Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-13
American Institute OF Instruction.

I" A permanent association Of persons engaged
and interested in the business OF instruction "
was resolved upon in Boston in 1880 and the or
ganization was perfected and had its first meeting
In that city August 10Th, 1890. The association is
entirely a New England affair In Its organization,
but It's membership is as wide as "good moral
character" supplemented by a one dollar annual
admission fee can extend II. The institute has
become more Familiarity known In these regions
within the past few years from the fact that II
utilities the attractions Of rural summer resorts in
the choice OF localities for Its annual meetings
The railroads come to its assistance, and by offer
ing reduced fares and excursions at low rates at
tract to the membership Of the association large
number OF people interested" incidentally in
education but chiefly in cheap excursions and in
expensive entertainment The ffty-second meet
ing OF this now semi-educatonal and semi-junk-
citing association occurred last week at St. Adams.
most unusual interest had attached to this
meeting. The attendance OF General Garfield,
the " Teacher President" had been assured. The
tragic cause OF his failure to be present was the
subject OF much remark. The presidents char
acter was warmly and eloquently euogized and
the fervent popular sympathy with him and
prayer for his recovery was feelingly expressed
on every hand. The address OF welcome was
made by Governor Farnham. II was felicltous
speech, exceedingly appropriate to the occasion
and was substantially as follows;
"M. President Ladies' and Gentlemen The
pleasing duty OF bidding welcome TO the state OF
Vermont the intelligent and enthusiastic members
OF the American Institute OF Instruction devolves
upon me. am gratified that the soldiers OF this
great army Of progress have chosen to make their
annual oncampmeut within the borders OF our
state, and know that but give utterance to the
thoughts of all enlightened people within our COM
monwealth when bid you hearty welcome to the
little we have to offer you. would that your So
iourn were to be throughout the year, throughout
life, scattered along our needy towns rather than
for single week. We need your help. What
the generous town OF st. Albans is doing for you
now, the thoughtful people OF the state would be
glad to do for you everywhere In your daily
labor But our welcome and your stay among us
is tnged with sadness when we remember that he
who was to have been with us and given encour-
ment by his presence and by his words, lies
stricken by the murderous hand OF the assassin
We shall miss the help Of his hearty manner and
strong thoughts, but we know that II living his
heart IL with us, for he once labored with the
great army Of teachers. Only when about to be
deprived OF great blessings do we appreciate their
true value Never till the sad news Of the presi-
dents assassination flashed over the wires did
the people of our broad land realize how much
they loved President Garfield He has taken
hold OF the hearts Of the people as no other man
has since the days of Abraham Lincoln. His
broad basis OF moral character, his large intellect
ua endowments, his rich and varied experience
in camp and in civil life, his strong patriotism
but more than all his deep sympathy with the
people In all their trials and sorrows-nurtured by
his growth upward through all ranks Of society,"
have endeared him to all hearts We never knew
how we loved him till now His death would
rend the great heart Of the nation. No man to
day fill his place in the affections of the
American people. Should his life be ended now
the whole world would have reason to mourn
the premature death of one of its greatest and
best men, cut down in the very prime Of man
hood, in the maturity and richness OF his varied
powers-a Christian statesman, a statesman of
the modern school, who makes use OF the diplo-
macy OF truth and Of conscence-a statesman
who seeks not 20 much to govern the people as to
elevate them and thus establish a government
OF the people, by the people and for the people.
