Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-08-21
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

delivered by Rev. H. A. Spencer be-
fore the Epworth League meeting, and
the sentiment advanced by Mr.. S.
that intelligence and virtue consti-
tute true education, was heartily en-
dorsed. In speaking of the schools
of to- day the speaker would cast no
reproach on the teachers or the meth
DDS of the past, but he believed that
great progress had been made in the
science of teaching. Teachers did the
best they could, and like the Colorado
organist, who posted up over his in
strument the placard: "Don't shoot, [
am doing the best can," they should
not be blamed. This is an age of i'm
provement; we are having better
light, better opportunities than ever
before Public interest is increasing
in the matter OF schools, appropropri-
ations for the support Of schools are
more liberal; the public school is a
vital thing in the republic. 1t is COM
ing to be felt that it is better to give
children an education than to leave
them money. In most cases the child
or young man is better off without
riches than with them. Good schools
tend to morality as we'll as intelH
| gence. Public schools tend to nation
al as well as individual prosperity.
Education in itself, under ordinary
circumstances, brings or is fortune
to it's possessor.
In answer to the question, who make
good schools? The influence of Supt.,
Com, teachers, have something to do
with it, but the greatest power in their
behalf is the interest of the people.
If the people have an interest in them
they are useful and beneficial, if they
neglect them they fail of doing their
work. The great bane of the schools
is ignorance and Indifference. Criti
cisims and complaints will be made
when there is no knowledge of the
school, and indifference will destroy
any school.
The speaker thought it probable
that the home influence is not as good
as it formerly was. Obedience, re-
spect, diligence, habits of study, char
acter of reading may not be now as
they were years ago. The child of
day may have acquired habits,
vices, perhaps, out of school that are
harmful in school. Children former
ly had respect for parents, teachers, |
those of elder years, the minister.
Now they manage the affairs of the
family, the town, and hardly let the
minister manage his own theology.
This is the day of the ''only child"
formerly the child had brothers and
sisters Small schools are not as
good as larger ones, children need the
stimulus of fair sized classes and rival
students. Conditions are changing
and they must be conformed to.
The speaker favored the town sys
tenn of schools, said Massachusetts,
would not return to the district sys-
tenn. We must so consolidate as to
have fairly large and equally good
schools wherever a teacher is en-
ployed. Progress is the watchword in
all things and the schools must not
get behind There is remarkable
change in school methods of teaching.
Better educated teachers, better sys-
tens, better helps. The former
method was to cram the memory, the
present to broaden and strengthen
the mind. We are now teaching pu-
pills to think; we are teaching them
to observe, to reason. Formerly
teaching embraced little except the
three Rs. 1t now means less of the
Rs, more of some other things. There
is a tendency now to put young men
and women into business too early;
they would accomplish far more in
life if their early years were devoted
to study and mental growth. Speaker
thinks pupils should have the tuition
Of both male and female teachers.
He wants the very best teachers it IS
possible to employ. So of other things
pertaining to the school, the best al {
ways. School buildings are being i'm
proved; school furniture and school !
supplies are better; courses of study !
are better; teachers have better OPP
oortunities, better books on teaching, ;
for Institutes, schools,
raining in norm al schools, in kinder
yarten methods. :
The speaker recommends that in
1uence which creates ambition and
aspirations in the child. He related
he story of a goose which Matched an E
eagles egg among her "goslings The
creature grew up as a strange thing :
n the brood, but supposed himself =