shoult
e correct the morbid appetite for literary trash
= Scholars taught to think and constantly en-
e ployed. will be easily governed. Educationa
4 reform can be-oflectcd only by providing goo,
s teachers for common schools, and correc
/
ate such. Our people pay too much regard t.
: the material and the sensual. aud too little t
e the intellectual and spiritual In the matte
of education what we do in Vermont. has
r. very important bearing upon the great West
{ as shown from the census of 1850 To al,
# in the work Of educating such teachers as ar
f needed for our schools, an Educational Jour
nal is essential. To accomplish all these OBJ
Z iects will require much hard work. Let thu
e fact that we are at work for Vermont. tn
r. Green Mountain State, whose influence is 81
c great beyond its territorial limits inspire u
T. to- do what we can to make that nfuenc
= magnifcenty great.
c Listened to an essay by A. d. Roe, of Bel
# lows Falls. Subject The Teacher out Of N
4 School Room
He remarked that there were two opinions
n other that he is martyr. Martyrdon
r. would fifty describe the school lives of far to
n many teachers and scholars but we canno
e dwell on this point. We pass to speak of tn
r teacher as an idler, but only out of the schoc
room. The farmer and the mechanic thin
= that as they labor more hours than the teach
!. err, their task is so much the greater. b.
Il they overlook the fact that there is ia
&c greater waste of nervous energy in an hou
|, in the school, than in the same time o
lie the farm or shop. And WEAKNESS depend
G. not SO much upon the time employed as upo
Mt the rate at which nervous energy is expended
s. The teacher needs and must have rest an
p recreation. But how and whats He doe
L not need sociay--he has had too much al
pr ready. Ii is not the study of books, for tn
10 brain has already been overtasked. But
ut the study of nature there is the desired r,
le lief Let him climb the mountains and rang
he through the vallies let him observe the var
ed forms of animal and vegetable life, Il
him explore the mysteries of Geology, and |
will come back to his home with his physic
a. powers endowed with new life by the vigo
en- Gus exercise he has taken. and the brain n
or lieved of heavy and painful load. A chez
full glow pervades his whole system, and