Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-08-21
Teachers Association.

The meeting Of the State Teachers Association
at Barre, last week, was pronounced by those
best acquainted with the association M one Of the
most successful that 1t has OF late years held This
association was organized twenty-eight years ago,
and met in Barre twenty-five years ago, when only
seventeen persons came from abroad. At the re-
cent meeting the large hall in Barre Academy
was nearly filed at each session Including all
the best educators OF the state, this organization
is exerting powerful influence upon the oduca-
tional interests of the Green Mountain state. Be
sides the truly instructive address Of the Presi-
dent, an abstract OF which appears elsewhere, and
Of DIR. McCosh, of Princeton College, whose pres.
ence, from the fame Of the man and large expert
ence and emnence as a teacher, gave eclat to this
anniversary, well prepared and instructive papers
were presented on "Text books versus object
teaching" by s. II. Bracket, OF st. ,,ohnsbury
Metric system" by Professor Char.es Dole Of
Northfeld "The legislation to be sought for the
benefit of our schools" by Superintendent Edward
Conant, OF Randolph; can eclectic system OF
school training desirable and practicable" by
Professor u. Richards, OF Washington, d. G.;
Language as a means Of discipline" by +. f.
Woodruff, of Barre, and "Mora discipline in
Schools" by Rev. J. T. Wright, of Montpelier
Besides these papers and connected with them
there were spirited discussions upon school man
agement, discipline and other subjects on which
the efficiency of the school turns. Interspersed
with these were some excellent readings and
Rotations by Miss Hodgdon, of Concord, N. H.,
and Professor Kellogg, of Brooklyn, N. Y.
The state association, in view Of its increasing
strength and confidence, rightly takes kind Of
new departure. Itdetermnes to be heard outside
the school-house and felt beyond the districts
where 1t bears rule--in the legislature. For this
purpose it resolved as follows: "That the educa
tiona measure next in order in Vermont, and
the one most imperatively needed, especially by
the sparsely settled towns and smaller school dis
tricts is the complete abolition Of the district sys
tenn and that we earnestly petition the general
assembly TO take such measures as will insure the
adoption of the town system by every town in the
state at the earliest practical day. That we re-
greet the abolition Of the State Board Of Education
four years ago, and that we earnestly recommend
the legislature at its coming session to restore
this most useful feature Of our school system
That committee Of three be appointed, to consist
OF the Superintendent Of Education, the president
of this association and the chairman OF the ex-
ecutive committee OF the association, whose duty
1t shall be to present the foregoing resolutions
recommending changes in our school laws before
the legislature, or their committee of education,
in such way and with such arguments as to
them may seem best"
This committee is composed Of Superintendent
Conant, Rev. II. +. Fuller and Professor j. +.
Goodrich. Twenty-Five dollars were appropriated
from the treasury oil the associatioh 10 pay the
expenses oil TINS committee.