Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-10-27
Five New Normal Schools.

SeEhte Dill NO. "a, enlitleu an Az "
Encourage the Training of Common School
Teachers provides that the State Superin-
tendent of Education shall receive proposals
from graded school districts organized under
special acts of the Legislature for the estab-
Herewith. All teachers are to be approved
by the Superintendent and to be paid by the
graded district For every person above the
age Of fifteen who shall pursue the course
for certain number of weeks and pass
satisfactory examination at the close of such
term, the graded district shall receive such
sum as may be agreed upon, not to exceed
the rate OF thirty dollars for one years In
struciion Of forty weeks for each person.
No greater sum THAI twenty-five hundred
dollars shall he expended in any one
wear. and no school shall receive more
than five hundred dollars in any one
year TIE bill is not yet law,
and We trust it will never become such.
InGtel, We cannot think that the bill, in
in its present shape, stands any chance OF
passing either House. 1t Is certainly one
of the crudest pieces Of educational legi,la-
ton that ever fell under our notice. We
are puzzled as to the motives which prompt
ed it. l. may have been drawn by a
friend of training schools, who would like
to see the three We now have merged
into one State normal school, that should
be thrice stronger and better than the
whole three taken together. If so, he Is
seeking good end by an indirect or flank
five more normal schools, and gives to each
one Of thirty-three " graded schools " a
chance to bid for the State patronage offered
The author of the bill may see that We need
eight schools for teachers as truly as we
need three, and may aim, by weakening the
three We now have, to clear the ground for
the one which is really demanded Such an
extension of the present system would not
be illogical-w0uld be, in fact a rcdUcHo I'D
Gisirdum which even the advocates Of that
system could not fail to appreciate.
Bat suppose the motive Of the bill to be
the buildiDg-up Of fourth State normal
school,-ssy at Windsor, or Woodstock. or
Milton,- II Is plain enough thai the bill
should not pas, and for the same general
reasons which would at once be urged
against the incorp ration Of "A new college, -
OF a new medical school One good insti-
tuition of either class Is not only better in it
self, but is better for the State.
than a ha.l-dozen feeble ones, which
should have but name to live. 1t
is the same Old problem which -Esop 50 long
ago illustrated by the bundle Of sticks.
Division and Subdivision in such matters
mean present ana future weakness, and ulti-
mate extinction.
Tie author OF this bill certainly pays high
compliment To- the teachers of Vermont in
the Implication that the thrty-three heads
Of the the thirty-threc graded schools Of
this State are seyera.ly competent 10 the
work which lie would as. IN to them. Such
super-epiuent ability may be found in the
schools of some favored county, but, We fear,
not IN the STATE, taken as whole. The
teacher who Is competent to train classes ct
teachers is oie OF thousand. 1t has always
been Thought 10 he a difficult thing to find
him And when thought tn nave been
found, he has of;en proved hmenthy UNI
lit for bis position.
Section Two of the Bill provides lor " in
struction and yrGcflts in the s.ie4r. OF teach
ing. etc. " e are uut sure that We under
stand tbs language, hat IT IL looks toward
the establishment 81 Practice schools. SD
called, IA connection with each one Of
these five (more or le-~l new normal