St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-08-15
VOLUME 53-NUMBER o716.

nation, for they have had an oppor-
tunity to be fitted, but why the boy
and girl who have no such means
Well mayit be said. it is misfortune
to them. But | am led to enquire, of
what benefit to the school boy and
girl of seven, yes, twelve years, is the
orthography of some river in Africa,
or on what degree Of longitude is
some western city, or what events
occurred during a certain admins
tration? This food of dicipline is
too rich. Here is the place for the
unfortunate boy and girl Let them
pass an examination which will fit
them for class of scholars of twelve
years and under. Let the college
boys and girls pass an examination
that will enable them to teach a more
advanced class. But no, you make
the former pass the same examina-
ton as the latter The latter, if they
fail to pass the standard they ought,
can drop to the percentage mark
and drive out the others. fyou are
to be severe, discriminate. A major
ity of the applicants are young and
desirous of teaching small district
schools, trusting that experience will
enable them to gain higher positions.
The scholars of a majority of the dis
tricts are of twelve years and under
A person who can answer five care
fully selected questions on each of
the required branches is fully able to
teach one of these schools. But YOU
say, these district scholars require
the best of teachers. True. But will
matters of discipline make the teach
ers intelligent? A pint of pure milk
is worth a gallon of a mixture of
twO-th1rdS water and one-third milk.
But no. they must run the gauntlet,
they must spend whole day trying
to solve puzzles, for they can be cali
ed nothing else. Ask the applicant
what the Emancipation Proclama-
ton was, what Lincoln and Grant
did, and not, 'three important events
during the administration of Pierce"
as was once asked me. Had l been
an established politician possibly l
may have answered, but as it was
had to pass it by. This is but fair
illustration of scores of questions
that are given at every examination.
There are the same in geography,
grammar and arithmetic. There are
problems given to be solved that
have never occurred in every dav life
and never will Will you allow disci-
pline to murder rpracticability This
unjust trial of every applicant should
be known by every father and moth
er; let them know what their boy
and girl has to pass through to Sc
cure certificate to enable them to
teach. You cannot smother ambi-
ton quicker, than to cast upon it i'm
practicable and worthless trials
Many a hopeful boy and girl have
been driven to hopeless despair by
some of these trials. 1t seems that
these examiners try to destroy in
stead of build up education. They
seem to detest youthful ambition 1
have heard it said by a committee
man that the best teacher who had
taught in his district, was one who
hnh fasa f Vile s6me nn ct 4ftcchhnncafEy thhns
of the law is being discussed, pause a
moment and consider this abuse of
justice. But condemnation without
a means Of Improvement is wrong.
Put practical men in these positions,
or give the present ones certain tools
to work with. They may yet be
deft. They may have knowledge but
they lack wisdom. 1t is not the
wise man. who catches another to
show his wisdom, but he who lays
his plan before all. Intelligent teach
ers are a necessity, but will the pres
ent course of examina tions test their
HARRY L. HEALD.