St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-02-18

large choir OF several hunultu picked
voices, whose performance lends greatly
to the effectiveness of the evening
services. RADIX.
For the Caledonian.
Vermont State Teachers Association.
The twenty sixth annual session of
the Vermont State Teachers AsSocia-
ton assembled at the High School room,
in Burlington, on Thursday, 3D. of Feb
ruary, at o'clock T.. NJ. The President
of the Association. Edward Conant.
State superintendent of Education, in
the chair. After opening PRAYER 10y
Rev. c. G. TORY. of Charlotte. PreSi-
dent Buckham of Vermont University.
gave an
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
In which he dwclt somewhat on IL very
successful meeting of the Association in
Burlington in 1850. 1t was probably
one of the most enthusiastic education-
al meetings ever held in Vermont The
graded school system then in its infancy
III oui State. has become fully establish
ed. Since that time Normal schools
have also become il part of ON educa
tlonal sNStcp.. Some excellent school
buildings have since been erected. among
those at ST. Adams. ST. J"hII>hurN.
and Burlington. After noticing several
changes in school Matters he finally
welcomed the Association to the hos
FATALITIES of the people of Burlington.
and another such stirring mcclin" rs
thai of l~59
Next followed Il discussion of the
question what can Ice done to enforce
respect for authority anon" the pupils
of our schools ," opened 10y Rev. II. +.
Fuller Of st. .J"ln>hurN. Respect. like
love. is not in itself to bc compelled. \
teacher must respect himself must de-
serve in order to preserve respect.
Teacher and scholars must come to
gethrr on the same footing as thai on
which they minglc III general SorirtN.
Teachers are apt To err through To"
much talking. The prompt. tcr>c re-
bukc. or better, Il private appeal ln the
pupils OWN SENSE of propIictN are often
effective: did not believe in corporal
punishment. had only one instance in
1--WE Years experience teaching.
Rev. L. y. Hopkins of the Vermont
Episcopal Institute. Burlington. thought
the >mrrendcrimg all control of the pupil
into the hands of the teacher necessary
of entire abstinence from the use of
tobacco. and similar habits, of good po-
>iti"n among pupils very necessary
"IIr schools are too large. forty scholars
enough for an ordinary teacher.
DIR. }. :. Spaul.ling of Barre. could
not tell how he managed II school laid
n" special plan demands entire giving
up of the pupil into his care. If the
pupil SAYS. My Father SAYS do So and
so. he replies. "Whrn at home vnu can
do az N"ur father SAYS here you must
Wv ''H say. pt 'dltlIiI iibul keeping
promises. Sometimes resorts To cor
p"r;,l punishment, hut he generally i'll
tends the pupil will not wish it repeat
ed. Does NOT believe in Sugar-coated
pills in the school room: give the med
icinc clear.
At $3.50 Il discussion "IIow to teach
English" opened 10y Prof }. f.. Good
rich of Burlington. The speaker under
stood the question to refer particularly
to English Literature. Instead of the
excellent little tit bits in our commou
reading books, he would take whole
representative pieces from such authors
rs Shakespeare, Milton. etc. Merchant
of Venice, Julius Caesar. Paradise re-
gained. etc, would take standard pieces
from Teuny>on. Longiellow. Would
not study about English literature. but
English literature itself. Study the
authors backward, beginning with the
latest. except history. When mothers
allow those to take charge of their chill
dren. and teach them English. who
hardly know Il word of English them
selves, they must not blame the schools.
for children begin to learn when very
Young. To educate Il child in English
he would begin with its grandmother.
He has hardly met more than five per
SONS who Use English correctly. Give
the boy good examples ut home and he
will speak his mother tongue as he
ought. Il do not like the term vcI-
nacular," said Prof. g.. it is our mother
tongue we speak. and the child will
speak it as his parents do. or the yer
nacular if brought up 10y hired nurses.
Prof II. +. Fuller quoted President
Brown. formerly OF Dartmouth: "The
best way t" acquire good style of ex-
preston. is 10y familiar acquaintance
with the best authors"
Rev. /. \. Hopkins remarked that
there was Il feeling of rigidity in the
school room and IL feeling of laxity out
of it. Pupils often speak tlucntll and
correctly in the school room. when out
of it they Use poor English.
The association then listened to an
address by Prof g. n. Perkins of Bur
lingt"n, on the subject, Natural His
tory Teaching" He would begin with
Botany; it is purely study of obser-
walton. Plants should he used as text
books. In Zoology. would give insects
to lie examined. People are ignorant