Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-02-26

al interest Of society is the fundamental interest
or to show that upon the strictly moral element
depends the stability Of our government, The
course Of current events shows that many false
standards are creeping into society into business
INTO our legislatures, and even into our courts or
late the cry has been raised that our schools are
deng nothing to stem this evil The three points
of enquiry are
First do our schools recognize the need of NOR
al tTuiningf
Second, what are the general outlines Of such
trainings
Fnany, what are some of the means to be EN-
ulOyed to gain the endy
First then there are two ends in school train
ing, the moral and intellectual, but the proper
ton Of organized effort ON the moral size is far
surpassed by that of the Intellectual Enquiry is
seldom made into the moral status of u school
Teachers and scholars are judged by intellectual
attachments only. seldom is the question asked,
what are your latest ideas about teaching NOR
alsy' The hist among tine essentials OF any
school that would aim at moral instruction is the
teaching of obedience. tits the foundation stone
of law, order and civilized society. without It,
chaos Next, teach individual responsibility;
that life is earnest and the battle is to be with
natural desires. The Importance of restraint,
selt-denial self control must be impressed upon
the pupil There should also be II willing choice
for good conduct on the part of the scholar, and
an attitude OF respect for the rights Of others
Lack of VenerutiOn ~ "A pcCullarlNn American
characteristic Those born on our soil seem to
he imbued with the idea that this is Tree country
and mistake liberty for license, and have no veneer
alton for anything in heaven or ON earth. Closely
allied to respect tor others rights is honesty IN its
broadcast ana deepest bearings. The pupil who is
too proud to say lac does not know, Is not vet
honest enough to begin to learn. Truthfulness is
too rare "A virtue in our public schools. Too often
the violation OF some rule OF school conduct is
punished with more severity than lying; hence
the temptation to the child.
" hat are the means to be used to attain the
ends mentioned: FIRST, knowledge Lead the
child to see what his duty Is and why IL Is. Let
our teachers have uppeIinos in their minds char
ucter building. The numerous eases Of discipline
furnish the situations needed for training ot char
octer. Right motives is IA second element IN NOR
al adv, ncement, and third, the opportunity for
choice. Again, continued practice tai habit is rs
taOiiSiled. Good reading Is potent factor Tor
good influence Home influence Is often aut1g
oulStlC To the moral teaching of the school. The
street is often more powerful IN its muldng uiu
ehcts The teacher personality ami character
arr by Tar the most potent factor toward the grand
result. In the coming days these pupils thus
rightly disciplined. Will see with "A clear reutcIn-
br7'nce TIM teacher fi1lness IN dealing with their
moral faults and ms patience IA dealing with their
intellectual weaknesses.
Rev. j. ii. Babbitt being called upon to
give his views upon this subject said brief
ly that the topic would speak for ITSELF
that the religious side was the moral side.
The nature and standard of the morality
required should be very high and there
should be an inspiration proceeding from
the teacher i'm this as in other things.
In his excellent and instructive paper on
"Arithmetc,' which followed, Supern-
tendent Geo. |. Aldrich of Brookline,
Mass, said that the first point in teaching
arithmetic is to know why you teach it.
To acquire a knowledge of numbers the
pupil is brought face to face with symbols
operations and relations. Present the
process, not the definition Use diagrams
freely. DO not tumble the mechanical
with thought work and thus spoil two very
good things.
Singing 10y class of Is pupils from the
Brattleboro sixth grade closed the after
noon session.
In the evening reception was given at
the High school room 10y the Brattlcboro
teachers to the visiting teachers. At
O'Clock &. NJ. Russell of Wilmington gave
in the town hall his illustrated lecture on
Columbus and the discovery of America.
The stereopticOn views were fine and the
lectures interesting. Prominent among
the miscellaneous views at the CLOSE was
one of the late principal of the Bratteboro
High school, b. +. Bingham, and the burst
of applause with which it was received
spoke volumes for the place which the
memory of the Gold Schoolmaster' holds
in the hearts of Brattlcboro people.