Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-11-05
Our schools.

What is the present greatest want Of the
State of Vermont?
Without any hesitation, we answer, Good
Schools and affirm that if the General As
sembly now in session will devise any legis-
lation that will secure good schools through
the entire commonwealth, they will deserve
higher need of praise than has been earned
by any recent legislature.
And what do our schools most need How
can they be made good schools?
The answer is obvious; our crying want is
Good Teachers; teachers fully equipped for
their work, and properly trained for IT.
That such teachers are scarce, all will be
ready to admit how few they are, only
those know who have been behind the scenes
those. we mean. whose duty it is to examine
the applicants for teacherships, and who
really do their duty. They could certify
how soon they reach the bottom of the can
didates' requirements. Secretary Rankin
at whose examinations, it is to be presumed,
only the best qualified have generally pre-
sented themselves-could give US such
picture of the average attainments Of Yer
mont Common School Teachers, as would as
tonish nearly all of US. If any would see
from how many he is compelled to withhold
the State certificate. let them exa nine bis re-
ports. In the year 1868, he licensed only
twenty-one out of fifty-four who applied.
Now we say that no one ought to be al
lowed to teach in the smallest and lowest
district school in the State, who cannot pass
the State examination. The cards are not
too difficult. Were it left to us, we would
make them harder, If toe could find candidates
enough rrho trere able 10 solre them. The
Teacher must knOg before he can instruct.
We do not want automatic TO hear lessons;
any bright pupil can do that. We do not
want mere police-ofhcers, whose sole business
shall be to keep school. We want instruc-
tors who have gone farther and taken wider
views than their pupils are expected to
such as can bring efficient help and guild
ance: such as know the road over which
they profess to guide the scholar; in one
word we want teachers. At present, not
more than one IN four If competent to fill the
post he aspires to. This is no rash state
ment; it is made from a pretty large Undue
tion.
Now how can we obtain competent teach
crs-say 5000 of them, or enough to supply
the entire State?
MOI from the Normal Schools, at least in
this present century; unless they be reor-
ganized and put on "a very different basis.
The principals of these schools are doing
what they can: they achieve something in
spite of the great disadvantages under which
they labor but, as at present constituted,
the institutions must always cuine short Of
what State Normal School ought to accom-
plish 1t is difficult to make bricks without
tsraw impossible to maintain proper in
stitution of learning without money. What
does Vermont do for the g State I" Normal
Schools? She lett them use the word - State -
in their announcements and reports. A very
good lest certainly not very substantial sup
port.
Nor can these teachers be obtained through
the present machinery of Town Superinten-
dent and District Committees. Ii should be
enough to cite the actual results of this sys-
TEN ever since it went into operation. The
Superintendent is a sort of advisory hanger
on. His business is to oversee, without the
power to interfere to countersign the deci-
sions Of bis superior officer, the District Com
mitee; to visit the schools provided he will
not overpass certain small maximum of
yisitation) and make suggestions to the
teacher. which the teacher may. or may not