Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-06
state Teachers, Association.

Town Hall, in this place, yesterday be-
ginning at 10 o'clock, President Dana,
of Rutland, in the chair.
After prayer by Rev. ]. G. Johnson,
Rev. VIM. J. Harris, of Trinity Church,
and President of the Rutland Board OF
Education, welcomed the Association tc
Rutland and the hospitalities of its peo-
pie, to which address President Buck,
ham, of the University of Vermont,
made fitting response in behalf of the
Association.
In the absence of the Secretary, Elisha
May, ESQ, of st. Johnsbury, Rev. H.
T. Fuller was elected Secretary pro tenn.
The chairman then announced the fol
lowing committees:
On Business II. Shaw, A. E.
Leavenworth, F. G. Hathaway.
On N0miaaati0nS-Loui Pollens, Ed
ward Conant, A. T. Kinney.
On Reois5ono Of Constitution Of the As
soctation-M. H. Buckham, J. S. Cilley,
J. H. French.
On Resogutions-J. S. Cilley, Enos
Gould, H. T. Fuller.
The Town Hall not proving sufficient
ly warm for comfort, the Association
adjourned early, voting to accept the
offer of the use of the Baptist church
vestry-rOom for the afternoon session.
AFTERNOON.
The exercises opened with an address
by President Judah Dana, Principal of
the Rutland High School Subject:
"The essential elements Of good teach
ing" The process Of education was
likened to architecture. No point of
culture should be neglected The teach
er is all in all to the school. He must
have self control. selflessness, calmness,
delbcration, love for his work and love
for his pupils. Scholars should be stim-
ulated to acquire knowledge from the
love of it, and to aim at the culture of
the heart as well as the intellect All
teaching is defective which does not in
cite to moral and spiritual obligation.
The next topic was the discussion of
the relation of Normal schools to the
State. Principal Conant of the Normal
school at Randolph, opened by giving an
account of the aid furnished by Yer
mont to her schools. Fifteen hundred
dollars are now appropriated to each of
the three Normal schools, and the larg
est share of the amount is expended in
payment of tuition of students. The
schools ought to be wholly under State
control and amply provided for by the
Legislature Mr.. A T. Kinney of St.
Albans followed, and defined the proper
work of these schools as consisting in
training instructors for the common
SCHOOLS, such training being indispensa-
bic for the most intelligent and thorough
teaching.
on motion of Prof. Webber, teachers
and friends of education present from
other States, were invited to participate
in the discussions of the association.
Prof. S S. Greene of Providence, R. l.,
was then called on to express his views
of the question under debate, but pre-
ferred to embrace some future opportu-
nifty.
At 2:30 Prof Ezra Brainerd of Mid
dlebury College,, gave a most excellent
address on the value of the study of
English Literature in our common and
secondary schools. He showed the need
of the culture which this study was spe-
cially adapted to afford, refuted objec-
tions to its Introduction and demonstrate
ed the wisdom of substituting it for
much of the mathematics and English
grammar as is now commonly taught.
We hope that this lecture may soon be
published in full. Discussion of this
topic was continued briefly by H. T.
Fuller and Prof Louis Pollens of Bur-
lington
A letter was was read from Prof.
Goodrich Of Burlington, regretting his
inability to be present by reason of i'll
ness in his family.
At $50 Prof G. A. Mietzke, instructor
of vocal music in the Rutland schools,
read a brief essay on the Importance of
making music a regular study in our
public schools. His picture of the con-
trast between the church choral singing
of Germany and the quartette perform
ances of American churches was vivid,
forcible and just. Modern sacred music
was shown to be the offspring of Hebrew
psalmody and Christian song. Prof. NJ.
then exhibited his method of teaching,
and followed with good song from one
of his classes.
The discussion on the topic of COM
pulsory education in common schools
was we'll started by J. S. Cilley of Bran
don, who dwelt on the idea of law as
Indispensable to every social and pub
lie interest Without it there can be no
real freedom Government stands with
us in the intelligence and virtue of the
people as our past history has shown.
Hence the State has the right to insist
on elementary education, and for this
purpose to compel the attendance OF
children at some school. Prof. Pollens
closed the debate by speaking of the
tendency of State authorities in this
country to avoid assuming responsible
of directing education. Prussia owes
her pre-eminence in Europe to her COM
mon schools and system of compulsory
attendance. In no other way shall we
preserve our own institutions. The
State should have some supervision and
control of even private schools and
colleges.
EVENING.
The session was held at the Town
Hall, which was well warmed and light
ed.
''Shan Vermont sustain an Educational
Journal ?" was an old question revived
and discussed by Messrs. Williams OF
Castleton, Spaulding of Barre, Leaven-
worth of New Haven, and Shaw of Man