National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-01-07
Erdn nation of Tcuchers for tn.
Common Schools.

SobtSsV" tbt"oVsSs
Among all the means of impTov.
ing our common schools, the detcrm.
mig Of the qualifications of Teach.
crs, holds very important, if not
the most important place. The
school comm tees are commonly
chosen on the principle of rotation,
without regard to special fitness.
The one thing secured by this 70
tation more than any other, is the
employment, by similar rotation, of
the several young persons, kindred
of the committee, who desire to try
their hand at teaching. Thus We
get continued rotation of incxpcri,
cnced teachers; and of course very
often Of those who have no natural
or acquired fitness for the RESPONSE
lle calling. The custom with com
nittets is to make no examination
themselves in fact to care little for
the qualifications of the candidate,
Int to cast all this responsibility on
the Superintendent. Then he, too,
is citizen of the town, often the
doctor or the minister, and being
left to fix his own standard, and act
on his sole Judgment and response
bility, he must often acclcdit those
whom he knows to he unfit, or else
offend and estrange some of his fcl
low citizens, patrons or Pensioners
from whom he derives his living,
and with whom it is most desirable
that he be on the most kind and in.
innate relations.
We suppose this is wis so many
of the superintendent express THEN
approval of the law for granting
all certificates at the Normal Schools
anu INSTITUTES. L 1T Nti lildl Ntubb
certificates aIc we'll enough, and The
Institute certificates so far rs they
may go, but nothing is more obvious
TO one who thinks, than that thcS,
can nctcr supply the needs Of th'
state. The law requiring all teach
ers to get these certificates after TIVE
years must }c changed, or else tench
ers will be employed III large num-.
bers without any certificate, or ma.
ny of our school houses will b
closed.
The services of town SupCrutend
ents for certifying teachers must b
retained. An teachers will neYc
20 out of town for examinations
The question is, how to relieve tow
superintendent of the odious pan
of their responsibility, aud at iii
same time encourage them to maxi
the examinations thorough, Unilorl
and. trustworthy.
One method of answering iii
question was attempted last year
Chiitcnden county, Of which Seer
tary Rankin speaks approvingly q
the Dist page OF his report. Thisw,
concerted action of the Supciintcn
cnts of the county. They held ol
or two county meetings; rot up
list of printed questions; set q
same day throughout tie county
the examination adopted sol
rules of procedure; suggested sol
uniformity Of standard, &c. All Il
was well, but can hardly he adopt
.ycry where, since it involves mu
labor and consi lerablc expense,
OF which must he gmtuituus.
the pay they can draw for 1t is q
dollar, though they spend scvc
days III attending conventions, m'
ry for the printed questions, and t
days, as We know some Of them Il
in the examination.
Another method IL indicated
the remarks Of DR.. Worcester.
pcriniendent Of Thetiord, an exu
from which We gave our readers
week aud also by Rev. G.
FERN, of llinesburgh. Both I'll
gentlemen Seem to have hit a
the same Dfibod of meeting the
fcnlty, and Ne think 1t the II