The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-11-17
TROY, N. Y.

The teachers seemed especially earnest
and enthusiastic. The superintendent
of schools and several principals from
Saratoga Springs were present, as were
parties from Albany and from various
towns in Massachusetts,. Men who at
tend the Massachusetts meetings and al
so the meetings of the New York AssO-
citation, readily cOncede that in poilt of
numbers, interest and enthusiasm as well
as in the value of the addresses delivered,
this meeting was far superior to similar
meetings of the year in their own States.
Bennington was more largely repre-
sented on the programme than any other
town in Vermont, and entirely to its
credit. Miss Whitney and Miss White
OF the Graded Schools read excellent
papers which have brought them both
into some prominence with teachers
throughout the State. Mai. A. b. Val
entine delivered an address the strength
and cOgency of which attracted much
attention. His address was an appeal
for practical scholarship, and it was ap
proved by all the leading school men of
the State. Maj Valentine views, as ex-.
pressed in his address, are exactly in line
with the practical methods applied in our
Graded schools of Bennington, and it is
much in advance of large part of the
educational practice of the present day.
Several schools in the State made
creditabie exhibits of school work. The
Bennington exhibit attracted much at
tentlon AMI elicited the highest praise
from large part of the teachers who
examined it. After seeing it several
leading principals and superintendents
expressed de ire to visit our school and
examine system that produces such
png AF 90 tur1i l.n
made at an early day. Frequent requests
were made for specimens and examples
of our school work by teachers interested
IN its various departments. The penman-
ship of our primary, middle and grammar
grades was especially admired and many
inquiries were made as to the system
and plan of work employed in our
schools.
Superintendent Davis who, as mem
Der of the Executive Committee, had
much to do with local matters and with
providing the programme, says the clti-
zens of Rutland did everything to make
the meeting a success, and that every facil-
ity was offered by the School Board of
Rutland, by the superintendent and
teachers, by the Board of Trade, and i'll
fact by everybody, to make the gather
ing notable one, and all the teachers in
Vermont are loud n their praise of the
way they were entertained in Rutland
1t is mania with the ignorant, the
disgruntled and the fauthnding to sneer
at Vermont teachers and Vermont
schools and at the Vermont school sys-
TEN. There is room for criticism we all
know, but not so much beyond what we
ii d in the schools of other States. 1t is
safe to Judge professional people by the
nd Oh n
professional gatherings. Judged in this
way Vermont teachers ana school men
will compare favorably' with other pro-
fessional people in the State. hen
have Vermont lawyers or doctors or
editors ever held a convention in the
State for three days or for any time and
called out audiences of twelve to fifteen
hundred people, session after session, by
the ability of the papers and discussions?
1t was remarked by a gentleman from
Boston that he was surprised at the de-
gree of culture and intellectual strength
indicated by the teachers in this conven-
tiOn. Let us at least give Vermont
schools and teachers somewhat of their
due.
At the business meeting the following
officers were elected: President, o. d.
MathewsOn of Barre; vice-presidents, e.
c.. Davis of Vergennes, A. u. Valentine
of Bennington, G. L. Putney of st. Johns
bury, s. w. Landon of Burlington, J. Ii.
Walbridge of West Concord, L. w. Jenne
of Enosburg, W. n. Phelps of South
Hero, Mrs. Marion Blake Campbell of
johnson, f. f. Pritchard of Newbury,
Principal Stanwood of Barton, Z. j. Col
cord of Rutland, ]. d. Horne of Brattle-
boro, d. F. Andrus of LunlOw; secretary,
T. h. Graves of Manchester; treasurer,
G. II. Morrill, of Bakersfield: executive
committee, G, S. Davis of Bennington,
G.. a. Williams of Saxton's River, 5. j.
Blanpied of Montpelier; member of COM
mittee on school laws, Rev. l. P. Booth
of Northfield. This committee now in
cludes r n. Dewart, f. +. Couant and
Rev. IsP. Booth.