I'VE welcome you to this beautiful village in
our state OF Vermont as the representatives of
profession of the largest influence and Of the
highest importance in what it attempts and in
what it Is daily accomplishing No other infu-
ence in the formation of youthful character, ex-
cept that of a mothers, can be compared to that
of the teachers OF our common schools. Our col
leges and high schools cultivate and adorn, but
they do not form character. You mould the
hearts as well as cultivate the intellects OF your
pupils. Whether you purpose to do 1t or not, by
your words, by your books, your power, your
smiles, by your examples you are forming the
character of your pupils faster than by your most
diligent instruction. You are cultvatng their
understandings. Young teachers, as well rs young
people generally, are accustomed to esteem the
mental powers as of more importance than the
moral qualities, the mind, the intellect as OF
higher value than all that goes to make up what
we call character. Your views will change as
you grow older. You have but to look to our
wounded president to see our mistake. His quail
tiles OF heart more than of head make him the
idol OF the nation. As men grow older they re-
alize Of how much greater value character Is than
| culture; the heart than the head; morality than
intellectually; Christianity than great learning
IL the Bible is legisated out OF schools much
devolves upon us to see to it that the school take
no detrment; that the cultivation OF the moral
qualities in some form ceases not to be prominent
| in your instructions. We welcome you here
We welcome teachers everywhere, because they
| are foremost among the moral forces OF the
world. We trust our children to your guidance
not altogether because you are apt to teach, but
because you are pnre nf example. But ahova oil
| IL seems to mo that teachers should ever bear in
| mind that they are molding and instructing chill
| dren, not moving puppets by wires training the
minds and hearts of human beings, not marking
senseless automatic; educating immortal souls, not
| drilling soldiers. Every child is sal generis. My
plea is for mediocrity, not for genius. The
people that we live with, trade with visit with
are the mediocratic There is no comfort with
genius They are neighbors to the gods, not men
| "You are teachers now. Your pet system is
| worth more to you than all the mschevous chill
dren in the world. When you become parents
one dear boy or one lovely girl will outweigh all
| the fine spun theories or rigid systems ever de-
vsed by teachers or school boards. was a
| teacher. thought az teachers theorlzed as a
teacher, and attempted to bend boys and girls to
| my system. was on the teachers side Now |
| have children Of my own. know their DISPOSE
tons and hearts, their intentions and endeavors,
and am thoroughly on the boys side, | believe
in educating every child according to his own pc
culiar character so far as is possible. Parents
send their children to school to be thoroughly ed
ucated; to have every power properly cultivated
I lur - NOT haxFa
any particular standard. Because children must
be taught rs individuals not by classes, this is to
some extent impossible in large schools but there
should be a continued effort in that direction.
| Each pupil should be taught the best that he can
receive and none should be required to stand or
be compelled to fall by comparison with others.
Let every child receive such training and instruc-
ton as he Is capable of, without reference to or
| the school that his child may receive the best it
| has to Offer not that he may be compared with
his neighbors child, to the dscredit of one or the
other of them. A problem for teachers is to so
| combine the theoretical and practical AS to cuti-
vate, educate and equip the coming American cit
izen but it Is not my place to attempt to instruct
those who know about all these matters far better
| than do. As parent and a citizen ! have de-
sired to call attention briefly and crudely to some
matters that seem TO me worth considering The
philosophy Of teaching, its high aims and accurate
methods, ] leave to be discussed by those ADLER
than myself. beg the pardon of cultivated men
|
fore you with so little preparation, but was un-
| willing to decline to be among you | hoped to
meet here the one beloved by US ALL and was
willing TO do what could; but that my time has
| been much occupied must be my apology for
my seeming disregard OF your good opinion, |
| am glad to be called upon at your entrance into
our state In this county of Franklin for within its
| borders, not many miles from here, | spent three
| of the happest and most industrious years OF my
| life In teaching, and in this audience are some
| whom made lifelong friends, while endeavoring
| to give them helping hand up learning sleeps.
| The dreams and hopes OF those days may never
have been accomplished, but they have given color
| TO my life. Again In behalf OF our Green Noun
tain state. welcome you to its borders
President Buckham Of the University OF Yer
mont delivered on Wednesday evening an in
structiye lecture on matter of the greatest i'm
portance, "Choice and Use of Books" The lee
turers ability to judge correctly and advise
wisely gives decisive weight to what he has to
say ON this subject. Passing to the selection of a
list OF English works he recommended Chaucer
and Spenser, Milton and Shakespeare, Burns and
Woodwork among the poets, Gibbon, Hume,
Hsam, Robertson and Macaulay among English
historians. American historians have written
European history, but the great history of Amer
lea Is yet to be written. The best history OF the
civil war IL by Frenehman. Biography, the
speakers observations showed him was less APP
preciated by general readers Plutarch's Lives,
Boswell's Johnson Johnson's Lives OF the Poets,