St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-03-25
School superintendent's Report.
To the Cif:enS Of st. JOhnSbmy:

In compliance with the requirements
of law, herewith present my report
of the public schools for the past year.
1t is with some diffidence and dis
pleasure that | cannot report as favOra-
bly, as other Superintendent have done.
With dif1idence, because my inoXperi-
ence would hardly seem to justify the
criticisms feel bound to make on our
schools and school matters that have
been SD universally commended by
older and more experienced Superin-
tendents, and with displeasure, because
| am aware that people are apt to be
better pleased with flattery than with
criticism and especially is this the
case in Il matter which should excite so
universal an interest as our public
schools, and when they are properly
conducted, so deserving pride.
In all other matters, this is justly
called an age of Improvement, and |
am dissatisfied with the majority of our
schools, not because they are all eX-
ceedingly poor, or because | think them
poorer than in former years, but be
cause they are not exceedingly good
and better than in former years.
w Z udNc ldClllilCS III lIC
way of school buildings and furniture.
with few exceptions, improved text
books, and improved methods of in-
struction and discipline, but | fail to
find corresponding improvement in
the scholars progress. In matter OF
so much Importance, we have no right
to flatter ourselves that our schools are
as well conducted as they were half Il
century ago, or that they are tOlerdbiy
we'll conducted. 1t is possible to attain
that degree of perfection in our schools
that we find in less important matters
and we have no right to be satisfied
with anything short of the progress
that it is possible for us to attain, by
all the means that the importance of the
matter will justify.
The first criticism | have to make is
in reference to the scarcity of school
teachers l have found in my visits
We have plenty of school keepers, but
only about one-third as many school
teachers. | regret to be obliged to be-
lieve that quite too many of our teach
ers know very little of the studies they
pretend to teach, and that others, al
though tolerably well qualified so far as
in the art of teaching.
In the eyes of the former class, the
only needful qualification seems to be
an ability to keep ahead of their schOl
ars, and the inability to find other EN-
ployment. If they have no talent fo
music, painting or literature, nor taste
for millinery work and dress making
and are too proud to do house work
| onnolnlo Inst tho
theirs is the teachers sphere, spenC
two or three weeks in preparing for ex
animation, answer in the four branchei
an average of 65 per cent. of the ques
tons, with the right to a certificate j
they do not fall below so per cent. il
more than one branch, engage schOO
for whatever wages they can get, HSteI
to the recitations, without any attempt
to instruct, or if they attempt to teach
T they impart correct information 6;
times and incorrect 30 in three branch
es, with the probability of instructins
incorrectly more than half the time il
the fourth branch. The scholars recit
ing from open books, or copying an
swers from the teachers key, playing
, studying, whispering, talking aloud anC
leaving their seats adj libitum, withOu
the least thought of good manners, re
spect for the teacher, or themselves, O.
improvement of any kind. mechanically
go through the daily routine of rushing
into the school-room, into the class
through the recitation, rushing home
through the week, and through tn,
term, and learn nothing, except Il
waste time and that schools are a farce
The second class of teachers include
those who know facts enough, but no
ichys and icheretOres enough, and wh'
lack the experience, training, aud ener
~ that is necessary to awaken energy
t Other professions require specia
f training for the work to be done, anC
that too before entering upon the work
) but these most important of all public
functionaries, and which should exer
the greatest and best influence, in the
: majority of cases make no preparation