Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-17


;s we want good scholars. The speaker
would have singing and gymnastics IN
every school. This practice Of calisthenles
assists the teacher in governing the schoi-
ars by unconsciously bringing .the Will OF
the scholars under the control Of the teach
ers.
DR.. Kitchell OF Middlebury, said the
first object in teaching should be to Work
while YOU do work. Children should De
held in school only so long as they work.
The length of school days should be varied
according to the capacity OF the pupils
Secondly, teachers should never overwork
their best pupils.
Mr.. G. g. Boynton of Springfield, did
not think it advisable to materially shorten
the length of school days. Recitations
should be made an entertainment as far
as possible. Correct habits should be
taught in every school, but stir manners
should not. r..
DR.. Crane claimed that teachers and
prudential committee men should never
decide the length of school days. Ii
children begin to grow pale turn them
"out to pasture" and let them climb stone
walls and trees.
Mr.. Ingham said he thought that it was
wrong to allow teachers to run away with
the taxpayers money by dismissing child
rem in the primary schools after five hours
even by keeping them six hours il
killed every child. The speaker made
many happy hits at the present manage
ment of infant schools, and closed by
hoping that infants would be abolished.
Mr.. Gorham of Montpelier said, it was
understood that pupils must have rest
The true theory of study is to never allow
them to study until they are weary. Pupils
should be watched and as soon as they
become weary or manifest any signs o.
WEAKNESS they should be released from
school Action wearies the brain. The
time of keeping pupils should always bt
varied according to the pupils capacity.
Rev. Mr.. Cobb added to his former re
marks by saying he thought teacher
ought always to be Thermometer for the
school. A reference was made by the
speaker to Hon. Abner W. Field, Assis
tant Attorney General of the United
States, (who by the way is native O.
Springfeld,) and a review of his manner
of study.
President Spaulding said he had triet
the experiment of dismissing primary
schools after one hours work and liberia
intermission, and found it worked like /;
charm.
Discussion. District 0S. Town System
of School. Rev. Mr.. Cox of Springfield
in the absence of Mr.. Ward, opened tht
debate. He was not fully convinced il
his own mind whether it was best to abol
ish the district system.
Mr.. Cobb said he had seen the working
of the town system in Massachusetts,
The town where he lived had forty ap
plieations and twenty applicants were
examined. Thirteen of them passed the
necessary examination, and five were en-
gagged. The town system SO far as h'
could see worked admirably for schools in
Massachusetts,, and in his town, schools
improved full fifty per cent. School dis
tricts are little democracies, and people
living therein are proved of them. Speak
er was in favor of the town system.
Mr.. Shaw had never seen the working
OF town system. If the town system were
adopted, the number of school districts
must be lessened. 1t would give us 6
better class of teachers to have the re-elec
ton of teachers made by a town Board
He would have one central school in each
town with primary schools as feeders.
Mr.. Ingham had no settled opinion
The district plan of employing teachers
was wretched one. One committee mar
was enough. The objection SO otter
made that pupils would have so far to &c
if town system were adopted, is wholly
without foundation. If pupils wer'
anxious to attend school, distance would
be no objection.
@. @. Boynton was in favor of the towI
System. But he thought the chang,
would be opposed by the small districts
DIR. Cram said in Springfield there wer'
nineteen school districts.
DIR. Spaulding had discussed the subjeo
before his town at its March meeting. Ii
his town by a small change three schoo
districts could save some two hundred
dollars. In Barre they have fifteen schoo
districts. Ten districts would accomodat,
all One teacher applied to him for a Ger
tifcate. After fifteen minutes examina
he became satisfied he could not give he
certificate and told the committee maj
who was waiting, his decision TIL,
committee man said it was littl
hard and finally was told he would graz
one provided the committee would be re
sponsible. The certificate was writta5s il
that form. But the committee said af6e
the school closed he would never be raspon
sible again.
MONDAY EVENING.
Discussion Geography" Opened b,
Mr.. May of St. Johnsbury, and followed
by Messrs. Shaw, Farnsworth, L. Iugham
Pres. Spaulding, Ferris, Rev. J. Mack ant
D. d. Gorham. The last speaker urged
upon teachers the necessity of stltistica
Geography.
ADDRESS BY REV. j. GOODRICH.
Subject: "The Relation of Free Schools t.
Free State"
New corners always adhere to the prin
ciples of their fathers. Our people con
stitute a homogeneous nation. We wan
TO make this nation a unity. Changes ar
necessary, and SO is diversity; but diver
sity should never reach division. Thi
nation has now no new problem on it
hands. The Puritans of Massachusetts
the Quakers of Pennsylvania and tn
Episcopalians of Virginia, held themselve
aloof from the Dntch of New York. TIL
union of the colonies resulted AS mucI