Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-03-04
Johnson.



full and impartial report. As ii is. or at least
should be, Of interest, not only to the voters Of
the town, but to parents, teachers and pupils
even, that others, as well as those who may
be present at the meeting Of tie voters Of the
town, may share in the benefits OF this report,
have been prompted to print it.
Allow me here to suggest that the town in
struct the Selectmen, to permit my successor to
print his report at the towns expense. ImpOr-
tant ends win thus be gained. An incentive
will be furnished teachers, to greater efforts on
their part, knowing as they will, that report
of their success viii be both public and perma-
neat Such a report will be Of service to pru-
Dental committees in their choice Of teachers,
and, reaching as it viii our firesides, it may
be instrumental in securing the cooperation of
mothers and sisters in behalf Of the interests Of
education and the rising generation. .
During the past year as presume is usually
the case in almost every town, the winter schools
have been larger than the summer, and think
they have been better also
Again. teachers have experienced enc Of those
trying periods, which are expected to occur
once in five years; viz: change of text books.
| have advised a change only so far as seemed
economy TO both parents and teachers. Yet at
i host ~, g al, no hono
multiplied and the labor of the teacher i'll
creased. 1t is not my province to question the
wisdom of the Board in their selection and
change of books. 1t is evident, and perhaps it
is to be expected that the change resulted in in
past winter.
part Of our schools have been highly salts
factory to myself, and presume to the district.
Yet as whole our schools are far from that
standard which we have a right to expect them
! to have attained. 1t is evndent that blame
somewhere exists. Where may we rightfully
locate it Shall it be with the Board, teachers,
school officers and parents, or pupils?
know that many are loud in their denunci-
alton Of our present system of education and
desire its overthrow. portion of this class
would be dissatisfied with any scheme however
good it might be, and are unable co suggest a
better plan. While it may be true that our
present system of education is faulty, yet did
all blame rest upon ii alone, our schools would
be far better than they now are.
I cannot feel that our teachers are to any great
extent in fault. 1t is true that some offer their
services, who have no right to engage in the
profession, simply from pecuniary motives, and
others do not make the best of their circum-
stances unfavorable rs they are
feel that | am justified in attaching the
greater blame to the prudential committee and
parents. 1t is surprising that men of intelli-
gence and judgment in all matters which per-
tain to their private affairs are seemingly so
disinterested in and negligent of their school,
During the past year men have acted as pru-
Dental committees, who in theig private affairs
regard the best labor as the cheapest, although
labor of less skill might be employed for much
lower wages. Yet in their selection of a teach
er for their school, their end seems to have been
to secure the one who would act for the least
amount They would regard it as economy to
furnish their laborers with good and necessary
tools; Yet they have discarded the wants of the
| in naol,,t,,r 10 f,,cpieb In
necessary apparatus for the school-room, by
which the Laws makes it the duty Of the Pru
dental committee to provide No school room
is in readiness for tcacoer orpupil until it con-
tains at least the following articles : an ample
amount Of black-boa surface, outline maps,
globe and dictionary. So far as am acquainted
with but one exception, no school possesses more
than blackboard and in most instances a poor
apology at that.
The above named articles of apparatus may
be obtained for less than $50 and with reasona-
BILE care will last ten or twelve years. This would
make an annual tax of not more than "a or SIS
per district. Yet year after year districts will
withhold these articles which teacher and pupils
may rightfully ask fer.
Many of our school houses are wholly unfit
for the purpose, and are Disgrace to the inlab-
itants of the district. Some of them we're at the
beginning of the term banked with Snow. But
the early thaws soon removed removed SO un
suitable material and the districts neglected
to bank them second time.
As result more or less confusion has been
occasioned in the school room from the necessity
of allowing pupils to gather about the stove.
| am sure that parents are interested in the
school and in the progress of their children.
We're l to judge of their interest by
Gated by the register would regard it as very
slight.
Parents cannot rightully complain that their
children manifest lack Of interest in their
studies when they themselves withhold that ell
enlargement, to teacher and pupils, which an
occasional visit to the school would furnish.
Allow me here to make to my successor o
single suggestion. which believe may to some
extent be instrumental in calling out the people
of the district, at least at the close Of the term.
II is, that ut the beginning of each term, it he
understood by all, that at the close there will
be public examination Such course while
it might call out at least portion of the dis
trict, would also stimulate teacher and pupils
to a greater degree of thoroughness.
DIST NO. I.
|, The summer term was taught by Miss lola