St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-04-21

| matters, let Inc consequence De what II
may for have no political or social
axes to grind, and feel | can afford tC
speak the truth for the great cause of ed
ucat!on, or for anything that tends to lifi
up humanity, instead Of depressing it.
am well aware it is delicate bushes.
for a superintendent to speak right out,
without going around robin Hoods
barn." about certain schools, certain
scholars, ard certain teachers. But III
the name of common sense, what is this
Office for, if one is TO be muzzlcd and
not permitted to speak of things as they
are What is the use in man lathcr-
ing his face, unless hc intends II shave
himself? III speak plainly about some
things to-day, l hope no one will unnec-
essarily shrug his shoulders at it, for if |
know myself, l would speak only in the
spirit OF kindness, and in Tie same man.
ncr as did one of old, who said, 'NVhom
the Lord iovcth he chastencth" And
while | am speaking of some Of the faults
that hinder the progress of our schools
to-day, | would not, myself, be unmind-
tul OF the truth that many superintcnd-
ents themselves are exceedingly incom-
potent Tor the positions they occupy; for
L lcarncd some time ago that it is not all
one class of persons that does all the
good in the world, nor all of another
class that does all the mischief shall
expect criticisms for some things | may
say, but the criticisms of the just shall
profoundly respect, while the unjust /
care nothing about.
am satisfied that one Of the great
troubles that hinders the progress of our
schools, lies with committee men. Good
teachers can generally be secured if they
are seriously wanted. But the majority
of committee men look upon this matter
Of engaging teachers, about as much in
the light of Il shrewd, financial operation
or trade, as anything else. Yankees are
proverbially noted for their bantcring
proclvitics, and they are ever ready to
ask, "Whatll you give, or what'll you
take ~ and it is too often the case with
them that the cheapest is the best.
Do you expect the majority OF little
young girls, from fifteen to seventeen
years of age, to properly explain and in
struct those principles it takes n clear
and matured head a long time to acquire
and understand? If you do, why, it is
my humble opinion you are greatly mis-
taken.
But even some Of you who may agree
with me in this, will, i'll all probability,
when you come to hire teachers next sea-
son, 90 straight as ever you can and do
the same old thing over again, of cn9ag-
ing young and incompetent teachers rs
the instructors of your chill lrcn. Preach
Ing don't do but little good, unless prac-
tice goes with it. 1t is here, the same
as in social life, the same old story told
over again, and the results are about rs
bad, OF falling in love, wicked seduction,
and ruin. And for ought | know, am
today spending my breath here for Moth
ing. But sincerely hope otherwise.
DIR. Miles, that good old man who
used to travel over the roads Of this town.
once said that he had been called TO see
the sick III numberlcss instances, for which
he had charged hundreds Of dollars, when
all the patient needed was 4 little smart
weed or catnip tea. But the very name
of doctor was magical, and little bleed
ing of the pocket book seemed necessary to
effect Il cure.
1t is some so now with schools, with
some citizens. They love to be CRITICS.
ed; there is a sort of bluc-pill charm in
it, and it works like magical phy,ic.
This business is seen, year after year,
when supcrintendcnts have labored assid-
uously for the common school, and have
repeatedly told citizens OF inefficient
teachers, and old tumblc-down school
houses. But how much have they cared
about it, for all of that, only TO love it
Old Astor, the millionaire, said upon his
dying bed, ''money, money, give me more
money" and these same queer citizens
still cry, ''crlticism, give us mere critl-
cism, give US Il little more shame, give
us another blue-pill :"
What good viii it DO for committee
men 10 say, after engaaing Il little young
girl, hardly in her teens, perhaps, and
having found out the school is good foI
nothing, 20, L don't see why such a
girl ever undertook to keep school"
repeat, what gOOd will such eXclamations
do, unless you learn lessons from them
that will serve you in the future
Committee men, there is a good deal
Of fault lying at yo1u' door in these mat
tiers. 1t wont avail yos II single parti-
Gle 10 deny it, for it is a solemn truth.
These things are not of recent origin, but
they have Eeen seen and known for years.
Now don't wait until 'thc last gun is
fired" before you seek out a teacher, and
then hurry around, all in Il "lutter,' y
and perhaps take up with just what you
can get. Seek out good teachers we
have them, and dent try to pinch their
wages to nothing, it discourages them,
and they abandon the business, while it
obligcs you to keep breaking in new ones,
just as Il farmer would have to break a
col: or pair of steers every spring, i'll
order TO have team to use the rest OF
the season.
| would not discourage the young from
teaching, but l would first encourage
them to proper qualification. l once
knew boy, who, on learning the black
smiths trade, undertook to make the
handspring to gun, and who said it
worked first rate until he cooked it, when
it broke 1t is some SO now, with many
of our teachers, they are first rate boys
and girls, and they work we'll enough
until they commence to teach, when they
break.
We have had few teachers in town
the present season, who have proved not
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