Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-08-03
Correspondence.
z q For The NewsdeaIer.

figures 10 fortify their own absurd Pos''~'ons
is well illustrated by an article IN fne
NEwsprALEk of July 20 over the sigma
tire of "X." Tue article is wholly
based on assumption, and the only faif
one in the whole is in regard to the num-
Der of teachers although that is a little
too LARGE. ok" then asks us to admit
that one-half of them attend Institutes
during the terms of their schools which
we are not prepared to do, although we
wish il was true. In 1868 only seven
Institutes were held which rendered it
necessary to hold twenty-one IN 1863,
and yet only ten were holden during the
usual school terms, thereby atfording
an opportunity for only half to attend
at the expense Of the Districts. Now
the records show that less than one-third
of those actually teaching leave their
schools to attend Institutes and less than
one-fifth for more than one day. These
facts are to be the more regretted as they
are mainly the results Of winners and
grumblers who, rather than pay a few
cents, prefer to squander dollars upon iu-
efficient schools. Again, of the twenty
one Institutes above referred to, not one
was held during the winter term which
fact reduces the daily wages of teachers
who did have an opportunity to attend to
so cents instead of IS. We are unable
to conjecture where the items of "S11.25"
comes from which is so astoundingly dis
played, but will be charitable enough to
suspect typographical error. But says
" X" this burden must be borne by the
Districts, which will receive "no equiva.
lent except the improvement of the teach
er." What extravaganza notions we
teachers have entertained | had even
supposed that an improvement of the
teacher would improve the school and
thus be of direct advantage to the Dist.
With the End division of /" KS" criti-
cism we have little fault to find, though
if he has taken the trouble to inform him
self he can not be ignorant of the fact that
there is no probability, under the present
economical management, Of more than
two-thirds of the appropriations being
used
But in respect to the Sd division IF
the "extravagant language of the COM
mon school advocates eliminated" in the
resolution in question, surely the height
of absurdity is reached in this. What
"extravagant advocate" ever dreamed of
demanding of the Districts pay for 66
days when he had taught but 16? What
member of the Institute ever thought of
prolonging the sessions to % days? But
what did they think when they passed the
resolution? Institutes now continue in
session five days, and surely FIVE times ten
are fifty. The law makes it the duty of
the Secretary to hold fourteen Institutes
of FIVE days each, which will occupy four
teen weeks. The great mass of our CON-
mon schools are in session "a weeks leav.
ing % weeks in which to do ii weeks of
Institute work. 1t is well known fact
that the past Secretaries have been OBJ
Iiged to regulate the time for holding the
Institutes TO accommodate their own pro-
fessional business, but the present Sccre-
assures us that the Institutes will be held
at such times as will interfere as little as
possible with the usual terms of our com.
mon schools, which arrangement will be
rs satisfactory to teachers as it is to the
people, aud, what is Of greater consequence,
will secure much larger attendance, for
Is we have already noticed, the great ma
ority of those who do attend are those
who do not happen to be employed at the
lime; and the law permitting teachers to
lraw their pay while attending, will af-
Ford relief only to the few who teach fall
Ind spring terms. With this understand
ng Of the matter, the Committee thought
hat the only fair resultant of the increase
would be in the State appropri-
ltion, liberal estimate of which would
% $4,000.
Now l am aware that this is a large
'um. am further aware that there is
10 call for that amount for Institute pur-
'oses, but it was the opinion Of large
lumber Of teachers and friends of educa-
ion in this Co. that if the work now being
lone by Institutes could not be performed
n any other way, it was worthy of even
uch q sacrifice, and for one / have as
yet seen no reason to change my mind.
But our friend "X" suggests the pro-
,rioty Of some member of the Committees
cling what Dould be prodigality. Ipre.
er the present tense and will specify
ew items which at least one member of
he Committee thinks are prodigal. The
aims Of Superintendent for last year.