Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-09-22
Education at the Centennial.

Inc National IeacnerS monthly concludes
that the great lesson taught by the educa-
tional exhibition at the centennial is the in.
feriority of American teachers and Of the
American system Of local control. 1t would
have our educational system assumed more
directly by the states, and left less to the
districts, towns and counties the schools
classified according to their character, all
teachers required to undergo normal train
ing, and permitted to serve in the same place
during good behavior ; all schools inspected
and more or less strictly controlled by the
state aud supported by the state treasury a
high school accessible to every child in the
district school. These reforms are for the
most part in the direction of those advocated
by The Republican, and we are glad to learn
from an educational organ that they will re.
ceve great impetuous from the exhibition.
Another thing that the exhibition teaches
is at once the poverty and expensiveness Of
our methods. The best continental schools
will display before the pupils and make the
subject Of instruction thousand objects
which the American teacher, with rare ex-
ceptions, never introduces into the school
room. The Russian system is especially
fertile in devising and preparing the material
Of object instruction. Second, it is cheaply
though substantially prepared. There is no
rosewood and polished brass about it, and we
doubt not that the Russian government could
fit out our colleges with philosophical appa.
ratus, as well as our common schools with
cats and chickens skeletons, models, etc., at
rates greatly below what we would undertake
to furnish them for in this country. We
need to learn something of the educational
value Of these things and then of the ease
and cheapness with which they can be fur
nished, if we disregard all considerations but
those Of practical utility.
The American school exhibition does not
discredit this country, however, especially in
view of the fact that the whole exhibition is
but the proof Of the high degree of popular
intelligence. 1t is n striking feature that
technical schools and studies now for the first
time take prominence in our educational sys.
tens, being well represented not only 10
Massachusetts, but in the Illinois aud Penn
sylvania exhibits. The prominence Of this
feature marks new epoch in our public edu-
cation. The exhibition Of Pennsylvania in q
building by itself Is proud one, especially
OF her soldiers orphan school. 1t is to be
regretted that, for purposes Of comparison
the education exhibits of the whole world
were not gathered into one building. LII
their present scattered condition some Of the
most instructive are likely to be missed -
Springfield Republican.
The new Sultan Of Turkey is very igno-
rant He aud his brother had innumerable
professors, but nothing could overcome their
idleuess. All their learning when they
reached the age of 20 was confined to de-
cipheriug the characters Of the Arabian and
Turkish languages. Abdul Aziz made hi
ncphews accompany him to the Paris exhib,
tlon Of 1867. At that period the new Sui
tan was, as regards appearance, strongly
built young man, with pale complexion
and bright piercing black eyes, looking right
and left with the rapidty Of lightning. His
mustache, fine aud delicate, sprang up every
time he spoke with animation, as if moved
| by electricity. lie has taste for European
manners lie is much attached to gymanas
tic exercises, and does the trapeeze just rs
"eIl US IL MS HNluR uepeuucu vi IT, ~ Hi'
weights, play singe-stick, fence--in short
everything relating to bodily exertion-cOn
stitute his favorite relaxation. He is not
as has been said either drunkard or Q
spendthrift indeed, he is somewhat parsi
monious Hamid inherited from his father
a small palace at Kiahat- Hane, which i,
also situated on the Sweet Waters, and h,
lives there unpretehdingly with his wife auC
two children, boy of 6, and daughter o
3 at least such was the case down to Apri
last. At that period he moved into large
country house, belonging to himself, ant
where he received the political conspirator,
who overthrow Mahmoud, the Grand-visier
Hassan, the Grand. Chelk, and, finally, Abdu
Aziz. Hamid is perfectly orthodox, and tn,
sworn adversary of the Young Turk party
in fact, he practices his religion in all it
rigor. lie is not known to entertain tn
slightest hatred against the "Giaours +" o.
the contrary, he is well-disposod towar
them, and has tho highest opinion of thei
moral and intellectual qualities. But h
detests the Greeks, and is absolutely con
WINGED that not a single honest man of tina
race is TO be found in all Oonstantinople.