Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-07

vermont, % % ~
| Wisconsin, 40 10 20 o4
Only four States pay as little to male
teachers, and four as little to female teach
ers as Vermont: viz, Kentucky, Mary
land, Missouri and New Hampshire while
Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, land
New York pay from $50 to $67 per month
for gentlemen.
The average of gentlemen's salaries per
month is S42.61. The average of lady's
salary is s26.49.
Three of these States unquestionably
pay more than Vermont, and are put in
the table as payingsless because the re-
turns do not distinguish between the sal
aries paid to gentlemen and ladies; leaV-
ing the fact that but one State pays her
educators as poorly as Vermont.
The four that pay less to ladies are
Maine, Michigan, Minnesota and New
Hampshire.
Of salaries of female teachers, Vermont
is four dollars per month below the aver
age.
Does this low salary imply that Yer
mont is obtaining the education of her
citizens on better terms than sister States
Does she obtain as good an article at a
less price Then is she to be commended
for her peculiar shrewdness, or other Yam
kee trait. But just here are several points
which smart men should consider.
The market is large one, and as sure
ly in this las in wool or Early Rose, the
best price paid will command the best ar
ticle that is to be obtained. And if it be
true to-day, or has been true, that Yer
mont obtains a better article at a less
price, or as good an article at less price,
it will not certainly remain so. Just as
surely as the laws of trade cannot be con-
trolled by one mercantile firm, so cannot
one State long retain such position as is
now supposed, obtaining good education
at less price.
But L suppose no one claims that edu-
cation impaired in Vermont is better than
in other States The next question is,
) 'Is it as good ?" I presume it will COM
pare favorably with many States, but we
may assent to the opinion of those who
have the best means of judging of the ed
vocational status of the different States,
which is, that there are some States that
, are decidedly, and perhaps very far, in
advance of this State.
Then here will apply another CONNER
cial law, and it will be found that the
teaching is in comparison with the price
E paid. Then the teaching in Vermont is
i 16 2-3 per cent. inferior to the average
i teaching of her sister States, and almost
S 90 per cent. below, inferior to some of the
f States, two of which form her boundaries.
/ Can Vermont afford to place herself thus
: in competition with her nearest neigh
e bors? The cause will surely work it's eff
, feet. The custom, and the satisfaction
[ with it, will surely work disastrously. Is
+ it wise to stand quietly by and see injuri-
GUS causes at work, and know what they
will produce, without an effort to avert
the injury?
J The attempt to obtain teachers at a
small price has worked out, unquestionably
this fact: We have in the State 1924 diff.
e ferent district schools. During the past
year 1926 teachers have been employed
: who have not taught before, nearly half a:
many as there are schools. What is the
cause and what the effect of this so re,
markable fact One prominent cause
undoubtedly, is the desire TO obtain teach.
ers at a low price. I do not ignoIe other
= causes. And one plain thing it says is
that the predecessors of these 1926 teach
ers did not succeed as teachers, for I be-
8 lieve Vermonters are smart enough t.
know when they have good article, and
. would not willingly part with it, without
: prospect of obtaining another equally
. good. Then within year nearly hal
4 the teachers left their schools after one
. term, accomplishing this much at least
: that the district did not wish their ser
|. vices any more. In contrast with this, il
/. a good account of $50 teachers-one-fftl
q of all-who have taught in the same dis
t trict before. Deducting these $50 from
f the 1859 different teachers who hav,
Q taught the past year, there will remain
d the extraordinary fact that 3410 teacher,
e have changed during the year. Oh it il
2 enough to kill anything, to ruin any bust
r ness, to suppress education entirely, tt
e discourage the children and lead them IL
look upon the teacher as not equal to 6
r kitchen servant, whom their mothers viii
: not change with half the ease that those
e who are to cultivate the immortal mind
It are employed and dismissed.
: will just notice another cause which
operates against our schools, as it will
against any business. They are not prop
9 erly superintendent. do not make any
allusion to the persons or the character O
the superintendent. But this fact GU,
e Secretary tells us. There are 1924 differ
u emit district schools in the State. The law
Y requires that these should be visited twice
g in each term. Surprising that each school
s has two terms per annum, there should be
:, in each year IL 1896. 1t is reported that
r there have been but 5,616, which gives
< one visit to each school, and second visit
. to 2792. Instead of being visited fou,
:, times, they have not all been visited twice
Q The true object land effect of the visits
}, of the school superintendents, is to lool
= after and advance the interests of the
school, the scholar, the cause, to excite
D the teacher to greater zeal and earnest