Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-07-18

American Institute Of Instruction.
We gave last week an account of tn
- beginning of the annual session of the In
stitute in this village. The society wa
founded in Boston in 1880. It was subsC
- quently chartered by the state of Massa
chusetts, and received for many years a
y annual state grant of three hundred dol
e lars, though its meetings have been hel,
e in all of the New England states Tn
= Institute has held session of from thre
to five days annually each year since it
f organization, and in 1S49, we believe, j
met in Montpelier. Since that time on,
, session has been held in Burlington.
Some five years ago the organization
came very near expiring, but Mr.. Bick
nell and Il few others took hold of it, de-
} termined that it should not only live but
he more vigorous than ever. Their efforts
have been rewarded, and last year at Ply
mouth, n. H., there were 1923 member.
ships paid for, that being the most numer-
GUS annual gathering up to that time. But
the meeting of last week was much larger,
The number of members paying their
fees being CPS. Our village had,
no doubt, one or two hundred guests
who did not join the Institute, so the num-
Der OF strangers in town may be set, with
out exaggeration at, 800.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
Rev. j. E. Wright of Montpelier wei
coined the members of the Institute.
The president read letter from Gov
Fairbanks, regreting his inability to be
present, and commenting ut length on the
influences Of education. A letter was also
read from B. G. Northrop of Connecticut,
secretary of the board of education, rec
on mending that Il metric system of
weights and measures be taught in all the
schools, advocating tree culture, arbor
planting, etc. Messrs. Northrop of Con-
necticul and Green of Montreal made re-
marks.
President Bicknell advocated the follow
ing propositions;
First-Unity of all departments of
school work.
Second-The work of the Institute to
localize the forces TO organize victory, to
be sureharged with ideas progressive. rad
zeal and revolutionary. The teacher must
assist himself. All instructors CHARGED
with the education Of children and youth
should be selected on the ground of es.
pecial talents, professional training and
aptnesS TO teach.
Third-Such teachers should possess
certificates of qualifications emitting them
to teach in town, county or state for nj
least three years, when these should be
eNchangeabe for life certificates, founded |
on basis of talent, training and expe-
ricnce.
Fourth-The county and state examiners
should be selected on account of special
htness rs educational experts, and possess.
ing large experience, AS practical educa.
tors should possess power of examining
candidates and granting provisional and
I'le certificates. Teachers possessing life
certificates should hold an advisory rela-
tion to local officials in regard to grada-
ton courses of study, promotions, general
policy and scope of school regime.
fifth-The school supervision of all
grades should be in the hands of men
and women whose experience has been
gained in the school-room-who have
made education special study, with ref.
erence TO its philosophy. means and ends.
An able paper was then read by Prof.
Hark neSs of Brown University upon the
results of modern linguistic studies. A
discussion ensued upon this paper, and was
participated'in by Messrs. Green of Rhode
Island, Russell of Rhode Island, LYON off,
Rhode Island and Richards of Washing.
ion, d. c.
n. Carleton, A. NJ. Principal of the
State Normal School of New Britain.
Conn, read II paper upon the growth OIL
-eaching power; the study of the mental
nature of man being the only study to quail
iy to teach Alright
Prof Churchill read the Fate of the
Chief Engineer" and n selection from
Mrs. Stowe, from her story of "Old /
Town. in which George Morrison tells
he story Of Parsou Morrill,, and how and
why he laughed in prayer time.