Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-04-12
COUNTY SUPERVISORS.
THEIR DUTIES AND QUAL1FICA.
TIONS
A. Di.cussed az the RducstionaI Meet
fuH Uast Kveufnn.


a good one. The attendance was fair, con
sidering that it was an educational meeting
probably in the vicinity Of POO. An i'm
portant and encouraging feature was the
fact that, out Of the 90 members Of the
board Of education in the county, ten mem
hers took pains to be present. These were
Stoddard Of Brattleboro, Reed Of Vernon
Mortified Of Newfane, Russell Of Whining
ton. Smith Of Townshend, Foster of Put
nev, Ryder Of Rockingham, Walter OF
Wardsboro, Pier Of Jamaica, and Gale OF
Guilford
The meeting was called to order by DIR.
Uolton. who briefly referred ~ its object,
and introduced Hon. Edwin +. Palmer, the
state superintendent. Mr. Palmer said in
opening that the purpose of the meeting
was doubtless apparent 10 all, viz: to dis
cuss tile duties and qualifications OF the
county supervisors who are 10 be chosen IN
NAV. under the new law, by the county
boards Of education After referring TO
the Importance 10 the state and the nation
of the education Of the young, Mr.. Palmer
said that Vermont had now come to a vital
time when 1t was important that no mis-
take should he made, aud the responsibility
for providing against Il mistake that would
be ruinous lay with the county boards OF
education in the choice Of suitable men as
county supervisors Enlarging upon the
qualifications requisite in supervisors, he
said in substance that that they should be
men Of scholarship, Of executive ability, Of
sound judgment Of tact and discretion, OF
irreproachable character, and competent u
be teachers Of teachers At "A meeting
in Orleans county it had been formally vot-
ed that supervisors ought to be practical
teachers-men or women Of actual expert
ence in the school room
Judge J NJ Tyler who followed Mr.. Pal
mer. explained the origin Of the new school
| law-how it is the outgrowth Of convic
| ton that Vermont has fallen behind in the
work Of education, and is an attempt u
/ restore our schools to "A level with the times.
/ The time for criticism and discussion has
/ gone by. and it is now our duty ~ take hold
and make the new system success. To
] his mind. the first qualification Of super
/ visor was that he should be a good, level
headed business man, a man Of practical
affairs, a good organizer, man Of eXecu-
+ tive ability next he should he man II
high scholarship, with all enthusiasm for
his work. and capable Of sending his in
huence out into every part Of the county
The place is no sinecure, no idle task the
man who ms it has got to roll up his sleeves
and 20 to work. The great trouble with
the people Of Vermont is their indifference
to the schools, but he believed they were
now at a point where the right men can
arouse and quicken them.
Mr. Bingham wished he had the whole
county board there TO talk 10. His word,
to them would be practical words. One OF
their duties would he 10 fix ON a uniform
list Of text books to be used for a term OF
wears DO the members know what book,
arr the best Are they sufficiently famil
lar with the subject to be able TO make
iudicous selection from the great mass thai
will he urged upon themi II not they haC
better be at work Are they posted on tn,
best methods Of teaching DO they know
what is best 10 be done in each Of TIA,
towns Not every remote school can b'
visited by the supervisor, but the teacher
must be brought together and instructed
and the people, and especially the pruden
tial COMMITTEES, must be walked up and in
spired.
Miss Wood the supervisor in genera
charge Of the Brattleboro village school,
read paper illustrating the underlyin.
principles ia the modern methods of teach
ing now IN use in these schools, thus ind
eating certain work and methods which
supervisors
bne Of the most spirited and prActica
addresses Of the evening was made at thi
point 10y DR. Holton Of the Brattlelor
school board In opening he explaine,
that one reason why Vermont shows sucl
an apparently large percentage Of illiterac
is because the school age fixed 10y her law
heretofore has been from five to 20 years
while in most states the school age Is fruu
five TO II. Under our new Law it Is fror
five IN Il. We are not going TO stop t
critlcise the law aud condemn it in advance
the doctor forcibly said We are going I
put every man his shoulder Ia the whee
and compel it to be a success If the la,
Is II failure, 1t will be because the count
boards do not elect good supervisors tn
responsibility is with them. In his min
there were four essential qualifications 70
the supervisors TO possess. They should b,
LIST, educated men %, practical teachers
81, up in the methods Of today 4th. me
Of character, Of tact aud Of ability to or,
ate enthusiasm they ought to "bristle IA
over with enthusiasm. and lie able to ge
right at the people and the teachers. an
! help them out Of their difficulties II h
were a member of the county board. b
would not let politics friendship or religio
have a feathers weight in making h
choice he should look for the best man
D and it should Ice remembered that the la
does not restrict the choice to residents ,
the county or Of the state
In closing DR.. Holton spoke Of the II,
= cessity Of supervision over all teachers an
+ all schools, no matter how good. AMI show
Z ell how this supervision has worked in Bra
tleboro Trained teachers are also "A nece
ID -
visors to direct this training
Col Hooker, after introducing lit
fun into the proceedings, said it ought II,
to he said or admitted that Vermont schoo
are not as good rs they were ~ wears az,
5 for 1t Is not true
Rev. j. Ii. Babhitt Of West BrattleboI
said he was appalled, when he thought ,
D the requirements which had been set fortl
; and he felt as he listened that the superyi
b ors must be created There was hoI
and comfort, however, in the thought tn,
: there would be room for growth when the
; work once became familiar 10 them.
Rev Messrs. Day and Parry and Hon
: W. Stoddard spoke very briefly.
5 Mr. Rugg, the sub master of the Brattl
boro High school, said he had felt strongl
as he had listened to the discussion. tn
the successful and efficient supervisor mu
be practical teacher, for how can he
5 in touch with the teachers unless he h,
been under fire himself The supervis,
must be home missionary in his count
and know how to put the people in svmpi
. thy with the important work of educate
that is to be done
II. d. Ryder, the Rockingham member
f the county board, made a favorable in
4 preston in his remarks on the duties of Il
i members in each Of the towns He wish,
+ this part Of the subject, little understood
e thought about as yet, had been more full
discussed. The new law specified certa
: duties, but there were others in the way
e local aid and supervision which seem,
j. equally important The law is not ne
t law, as It Is usually called, but is largely
p compilation of old laws
- Close attention was given until the eI
r OF the meeting, which lasted till 10 o'cloc
Y Its effect must he good, not only in shown
a the people something of what is expect,
under the new method in our school svster
z but IN impressing on the members of Il
r. county board the fact that public sentime
Il VIII hold them 10 high standard Of du
IN the performance of the Important wor
r which lies before them. First of all.
will require them 10 put aside all pers IN
h considerations and solicitation in electiny
5 county supervisor, and seek as the esse
J. tai thing man who has real fitness for d
Il place.
; Hon. Chas p Marsh Of Woodstock W.
Y prevented by illness from being present
4 the meeting, as he had intended.
p COL, FULLER WILL FIGHT mi
p THE BOYS"
l. From the Burliugtou Fra pr..ss