Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-10
Examination OF Teachers.

VI hbhtbttbs
The following Is an abstract Of the remarks OF
]. Raymond Bracket, principal OF Montpelier
Union school, upon the above subiect at the
meeting OF the teachers association recently held
In this village
The average wages Of female teachers in Yer
mont Is 81. SO per week or S91 20 per annum.
Somebody Is cheated; the teachers, II they are
competent the pnblic, " they are incompetent.
Yankee versatility Is proverbial we have the best
population In the world from which to draw
teachers, II the teachers are not as efficient as
other public officers, the fault lies In vicious
mode OF selection and support. All educational
reforms center In putting the right teacher in the
right place. Eight-ninths Of the teachers In this
state are examined at least once each year by
town superintendents who are elected annually
about one-tenth have state certificates good for
i've or Tor ten years, granted by the normal
schools; very few have county certificates for
five years granted by board Of two practical
teachers and one town superintendent; principals
OF graded and union schools are not subject TO
examination. There are no legal requirements
OF candidates for admission TO a town examina-
ton; for admission to a county examination
man must be twenty years Of age and a woman
eighteen, and candidate must have taught sue
cessfully at least ten weeks In the common
schools OF the state. The state certificate is
granted only to students OF normal schools the
examination may be passed by persons under
seventeen and no experience Is required. The
work necessary to obtain a ten years license can
be accomplished in one year. There is lack Of
fairness in this system. A lady who thoroughly
qualities herself for teaching by completing the
full classical course Of four years at St Johns
bury or Barre, and who afterwards receives d.
ploma from the state university, must be exam
ined by town superintendent every year, or. at
least, pass two days examination every time
she enters new county; while inexperienced
girls from the normal schools may teach any
where In the state for ten years. This IL placing
premium on ignorance and discriminating
QQainat aqh 10 I'm I'd n ann uuhu n
primary teacher who has proved her efficiency
by long and successful experience In the same
school should BIO examined annually, while the
five or ten principals she has seen inauguratsd
and deposed are exempted by law.
But II IL not worth while TO speculate on the
relative standing Of the eight-ninths who are ex-
amined by town superintendents and the one
ninth who are not. Our system IL, on the whole,
examination by town superinteDdents, and that is
bad system. There are AZ many grades of re-
quirement as there are towns in the state. The
number OF persons examined by each superin-
tendent Is so small that he has no experience
sufficient for developing system or for adopting
definite standard candidate rejected in one
town may obtain certificate in the next. A
certificate has no definite weight or meaning.
one OF the great evils that beset the country
schools Is the frequent change Of teachers This
is partly due to the short term of license. The
thought OF an examination every year OF one s
life Is insufferabe. The best teacher ia sensi-
tive as to object to an annual overhauling by
somebody whose educational methods were evil
IDENTIFY developed before the word method was
heard OF in Vermont. Is 1t wonder that the
best talent leaves the profession2 II statute
compelled the lawyer, the doctor and the clergy
man to be examined every year by the country
schoolmaster, would not the followers OF the
learned professions become vagabonds? Teachers
may console themselves with the thought that
repeated examination Is not proof OF their un-
fitness but a tacit admission that the Superiaten-
dents cannot tell whether they are fit to teach or
IN nnf tvun hppA raA and fnrtt N
competent examiners in the state; il there were,
there Is no probability that they would be the
supervisors of our two hundred and forty
towns. The larger the number of examiners, the
poorer the quality. They are not teachers they
are not men who are acquainted with the prin-
ciples OF the new education; there Is no induce
ment to qualify ones self for the position the
short term Of office prevents the requirement OF
experience. There Is a general lack Of independ-
ence and certifcatng OF the committee man 8
cousins and aunts to the exclusion OF better teach
ers. There are 527 common schools in this
state. Deducting 627 for teachers who have state
or county certificates, there are left 900 schools
to be supplied with certficated teachers. The
average term Of service is three years; II none
but qualified persons were permitted to begin
teaching, the average term Of service would be as
high as 1--WE years. What we really need, then,
Is the proper examination of $50 teachers year
an average OF twenty-eight to each county.
Even II one-third of the teachers were new each
year, the number to be examined semtannually
in each county would be only twenty three. For
accomplishing this work the state holds about
3OO public examinations employing al superin-
tendents, fourteen county boards, and three nor
NAL school examining committees, or nearly three
examiners for every four candidates necessary
under better system. Is not this an expensive
way OF getting at very poor results?
The teachers certificate should emanate from
the highest educational authority in the state,
An examiner OF candidates for the profession Of
teaching should be an expert in the business
License to teach for limited period should be
granted to persons who both present certificates
OF special training and who pass creditable exam
nation. Licensed teachers who have taught sew.
eral terms and shown ability to govern and instruct
should be commissioned for life or have Their
license renewed at the discretion of the examiner
The examination for certificates Of the same
grade should be uniform throughout the state
and the license or commission should be good in
all parts Of the state There should be lega
recognition OF like commissions granted In othei
states. Such system of selection would go fal
towards making teaching profession; incom
petehts would be crowded out; better talent
would 10 attracted, and should have better
schools and better wages. That the attendance
tory OF the Michigan schools. On the change
from the county examiners to town superinten
dents there was large falling off in the number
OF pupils The state superintendent shows thai
this was due to lack Of respect for teachers com
missioned by the town superintendents. Under
the present system the town superintendent car
do much to increase the value Of his license by
requiring a certificate of special training; by
properly valuing experience; by making more
account OF explanations and by demanding &
knowledge Of ordinary physical phenomena. A
person who cannot tell why water rises In a pump
Is not fit to teach school. The primary teachers
OF Boston are examined in the English language
including its literature and rhetoric, in algebra
and geometry in the principles of psychology
in physiology and topics; and in one other natu
raj science. Do our country schools demand any
slighter preparation?
The proper selection OF teachers is OF vital i'm
portance to the public; for as is the school, sc
will be the nation. A better mode would benef
the normal schools by creating demand fol
qualified instructors. Faithful teachers, who are
undergrad, should call for more thorough exam
nations to deliver them from the competition Of
the unqualified who are every day pressing into
their places. Those who are striving to elevate
the business OF teaching to the dignity Of a pro
fession can attain their object only by insisting
on commissions for life, limited by whatever safe
guards jealousy for the honor Of the new profes
sion may suggest.