Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-07-18
The State Normal school.

HE state normal SthUUks
We are constrained to refer again to
the subject of the establishment of q
Normal School in the First Congress
sional District from the structures made
by the Middlebury Register upon our
article on the subject, which appeared in
last Saturdays HERALD, favoring the
location of the institution either in
Rutland or Bennington counties. The
Register sees no objection to either
of the counties named, so far as geo.
graphical position Is concerned, neither
can it see any insurmountable objec-
tions to its location either in Addison or
Washington counties. There are many
objections to it's location either in Add
son or Washipgton-more especially in
the latter. 1t is said there "sre cons'd-
erations which have been overlooked by
the HERALD" and among them the fol-
lowing in reference to Bennington
county:
"At Manchester, the only feasible or
convenient location in Bennington
county, is Burr and Barton Seminary,
already established and known as the
best preparatory school in Vermont,
which could not, if it would, surrender
the right to arrange the course of study,
to conduct the examinations, to nomi-
nate teachers and to yield the general
supervision of the school to the State
Board, as would be necessary in order
that it might be constituted State
Normal School. To establish another
academy or the Normal School near this
would be to irjure, if not to ruin both"
This Is all very well on paper; but
Manchester Is far preferable to the loca-
tion at Bristol, for its position is more
central, taking the district to be accom-
modated into consideration, and not con-
finipg its patronage to the limits of the
Congressional district. Let us examine
the locations of the institutions already
established Randolph is at the ex-
treme north line of Windsor county, and
is convenient for Washington, Orange,
the northern portion of ChittendeD, the
eastern part of Addison and the north
section of Windsor counties, while from
its distance and inaccessibility by rail-
road, the lower part of Windsor and all
of Windham are shut out from its ben
efts, they being more accessible to Man
chester than Randolph or Bristol. They
are virtually cut off from availing them
selves Of the opportunity of attending
the Normal School by a location at
Bristol, while, though not as convenient
as in Rutland county, they will be far
better accommodated at Manchester.
The establishment of Normal School
near the Burr and Burton Seminary
would not iDjure it or ruin it, for the
two institutions are different in their
purposes. Normal Schools are not es-
tablished for general education, but to
pr operly prepare the teachers of our
common schools for the great work upon
which they are to enter and to give them
special training for it. We would
have them distinct and entire in every
respect, for the experience of the past
h as taught US that the education they
receive at our academies is not all they
want. While the individual is educated
for himself, he has been worthless al
most for the purpose of teaching in our
schools, for the reason that attention is
not given to the class of studies or the
theory which teachers are called upon to
put into practice. The establishment Of
an independent school at Manchester for
Normal School would be profitable
and advantageous even to Burr Sem
mary.
While no objection is made to Its
location at Rutland; yet the Regis
ter considers it impossible, because
we are not prepared to give NJ
our excellent High School. In this you
are right, we would not give up oul
High School, nor Mr.. Dana its efficient
teacher, yet as we before stated, it is moi
necessary to give up our established
school. This is an institution for fal