Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-08-28

means by which to supply that deficiency
is to lay an annual school tax to be collect
ed and paid into the state treasury rs other
state taxes. The proceeds of such tax
could be divided 20 the towns In some just
way on condition of their showing a full
compliance with the law.
Any conditions laid upon the towns
would then be fulfilled. The schools
would be of the required length. The re-
Quired taxes would be raised and distrlb-
nted by the towns. Reports would be
promptly made.
This then is another thing to be sought,
state school tax.
But when we have improved our school
supervision we must depend on our teach
ers for doing the work of the schools. The
selection and control Of them is provided
for, how TO prepare them is another i'm
portant question.
Teachers for the common schools. But
the common schools are more than the
district schools of the rural portions of the
state. Tho common schools include the
nigh schools of our large villages, and by
arrangements not now untried or of doubt
full expediency some of our best acade-
mics, as at Ludlow, Morrisville and st.
JohnSburv, are common schools.
Our plans for the preparation of teach
ers then should include the preparation OF
all the teachers Of the high schools and the
academy, and when we have considered
well how all schools are bound together in
mutual relations we shall add all the
teachers of our colleges.
From the teacher of the primary school
to the college president is wide interval
The one must teach tho elements of the
simplest branches of learning. The other
mnst be able to lead the way in the deep
est investigations of abstrusest sciences.
One deals with the first unfoldings of in
fantie minds, the other with minds quick
ened and disciplined by systematic effort
made under the guidance of able and
learned instructors.
| Preparation for such different spheres OF
activity cannot profitably be furnished in
one school. There is rs much reason to
urge the need of grades of normal schools
rs TO nrge the necessity of normal schools
or to urge the separation of the primary
schools from the university. We need Il
normal school for the preparation of COM
mon school teachers in the usual meaning
of that term, and we need IL normal schoo
or perhaps II professorship of pedagogics
in some suitable Institution for the benefit
of the high school teacher.
Teaching is teaching, but the special
training for one who is to teach the ele-
ments of their mother tongue to littl,
children is not the only special training
appropriate for the instructor of young
ladies' and gentlemen in sciences, higher
mathematics and foreign languages.
The training for each class of teacher.
is naturally put in connection with ad
vanccd studies of the subjects to be taught
which suggests rs IL step towards the prep
aration of high school teachers the intro
duction of professors of pedagogies irtt
,ur colleges, who shall deliver lectures t,
the advanced classes of the colleges ant
perhaps to post graduate or special classes
The influence of the instructions of such
professors would go ont through all tn,
secondary schools and through the mem
bers all the learned professions reaching
to the primary schools while the norma
schools doing their appropriate work are
sustained and guided by the labors of tn,
college professor. Would some wealthy
son of Vermont endow such Il professor
ship in one Of her colleges he would al
clearly lead in the introduction of II new
era in education as did Edmund Dwigh
in 1888 by his gift for the establishment 0
normal schools in Massachusetts. As
suming such professorship or its e9uiva
lent to be necessary and to be one Of tn
coming events whose shadow is alread
cast before we may ask, what else doe
| pnnI ho ,,rarnrntiOn r
teachers?
Clearly she needs normal schools who's
) aim it shall be in connection with instruC
ton in the branches to be taught in tn
common schools to train teachers in tn
art of instruction. Such schools will
train many to be competent teachers il
the lower and intermediate grades of com
mon schools some of whom will be inspr
ed to go forward till, having passe,
through the higher Institutions. they will
come TO the more advanced work of tb,
high schools and academies completed,
furnished with knowledge of the subject
to be taught and with varied pedagogic;,
training and experience.
have said normal schools. because evi
IDENTIFY we shall need more than one. TIL
; work of the graded school Is dtferen
from the work Ct the ungraded school
Ard it is desirable that distinct courses O
training adapted to each be offered to tn
student. 1t is further desirat lie that on
school emphasize the training for grade,
school work and that another emphasiz
d, the training for the work Of the ungrade
school. Again our common schools ar
some twenty-five hundred in number an
are mostly taught by women. Now Will
women are admirable rs teachers, teach
inc is not the natural life work of women
and we have no reason to expect or desil
that II sufficiently large number of them t
supply all our schools will ever devot
themselves for life to teaching. l. rg
numbers of teachers will need be furnish
: ed yearly and for the accommodation [
c The large number we need several school.
If Massachusetts with less than eigl
G thousand square miles of territory and MT
Is merous railroads needs five norm1
schools, surely Vermont with more tina
e ten thousand square miles and less abur
n dant travelling facilities needs more tina
70 one normal school.
s So far | have had in mind the ultimat
u need of our state, which is the end towar,
q which we should aim. Let MS look no
y at existing facts and Mt the questions
come before our next legislature.
i We have three normal schools, und,
II state supervision and receiving state nj,
l. The schools have been in operation tc
and one half years. They have draw
II pupils from every county in the state ar
e from q large number of towns. The
t have sent teachers to every county in II
d state and to a large number of town
j. They have furnished according to the test
g mony of town superintendents of lare
b experience tenchers superior to those nj
n having had u normal school trainin!
IL LM ger numbers Of these teachers are al
n nuaIly found in our schools and larg,
3 numbers of them are found in importa
20 positions.
"a These normal schools are established f
} limited period which expires August Is
J. 1880. The representatives of the schoo