Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-03-15


Uses to give our teachers better oppor-
tunities to. fit themselves for their
duties. than they have hitherto enjoy
ed. At present many OF them, having
had no particular instruction are mere
novices in the art of teaching, and
fail to do justice to their schools. so
long as committees insist upon hiring
the cheapest teachers they can lind,
thereby reducing teachers wages, and
preventing many from fitting for this
vocation, we shall have many poor
schools.
The school men in each district
should see to it, that prudential
committee is chosen who has their In
terests at heart, and who will expend
sufficient money and labor to procure
good teachers, and to put his school
house in order. In this connection il
may be said that all the school houses
in town are deficient in maps. charts,
globes, books and other apparatus
that ought to be furnished in order to
give teachers the very means with
, which to make their labors successful.
With the general tendency of this
t age to extravaganza and vanity, our
schools so to speak, are becoming de-
, moralized. The plain practical, use
full, ccmmon-sense things which con-
stitute the necessary foundation of
valuable education, are being neglect
) ed and discarded by many well-mcan-
+ ing persons, to give place to those
: superficial and valuless attainments
G which are esteemed popular. Mental
: arithmetic is exchanged for algebra or
5 higher mathematics, plain writing is
i forced into ornamental penmanshlp,
r spelling-books, readers and grammar5
t are too tame, when Latin. French, or
a music can be pursued. On account of
|, this same spirit our common schools
= are deemed incompetent to give the
: precocious children of doting parents
is opportunities to cloth themselves with
II the intellectual armor for the battle
d of life, and they are allowed to remain
n in them only until the appearance of
c a downy beard or a trailing skirt,
shall show them to be of sufficient
5 age to be sent away to high school
v or academy. But in sober earnest
. this is great evil in our schools; it
=, tends to make young men and women
It vain and arrogant, gives them dis
@ taste for those solid, useful things
j. that arc to be acquired only by close
IS application and deep study, and sends
" them out into the world, mere inflated
h bubbles to collapse in the first attempt
H. at business. We must oppose thi>
IS tendency to superficial requirements
ID and bring ourselves and our schools
IF down to . proper basis. To this enc
| recommend that each district choose
., special committee of three or more
/; Of its practical business men, whose
IN duty it shall be. to visit each term OF
;, school twice, and examine it in all tho
branches pursued, so questioning eacl
n pupil as to ascertain his advancement
81, and proficiency; this would be grea
~ step toward reform.
it Let me recommend one thing iur'h
70 err which will not meet the appreciation
It. of many, yet | believe it would b,
Is beneficial to the school interests oil
of the town. IL is the consolidation oil
r. the districts and the formation o
he graded schools. By this means tn
er schools could be made far better thaI
ne they are at present, at less cost; ant
an although the Inconvenience Of thos
w. living tartherest from the school
cd would be considerable, yet the bette
instruction that their children woul,
ri receive, would repay them for thei
10. extra trouble. If district No.. 3 woul
ov unite with district No. |. erecting
of house in the vicinity of Geo. w. Jen
hc ness both could be conveniently &C
,Ic commodated, and their united wealtI
be would easily support a school through
a. out the year. Districts No. 2 and
If could join with district No 7 at tn
N Landing and make a graded schoo
,rt there District No. and 6 coul,
i send to one house doubling with tn
lat same expense the length and value O
oh their school. District No. s coul
III unite with districts No. | and 8. /
%. this way there would be four school
N. in town instead of nine No one " il
ITS deny but that they would be bette
he than they are now.
es In conclusion, let me revert to Gu
rs excellent system of common schools
cir Next to religion this has tended NOR
re to produce our present condition Q
Ike happiness and prosperity than al
'p- things else. From it has grown u
er that spirit of enterprise which ha
an built up In greatness and wealth, on
St OF the toWertul natiops of tho Garth