St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-12-05
LETTER FROM SUPT. PALMER.

following letter from the state super
intendent of education:
Mr.. Editor:-I respectfully submit
the following in answer to your edi-
torial in your issue of Nov. 81, "The
Teachers Examination" and hope
that you may find space for it in
your valuable paper.
1. 1t is agreed by nearly allintelli-
gent persons that the difference in
schools is substantially the difference
in teachers, and that one test of fit
ness to teach is a written examina-
ton. OF course there are other very
important tests. Accordingto Supt.
DARTS report, 2547 schools were
supported last year in this state, and
7 1896 different teachers taught in
| them; in other words, there are 1449
more teachers in the state than
schools. Nothing can be palmer than
| that it is the duty of the school Off
GERS to select the best of these teach
ers to supply the schools.
When we come to the examination
and attempt to decide how, where
and by whom it shall be conducted,
| there is not unanimity. 1t is well
known that for long time prior to
| the enactment of the present law,
great complaint was made in many
sections of the state of the eXamina-
tions as conducted by town superin-
| tendents, and that because of belief
that these criticisms were well found
ed, the power to examine was placed
in county officers.
We hear similar complaints in New
Hampshire today. Supt. Patterson,
in his last report, Just received, on
pages $40 and $50 says: "The
school boards in many of our towns
have the learning, discernment, in
terest in the cause, and sense of per-
sonal responsibility requisite for an
adequate and satisfactory discharge
of this important trust but it is well
understood that in other towns,
either from necessity, indifference, or
some sinister motive, men have been
placed upon the board and sworn to
a discharge of its duties, whose mex
perience, lack of interest, or want of
early opportunities have left them
utterly disqualified for such work.
Asa consequence, the schools and the
intelligence and standing of these
communities have suffered damage
If the examining
boards are incompetent or Indifferent,
an inferior class of teachers will take
possession of the schools.
Our present plan of examining teach
ers, by town officers, has been in eX
istence over half a century and is, |
fear, incapable of Improvement, but
our educational necessities demand
something better; the
state as whole requires an improved
system of examination and super
vision. The plan of county super
visors, employed in some of the
states, is not expensive, and seems
well adapted to our own"
1t seems to me, Mr.. Editor, that
one of your objections strikes at the
county plan, and it is submitted that
it is too early to make it. 1t has not
yet had fair trial.
2. 1t is not so expensive to teach
ers as you seem to think. | have not
the statistics before me, but l think
about one-half of the teachers in the
summer examination procured a
second grade certificate, which is
good for two years throughout the
county AS there are to be three ex-
aminations in year, and in differ
ent parts of the county, if teachers
take advantage of this, as they will,
it cannot cost very much more than
the old annual plan.
3. 1t is true, as you say, that ex-
perience of the teacher ought to be
taken into account; but the number
of terms that one has taught ought
not to be made the final test, nor the
fact that one is a teacher in graded
school But undoubtedly there
should be some provision in the law
by which those who have taught
successfully for a long time may re-
ceive under a reasonable examina-
ton, a state certificate good for ten
years or for life
EDWIN F. PALMER.
Waterbury, VT, Nov. 25, 1889.