Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-04-25
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATfON--TH PUB
Lie OR DISTRICT SCHOOL.

We very naturally take it for gran.
ted that the farmers boy can attend school
Happily this is the case almost every
where in our country. except in the ru-
der settlements of the west and the less
populous parts of the South, bat nnhapily
The character of the public schools in many
sections, even in the Eastern States, is
very poor, 80 poor indeed that it is mat
Ter of but little regret that sdhocl keeps
but four months in the year. Certainly
no question should come home to every
farsser with more force than the inquiry
--,.whose faalt is it that the district
school is no betterI" We know it is Of
ten very hard to induce community of
Understanding men to tax themselves
any hsose than they can help for any
sshirK. And if the school is better than
it used to be, and the boys are picking up
from newspapers and story books, "a bet
ter edication than their fathers had, "
ANY movement to have better house and
better teachers will be very apt to be vo-
ted down in town meeting as often as it
can be brought up 1t is useless to argue
, on moral principles with the men who
e, are not in favor of giving their children
the education they possibly can, nor with
Those who, perhaps, having no children
of their own, neither think nor care how
those of their neighbors are educated.
There is an appeal to personal interest
which they will heed. 1t is not hard to
demonstrate by examples almost every
where, that the thoroughness of the school
ing has great effect, and that very soon
npon the general intelligence and moral
sense of the community, the security of
property. the value of real estate, etc.
Crime is diminished. invention and me
-chanical ingenuity quickened; better far
ming obtains, and the genegal welfare of
the whole community is greatly increased.
1t is, in fact, hard to set bounds to the
inevitable and elevating influence of a
good district school well maintained for a
series of years.
1t is every citizens boundcn duty to do
not only his share towards maintaining
a good public school in his neighborhood
Nbut he should be active and earnest in
having it just as good as it can be. 1t
will put money in his pocket even though
ne be an old bachelor without any expcc-
tations, or day laborer without family
There are always those in every commu-
nifty who appreciate the value ola good
education for their children. Such peo-
pie are very apt after some discouraging
efforts to have the public school good
enough for their children, to send them
off reluctantly to boarding schools at
distance, or undertake to have them in
structed at home by private tutors.
This is bad practice. 1t is more dem.
ocratic and in every way better to have
the children of all stations in life. and Of
families of every grade of wealth, meet
on the same level in the public scboyl the
only qualifications for school mem bership
being fair morals, soundness of mind and
personal cleanliness. There is little dan
ger of children we'll trained at home get
ting harm at such q school There is
far more danger at boarding schools where
boys and girls are separated from the in
Auences of home, especially if they are
sent awaytin tender years.
1t matters not how carefully children
are kept away from evil influences, they
will inevitably meet them at some time
and. some where. Temptations to do
wrong will como, if not in company with
Others, them in their own hearts and when
quite alone. Real moral strength comes
with meeting and resisting. This the
child of six years is just as able to do as
the graDdsire Of sixty; and is it not
written Gas thy day, SO shall thy strength
,be?"
The public school teacher should be
possessed of moral power. DO not EN-.
ploy a man of so little force of mind and
goodness Of heart combined that he has t.
govern by the rod-much better have a
gentle woman with persuasive graces and
loving temper. Any teacher who sht uld
anger should be dismissed at once, 10 mat
ter how much he knows. 10 govern oue's
self is more important than to govern the
school. Very great learning is seldom o
desirable qualification; but, with good
general knowledge. great accuracy is. A
teachers language should be easy and
correct always, his pronunciation pcrfec,
He should read easily and we'll, and
spell well, and have fair knowledge Of
arithmetic. With these qualifications, il
he is not lazy, he will be good teacher
who loves his work and loves his pupils
10 regard to mere book knowledge, o.
even those things which he can study fas
ter, read more than, and keep thorough,
ahead Of his pupils, if he has only gen
cral understanding OF his subjects.
The primary school TEACHERS chief bust
ness is to furnish a child with the mean.
of acquiring knowledge, and love for it
to give the child q knowledge of writer
language, so that communication with til,
thinking world and to SO far instruc
him in regard to the world around hin
that ha oh all ln.va och al NTH a.-...