Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-03-24
National Educational Association.

Reports of the late meeting of this asso-
,iation in Washington, d. c., in which six
cen states were represented by their state
'uperintendents, or by substitutes are full
IF interest to teachers, and we regret our
inability to give more extended extracts of
the papers, most of them of truly national
Importance, which were there presented
and discussed.
Mr.. j. ID. Philbrick of Boston, read
strong and carefully prepared paper on In
iustrial and Technical Education in Rela-
ton to Elementary Schools" in which it
was urged that perhaps the greatest thing
that can be done in the common school to
promote technical education, is properly to
ground all pupils of both sexes in drawing,
both geometrical and freehand. There is
no other branch of instruction that belongs
so entirely both to general and technical
education. II affords the training of the
eye and hand universally requisite, and es-
pecially necessary to the skilled workman.
1t is the foundation of all industrial art.
and yet so great is the prevailing ignorance
OF this subject, even among the more intel
igent classes of the community, that draw.
ing in the public schools is very generally
regarded as a superfuity, and is stigmatized
IS mere accomplishment, as an absurd
continuance for converting all children into
bad artists. The most practical study Of
| all is denounced as a hindrance and STUN
| bling-block to practical education. This
| popular sentiment against drawing shows
how far we are from being prepared to take
the first effective step toward providing
well-organized system of national technical
| education. The first necessary step is to
make the teaching OF drawing obligatory in
| all common schools, and to provide for its
efficient teaching by the establishment of a
| sufficient number of normal art schools for
rectors of drawing, not only in the element
airy but in the higher grounds.
l.. A. Butterfeld, formerly teacher of elo-
cution in the Montpelier seminary, now
professor in the Boston school of vocal phys
iology, whom many of our readers will re-
| member as connected with the American
Institute of Instruction at its meeting in
Montpelier, presented an interesting paper
upon Visible Speech" He drew dia-
gram upon the blackboard, showing the re-
ation of the symbols to the positions of the
articulating organs for the production of any
element, and clearly defined the principles
of the universal phonetic alphabet. The
value of the system as means OF acquiring
the accurate pronunciation of any modern
language with ease and rapdity, as means
of preserving standard of pronunciation
in any language, and as the basis of correct
instruction in primary education, was ap-
parent to ALL The following test was given
Mrs. Butterfeld, who understands the sys-
TEN, was requested to retire from the room
while sentences were given in foreign Ian.
guages. Sounds in Hindostanee were given
| by DIR. Warren of the Bureau of Education
sentences in Russian and Bohemian were
given by j. Enthoffer, United States coast
survey an illustration in Gaelic was given
by DIR. Newell, president of the association
all of which were written by the speaker
upon the blackboard, in visible speech sym
bols. Mrs. Butterfield returned to the room
and pronounced with accuracy the sentences
upon the board. The subject excited much
attention, and was discussed with interest
by several prominent members Of the asso-
| citation.