The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-03-14
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT Oh
SCHOOLS
lruhlAsrup ny vorr or TOWN

. schools, am met al the outset by iv
obstacles For in the frs, place, after in
% forming you that schools base been msin
! tanned 10 each Of the several districts 70
"a the full number OF weeks required by Law
IA aud that they have been conducted by tee
Of chers duly authorized; that enc disirir
/. has made needed repairs in its school boil,
iog. and that another has been guilty Of
RI neglect 10 Ibis direction that is positiyel,
>. criminal; ! dad that have nothing new I,
report bui that q repetition OF last year
II remarks would serve equally well for ihi'
occasion. The reason for this is not far L
seek Oar district schools ts far as | cat
}. discover, present today essentially ths
same aspect that they did twenty years
i ago. 6nd 10 the schools OF Manchester
Z today the same sort Of supervision. the
i same methods and degree Of instruction
, the same species OF regulation aud discip.
lice, that confronted me Ia my boy hood in
z neishboring town, twenty years ago Tho
\ establishment OF graded schools through
the adoption OF the town system or other
wise. has indeed raised the standard Of in'
strneiion and scholarship 10 certain favor.
ed localities. but as regards the outlying
districts not oAe jot OF improvement, thai
| can detect, has been made. Therefore.
what told you last year OF the condition
Of the schools ia Manchester, will answer
eqnally well for this year; they are perhaps
in no worse, certainly in no better condi.
tion, than AT that time, The nature Of the
instruction given in our schools ia OF an
exceedingly indifferent nature, At the
same time, it is certainly oil that we could
expect under the existing conditions With
two or three exceptions, the work done is
of too superficial nature to be Of any per.
manent value to the scholars. You may
lay the blame at the door of the teacher, or
at that of the superintendent, but it will
be more just, and nearer the truth to at,ri.
butte it to the system under which both
have labored,
1 lut Httbui UUbihtIt tfHt Utcts INT III /
my attempt to make regular report, is
the fact that we are about to test the ELI I
cacy of new school law. Any suggestions
That might wish to make under the old |
system Of things would now be out of
place; while, under the new order the of
flee Of town superintendent is abolished.
The most that | can attempt to do, there
fore is to bespeak for the new law your
cordial support in the way Of q fair trial,
and to call your attention to some of the
changes that seem to me particularly ap
propriate to the needs of our schools
And foremost among them | place the
abolition OF the office Of town superintend-
ent have held the Office for the space
Of two years, and am free to confess that
it's duties have been the most irksome, and
the hardest 10 conscientiouly fulfill, OF any
that have ever been laid upon my should
ers. And the only consolation that have
in leavidg the Office is that the enemies
that l have made will serve to bear wit.
ness to my attempts to carry out the let
ter of the law as an honest official. The I.
time that have been required by law to !.
spend in visiting the schools. and advising
the teachers, regard as time practically
thrown away. In the nature Of things. it !.
could not very we'll be otherwise. To ex-
pect teachers whose only object in teach
ing is to make little money for this or
that purpose; and whose preparation for
teaching consists to great degree in moth !
ing higher than the old district school y
methods, to readily comprehend and ?
adopt suggestions that involve entirely
new methods Of teaching, and to take up
explanations that could only be properly
grasped after long course Of systematic u
study, is 90 expect more than results will q
ordinarily justify. The abolition Of an Of .
fce who're holder is rendered practically q
powerlsss by surrounding circumstances q
10 carry out its duties, is to my mind q l
step in the right direction; while the ap a
poiDtment OF q county supervisor in bis c
,tead must do much toward bringing y
about that state Of improvement in inst ne D
ION and dicipline which the town supei ID n
endent has been powerless TO accomplish. c'
For. In the first place the supervisor vii q
DO removed from all local influence 10 the y
,Esmination and selection Of his teachers:
q the second place. be will be provided
Nth examination papers prepared by al
person, and devised TO test, not I'll
be ingenuity, but the practical working II
Of the candidates for examina te
ion; in the third place, he will be chosen ii
0 bis Office on the ground Of his ability "
$ an educator. and for his qualifications as 81
skillful supervisor, aud will be required gt
o devote bis whole time to the work o I bl
is Office, aud in the fourth place. be vii n
% provided by the requirements OF the 70
w with better msterisl TO mould into I'd
ffsctive teachers. and with material that at
,ust be constantly increasing in value Is
or this new law provides. that those who pe
spire To the Office of teacher must mo- Y,
ply be Of such an age ~ 10 be in physi. Of
Al strength aud in the mental develop ne
Ient aud judgment it for their work, bu :
y regulations With reference 10 certi6 j.
lis also provide that special inducement. al
,all be given to render applicants earnes y
their preparation. jealous in the perior ~,
sucs OF their work, and desirons OF con
antly attaining to higher degree Of eI
silence in methods of instruction. THUS. th'
bile on the one hand il bars the way TO dil
srsons Of immature age and judgment esi
ID renders this field u labor difficult. Of va
.cess 10 those 1ho regard 1t only az