Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-07
Teachers Meeting.

Teachers Meeting.
At the educational meeting held in Mont
pelier in June, the Washington County
Association of Teachers and School Off
GERS was formed. The object of the asso-
citation is to increase the efficiency of
the common schools in the towns of the
county To accomplish this object it is pro-
posed to bring teachers of all grades of
chools,-district graded, high, or aca-
demic,-superntende committees, friends
of education and the general public together
in meetings to be held at frequent intervals
in different parts of the county. In these
meetings methods of teaching, modes of
school management, and means of general
improvement will form subjects of study,
discussion, and, when possible, of practical
illustration. Briefly stated. we believe this
is the work which this organization proposes
to undertake, and in pursuance of this very
laudable purpose the executive committee
has decided to call a meeting of the associ-
alton at Middlesex, Saturday, September
2ith, at ten o'clock A. NJ. The meeting will
continue through the day and evening
Saturday seems to be conveniently chosen
as day when the teachers of such schools
as hold fall session will be disengaged.
State Superintendent Dartt, A. w. Edison
of Randolph normal school, and other work.
ers in the cause of education will attend
and aid in giving this first meeting of the
association a successful send off. We are
not informed as to the details of the exer-
cises arranged for this meeting, but presume
they will be duly announced.
The success of these proposed meetings
hinges upon two considerations, neither one
of which can be safely disregarded. In the
first place. the executive committee should
thoughtfully study the object which the
association has in view, and with much
painstaking effort and judicious choice of
subjects, methods and instruments do its
part in awaking and sustaining an interest
in these meetings. The duty of this COM
mittee is paramount. Efficiently performed,
it will contribute powerfully to success
loosely or indifferently discharged, failure is
morally certain. Its members must indi-
vidually put thought and work into their
arrangements for each session the subjects
to be discussed and the individuals to lead
discussions must be chosen with care, and
sufficient variety and scope must be given
to the exercises to relieve the meetings of
tedium, to make them lively, attractive,
profitable and popular. In the second place,
the teachers OF Washington county must
faithfully and resolutely aid the executive
committee by accepting the parts assigned
to them and by competently preparing to
discharge their assignments in manner
short, sharp and decisive" Prolix, ram
bling, half-digested talk will not meet the
emergency, and will kill the best organiza-
ton that can be framed. The experienced
teachers, especially those in our high and
graded schools, in the academies and sem
inaries, must come forward and give their
younger and less experienced associates the
benefit Of their maturer service and ripper
experience. The good intention and the
ambition to do well of many teachers is SUI
perior to their experience and knowledge OF
methods. These will gladly and eagerly, nc
doubt, sit at the feet of the elders and learn
wisdom from their experience. The oppor
tunity for conference of teachers, superin
tendents and committees afforded by thest
meetings will develop, if rightly improved
an esprit du corps that will powerfully assis
in increasing the efficiency of the primar.
schools OF the county. There are in thi
county two hundred twenty-one school dis
tricts. Montpelier, Barre, Waterbury ant
Mortified have flourishing schools of tn
secondary grade, some of which have larg
and efficient corps of teachers. The priu
cipals of these high or graded schools, acad
emies and seminaries, with their assistants
will naturally be expected to take the initis
tive in this movement, and they cannot dis
, appoint this reasonable expectation; tn
r executive committee of the association hay
ing arranged meetings for their benefit tn
young, the inexperienced, the needy teacher
of the more than two hundred schools i
this county should, like the "busy bee" i
the juvenile hymn, be present in force
"gather honey all the day from every oper
ing flower" of experience and knowledg
that will there unfold to them its melihuou
treasure.