Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-31
The Model School System.

The WATCHMAN has always been in ac-
tive sympathy with educational progress in
this state. It has sought to aid the cause
editorially it has published full reports of
educational meetings; it maintained for a
while an educational department; by these
up interest in the schools and to aid teachers
in their work. Great national questions,
local matters Of taxation and kindred sub
jects have for long time been considered
crossed public attention almost to the ex-
clusion of all others. These questions have
for the most part either been settled or put
in the way of settlement, so that the time is
jects which will be found to have as direct
a bearing on the material and moral welfare
of the state as the issues of national politics
or such local matters as the equalization Of
taxation, and the correction of abuses con-
nected with the expenses of the courts of the
state. The condition of the common schools
of the state is one of those subjects, and it
seems fairly entitled to take precedence Of
all others.
1t has been the purpose of the WATCH
MAN, when matters of politics and taxation
no longer actively occupied public attention,
to devote some portion of the time and
space hitherto given to them to fuller
presentation of the facts relating to the
common schools of the state, and to publish
ing such 0JpssSH 81 Very ebSo 10 DE de-
fects in our educational system and methods.
In pursuance of this purpose we have for
several weeks past devoted our space freely
to the educational interest The county
teachers meeting in this village in June and
the meeting of the state teachers associa-
ton in Mortified presented an opportunity
for getting before the reading portion OF
the citizens of the state few facts concern
ing the public schools As sort Of con-
trasting picture, we give this week the full
text of Mr. Fullers description of the pri-
mary branch of the German school system,
and we ask every reader to give it a careful
perusal. Food for thought is there, and in
it may lie the germ of those reformatory
measures which this state must adopt be-
fore it can hope to receive an adequate re-
turn for the money now largely misapplied
under the present school system. Mr.. Full
Ter is himself practical teacher, an accom-
plished scholar, and he is also close, |
candid and discriminating observer. His |
knowledge of the schools and school systems |
of Europe has not been gathered by reading, |
nor was it obtained during flying trip |
through that continent. In Germany in |
particular he spent long period of time,
traversing the empire four times from west
to east, visiting the schools in person and
closely observing not only the internal work.
ings of the schools themselves but the prac-
tical effect also Of such schools upon the
national character and intelligence. Mr..
Fuller's testimony upon the value OF such
a system as Germany has perfected has all
the weight of the evidence of level-headed
expert. He paints no fancy picture, and
had no object in view in making his observ-
ations and drawing his conclusions save his
own advancement in matters directly relat-
ing to his profession of teacher, and posi-
ton as school manager. Citizen, teacher
and pupil will all find his account of the
German common schools profitable for in
struction and for meditation.