Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-03-23
Common schools.

q report to the town, which was so highly
approved that it was voted to request it's
publication in the Montpelier papers We
give below such portions thereof as have a
general bearing upon the subject of schools
and common school education, emitting such
parts only as referred to each district and its
| school, that portion was of local rather
than general Importance. 1t is, however,
but just to state what Mr.. PERRIN said in
ffeE>.d 30 S--oo- stIr~e te.-eAe--- -
stimulate others to endeavor to be worthy of
like honorable mention. The remarks
refer mostly to the winter schools, Mr.. PER-
Rim not having been appointed superintendent
until November.
Thompson, teacher, he says {; " There has
been very good school, increasing in num-
Der of attendance and interest from the
commencement to the close. l think this
school will show the highest average attend
ance of any school in town"
Speaking of District No. 3, Miss Holton,
teacher, the report says: " 1t has been the
aim of this district to secure the best teach
ers, and Miss Holton, who has taught the
summer and winter term, has proved to be
one of the very best, having education, en-
ergy and experience"
OF District No 6, Miss Ednah K. Dewey,
teacher, the following mention is made
- Order very good, and lessons very well
recited Miss Dewey's services have been
secured in this school, both summer and
winter, with good results. Still much more
good would have been accomplished by en-
enlargement and support from patrons of
the school"
| Mr. Martin, teacher in District No. I, is
spoken of as an energetic teacher, and of
Miss Gleason, teacher in No. S, it is said her
discipline was very good, that she had some
fine scholars, and her school made fair pro-
gress.
After giving a few such cursory remarks
in regard to the teachers and school in each
District respectively, Mr.. PERRIN proceeded
to say:
The whole number Of scholars in twelve
schools was 365 Number in schools at
first visit 3O6; at my second visit 29I.
None Of these schools were visited on Satur-
days or Mondays, which would have reduced
, the actual attendance,-so that more than
one-iiith Of all the money pai1 out for schools
The mast winter j. Iost from actual non at !
-. 81 -ssfss.r41s. Asor
irreguIarity in the members OF classes, the
progress Of whole classes is retarded. And
still more, the most backward scholars are
usually the most irregular in Attendance, 90
A. Iv nd hn
so from unnecessary absences. The attend
ance is much more irregular during the sum
mer term so that it is safe to conclude
that more than half the money paid for
common schools is lost from absences of
scholars. will not speak particularly of
school-houses, only ask you to call and
examine them for yourselves, and see whether
they are comfortable, convenient, neat and
attractive, well furnished and cared for, or
whether they are dirty, loathsOme dens,
wholly unfit for the purpose for which they
are used.
At the usual time of commencing the
winter schools, there was no superintendent,
and consequently no legal meeting for ex-
aiming teachers, and many teachers COM
menced their schools without the required
certificate. The statute provides that where
vacancy occurs, then teachers may apply
TO a superintendent of some neighboring
town for license and such license answers
the purpose of the law. But many of the
teachers, perhaps none Of them, were aware of
this provision. 1 would recommend that all
teachers for the past winter receive their
stipulated wages, but for all time to come
no teacher be allowed to teach for one day
even without the required license.
| am fully convinced that the public
schools Of Berlin come Uery far short of ac-
complishing what might reasonably be ex-
pected of them; that very few graduate from
them with knowledge of the common
branches which are there taught, and that
few ever acquire that knowledge from any
source. These things ought not, need not
be- have already made the broad state
ment, that more than one-half of the money
paid for schools is lost from non attendance.
| To insure a greater attendance, it is need
less to say the school should be held at such
times as children can best be spared from
A
fathers. l have come to the conclusion that
we are attempting too much, and, thereby
accomplishing too little For instance, the
beginner should devote all the time to read
ing and spelling, till they are fairly mas
| tered, and having done one thing well. take
geography, arithmetic, history and grammar
in course, till all be thoroughly mastered.
But, instead, the mere child must take, with
reading and spelling, primary geography,
primary arithmetic, and perhaps first lessons
in grammar thus so dividing the time as
to accomplish but little in anything except
to destroy books, and increase the profits of
book-makers and booksellers. Call me old
fashioned if you please / would rejoice to
see primary biographies, arithmetics, gram
mars, etc, banished from our schools.
Allow me to refer to the oft-rcpeated sub
ject of visiting schools. am surprised to
note the change that has come over myself
since visiting the schools of Berlin again.
cannot find words to express the deep in
terest which feel for their welfare Visit
the school and you will become more inter
estcd, and interest means action. We are
too prone to delay for convenient season,
and that season never comes. In securing
teachers DO careful to get the best F: it will
pay We would have our children receive
physical, mental and moral instruction, and
to the school we must look for all these. |