Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-26

wish the system perpetuaLea. LAo OplA
ion of the Board in reference to what isl
the true policy for Vermont to pursue inI
the matter of Normal Schools 7" is first,
concentration, and second, legislative en-
dowment. In sustaining their opinion OF
concentration, they claim that Vermont
does not now need more than one Normal
School. All tie pupils now in attendance
upon the three, and as many more as can
be expected fer years to come, might be
managed much more proftably in one
school thoroughly provided with the
means for its work. Their views Of legis-
lative endowment is also ably sustained,
from the fact that it is the duty and i'll
terest of the State to support schools for
the training of teachers, FOR in this way
only can the State provide wen trained
teachers for it's schools. There ere also
MANY other valuable hints and su4gcs-
tions contained in the reportOf the Board,
such az the subject of "good behavior, -
which the statute requires to be taught
in our common schools, abolition Of
school districts etc, all Of which .rc
worthy of our attention
The summary of work in the Secretary
report, shows that his services have t2on
faithful and effective and that he has OK
erted himself to promote "tho highest jn-
terests of education in the State"
T., ~,
Institute so high was the standard Of
qualification required, the report shows
that only about onethird Of the appl-
cants who entered the examination were
successful. This result does not furnish
much promise of an ability to supply
teachers to all the schools Of the State,
who are capable Of passing those axamin-
ations. til a cause of much 2grot that
the standard of examinations by town
superintendent is so low, and TINT the
Board of Education has 80 little cauuuc-
ton with them. While the qualifications
required by the Board at these czamjn-
ations, have LED some super!utoudents to
elevate their standard of qualification,
many others go on in tho old way, grant
ing certificates to all who apply, and
often without any examination whatever.
The Secretary truly claims that This
"wholesal0 granting Of licences by men q
position, men who are elected especially
to carry out and enforce the law Is great
ly demoralizing," and so long az auporiu,
tendeuts make no demand on teacher fol
higher qualifications, we can hardly rz
spect bettor supply of qualified tcal1aa
nor 10 it wonderful that teachers talk Jill
special pains to prepare for any c4,saju-
alton, the result of this state Of thing ia
that many teachers Of largo oxporiouce
fail to pass an examination in a siug1,
branch required to DO Taught in csm.
mon school.
The statistics Of the Teachers Inat,tut,
for the past year shows a gratifying re-
suit, there having bcon a large increase i'll
the Attendance over tdat Of 1863, allloa4t
the attendance Of teachers w.s only shsu.
3 to every II employed. l do III. tai4l
the subject of paying teacher at institute.
is generally understood by all tho teach.
ers. An act was passed at the sc-ai0n oil
the General Assembly in 1860, providing
that "the time, not to exceed five duye
actually spent by any teacher Of a com
mon school in attendance upon Teachers
Institutes, held pursuant to law, in tho
! hioh III b.
ployed during the time for which such
! teacher il engaged to teach sucn sUnooI
SD III be considered as time lawfully ox.
peuded by such teacher in the gcryicc Of
the district by which he is emI loyed, and
in the legitimate performance Of his CON
tract As teacher" 1t is inferred from the
reports of town superintendent that this
act meets with general approval, and the
law extending the time for holding thu
Institutes from two to five days is a sue
cess, and thereby greatly benefting our
schools There is nothing in connection
with our common school system that ex.
err = more beneficial influence upon the
minds Of the people, or tend more directly
10 promote the b st interests OF our public
school, than the Teachers Institute But
too few If the tcachefs attend them, ard
too little interest is felt III them ny people
generally. They are an invaIu 4blo help
to teachers especially, and those who dc
not attend los9 many valuable items and
sugge-t'ou- upon things which arc iaai-.
peusp5i- ~ the success Of Teachers
The question whether the qualification.
of teachers ,h-4l be elevated, and she lug
be enforced, admits OF grave doubt, wb' -
the Secretary discusses under the fc' Az.
ing heals, to Wit; 1at. prejadices .,.-.fn.
the law; 81, neglect oI toaclo' - to cen
ply with the ,Qujyements Of The law
Sd, the alleged severity Of the exanlin.
tom aud 4tb, imposJ' oiHtv to oytai
enough, qualified teachers From the pa
sag, e Of the law to ,hi 3 date, only ISL Il
stitute certificates rave been granted, All
it is said ~ moro than $50 % thu LoE.4gg
> of these are nov available for service i
the school-room. 1t requires 1850 teacl
ers to supply al the schools in the Stat
with one teaC her to each school Tt
Normal schools have graduated only 1G
and Of TIN. number DOT more than $50 al
engaged, SO that We have now not oy,
800 of the 1880 qualified teachers require
for servic4 'n the 18Th day of Novambe
1871. "A the law makya no provision f
the examina ion Of teachers at any 9TH
. place than dn= Teachers Institutes an
y the Normal Sohools, and ia no Drovisic
, is made TOR more than one Institute
] each county in any one year, in order
comply with the provision OF the law, Il
, Secretary must examine and license
the fourteen Institutes and the three No
! nal School, 2450 qualified persons with
: year from the 18th Of November, 1877
which i,y.rs ,.s, h1o II