Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-12-31
To Teachers of District Schools.

In 1874 the legislature OF vernon
arranged for the publication Of a vol
ume which should contain all the existing
school laws of the State, both the sta
tutes and the decisions of the supreme
court, to copy of which each school
district in the State should be entitled
through the town clerk of their respec-
tive towns. The book has been pub
| lished.
On page %, it gives the following as
the branches of study which shall be
taught in the district schools, viz "Or-
biography, reading, writing, English
grammar, geography, arithmetic, history
and constitution of the United States,
and good behavior and special instruc-
ton shall be given in the geography and
history, constitution and principles Of
government of the State of Vermont"
Most of the branches named receive
considerable attention in the district
schools. But it may be questioned
whether those relating to the history,
principles of government, and constitu-
tions both state and national, are taught
so any noticeable extent.
1t seems almost superhuous to mention
the importance of the subjects thus omit
ted. AT time when powerful inhuen-
ces and organizations are aiming, by a
destruction of the common school sys-
tenn to destroy popular intelligence and
thereby the free institutions of the coun-
try; when too the President of the
United States so far recognizes the eX-
istence and activity of these evil forces
as to advise constitutional amendment
designed to counterfeit them, it can be
in no slight degree important that those
who will soon be citizens, should under
stand their political rights and duties.
And where canthey learn them so well, as
in the common school, place where par
tisanship and political strife have the
least power to prejudice the mind
But such instruction is not only i'm
portant 1t Is duty binding By taeO up
OF, every teacher. The obligation to teach
those subjects is no less distinct and
strong under the law, than the obligation
to teach arithmetic or geography. Indeed
the only cases in which their omission
would seem justifable by law are those
in which, from age or dense ignorance
the pupils are unprepared to understand
the most elementary facts involved, and
in other cases equally extreme and ex.
ceptional apart from such cases, it may
be questioned whether both teachers and
school officers may not be legally censur-
able for permitting their omission. The
law requires them to be taught.
But many teachers may object that
| they have not time to devote to those
branches, that their time is all otherwise
consumed To this it may be said that
both by the law and by the Importance
of the ease, the teacher is plainly JUST.
fed in taking time, even though certain
studies are occasionally crowded out for
that purpose. If the teacher can dc
nothing more than give clear and ia.
miliar talk once in while, much useful
information may be given and if this
be done with the proper enthusiasm and
tact the effect would no doubt be good
upon the school. Young people like to
be told the prominent facts in history
and government. There is a romance
about them which fascinates while it
| nstructs.
If any teachers are forced to confess
that they are not well enough informed
for such work, they have simply admit
ted that they are deficient in branch OF
knowledge in which they, as well as all
others, ought to be strong, and in which
a few evenings of thoughtful reading
will greatly enlighten.
This important subject has already
received some attention in the teachers
institutes but it rests mainly with the
teachers to develope useful results.
SCoTUs,