Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-31

;rte,lipent person the very best ways Of
teaching are not difficult to obtain. Why
in a short time should not every Primary
and Secondary teacher in the village OF
Rutland be able to use in her school the
means and methods employed by the best
teachers 1t seems to me there need De
no excuse fer ignorance upon these sub
iects long. If you insist upon having
thoroughly good teachers, you Will soon
obtain them.
There is in the district quite a large
number of young persons who cannot
well afford the time required to complete
the full course prescribed. They need q
portion of the year, school similar to
the public schools, not graded, where DIFF
ferent studies can be taken up and more
rapid progress made than can be in the
classes now formed in your schools. To
supply this demand l would advise the
organization of new school, on School
street, about the first of September next,
having two terms, of about twelve weeks
each. If teacher suitable for such
school be obtained, and the school started,
it will meet an urgent want, and will soon
become very profitable school.
MUSIC IN SCHOOLS.
During the past year, in accordance
with a vote of the district, passed at its
last annual meeting, under the tuition OF
Prof. George A. Mietzke, music has been
introduced in your schools. Owing to
doubts and hesitation on my own part, as
to the best way to put the instruction OF
the district into execution, it was delayed
one term; hence your schools have as yet
had the benefit of only two terms of in
struction in music. The general superin-
tendence of its introduction and general
management since, has been under the
charge of John N. Baxter, Esq, to whose
report of its present condition and future
prospects I refer. I will, however, say
that the results accomplished in the short
time that has elapsed since its introduc.
ton, have surprised me, and l have nc
hesitation in saying that the introduce
ton of music into your schools is de.
cided success.
Reviewing the history of your schools
for the past three years, think you have
great reason to be encouraged with the
belief that they will soon become sub
ject of just pride to your village. You
have now simply laid good foundation
and if you desire to complete the work, al
you are aware, it can only be accom-
plished by constant care and attention
You have much to be thankful fer. Start
ing, as you did, against the honest con
viction of many of our best citizens, and
with the expectation of encountering bit
ter opposition, it is subject of much
credit to our village, that when the pres
emit system was once organized, all said
1--WE will wait and see the result ;" and
now many of the strongest opponents o.
the graded school system are among its
most active friends. The children Of
nearly all of our leading citizens are il
the public schools, and the interest il
them is each year increasing.
When we reflect that we can have &
thoroughly good school nearly as cheap al
poor one, and that there is no one thing
that would add so much to our credit anG
standing as a village, or be of so much
positive and permanent benefit to US, ii
would seem that no citizen of the place
could fail to take hold of the matter in
earnest, and use his whole influence in
favor of all the requisite means to com.
plete the work of establishing and keep
ing up school second to none in the
country.
In this connection I wish to refer to an
evil which is almost universal in this coun.
try, and which is doing much to reduce
the mental strength and culture of oul
people. I refer to the lack of parental
restraint and control over their children
and the early age at which young person:
are permitted to enter society and com
mence life" Teachers, when they see
their scholars as they arrive at the age Of
IA or Is, perhaps earlier, scholars WHIT
have promised well, and on whom they
had high hopes, all at once begin to lose
their interest in their studies and fall be-
hind their classes, know well the reason
and the results any one can see if they
will enumerate the number of lads and
young men, who. are soon to be foated out
into the world with no culture of mind
and with habits that a lifetime cannot
correct; and the number of girls and
young women who have little or nc
strength or culture of mind, and beyond
"dress and society" no ideas. When we
reflect upon and fully comprehend the
unhappy old age that awaits those young
persons, and its depressing effects upon
the strength and happiness of our people
perhaps we shall come to the conclusion
that the rule of Young America" ha
been sufficiently long and that the tim,
has fully come when parental author
ity should be again reinstated, AID oul
children permitted ander parental advice
control, and restraint, to have a child
hood, in which to develop their powers
both physical and mental, SO that wheI
life's sterner duties must be met they will
have strength, culture and character will
which to enter upon their part of tn,
work.
In conclusion permit me to say that m,
three years connection with your school
will ever be remembered with much plea
sure by me. That during the whole tim
l have not heard fault-fnding word o
an unreasonable complaint on the part o
our citizens, and that however weakly o
faulty may have performed my duty,
have at all times received the kindest co
operation from them. Trusting that you
schools have not been injured by my con
nection with them, l leave them to tn
care of other hands fully believing that
prosperous future awaits them.