Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-03-16
School superintendent Report.
JAY.

annual report to the town i'll relation to
our common schools, would say that not
as great results have been accomplished
by them as we might reasonably have ex-
pected. Yet trust that some good has
arisen from the money that has been ex-
pended to sustain those schools during the
past year.
Both terms of school in district No. J..
were taught by Miss Fannie NJ. Miller of
Westfeld Miss Miller passed a good ex-
and | certainly expected good
school; in some respects it was; while in
other respects it was not That is | con-
slider she did better with the higher branch
es of study than with the lower, and hence
the general complaint ofparents was, that
the small children were not learning as
rapidly as heretofore. | did not pay any
great attention to this at the time. had
however noticed at my visits to the school
that she pursued somewhat different
course than what was usually practiced by
former teachers in relation to the younger
classes. That is, she had them pick out
words at sight, skipping about through the
lesson and sorting out those that were alike,
instead of reading along by course and
spelling the words out by letter Her way
may be the better way after the pupil has
got thoroughly acquainted with it. Yet /
do of 70 oIx-on+ona hos 70
course usually adopted by school teachers
in general, and should not be practiced I'M
til the scholar has became 50 thoroughly
acquainted with the alphabet that there is
not any likelihood of Its being forgotten.
Nearly all in the district were surprised
when they knew that Miss Miller was
hired to teach the second term Of school,
owing to the general dissatisfaction with
the one preceding it, of which the commit
tee was well informed, and even she was
advised by those living in the district that
she had better let the school alone. Yet
she came and the result was, at the end OF
the tenth week she went home. Her first
week of school averaged 30 daily and the
two last weeks, l6 each am sorry ipI
any school teacher that has trouble, ion
each has hard task to perform, taking
everything into cOnsideratiOn-havin tC
deal with so many different specimens ot
humanity at once. would have been vii.
| ling to let Miss Miller finish the term anc
said nothing about it if the district haC
! been willing to do so. But they were MOI
and | considered myself bound as a servant
Of the people to obey the will OF the peo
/ pie, and had the prudential committee act
ed upon the same principle, Miss Mile
would have stayed away and been the gain
er III point Of reputation ii nothing more.
The first term Of school in district No
?, was taught by Miss Marietta L. Bale,
of North Troy, ana was a good school.
The scholars all seemed Interested in TN
work that was before them, and consequent
ly made rapid advancement. The seryi
ces OF such teachers are worth securin,
and should be for all any Others.
/ The second term was taught by :
johnson of JAY and was also a good school
and the same interest that was awakene
in the first term was manifest in the sec
ond, and the district may. think, fee
satisfied with the results OF the past year.
In district No. 3, the first term wa
taught by Miss Clarissa A. Honsinger ot
Jay, and think satisfied all the reasona
bic expectations of those interested in il
She had to labor under the same disad
yantages that have already been picture
out in former reports, i. e., too many usin
the same book and consequently not an
using it as much as is absolutely necessar
in order to make any advancement in learn
ing.
Clarence L. Cox of Jay, taught the SEE
ond term. | cannot form as good an opiI
ion of it as | could had | visited it at til
commencement, but was unable to do st
Should Judge that it was fair school, b,
ing the first one he ever taught. Saw II
signs of disorder in school, but though
some Of the scholars a little too -aucy {
noon to suit me- [ had expected this VII
ter to have seen new supply ofteAt book
But alas people may smoke, chew an
drink, go to ciTcuses and caravans and eI
gage in all the sports and friyolties OF til
day and spend money for that which benz
fits no one, but when asked to buy a spell
ing book or reader or any other book Thu
is absolutely necessary for the good OF til
school; the reply is, | have no money
How can you expect your schools to |
prosperous under such treatment. If yo
plant piece of corn without manuring
you are not surprised if the yield at har,
esting is small, and if you send your chi
dren to school without text books you nee
not be surprised if they do not learn.
share of the district are awake to the III
= portance Of this fact, and are consequent
the losers by others being negligent upo
this point. For as | have said before
l former reports those that have books mo
generally share them with those that hay
none; thus making their own improv
ment less rapid by kindly assisting tho
, that are less fortunate than themselves
trust that enough has been said to awake
all upon this all important subject, but
t may allude to it again.
: District No. +, voted to have but fol-
months school during the year, and in n
opinion acted wisely in doing so 1t w
kept during the summer, and by Mi
Lottie Il. Honsinger of Jay. The scho
was small and mostly small scholars. Fa
: improvement was made during the teri
e and probably as much as was made tt
year before at a great deal less cost to tt
district. | would recommend the distri
to do the same way this year. Procure ii
services of some experienced teacher, al
have good school, one that will pay f;
: time and money expended.
: The first and second terms in distri
No. 5, was taught by Miss Emma 5. HeI
I ry OF Jay. The first term was Miss Hel
> rvs first attempt at teaching, and was
very good school. Yet of course there
a great chance for improvement with ne
beginners Of any business, and those tn
see those openings first, are the ones TIL
:. make themselves masters of their profe