The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-13
MIDDLEBURY GRADED SCHOOL.
ITS TEACHERS AND COURSES-MIDDLE-
BURY AS A PLACE FOR STUDY.

BURY AS A PLACE FOR STUDY.
In free country, like our own, there
are no institutions of greater Importance
to the individual and the state than those
which have to do with education. This
fact flle people of Middlebury fully APP
preciatc. and the result is what may fair
ly be considered one of the best Graded
schools in Vermont. The greatest inter
est is taken in the school by residents of
the village and town. Neither pains nor
expense is spared to procure and retain
the services of successful teachers. The
buildings are commodious, heated by
steam. well-ventilated and hcathful;
while the grounds surrounding are kept
in attractive condi ion. During the last
school year the sum of S5,91G was ex-
pended for the maintenance of the
school. The school year closed with the
largest record of attendance for many
years, the High school alone having over
100 different pupils.
The school has some features not COM
monty found in those of a similar char
acter. One of these is Il course of lcct-
urcs on various literary and scientific
subjects that continues through the year.
The speakers are members of the college
faculty and the professional men of the
place. The pupils are required to take
notes of what is said and write abstracts
of the lectures. In addition to these, Il
series of lectures on natural philosophy,
extending through the fall and winter
terms. has been arranged for, to be de-
livered by Prof. Brainerd of the college.
He will make use of the fine apparatus
at the college in illustrating his lectures.
This course will be free to the pupils of
the High school, New philosophical
apparatus is to be at once put into the
High school. which will be used not only
by the teacher before the class. but also
by members of the class; and original
experiments by the pupils will be en-
couraged and credit given therefor.
Connected with the school is Il reading
room, h .ndsomely fitted up, and always
open to pupils of the High and Grammar
schools. 1t is furnished with the best
papers and periodicals of the day, with
maps and books of reference. Consider
able additions will be made to the libra
ry next term.
But of course the success and real
value of a school depend chiefly upon
the character of the instructors; and in
this our school is exceptionally for
tunate. Prof. Mead. the principal. has
for twenty years been an enthusiastic
and successful teacher in the High and
Normal schools of the State. lie is Il
good disciplinarian. a thorough teacher
and has the faculty of getting Il large
amount of work out of his pupils. We
have it on the highest authority that "a
large proportion of the young men who
have fitted for college under his instruc-
ton have held leading positions in their
..ln
has well maintained the reputation for
fine scholarship. excellent discipline,
aptness to teach and lady-lillc manners,
which she brought from one of the best
ladies' seminaries in the West. Miss
Cakes of the Grammar school was
formerly a highly-valued teacher in the
Normal school at Johnson; and the
record of her ten years work in Middle
bury is certainly an enviable one. She
is Il lady of most accurate scholarship;
and she has an exceedingly clear way of
putting things. No one who has listened
to the examination of her classes i'm
arithmetic. grammar. bookkeeping, con-
stitutiOn of the United States and natural
history has gone away without decided
impression that she is teacher of rare
excellence. Miss Bond. who teaches in
the intermediate department, had long
experience in the Brandon Graded school.
beginning in the primary work and ris-
ing through the grades to the Grammar
school and the offer of Il position in the
High school. Middlebury may be thank
full that other inducements than the
salary rendered were influential in get
ting her away from Brandon. The In
termediate department, in some respects
the most difficult to govern and to teach.
under her management has been brought
to tirst-class order and done excellent
work. The remaining teachers for next
year will be Miss Waugh in No. 4, Miss
Bell in No. 3, Miss Laura Mead in No.
and Miss O'Leary in No. |. OF these,
all except Miss Mead, who begins her
work this fall, have made excellent
records as efficient instructors.
All things considered, it is doubtful
whether there is Il better place than
Middlebury for those who wish either to
prepare for college or to pursue higher
studies than those taught in the country
schools. There is, in the first place, lit
tie to take the students attention from
his work; and there are also opportuni-
ties to secure such instructors in
branches outside the school course as
are not generally obtanable. In music,
for instance, the advantages are excel
lent. Miss Higley, who has rooms in the
school building, gives her entire atten-
ton to this subject. She is II superior
teacher of vocal music and of voice cul-
ture as well as of the piano. Prof. f.
Ii. lliglev is expected back from Ger
many in September, and will doubtless
teach. rs heretofore, advanced pupils On
the pianoforte and organ. An effort will
be made to obtain his services to teach
German in the Graded school, as he did
before he went abroad. Board in good
families can be had here at as low rates
as elsewhere, say from $3.50 to So Il
week; and rooms in good homes, for
self-boarding, at so cents week. The
committees Messrs. A. j. Marshall, f.
A. Bond, j. G. Stapleton, f. W. Halsey
and l.. f. Knapp-,the principal and the
preceptress are ready al all times to aid
pupils in securing board and rooms ;
and they will, If requested to do so by
parents, have oversight of those who
come from out of town. The tuition has
/ been reduced since last year to 81 term
in the Primary and Intern, date, 50 in
/ the Grammar. SO for the English