Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-03-27


be so obscure and silent with you as
to be unperceived by the teacher now,
when she is braving the storms of an
inclement sky and struggling against
current that the low, base and vicious
have set in motion? Lastly no one
preferred any particular charges
against the teacher for incompetency
or lack of interest, your superintend-
ent cannot be rid of the impression
that with suitable encouragement,
Miss Cutler would have been a sue
cessful and useful teacher. ....
The remainder of the term was
kept by Miss Alma Nelson of Wheel
ock, a teacher Of ability and expert
ence. The citizens had now return
ed to their accustomed watchfulness,
care and sympathy for the teacher
| anu ''tU U-.."l,nla,s to thnir- former al
leglance, thus the elements of success
were combined at the beginning
Rarely have | visited school of bet
ter order and interest. There is no
school district within my knowledge
where learning is priced more highly
than in this. There are those how
ever whose circumstances are quite
destitute, whose children perhaps arc
not equal in scholarship to others,
compare their record of attendance at
school with the others and you have
reason for this. We should strive
to encourage such on all proper occa-
sions; let them know that we do not
regard people for worldly wealth, but
! if they attain to intellectual and
moral culture they may claim a sta
tion with most respected.
In the foregoing remarks | have
endeavored to give a careful state
ment of the condition and progress
Of our schools during the last year.
Some of them have been good and
profitable, but it needs no argument
of mine to convince the careful OBJ
server that our schools are not what
they ought to be. The progress has
usually been commensurate with the
cOntributory interests and still that
interest has been such tnat several
districts have utterly failed to realize
the benefits which should have result
ed from their schools.
Our common school system al.
though in a measure defective con.
tains the germs of a higher order of
development. There are many OBJ
stacles to success however, some of
which lie too deep in the very consti
tuition of society to be speedily re
moved If all that are really inter
ested would endeavor to have oul
schools eminently successful and be
willing to make the proper effort, ther
all Of them might be equal to the
/ best. Consider that our system OF
: common schools is a heritage be
. queathed Us by our fathers and tina
in its foundation they avaiIed them
selves of the benefits which all th,
past had afforded, regarding educa
ton as that which makes people bet
| ter as we'll as wiser, and centerine
: in the schools principles of goodnes:
and excellence which grow brighter
by practice.
If we would have our shoots pros
porous now and the system perpetual
} ed unimpaired, they must be sustain
J, ed on the very principles on which
: they were founded.
5 Home education should not be neg
lected. All parental duties are By
no means performed when the chil(
r has been fe3 aud suitably attired an(
: sent to school. 1t is the duty of tn,
' parent to see that the minds of tn,
children are suitably prepared to re
, ceive good and wholesome instruction
4 that they may be so awakened to
9 sense Of their obligations to them
= selves and to society, that the teache
. can commence by enlarging upon th,
e principles which may have been i'm
/, planted in their minds by parenta
5 example. 1t is required of him tha
r has children, that he educate them fo
usefulness here and happiness here
+ after, no matter what his own privil
r eges have been, he has no right t.
/. plead ignorance, lack of time, or an,
e other excuse ifhe cannot itly perform
b those parental duties, the object, OF
s which is to make children better, ant
a act right because it is right, and fea
l. to do wrong, he never ought to hav
been a parent; for if these dutie
e had always been attended to, W
: never should have known of such
0 curse to society as an ignorant, tai
: ting, and vicious man or woman.
} Again, if all understood the rea
l. relation of the home to the schoo
t and Of the school to the community
b the cause of education would ofte
e be advanced, where now it is retarC
e ed, it is often hlndered by those, VIII
e are unwilling, when a child has bee
: punished at school, to deduce logica
l. conclusions from the experience o
l. others, as to the probability of doin
!, good or evil, in condemning the a.
r tions of the teacher, every circun
= stance of the case being considered
e but, mid passions sway, demand a re
g storation of dignity, quality whic
L they did not possess; this course, to-
h often INDUCED in, only has tendenc
o to cause our schools to degenerate
d and perchance, return again to tn
e dreaded custom of former years, tn
$ school master, with many frowns, SUI
% j. IolJ <..rI1 of A. -. j, =