Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-05-12
TEACHERS,


TEACHERS.
In all Of the States there is great want
of thoroughly qualified teachers. The poor
ly qualified 50 largely outnumber the better
sort and so largely underbid in the matter
OF wages that they have brought discredit
upon the profession. Competent teachers,
who should be retained for life. shun the
ridieule heaped upon the whole class Of
temporary pedagogues and jump out of the
profession at the first opportunity. Elevate
the whole class and there will arise an IS
prif de corps that will permanently protect
ITS own reputation.
This want of proper teachers Is not only
very conspicuous IN the Southern States,
and so 10 continue until an Indigenous sup
ply can be provided. but the want peryades
all Of the Northern States, apparently be-
coming year by year more aggravated, and
only populous cities and large towns now
secure the best class of teachers. The ru-
raj districts for the most part mairtain
school-mistresses, who quickly manage to
step down and out" by getting married.
and but few Of the sex of which Dominic
sampson and lchabod Crane were such
shining ornaments.
In the message of the Governor Of Penn
Sylvania of January, 1874. we have the
- startling declaration" that Is .0O3 per-
sons IN that great and prosperous Common
wealth received certificates as teachers in
common schools, but only 37i of this multi
tude were found 10 have thorough
knowledge Of reading, writing. arithmetic.
geography. and grammar Certainly that
State is not alone deficient or in danger of
falling into the ditch by employing the
blind to lead the blind.
II good teachers are sadly needed in
Northern States, are there not abundant
reasons TO suppose that they may be needed
elsewhere?
The national colleges in the Southern
States are thus far sending out very large
part of all their graduates as teachers
There is a constantly increasing demand for
them, and. being mostly to the manor
born" they escape the jealousy 10 which
teachers from distant States have often been
and long will be subjected These colleges
will sssuredly make large additions to the
stock of thoroughly trained educators, and
those that are incompetent are always un-
attractive and prottless to the pupils most
in need. If there were no other work for
national colleges. here is enough and sufi-
ciently important 10 repay all of their pres
ent and prospective cost. Ii is manifestly
an Indispensable prereq uisite to the founda-
ton and maintenance OF common schools
that regular army Of proper teachers,
more than one lesson 10 advance OF the pu-
pills. should first be created and composed
of those who will be most in harmony with
our civilization, lite, and government.
NO JEALOUSY AMONG INSTITUTIONS OF LEARN
ING.
The national colleges, unlike some other
more favored institutions, have not been so
enriched by endOwments as to be made too
proud to ask for more, nor are they so en-
vlous OF the prosperity OF others a. to view
with alarm efforts made to multiply Ameri-
can institutions of learning, or TO make
them stronger and of greater utility. They
are young, scarcely half-hedged, and con-
fess their lmmaturlty.; bu. they start at q
time when most needed. and, young as they
are, show that they are beginning a work
of great magnitude, truly American in
character, which has nos been done and
will not be done without their assistance.
They modestly but firmly stand on their
own merits, interfering with nobody, except
to offer liberal education, not too greatly
encountered by old traditions, and abreast
with the advance Of the present times, that
will be accepted by many instead of by a
few, to whom it will be more available be-
cause rendered at less cost, and better be-
cause of more hexibility with reference to
their taste. habits, and position in life. A
leading object has been and will be to reach
out and to include more of those to be gath
cred nowhere else, who can be made of
greater value to their country through a
higher development Of their natural facul-
bu brfnUInn a.rff tho unIh fhaf rs in
them as well as the iron.
With an institution of this kind in each
State. all the local wants, however various
and widely apart. can be wisely studied and
provided for, and many young men will OBJ
tain near at home sound mental training
who might otherwise never have been
| prompted to mako the necessary effort. or,
| if prompted, might not have been able to
| afford the expenditure and loss which would
be involved in its pursuit by deduction OF
four years from remunerative industry, in
cluding also a costly pilgrimage to more
distant and expensive establishments. Hav-
| ing an opportunity to acquire an educa-
tion which will plant the foundations that
serve TO some extent to support pursuits or
professions previously chosen, they will not
be driven at the last moment to choose ab-
ruptly profession to fit their education.
Some OF the time-honored literary insti-
tutions, needing nothing, ask nothing for
themselves, and it would be passing strange
if they should complain OF any Government
favor to others. Far above the reach OF RI
yalry, grandly subsidized by private en-
dowments, and encouraged by the loyal
support of their ever-swarming alumni, 1t
cannot be supposed they would foreclose
and deny everywhere to others all support,
and. /" like an Eastern depot" to use the
words of Bacon, g strangle their rivals in
order to reign peaceably."
II the Government. however, is to do
anything, it cannot attempt indiscriminate
aid, and certainly need not help those in
no want Of help, but must make its selec-
tions so as to benefit the largest and most
meritorious numbers among the industrial
classes who fail to find existing and accessi-
BILE institutions adapted to their special
wants. The proposed grant will place no
national college upon an equal footing with
many of those which are already rich, and
which it is to be hoped will be too proud
and too generous to exhibit any jealousy Of
the prosperity of others.
But can few literary institutions, re-
nowned and opulent as they may be, with
ali other similar but less favored institu-
tions following with unequal steps in their
wake. do the educational work OF Texas, OF
Kansas, of Mississippi and North Carolina,
as we'll as of all the other States? In ali OF
nearly all OF the old literary colleges. as
has been shown. they have but 25 .OlO stu
dents, of whom les than one-fourth grsdu-
ate annually and thus they turn out NOT
| manv mOre than I've thouAnd a.3ucatnd