Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-03-23

promote our refinement, and We shogld
study harder, learn more and be better
prepared to move b the best circles of
society than we nom ara | believe
do not misrepresentstAe feeling OF pupils
in Orleans county or y any county where
such barbarous school houses are found.
But still, some old fogy may reply,
" our school houses are good enough, far
better than they used 10 be when went
to school, and bitter than those where
have been educated some of cur most
eminent and worthy citizens" Very
well, my dear sir, szad evidently do not
believe in progress, unless it be progress
backwards. We grant that most worthy
citizens have obtained the rudiments of
their education in more barbarous school
houses than some that now exist in Or
leans county; but even you will acknowl-
edge that in those same school houses
they received lessons of barbarity and
want of taste which were corrected IN
after years, and it would have been far
better, even for these eminently worthy
citizens, never to have learned that which.
afterwards, they, with difficulty, unlearn-
ed. No, my hearers, it has been an spite
| Of and not IN consequence of the barba-
rous school houses, that eminently worthy
citizens are refined and intelligent; and
| it should be remembered that many in
every community never unlearn the les
sons of barbarity and want of taste which
they get in our barbarous school houses.
The people of Orleans county may as
well acknowledge the wrong and, at the
earliest practicable opportunity, remove
these nuisances and erect in their places
neat and attractive school houses, unless
they will do this they cannot have good
schools.
3. Those t0ho hare the superinten-
dence and direction Of schools should be
thoroughly qualified for their duties, be
imbaed aoith sense Of the Importance Of
their aoork, and deUots to it tie energies ii
demands.
The inimitable Topsy, the creation OF
Mrs. Stoves fertile imagination, inva-
riably replied to those who inquired how
she came into existence "Don know
'spects l growed." Now the treatment
which many schools receive from Town
Superintendents, District committees and
others, who have responsibilities relating
to them, justify the inference THAI they
'''spects" these schools are going to grow
without any nursing care on their part oil
any helping hand to the machinery o.
6 their life, and, like Mrs. Stoves Topsy
whom Miss Vermont tried in vain, after
she had "growed,' to train to habits o
honesty and decency, these schools il
time "grow" to be so unmanageable tha
a score of Misses Vermont can not trair
them to habits of civilization. They will
! continue to be regular Topsies in ou
n school system.
District committees should be choser
4 with reference, not to their politica
. tenets, but to their interest in schools
their large heartedness in providing 70
tie wants Of schools, and their willingness
to act in this capacity. They should b
: men willing to deny themselves, if nee
essary, for the public good men VIII
will feel their responsibility and act u
4, TO it to the extent of their power. Sue
/ persons being chosen they will not az
upon the penny-wise policy of getting th
a cheapest teachers, furnishing the poorei
al wood and making the least repairs poss
u bic in the school house, but will act upc
G. the wiser policy Of getting the best teacI
ne ers at whatever cost, furnishing the be
l. wood and making IN season all needf
n repairs. They viii not only use wisdo
in in securing good teachers, but after the
ry have commenced their labors, they "
r. continue 10 feel the same interest as b
Oh fore and will see that their expectato
q. of the teachers employed do not fail
e This course on the part of district cot
" mittees would not fail to serve as a po
,ol erful impulse to teachers to do their who
We duty and the schools would assuredly re
the benefit Of it.
IRE The Town Superintendents should a
a. be chosen with reference to their pee
,at liar qualifications for the duties devo
"a ing upon them. They should be men
% judicious action and OF large heart, de.
~ interested IN Popular Education,
Ds- perimentally acquainted with the tri
us and duties Of teachers and thorough
,ur understanding what are the requi.
ais qualifications Of a successful teacher
the They should be willing 10 devote
ne requisite energies 10 their work, and
snd determined that 10 teachers. that b