St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-03-19
parish schools for period of twelve

enacted general law for the support of
common schools by taxation.
But owing to frequent wars, the pecu-
liar construction of southern society-the
migration westward and still more 10 a
txedness of the popular ideal in regard
TO the character of common schools, they
have not been improved and elevated as
they might, and should have been.
Nevertheless, within the last forty
years. much has been done to advance
the cause of popular education - and
very much still remains to be done.
No patriotic heart can feel Indifferent
to the education of the masses of the
people in our wide spread domain. 1t is
the bulwark of our free institutions, the
grand motor of social improvement and
national advancement. No republic can
long exist where popular ignorance pre-
walls; nor can monarchics long survive,
unless the populace are denied the means
of mental and moral culture. OF the
truth of this, the history of nations fur
ni,hes ample illustration
In England nearly one half of the peo-
pie can neither read nor write. In the
once slave states Of our own country, one
TO lS-in the free states, as formerly
called, one to $50 can neither read nor
write; while the poportion in Ne,c Eng-
Mitd Is only about one to 225
We who live in the midst of free in
stltutions and voluntary associations, not
only have occasion to rejoice in the Sjs-
tenn OF common schools adopted by our
fathers, wherein all classes are encircled
in the same traternal embrace, in which
the ''rich and the poor meet together :"
but we have still more abundant reason
for rejoicing that we live to see the day
when educators, and authors, and artists
have quite thoroughly discerned their
Importance and their susceptibility OF
greater elevation and Improvement
More cow enient and tasteful houses have
been erected, supplied with furniture and
facilities for instruction far i'll advance of
even Il few years ago.
Authors have been industriously pre-
pairing text books suited to the capaci-
ties and tastes of children Normal
schools have been instituted in which the
best masters are educating and training
professors for common schools. With
these nober ideas, we may confidently
expect corresponding success in making
ere ionL our schools what the best good
AMI the highc-t interests OF individual,
and of the common wealth require.
Having passed these thoughts before
YOUR minds, for the purpose OF encourage
ment, and TO awaken greater enterprise
and zeal in this good work, your superin-
tendent TO whose supervision your schools
for the past year have been entrusted,
will make some general report respecting
them.
Owing to the restrictions and embar-
raNsments of your superintendent for
which lie Is not accountable, his report
must necessarily be mcagrc and detec-
tive.
10 him but little is given, but of him
much Is required. In many cases he has
no notice, or means of knowing, when u
school opens, or when it closes. And at
the season OF making his report to the
town he has no access to the school regis
ters for any statistical information and
the facts learned from observation and
inspection do not afford very ample data
for statements in detail.
In most cases, however, Your schools
lave been visited each term, and several
of them twice.
As a general thing we think that the
qualifications, zeal and success of the
teachers who have served us, are good
and praiseworthy.
We have had some competent and ex-
ccllcnt teachers, but not quite enough TO
supply the demand.
In order TO have good schools, teachers
should not only possess adequate literary
qualifications, but they should under
stand the art of dlStructiag and gore1 n,lg
1t has become an axiom that rs is the
teacher, SO is the school. If the teacher
be prompt and energetic, the school
catches the spirit and rapidly improves ::
if on the other hand, the teacher is slug
gish, that want of enthusiasm is delri-
mental 10 progress.
But how shall the standard of qualifi-
cation in the teacher be elevated? Hap
ply the answer is at hand. Let the
teachers avail themselves of the advan-
tages of the Normal schools established
by the wisdom and fostering care of the
state. These are designed and adapted
to do much in Introducing the mos: ap-
proved methods OF teaching and govern
ing, and also in securing very desirable
uniformity in school work.
But there are difficulties in securing
such Il class of teachers as we need, which
lie beyond the power of Normal schools
TO remove. These obstacles, however,
can be removed by you.
Several circumstances conspire to de-
tract from the esteem and high repute in
which the instructors of our youth should
ever be held. Few public tunctionaries
hold a more important position in socie-
ty, and very few than whom are exert
ing greater influence.
Low wages is one difficulty. Almost
any other business is more lucrative. The
stlnted pay of the teacher serves to de-
grade the office in his own view, and in
the estimation OF others. In most ranks
OF society good pay and honorable occu-
patton are associated.
One other circumstance operates badly
upon the sensibilities and self respect OF
the teacher. In many districts, the seat
OF their operations-the place of their
daily toil-would more likely have been
mistaken, in the dark ages OF superstition,
by a casual observer, for the general
rendezvous of wizards and gipsies, then
for place where an intelligent, industri-