Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-11-03
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1870.
Educational Meeting.
ADDRESS BY SECRETARY FRENCH.

the two Houses, inviting John ii. French,
LII. D., and Rev. j. E. Goodrich to ad-
dress the Legislature, the Representatives
Hall was opened Thursday evening to
those interested in educational matters.
Henry Clark, Esq, Secretary of the
Senate, presided, and introduced the Sec
rotary Of the Board of Education as the
fret speaker.
DR.. French remarked at the commence
ment of his address that the great want
of the schools of Vermont is qualified
teachers. We have not such teachers in
as large numbers as we require.
Are teachers to blame that they are not
qualified ? They are in part, as the sub
joct has been again and again called to
their attention. But not tenth part Of
the blame should be attached to them.
The superintendent should have some OF
the fault laid to them. They do not do
all that is required of them. They ex-
cuse themselves by saying that the teach
ers who apply for certificates are not
qualified, but the people are willing to
take them. Again, the 1000 persons hold
lug district offices must have part of the
blame. But a much greater part of il
must be charged upon the 10000 parents
who do not demand that only good teach
ers shall be employed. Again, the teach
ers are not properly paid. The average
cost of the schools per week ia $40 IL
some much over S. OO.
The school year is too short. The aver
age in the State is twenty-four weeks
,----.-~.-v--s s,v@uvanuages do we suppose
teachers are going to spend year, OIL
even a term at a training school Some
of them do, but they are likely to go out
of the State. To secure better teachers
a law was passed requiring certificates
obtained at Institutes. But for some rea
s on, but little attention has been paid t.
the law. Since January !, 1867, there
have been issu ed at all the Institutes in
tn State only 1S1. The normal schools
have graduated only 100, so that in all
there are only $50 persons holding certi.
fcates. Last year there were 1850 schools
in the State. So to make the law effec
tive within the next twelve months, at
every Institute $50 persons must be
licensed. Of course the Secretary can.
not accomplish SO much, and the law must
therefore be repealed or extended, OIL
1000 schools will be without teachers.
The Board has considered this carefully
and have arrived at the conclusion to ask
modification OF the law, and they sug-
gest that superintendents be allowed to
examine teachers, and the secretary ex-
anime no teachers who have never
taught No State grants certificates to
teachers who have never taught except
Vermont.
He believed he 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 enc
school in town, but only that all the
schools shall he under one management.
Many States have adopted the system,
and il has been found successful. Massa-
chussetts and Pennsylvania have tried it
with great success.
We now have but twenty. four weeks OF
schools in a year on an average. This
system would allow us to keep teachers
longer and even better teachers. For ex.
ample, if a school desires twenty weeks
in year and requires eight teachers, -four
might be employed for forty weeks.
Again, probably every town adoptias
this system would doubtless have gooc
central school at least for. one term in {
year. The teacher in the central schoo
would doubtless have experience, snc
could give valuable assistance to thu
teachers in the primary schools Thi
system would give a uniform length O
schools in different parts of the town
other branches a division of labor is con
sidered economy. Why would it not ais
be so in school matters?
A farmer viii carry his milk five mile
TO a cheese factory. Why should he no
be willing to carry his children that dis
lance to good school?
He referred, for other arguments, to tn
large number adduced by Secretary Ran
kin Ia his report for 1869.
He urged that the State should assis
in The education of teachers Some State
appropriate money to academies whicl
educate teachers.
But we have now come to recogniz
teaching as a science, snd we need sepaI
ate schools for the education of teachers.
The history of normal schools has de
monstrated that they are almost indis
pensible. There are now 81 in the coun
try. Not one of them has ever been pei
manently suspended. The first worI
done in these schools was mainly AGA
demic, but afterwards the training sohoo
system was adopted, and there are bu
few normal schools which have not adopt
ed this system. .....
In all the States which have adopted
normal schools, the schools have beer
placed under the direct control of the
State Board of Education. If local in
huanees are allowed to control, the in
fuence of the school will be local. In
proper Influences control often the selee
ton of teachers. There should be division
of labor here as well as in the public
schools-one teacher should not teach
many branches.
New York expends $4,000 per yeal
for Norman Schools, and other States Civ,
large amounts. In all the States the ap
preparations range from 81 500 in Yer
mont to the amount in New York. n,
State gives less than $4,000 year to ,
school except Vermont.
Discriminating aid is always degrading
to the teacher. Teachers almost invariabl,
come from poor families, and yet but few
will ask for aid. They consider it Dc
grading.
Out of S94 pupils who have a. CO..