Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-09-10

derpaid, and his Importance IN the social
organism under-estimated,
There i ono chief cause Of the low
wages paid 10 teachers, which Is not al
ways taken into account, and that u the
active competition for places. We are
sorry 10 see that there Is growing disin-
elmation 10 manual labor OF all sorts, es-
peeially ON the part of young women pos.
sessed Of fair degree Of education and
refinement Homework, especially, is
ielt 10 be degrading, and We arc reminded
almost every day Of two homogeneous
wants existing on every hand-households
put Ia serious inconvenience because
"holp" cannot bo had, and young women
looking in vain for sHitltle employment.
As il any honest work was not reputable
For an such unoocupied persons the favor
tie Resource i teaching. And 50 It comes
t. pass that there are from two % three
or tour applicants for every school These,
al course, bid against each other and, a.
elsewhere Whom the supply exceeds the
demand, the prices fall. The result IN
many cases, so far as wages are concerned,
is very much the same as il the schools
were knocked off II auction to the lowest
bidder.
But We are not al sure that the aver.
age teacher j. not quite as well paid ~
lie deserve % h. Or, 10 speak more ao.
curately, We think that two-thirds 81 all
the teachers in Vermont receive quite as
much NJ their services are worth. Who
arc these teachers What are their quail
i0eatiansy And how are these quahtioa-
u Il ~ "a
end a Young man or woman Of seven
teen who Is not, in his or her own Iudg-
mcnt, somewhat more than competent 70
assume the charge II a district school
Have they ever made any special prepa-
ton ion their work In nine cases out OF
ton, not the slightest. They have mover
been A term ut a normal school, never
read a single book on teaching, and are
totally ignorant Of all methods, save those
pursued is their own instructors ASK
,hcm how they would teach this or that,
how remove this or that difficulty in the
pupil's path, and you will generally get
/ lor answer. Il don't know,
Weventure to say that nine in ten OF tho
common school teachers of the State can
mot sp,ll a toler1bly difficult list Of TWEEN
"a English words without making from
,llr Nh five mistakes. We believe that
.ix out II ten would full Of attaining a
lair standard. If subjected to a rigid eN-
animation in arithmetic, geography and
grammar - the universal and staple
branches in our public schools These
statements NAV seem sweeping and Sc
yrrp. Omitting proofs which We could
present, We will only appeal to the results
Of the examinations held 10y the Secreta'
nv of the State Board Of Education. Al
The Institute held in Jericho last April
one candidate only stood the test, And
ma one will argue that 1t was toa rigid
Whv lid not scores # young mer
and women apply Tor the five year
certificates Was il because they
dared not risk the ordeal. We know
tha, great many of the teachers
present desired the certificate, yet shranb
from the only means Of getting Il IL
e1u.,. counties We think none were secess
ful. Mr., Adams informs Us that III tbs
last wear of his secretary mp-the hrs
year If the law in regard 10 State eeruh
c4,a.-ouly 2l6 out OF 4,,22 teachers ven
,uf.l 10 apply Tor examination, and O
th.s. only dtty passed it successfully
rary we're * 4miEci only in the hrlnche'
rraruru by statute Ia be taught in ri,
distinct >, haol, and were required 10 an
tswer ,1ly uue hslt Of the questions IN w.
II nh. studies 4nl three-tourths Of th'
.r-f. Ii AMY uue will read over Mr.
AdNnl, u.r..-. ttry Viii not ~ty mat IA
s'' l.- "'rH ',' hlsh. " e"''id "'7 > !
"e n#ia~-t- r '' ..Nt ""' '' ~ f't"
Trm"t SIS t1H 4" '"e Nt"f I'd VERNE"
Nh" ~r",d l"s'i' reach H.
Nrrnt,~- We have H'i}, i''le ""i', "
oay sld teu improvement i" t"' quaint.
q ot 1ha i'-tror'"H gwen III The "N'f'S
= country ~.''w0 ;" long as teachers III
: h.r,a va ta4 Nay fAey are 50 long ts 'Aes
, i H. "pp r'umty slyen Tor the 'nty pre-