The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-11-20
THE SCHOOL LAWS.

but have something more to say.
We meet every step i'm the present law
things as absurd as the answers given.
For instance: We have system q high
schools in the State whose graduates can
enter any ordinary college with no
examination. Yet one n of, these same
graduates cannot teach, small school
where the pupils are mot beyond three
letters in reading without the bother,
and expense Of perhaps SO to IS, in
passing the required examination. OF
course it may be said that such teachers
are not always success. True. So also
it is sad fact that not all or nearly all
pass the county examination are a sue
cess. But that scholar can enter a
first class college without conditions
because it is granted by the college that
examinations has already taken place
under competent authority, and yet that
same scholars cannot teach the simplest
rudiments, without pilgrimage of four
days length to the Mecca of all good
teachers-why, l will put this as a
fair offset to the worst answers
ever given by mortals to a public
examine. tg.. .ll
"And then, too, we meet With the
absurdity of teacher who is contin-
uously teaching being compelled yearly
to pass over this "hard road to travel. :"
If a teacher knew enough last year, why
should she not this? Do our wise heads
think that the brains of teacher run
out at the boot-heels in the process of
teaching? One would suppose that a
person who had passed credihly the
examination of a.certain grade might
be permitted to teach in that grade
until by actual fact she had proved a
failure.n
Commissioner Cook, whose comments
we gave two weeks since, publishes in
the Poultney journal the promised
reasons why the county supervisor
system should be retained, from which
we give extracts below. Prof. Cook is a
near neighbor of Editor Humphrey and
the Journal editor is a member of the
Legislature-hence the pertinence of
these letters to the Journal. Prof. Cook
says: .s.s.......,
ut may be stated as a general PROPOSE
ton, that there is no system, that is
worth anything, but will cost the people
money. People are well contented to
submit to an inefficient system, provided
it cost but little but ''make Rome howl
when taxes are increased. This il
human nature, and is the same in other
States. Other systems than county
supervision have been tried in various
States, but it has been fully settled that
no supervision has been tried in this
State, and has proved failure. l will
give five reasons why consider town
supervision improper.
"a. The salary of the town superin.
| tendent must be so small as to Offer
no inducements for well qualified
persons to accept it, except fol
the honors, which are certainly
meagre.
~. 1t is often bestowed upon some
man from sympathy to exc out his
scanty living-=a man who may be
Internationally qualified, but who has moi
kept pace with the times In educational
matters.
'3. 1t is frequently conferred upon q
lawyer, who, though man of ability, will
not devote any portion of his time to the
work, other than to license enough
teachers to fill the schools. He then leaves
them to their own devices, and they work
out their own salvation with no fear and
trembling. ..#
~. Town supervision being so local
in its character, the superintendent has
personal and business relations with his
teachers and their friends, consequently
he is hampered in his official actions by
business considerations, and on the prin.
ciple that familiarity breeds contempt, he
soon occupies the same position that
King Log did among his amphibiar
subjects. ...
"5. In some sparsely settled towns, il
is quite difficult to get competent man
who possesses the requisite education,
once had the personal acquaintance of a
town superintendent Vermont who had
never studied grammar, whose knowl-
edge of mathematics had never arisen to
the lofty heights of the Rule of Three,
and who knew less of geography than any
| third grade teacher i'll our county, and
finally, whose spelling was a spectacle
to gods and men. Doubtless system that
is nominated by such men as these is
cheap, but it is scarcely better than nc
system at all.
"As regards the county supervisor, the
case is far different. Being selected
from the people of an entire country
there is far greater probability of get.
ting a capable man. He is SO far re.
moved from the people that he is not
controlled by personal or political con-
siderations in his official action. He
will issue his certificates solely upon
the merits of the candidates, rather
than because she is Neighbor Smith,
daughter, who wishes the school, as
a means of support, but who has nc
other qualification, other than being his
daughter.
"The people of Vermont have expected
too much from the new law. Revolutions
do not come in moment, but are the
work of time. it is but little over a year
since the new law went into effect, and
but little change could be effected in
that time"
Prof. Cook then made fine parallel of
school influences and falling snow, and
c )ntinues:
"The work of the county supervisors
will show itself, when time has been
given forit to appear. If he be man of
tact, he will speak word to the teachers
that will inspire them to do better work.
Here a book will be taken from the
shelf to become better acquainted with
subject matter, there another teacher
will be coming the pages of some book
on methods. When in visiting schools
he comes to some district where time has
worked havoc with its temple of learn
ing, he can drop word here and there
that will arouse the pride of the people
and cause them to be ashamed of their
lack of interest in their children's well
fare. In the teachers associations he
can exert an influence that will be felt
in every school in this county. But it
will not be the work of a month, or a
year. 1t will take several years before
the work he does will bear fruit, but if
he be the man, the harvest will be
abundant.
"One reason why the county supervisor
in Vermont has been sharply criticised
is upon point for which he is not in
the least to blame. He has been given
too many schools. In Washington
county, this State, with 24O schools, we
have two commissioners, with 11S, and
122 schools, respectively. With this
number in my district C22), | find it
absolutely impossible to visit all of
them twice per year, although it is done
approximately,
"Teachers have far more respect for a
comfy official than for one in their own
town, and suggestion or directions
coming from him will be needed when
they would wholly ignore town super
intendent. In my own work, the labors
of the first year of my administration
are now bearing fruit. l could see but
little improvement for some time, but
by careful selection of teachers and by
discussion with them of the best methods
OF instruction. 1 can now see that we are
in far better condition than six years
ago. The Vermont system of county
supervisors has been tried but one wear
and 1t is a supreme folly TO throw it
aside, before chance is given to see
how It works.