St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-01-01

vo.a :, - <,5 So 81, sss;ou;. ..on .
Lengiiy Dl56ussion.
At special school meeting held
Monday evening, Harvlin Paddock was
elected a member of the prudential
committee to fill the vacancy caused
by the removal of III. G.. Belden, and
after lengthy and able discussion of
the question whether teacher of
vocal music should be employed i'll
the schools, it was voted 55 to AZ not
to employ such teacher.
Almost the entire evening was con-
sumed in discussion of the subject of
teaching vocal music in the schools.
DR.. S. Il. Brooks favored the measure.
1t had already been tried in our schools
nearly two years and was no longer an
experiment. He thought the district
should take no backward step. The
school committee and teachers were
largely in favor of it's continuance.
and as a matter of recreation it was of
great benefit, while as an educator he
believed it to be extremely beneficial.
Prof. Henry Fairbanks favored the
measure in few words.
n. NJ. Johnson, while he believed in
vocal music and its value to society,
thought it not best to teach it in the
schools at the public expense. He
believed it's introduction in the schools
detracted from the practical education
necessary to be taught. He had
noticed great deficiency in pupils of
the schools in practical education, and
gave some illustrations. This measure
asks all tax payers to help educate IA
few (as all cannot learn to sing) at the
expense of the district.
Rev. Edward Fairbanks great
fallssfy in the argument just made in
estimating the value of education
wholly in the ability of scholar to
solve problems even in practical life.
We already have too much education
in a business point of view-tOO much
facility in the way of making money.
We need more the elevating and rein
ing influence of music; we need it
more than we need more arithmetic
and algebra, although he would not
underestimate their value. He would
not have vocal music taught in the
schools simply as a recreation but also
for its value as an educator.
S. H. Bracket also saw fallacies in
the arguments of the opposition.
Music has always proved beneficial and
elevating wherever used. He had
proved it's benefits as teacher A
school is more easily handled and will
do more efficient work from having
singing taught in it. 1t is not the pur-
pose of those who want singing taught
in the public schools to there give the
children musical education, as some
seem to think, but to give them start
in learning to sing.
N. M. johnson wanted to remind the
assembly that the majority of the tax
payers of this town got their education
by Il three months schooling in a yeaI
and they did not care to now be taxed
for any ornamental education.
Mrs. Henry c. Ide, member of the
prudential committee, here reminded
the meeting that this ORNAMENTAL
education cost the taxpayers of this
village only two cents on dollar OF
their grand list, and she considered
the value to much exceed the cost.
George May, as one in favor of a
practical education, defended the
schools from the charge of not teach
ing The practical, by stating that he
had seen in visiting the schools as diff
ficult problems wrought on the black
board as any business men would need
to know in ordinary business life.
In answer to question, Rev. f. II
Sanford said that the teaching OF
singing in the schools had been discOn-
tinued because of some complaints that
came to the committee that when il
was taught each school had IA hall
hours Instruction twice week His
observation was that instead of time
being lost by the teaching of singing,
there was great gain the children
could do more and better work for this
half-hOur's respite.
Rev. Z. w. Culver was in favor OF
more time lost in teaching singing, on
in some other way. We are cruwdine
the children in school too severely. Ii
was worse than states prison-a con
tinued high-pressure system. He
would like less study and more recrea
ton. He believed true education was
an education of all the faculties; not
simply knowledge of arithmetic
geography and history.
Mrs. Walter p. Smith, member %
the prudential committee, thought i
was not true, as asserted, that all chill
| dren could not learn to sing. She be
lieyed the trouble with those wis
| could mt sing was that they were Do