The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-05-16


educational calendar of Vermont. Here
tofore the examinations having often been
farcical in character, being the slimsiest
attempts possible at compliance with the
requirements of the law while the pri-
vate examinations were rarely anything
but shams.
For instance, in town that might be
named, the public examination was ad-
vertised in the county paper for six and a
half o'clock, on Saturday night Was
not that an invitation to candidates to
come and receive their certificates, with
an implied assurance, at least, that few
questions would be asked And the
writer could give instances where teachers
have simply been asked few common
place or irrelevant questions, or told to
sit down and write out the certificate de-
sired, and then been commissioned as
qualified to instruct in the studies requir-
ed by law, to be taught in our common
schools
The new law is long stride in the way
of reform, for now no honest man can ac-
cept the Office of town superintendent and
so perform the duties Of his responsible
Office. IF he has any self-respect, the
supervision to which he is now subjected
will incite him to some degree of faithful
ness.
Before, the only motive was one dollar
pei day, or fifty cents for special exam
ination, which too many have taken, as a
notice from the state that little service
was expected. The only incentive to
faithfulness, which many superintendents,
fortunately for the cause of education,
have possessed, was a real sense of the
importance to the interests of the COM
monwcalth, of faithful and fearless dis.
charge of their duties.
Now there is a certain esprit du corps
inspired by bringing the superintendents
Of each county together, and securing
concerted and harmonious action In
competent and Indifferent men, who have
often, heretofore held the office to degrade
it,and some of whom have sought to bring
it into disrepute, will shrink from the ex-
posure which written examination will
almost certainly bring upon them and
more honest and better qualified men will
be appointed Primarily, only such will
accept the position and then, the good
sense of our voters will lead them, in
view of the higher Importance attached
to the office, to seek such men.
The character of the meeting of superin-
tendents for this county supported this
view. With scarcely an exception, the
seventeen men who were present had evil
IDENTIFY been selected both for qualification
and for an honest and intelligent interest
in the duties Of the Office. Their har-
moni Gus action; the way they took hold
of their work, for no drones were permit
ted to sit and look on with folded hands,
! but all we're required to share in the re-
sponsibility of their action in the selection
of questions the fair and judicious char
acter Of the questions, free from puzzles,
concise and yet comprehensive, were all
evidences that they meant to perform their
duty faithfully to the state, and justly to
) the teacher.
1t will now be more difficult for incom-
petents to secure certificates. The super
D intendent has double shield from the
wrath of indignation that might otherwise
be heaped upon him for rejecting candi-
dates, in the record Of disqualification
which the written examination furnishes
; and in the support he receives from his
associates who have shared with him the
responsibility attached to the preparation
of the questions. But the writer begs
pardon for so long prelude to what he
intended to be notice Of the examina-
tion in this town, of the character and
conduct of which he has some knowledge
! The examination was continued from
! 8 o'clock A. NJ. till 8 o'clock P. NJ, with
! intermissions for dinner and supper. 1t
!, was conducted by Capt. A. E. Leaven-
; worth, Supt., ably assisted, as last year,
by E. H. Bottum, of Middlebury College,
The questions upon one subject only
were given to the candidates at time
9 Fifteen presented themselves of whom
= one withdrew before the conclusion. The
, attendance of citizens was good. The
supervision of the work of the candidates
, was strict and careful, The value given
! to each question was graded according to
its relative importance The marking
was impartial and strict.
Fourteen were successful and received
full certificates, viz Albert G. Barnes of
Addison o. w. Hard, of South Bur.
, lington F. W. Nash, Eva H. Eastman,
Eva c. Hinman, Harriet A. Hinman,
! Emma NJ. Thompson, Charlotte S. Palmer
and Harriet l.. Fits, of New Haven
Martha L. Wilder and Amy j. Leaven-
: worth, of Charlotte Charlotte Z. Bell
and Ida A. Markham, of Middlebury aud
Mary S. Jacobs, of Starksboro.
, The standing was as follows Orthog-
raphy, 1912; Grammar, 6S-9S I;
Geography, 63-S7; Arithmetic. Go
So; History and Civil Government, 60
. 81; Reading, 65-s5; General ap-
pearance of papers, including spelling,
penmanship, and neatness, 6O-90
All of these candidates have been
members of the Teachers Glass connected
with Beeman Academy The class con-
sisted of upwards of twenty members,
several of whom were examined in other
towns where they were expecting to
teach.
On Saturday, May 9th, Miss Lottie 5.
2 Walker was examined for the school at
New Haven Mills, her examination was
more rigid, requiring fifteen per cent ad-
vance, and the questions were varied
somewhat, she bore the test well, ranking
from rs to SO.
We have one institute teacher in town,
and one school to be heard from.
Only three of the successful candidates
are still in want of schools. If any
!: schools in the county are yet unsupplied,
they will do we'll to apply to the supt. for
this town.
The writer hopes to see notice from
ether towns, as there is no other way Of