Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-11-04
Gur Ccmmsn SCHOOL,
our Ocmm3D oehOVi'
AND The EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF VERMONT.

Rep scatatiges, Montpelier, Oct. I'm
1870.
At the invitation of the General Assembly
DR.. French, Secretary OF the stste BOsrd o
Education, addressed the Legislature, in tn
Hall of the House on Thursday evening. III
WAS introduced by Henry Clark, Esq.
SECRETARY FREScu's ADDRESS.
Dr. French said that the Educational interest
Of the State, upon which the General Assembly
had invited him to speak, offered wide field
He had now been at work in Vermont for ii,
months, his duties calling him into every county
in eleven of which he had held Institutes HI
found much ground for encouragement, in
survey Of the field. But one great obstace t,
progress in our schools everywhere presents it.
self This is the rant Of qualified teachers
This want has been felt for years. Secretarie,
Adams and Rankin have alluded to it in every
annual repor; since 1860 Teachers and Town
Superintendents and the press of the State have
often discussed il. What then prevents our
teachers from being what they should be Does
the fault lie with the teachers themselves? In part
It does. Bat here is not half not tenth part
Of the trouble. Is it with our 240 Town Super
intendents, They, too, il must be admitted,
have not done their whole duty but the chief
trouble is not with them. Is it with our 900
prudential committeeman Of the various school
districts They are partly to blame but the
main cause lies further back The chief fault is
with the eighty thousand parents If they did
their full duty, il they would insist on better
teachers, the committeeman and town superu-
tendents would do their work better and our
schools would soon show improved results
Another great cause Of the low condition Of
our schools, is the i0r lrryss paid to teachers.
The returns Of the schools for the lss year show
that the average cost Of our schools for teachers,
wages and current expenses, has been but SOB
per week. They show that the average cost Of
the schools, for teachers aud all current expeu-
ses, has been but sl5l.3J a year. Is it re4soE-
able to suppose that competent teachers can be
got for five dollars a week and board themselves,
Yet come receive even less than that
Again, the school year is too short. The
average length Of the school year ia Vermont Is
( but little over tgllfy-11c week. A. One
little county Grand Isle mAintains its schools
for 80 weeks in the year The shortest school
/ year is but s-rsutsf4 weeks AMI three teuths-
(in Caledonia County, Mr. French wen, on TO
consider some Of the measures that hsi been
taken to remedy these defects 10 November,
1866, the state passed law, providing thar no
teachers should be employed in the schools With
out a certificate from the secretary given sitter
/ examinations Al 'ae Institutes or a dlpoma from
T normal scnooi' aler Novemper, lo i Inns
IA" Hss Wen meant, hut II mas proved entirely
tha'el lA.e 10 ita o1Jrct' Under It Ial teachers
I have received institute certificates. and l61 nave
taken norma school dipllmls Allowing fr
losses itis plain that there are not three hun
bred teachers, qualified by thu; law. available
/ for car =, $50 schools and 10 viii be OF course
impossible ior ever -,uo' teacher to become
/ qualned under u IN tie year b. cone. some
Iesis- auon 20 NEE tnls emergency is Imperative,
anu tae state Board o. EDUCATION has drafted
OBJ Wnich VII oe presented 20 The Legs. AZURE,
/ providing Tor the examination Of teachers by
town superlnieniauts under certain res;rlciions,
AMI allowing the secretary So issue state cert-
lca'ess nHl Only 10 those "a2 have taught
another anl t--i important means 90 supplying
the lack o.; 4la.ihei teachers VII be the adoption
oi the i,T9 syi.'- ~ schools Iais system Is
not iui'y understood II issiupIy creating
single school district OF the SIZE oi the 'oTa, and
permitting me district i' MAINTAIN a. many
schools As are leeiei within 't7 limits Mas
sachusetts sui Fennsy lvana ai7p'ei this system
se'efal years ago anl lai 20 suited % their
need some Of the advantages If this sys'en
we've very FULLY ST forth By secretary Ran
KIN 10 his last report some siiitlona. atysu-
tases. not mentioned 10y him, are the securing
o. more WorS from teachers by employing them
10 two schools successiVe.y better 4la atoms
N the ieAc1er5. arilius from increased encllr-
sgement larger schools and better classification.
Under this syt'en central soho5is you'll be keT'
schools would be kep. cren the same length Or
ume-in the week districts es long as 10 the
s'Iyns one v',A's' ll.''Ial.'y .n 's''a!ag
srI -sj,ssI rf5-,-..-- 80 80 s.-..,-- H.
all e.se, WY uot 10 eiaeeati7a, The farmer will
e, . .,-s - ,.r - '.'' ~. ~
miles s c.--ee .as..r7 t.t Re- ttAes 5is chill
- -
labor AMI esu.l1t,isu = the 6r-ie.. II, -.ss
rs,rc- fv si.,-ian of rho t,vr, 60, -
school. 4 tbi.i -sne4v vi. ts f-,.-i ;r s--
e5u-s-.1, tr..5s-s 70 E, Ibems,rves H. t-s:-
work bv f1.stiar tss.r s,ig,t,irr d. f. --..--.s