Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-02-08
Vermont state Teachers Assoeia-
ton.
BRArrLERoRo, Jan. 81, $50

o. lue teachers anu IIltuNS u tNuChLlOu
are in town, filling the hotels and pri-
vate residences. The hospitalities Of
this beautiful village are generously
rendered to all who may be present from
abroad. We notice among the teachers,
superintendent and friends of educa-
tion, j. S. Spaulding of Barre, the vet
eran teacher Of Northeastern Vermont,
who has been connected with the public
schools of Vermont for the past twenty
six years, who perhaps has given more
years to the service of teaching than
any other person, with the exceptions
perhaps Of the Rev. DR.. WiCkham of
Manchester and DR.. Newman of Poult-
ney; Mr.. Newland Of Rutland High
School Rev. Mr.. Abbott, Rev. J. B.
Perry Of Swanton; Henry Clark, Esq,
of Poultney; Albert D. Hager of Proc
torsville; J. S. Adams Secretary of the
Board of Education, and others will
be added by to morrow mornings trains.
The social gathering took place at the
Town Hall at 7 o'clock. Gen. John w.
Phelps Of Brattleboro Vice President of
the Association, presided, in the absence
of the President, Rev. Dr. Newman of
POultney. An address Of welcome was
made by the Rev. Mr. rockingham of
the Unitarian Church. The welcome to
the hospitality and associations of the
town was cordial and spirited. After
that formality, he very happily alluded
to the difference between foreign and
American views of education, and their
adaptation to the various forms of soci-
ETY. to which they were addressed, COM
mending the American idea and system
as fully equal to the present hour, and
well suited to the various classes to
whom it is now necessary to apply it,
with suggestions as to the means and
methods of imparting it. He discarded
as unsuited to this country the old max
i'm that knowledge is power" which
was true and applicable to governments
of the mOnarchical and aristOcratic cOun-
tries of the old world, but in this gener-
alton the maxim should be knowledge
is wisdom" which was finely illustrated
in application to this nation. He con-
cluded with three applications
LIST. The Education to be;
I'd. Education as it should be:
Sd. Education in the country VS.. city
education.
General Phelps responded in behalf Of
the Association, in very happy vein of
remarks, reviewing the history of edu-
cation in this State from the first plant
ing Of the colony down to the forma-
tion of the Board Of Education in 1856
giving in detail the original ideas which !
actuated the early settlers in planting
the church and the school side by side in |
the infant colony. He then passed to
sketch OF the history Of the State |
Teachers Association, reading from it's |
first records, and the Constitution. The |
first discussion relative to the formation |
OF q State Teachers Association took
place at an educational meeting held at
Chelsea in l848. 1t was not formally
organized until October, 1850, at the
meeting Of the friends of education held
at Montpelier since which time it has
had a vigorous and successful growth
Increasing in attendance from dozens to
hundreds. 1t has, and still numbers
among its members, some of the most
prominent presidents, professors and
teachers in our State.
The first meeting was thinIy attend
ed. At its second meeting an increased
interest was manifested. Its third
meeting was held at St. Johnsburv in
1852, and quite large gathering as
sembled but again it met discourage
ments in its fourth annual meeting, held
at Rutland in 1853, no interest being
manifested by the citizens of Rutland.
On the arrival of its officers in town. no
one knew where the meeting was to be
held, or even of the existence Of such
an Association. Its President, the Rev.
WOrthlngton Smith, then President of
the University at Burlington, together
with the Chairman of the Executive
Committee, succeeded in getting the use
of the Court House by building a fire
and sweeping it out. Some 10 or II cit
liens honOred it with their presence, to
listen to addresses of high order, deliv-
cred by the Presidents of both the COL
ieges in Vermont, and other teachers.
Its fourth annual meeting at Windsor
In 1854 was more successful than its
third, both in interest and numbers. It's
fifth session was holden at St. Albansin
1866. The sixth at Barre in 1856. At
this meeting the report was presented
from special committee appointed the
previous year to devise and recommend
the establishment Z H Board of Educs-
ton in Vermont. Moses Burbank os
Ludlow was chairman Of the committee
who presented the plan, which was
adopted, and the Association petitioned
the Legislature at it's next session. and !