Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-11-02
Watnhman 6 journal.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1870.
Educational Meeting

the Representatives. Hall was opened Thursday
evening to those interested in educational mat
tors.
Henry Clark, Esq, Secretary Of the Senate.
presided, and introduced the Secretary Of the
Board Of Education as the first speaker.
DR.. French remarked ut the commencement of
his address that the great want Of the schools
Of Vermont il qualified teachers. We have not
such teachers in as largo numbers as we require.
! Arc teachers to blame that they arc not quail.
iied2 They are in part, as the subject has been
again and again called 70 their attention. but
not tenth part Of the blame should be attached
to them. The superinendent- should have some
Of the fault laid to them. They do not DO all that
is required Of them. They excuse themselves by
saying that the teachers who apply for certificates
arc not qualified, but the people are willing 10
take them. Again the 1000 persons holding dis
trict Offices must have part of the blame But
a much greater part Of it must be charged upon
the 20 600 parents, who do not demand that only
good teachers shall he employed Again the
teachers are not properly paid. The average cost
Of the schools per week is $50 In some coun-
ties it as low as $500, and in only ono over
/ s. co.
I The school year j, too short. The average in
[ the State is ~ weeks Under these disadyanta-
tes DO we suppose teachers are going 10 spend a
year or even a term at training school? Some
Of them d. bat they are likely to 60 out OF the
State. 10 secure better teachers law was pass
ed requiring certificates obtained at Institutes
Bot for some reason but little attention has been
paid to the law Since January /, 1867, there
have been issued at all the Institutes in the State
only Isl The normal schools have graduated
only l60, 50 that in all there are only $50 per-
sons holding certificates. last year there were
$50 schools IN the State 50 70 make the law
effective within the next twelve months, at every
Institute $50 persons mus, be licensed Ofoourse
the secretary cannot accomplish 50 much, and the
law must therefore be repealed or extended, or
1000 schools will be without teachers.
The Board has considered this carefully, and
has arrived at the conclusion b ask modifca-
ton of the law, and they suggest that superin-
tendents he allowed b examine teachers and the
Secretary examine no teachers who have never
taught No State grants certificates to teachers
who have never taught except Vermont,
lie believed be saw one remedy for the difficulty
in our school system in the adoption Of the town
system This did not require that there should
be but one school in town, but only that all the
schools shall be under one management, Some
states have adopted tbs system, and 1t has been
found successful. Massachusetts, and Pennsyl-
vauia have tried it with great success.
We now have but twenty-five weeks Of schools
L.. a. 4 Il
low US to keep teachers longer, and even better
teachers For example, if school desires TWEEN
ty weeks in year and requires eight teachers,
four might be employed for forty weeks
Again, probably, every town adopting this sys-
TEN would doubtless have a good central school at
least for one term in year The teacher in the
central school would doubtless have experience,
and could give valuable assistance to the teachers
in the primary schools. This system would give
uniform length Of schools in different parts OF
the town, which would be Of great advantage,
In other branches q division Of labor is considered
economy WHY should il not also be 40 in school
matters7
\ farmer will carry bis milk five miles To a
cheese factory. Why should he not be willing to
carry his children that distance to good school
lle referred, for other arguments, to the large
number adduced by Secretary Rankin in his re-
port for 1869.
lie urged that the State should assist in the
education Of teachers Some States appropriate
money TO academies which educate teachers
But we have now come to recognize teaching as
science. and we need separate schools for the ed
ucation Of teachers.
The history Of normal schools has demonstrated
that they are almost indispensable. There are
now a in the country. Not one Of them has
ever been permanently suspended The first
work done in these schools was mainly academic,
bu, Afterwards tho training school system was
adoptei. and there are but very few normal
schools which have not adopted this system.
Inau the States which have adopted normal
schools the schools have been placed under
rho direct control of the State Board of Ed
uc,tion IrlocaI influences are allowed to con-
troll the influence of the school will be local --
Tmproper influences often control the selection Of
teachers. There should be division of labor here
as well rs in the public schoos--one teacher
sho,la nat toaoh many branches.
New York expends $50 900 per year for Nor
NAL Schools, and other States give large amounts
In MI the States the appropriations range from
Al 500 in Vermont to the amount in New York.
No State qives less than 5000 year to a school
exeept Vermont.
Discriminating aid is always degrading to the
teacher. Teachers almost invariably come from
moor families, and vet but few will ask for aid -
me-, consider il degrading.
Ont ortbe s9l pupils who have attended the
Normal Schools of Vermont only 200 have re-
ceiyed any aid from the State, The true coursf
would be to give aid to all, and to appropriate
sufficient money to carry on the schools
Our three schools have done very good work.
100 have Qradnnted from them.
We baye done then in three schools about one
half as much as ono Normal School does in other
states. But tho State has done very little fol
them Each of them has at least one good anC