The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-08-07

the fool" ETC., the Middlebury Register
pertinently quotes the remark of a
London correspondent, writing of the
critics of the Shah of Persia: " 1t is so
easy to be critical if you don't think of
your own ignorance" and observes:
"The Rutland Herald probably had
not Thought of this when its account of
the examination of teachers was writ
ten" Only the Herald is not critical;
its points do not rise to the dignity of
respectable bubbles.
To answer the questions on civil
government, in the opinion of the
Herald, one must be ga frst-class
constitutional lawyer" Here are the
questions:
1, Write a short account of the United
States Constitution.
2. Name the branches of the United States
government. Describe each.
3. Name the six reasons for forming the
Constitution, as given in the preamble,
4. (d) What is vested in congress? (b)
Name six powers belonging to congress.
). (d) Define the eligibility of members of
congress. (b) State how they are elected.
6. (d) Which branch of government has
control of taking the census? When is the
next census to be taken?
Z. (d) Where do bills for raising revenue
originate? (b) If the people fail to elect
president, state how he is elected.
s. (d) When was Vermont admitted as
a state? (b) When was its constitution
adopted?
@ (d) In our government, what is bill of
rights? (b) Name some of the declarations
in hill of riuhta (ol Gtata what riUbta
women have to vote in this state.
10. (a) Define national sovereignty. (b)
State sovereignty. (c) State how laws are
made in this state (the several steps taken).
(d) Name the courts of this state (e) Who
is a citizen? Define. O) State who are
voters.
A person who has not acquired
enough of familiar knowledge of the
form and methods of civil government
in this state or nation to answer three
fourths of the above questions-the
percentage required-can have no valid
right to first-grade certificate to teach
the republics embryo citizens. Such
knowledge is a prime requisite of good
citizenship. We are glad to see that
Superintendent Palmer realizes the i'm
portance of adequate qualification to
teach in this department of knowledge.
The Herald'S prating about the diff
Guilty I" for any one except first-class
constitutional lawyer to answer these
questions" like the rest of its article,
is the veriest "rot." No such difficulty
VIafO n n~ N
who has lived eighteen years in this
land of liberty and printing-presses,
and possesses ordinary intelligence,
but has not had the elementary facts
the superintendent calls for rubbed
into his or her understanding by sheer
force of constant contact, say nothing
of special study, lacks some of the
most essential qualifications of a COM
petent instructor.
From simple folly the Herald makes
an easy descent TO vapid clownishness ::
"The candidates are not only required to
be constitutional lawyers; to be posted on
the criminal and civil law of the state to
tell whether such an event occurred on
/
noon or afternoon, and if so, why? Whether
Alexander Hamilton or Koscusko preferred
vanilla or strawberry ice-cream, and if so
how much? explorations in Vermont as
compared with Virginia. passengers fol-
Burlington, Essex Junction and Avery
Gore to change cars, where? but they mus
also be postgraduate NJ DIS to-day, wheI
they toy with physiology. They are also
expected to be musicians and artists and tC
, have a speaking acquaintance with or
biography. They will tell all about the
mountains of the moon; how < = the frs
mans work; who stole the ham, what is
the use of asking questions that are NJ
7 earthly use for anybody to know, and is this
, an examination or post mortem?"
r The above may "split the ears OF
the groundlings,' or disappointed APP
plicants and sympathizing friends, bu
the judicious grieve" over so pain
full an exhibition of vulgarity from {
E paper that loudly contends for thu
p highest place in the front rank of Yer
I mont journalism.
| Apprehension is expressed that thu
alleged rigor of the superintendent
Y requirements may result in a scarcit,
: of teachers. "Only about one hun
j.. dred thirty applicants" says the Her
t aid, "have presented themselves TO
n teachers. There are three hundred
b districts in the county" Why was thi
d new educational machinery devised
j. If the state was to continue the easy
e going ways that prevailed under tn
t old order of things, why institute tn
g new with the increased expenditure
d entails? The school commission, il
8 its report to the legislature, pointe
r out the fact that the want of thorough
l. ness in examining and of care in Ii
# censing teachers was at the bottom @
!. much of the inefliciency of the publ
O schools. To provide remedy for thes
J. fundamental evils was the first care G
It the legislature, and Superintendent
d Palmer shows his competency and hi