Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-01-08
STATE TEACHERS ASSO-
CITATION.

o.NNo eoSO1ilCI q IdISCI uuuOSI VI
teachers and friends of education than
usual. The meeting was held in the
M. f. church Dec. %, 90 and 80.
Thursday evening the association
was called to order by the Pres,
Prin. A. E. Leavenworth of Castle
ton, aud Prin. W. H. Sanderson,
of Woodstock, was elected sec'y.
Prayer was offered by Rev. D. F.
Miller. Supt. FL. F. Hill of Mont
pelier. gave very fitting address of
welcome in behalf of the citizens, to
which the Pres. responded.
The discussion of the evening was
opened by Supt. /. P. Booth of North
field, in reply to the question. Do the
schools of the state show the result
of supervision? Rev. Henry Foster
of Cavendish, followed, showing the
Importance of the Supt's holding
educational meetings to inform the
people upon the workings of other
schools.
j. D. Emerson, Supt. of Underhill,
thought the town Supt. was too often
grammar school teacher gone to
seed, but paid glowing tribute to
the conscientious, earnest, competent
Supt. But cautioned him to consid-
er himself the inspector and neither
the proprietor of the school nor mere
ly agent of the people. Discussion.
Hon. III. O. Wheeler, Supt. Burling
ton schools, gave finely prepared
paper, showing the effect of good
school supervision. The paper was
thoughtful and suggestive.
The discussion was closed by Supt.
J. J. r. Randall of Rutland, who
gave some very interesting figures
from the report of Supt. Dart, show
ing the large per cent of Vermont
scholars out of school. The official
returns show 1915 persons in the
state of school age. The average
number of days attendance was 1876,
while the actual attendance was but
81.5. From his well prepared tables
he showed that there is need of very
strenuous effors to secure better
actual attendance.
Friday morning. - Hon. Henry
Priest, Prin. Goddard Seminary,
opened the discussion of the present
| system of Vermont common schools.
He dwelt at length and eloquently
upon the fact, LIST, that the system
as it exists, is entirely inadequate
and not adapted to the needs of the
state. I'd, that there is no element of
permanence in it. Sd, that there is no
denifite responsibility in it. 4th, that
it is lamentably insufficient. 9th,
that there is practically no public
interest in the work.
Prof. Charles Dole, of Lewis Col
lege, Mortified, urged the adoption
of the town system as proposed by
the Howard bill. J. d. Emerson in
Weighed against the system, rather
preferring the present system, but
insisting upon the necessity of arous-
ing personal and public enthusiasm
not that the town system was wrong
but that it would not produce the re-
suits prophesied. He was followed
and seconded by G. G. Cove, Prin.
Beeman academy, New Haven, who
claimed the system was not so i'm
portant as the teacher. G.. w.
Kennedy of Waterbury, asked what
the Massachusetts town system is.
|. P. Booth insisted upon higher
ideal on the part of the teacher.
Supt. J. A. Pierce, Johnson, replied
to Prin. Cove in favor of system
by all means, and the best one pos
sible, since the better the system the
better the probable results. He
made an eloquent appeal for better
pay. Mr.. Priest continued in strong
argument in favor of the town sys-
TEN being tried under favorable cir
cumstances, with the spirit of candidly
testing it's merits. He also replied
to Mr.. Kennedy's inquiry as to the
Massachusetts, system. A. D. Bar
Der, editor Chronicle, presented the
position of the papers of the state as
in favor of the system.
At this point it was found the
audience contained 1913 teachers from
out of Montpelier and vicinity. j.
d. Beeman, Pres. Methodist Semina-
ry, Montpelier, presented the relation
of schools for higher education to the
common schools and showed the i'm
portance of thorough work in the
latter.
NJ. I'll. Buckham, LID, Burling-
ton, spoke of the relation of industrial
education to our schools. He wished
to avoid the word practical, as applied
to education, and substituted for il
technical.
The flames of the town system dis.
cussion were again stirred up by some
pertinent words of G.. A. Bunker
Prin. Peacham academy, who was
roundly cheered and followed by Rev
Mr.. Barber.
Friday atternoon.-Miss E. F
Sweet of Montpelier school, present.
ed a class of Is primary pupils, and
illustrated some valuable methods OF
teaching reading. The audience was
larger than in the forenoon, and a
times it was difficult to hear the little