Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1861-03-14
FOR TIE HERALD
FOR TIE HERALD.
COMMON SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY
AT MIDDLETOWN.

,,ons from your readers thought / might
Give YOU an account OF an affair, which came
off at Mddletown on the 22d oil + teoruaIy'
that would be of general interest. The sew
eral Schools in town assembled at the Bap-
tist Church at little past nine o'clock IN tue
forenoon, when the superintendent, asslstai
bv Rev Messrs. Granger and Grant, Il. Il.
Woodward, Esq, and others, proceeded 10
examine the School IN the various Drahches
in which they bad been instructed. AS ths
was somewhat of a novel proceeding, instiiu-
red by the Superintendent with view o
stimulating the Schools and awakening an |
interest among the people in their behalf, At |
called forth expressions OF commentator |
from some, and rdicule from others, while |
very LARGE portion of the inhabitants OF the |
town were wholly Indifferent IN regard to 1t.
There were. however, a goodly NUMBER
present and as the examination proceeded,
the interest of the audience increased, uhtu
an expression of satisfaction and delight coal"
ba read in the counienauces of all IN the
house. They seemed happily disappointed,
both as to the progress OF the School anu Tue
ability of calling them together Tor an exam
nation. 1t was very evident to all present
| from the ready and prompt manner III when
the pupils answered the questions put TO
! them, that much improvement had oeeh
made. and that ii had been effected mostly
during the past year by the united exertions
of the Superintendent. teachers, and a ie"
friends of the cause Of common school educa-
| ton.
The Improvement in reading was perhaps
| the most apparent, the superintendent having
directed his efforts particularlyto that branch
of education. The Schools all acquitted
themselves in a manner ere iitable TO them
selves and their instructors, while the verdict
of the audience seemed TO be that the village
and the Lille district excelied III readin2 :
districts Nos. 2, 5 and s, IN arithmetic ne
| examination continued until halt-past P NJ
without any recess except TO listen 10 TWO
short addresses which occupied about fifteen
minntes each. one from Mr.. j. Ii. Mansfield
the teacher OF the select school IN this pace
tb,. othor from tho Re- Calv... Granger.
Alter the examination was closed, th-
scholars and the audience repaired to the
0 basement and partook OF refreshments, "hlel
O had been amply provided for the occasion
\ short and feeling address was then gIVei
q by Rev Mr. Grant, when the company als
persed to meet again in the evening. In
Il evening exercises consisted IN an addres
% from the Superintendent, and original ora
tons. ESSAYS and coloquies by the teachers
All unon subjects connected with schools an
. education. And it may be said, and thos
=. who were present through the day and even
inc will bear me out in 1t, that II the aud
l3 ence were agreeably disappointed during tn
- day. they were full as much so IN the ever
n ing. ,-,,.o,.;,,.,,o
10 The pieces all bore unmistakable eHdenc
a. of originality. were we'll delivered, anu 'd'
en- together, combined an amount OF Ihstru'
ton seldom given on any occasion Ih
address of the superintendent, though eXten
20, nd mort /
reviewed his labors among the schools u
- mast wear. and then compared their preseI
20 condition with one year-ago. lie elaine
Il. that there had been some Improvements I
ali who heard the examination would co
80 cade) but he said we have but Just begun
es much. very much more improvement cou
and should be made in our schools. lie tue
81 in a very concise manner, stated "heIe
81 raading h. said was still impertectiy tau2l
aIbopTh some of the teachers during II
nast YEAR had be, n making rapid advahc
80 n the rjybt direction. Reading mad be-
% regarded only as a rhetorical exercise, "he
in his Judgment, if properly taught 1t III
- he made the most efficient branch III Z
80 schools Tor the development OF tue lhte!l'
90 tual faculties, and for acquiring the naoi'
fixing the attention; and alluded 10 tue
60 dress OF Mr. Granger IN the afternoon
70 torcibly illustrating bis views oh 'Da' .
GO ject L., boao too mn
~ naGlacI.d arithmetic must be more tn
onohlv TAUGHT, or your sons and dauEht
gas r,nst nuaiity themselves for the business
Ia.s has life after they leave your schools. Al
some fnrther remarks showing the iinperl
t;ors and the wants of our schools, the tea
ers followed, and it may be SAID without Il
b,, rering that no production was gwen 10
l,~ fnll house on that occasion but was III u
- degrre meritorious The first grafton on
suhiart of Language, by Nj. Myron lie
A.r ard, was well written, we'll com'hl''eu'
ara rvinced deep thought for 50 young III
nth The Grafton by Mr.. Mansfield, as well as
viz address in the afternoon, elected goou
liar OF praise. The oratIon b! Mr. oou'h "o
As the ESSAYS by Mr. CIemons, Miss Susan VI
%nr. and Miss Augusta Eaton, were well sPoI
-;oo of Miss Eaton has been the teacher OF
oas village school the past year, and wen o'Sel
7 +1 ra,,l. amon0 the first class OF teachers.
1r r. enb;art of her ESSAY was, :" rhe true Phil'
rasts phv of Teaching
~I if memory serves me right, it ran so
and thing like this: she spoke OF enthusiast
= raonisite TO success that the schools thdI
oond Governed most are not the oe9, S"'0'
~ gcbooI. that the teacher who reHes on
,nrn vile punish huent as his man u'
| m
A. nower in the world - kindness const
INT sneaking in every expression, word ana
'at at Of Kat time and space will not permit MT
~ tn mention its more prominent qualities
must The exercises of the evening were COZ con
q bill ded by an oraion from T. w. A. f5o
# are His experience in teaching and his ada
ton to that business can but make MN
as at cessful in that avocation or calling
" the subject of his Grafton he entitled, "Ailloi
state low directed" 1t was more argumenu'
mark its character than the productions ot yt
opare men usually are. In the application ol
snce subject to the matter Of education ne see Sc
m ad- to be fortunate. Then, again, he said II
tIand ambition is aroused, it is too often lmprol
$ con- directed. Right education, accordlh9 .
issue good authors On that subject, and accol
a ecu to reason, consists in the harmonious d
hough opment of all the faculties physical in''
" an tual and moral The development
o the physical powers, to the neglect OF , sne
ions iectual and moral, may make heenal
ted to Morisseys of your children. A tralniT
were the intellectual, to the neglect OF the ,
r that may make Benedict Arnold, or an