The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-10-22

a low standard of education in the indus
trial callings IL is tradition in Vermont
that one who is going to be a farmer or me
chanic does not need much education The
Scotch, who resemble Vermonters in charac-
ter, are eager in their pursuit of education,
and as a consequence, they get the pick OF
the best places all over the world. When
the notion prevails that q limited education
Ia all that is needed in the ordinary pursuits,
education itself becomes one of the minor
considerations of life, and the main demand
made upon schools is that they be cheap.
But the material upon which education works
in Vermont is of the highest order. The
Vermont intellect is solid, capable and rich
in promise. See how the colleges of other
states poach on our preserves, how much
exertion they make to lure away Yer
inonters We are allowing vast amount
of the finest intellect in the world to go TO
waste for lack of training, especially in the
elementary schools where il should be first
awakened and put into the right course.
Thus far OF the situation. What can we DO
for the future? a. Is it not time to restore
the Board of Education? The animosities
connected with the abolition of the old
board have passed away. The schools OF
Vermont never made such rapid progress
and never attained so high grade of merit
as during the existence of the board. All
the reforms of the past twenty years were
the work of the board. Progress ceased
with its abolition The state superinten-
dents have done all that men could do work
ing alone. But there is something pathetic
in the spectacle of one man going up and
down the state trying with his single voice
to rouse whole people from their lethargy
and with his unaided hands to lift noun
tains of ignorance and prejudice Why not
give this one salaried man the aid and coun-
sci of board of unsalaried men whose col
lectve wisdom and moral force shall in
crease ten-fold his efficiency and his intlu-
on a npnnlpo
OF the town for the district system is the
necessary condition of other improvements.
We must stand on a new basis and adapt our
school system to the changed condition of
the population. This measure will he urged
upon the legislature as the judgment and
earnest desire of the entire body of teachers
of the state. 81 The measure of greatest
importance-the town system being secured
is provision for more efficient superin-
tendence. The plan of supervision by town
superintendent is not only "A failure,-it is a
farce. We need supervision which shall be
professional, that is, by trained men who
shall give their whole time to the work
secondly, distributed so as to give no larger
field to each superintendent than he can
work thoroughly, and, thirdly, paid suffi-
GENTLY to attract competent men to enter
upon it as a profession. The time is auspi-
cious for forward movement. The feeling
of dissatisfaction with our common schools
is quite general through the state. The gov
ernor has committed his administration to a
policy of progress. Men interested in edu-
cation are in both branches of the legisla-
ture. The state is free from debt. A fund
of 100000 awaits wise disposition during
the present session. If this legislature adj
iourns without at least initiating new era
in educational progress, it will lose one OF
the great opportunities which men have to
connect their acts with the highest welfare
of the people and the upbuilding of states.