The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-06
Better Schools Needed,

Agricultural Editor:-I agree with
you that something nj eds to be done
for the country schools. They need
better qualified teachers and more ju-
dicous and interested parents. If
these two little matters can be arranged,
they will prosper. There is a dmn-
ishing supply of good teachers. Many
circumstances have conspired to pro-
duce this, chief among them being the
industra d velopmenL that has opened
to women so many other fields of en-
ployment. In times past teaching was
about the only resource of talented
women thrown upon their own exer-
tons, who wished to maintain a social
position above domestic servants. Now
many other employments are open to
them, including vOcatiOns more attrac-
tive to many. The country teacher in
many places has been the worst abused
of public servants. Newly arrived in
rural neighboIhood she became at once
the main topic OF interest for CONVERSE
ton, was criticized, advised, patroni zed,
interfered with, bulied, pestered to
death.
Criticism from professional sources
has not always been helpful refer to
the teacber-lecturers at the institutes.
They are often men of not much
breadth or much acquaintance with
country conditions. They are full of
new methods and theories such as are
applied successfully in the graded
schools of the cities. These they pour
out upon the country teacher and try
to make her think she must do all that
OF tao do a. 81.
schools. They denounce the old meth
oGs; tell her if she cannot do better
than the teachers of twenty years ago,
she is not worth hiring; and that if
she cannot carry out their ideas. she
ought to leave the proft ssion. What
wonder that she takes their advice, and
chooses to work for some private en-
ployer who understands his business,
from whom she may expect permanent
employment and only reasonable crit
icsml Whatever the causes, those VINO
have the procuring of teachers for
country schools will agree with me as
to the poverty of The supply. Ga the
side OF the parent, the meddlesomeness
of former y,ars is declining and now
tends to be sur ersedtd by indifference
and neglect. He fails to attend school
meeting, TO visit the school and to CO.
operate with the teacher rs he might.
Now what can be done? Much, l be-
lieve. The leading men of our towns
need to give this matter serious thought.
1t should not be left wholly to the
women, or to the institute lecturers
from the cities. The problem of the
country school will have TO be solved
in the country. The first consideration
Is the supply OF teachers. We want
our best and brightest young people
not the leavings of other business-and
we must try 10 make teaching more at
tractive to them. Something is being
done and more can be done to this end
Already wages are rising for teachers,
while falling for every one else, and
their peculiar anhoyances are diminish
ing. Their social position is high, aud
their work, if pursued ia the right
shirt, is cullivaling and ennobing.
Nothing would conduce more to the
sgreeablepess of the teachers position
aud the proftableness OF the school
than better understanding OF the
mutual duties of parents, teachers and
scholars. The educational literature OF
the day is mostly written from the
standpoint of the graded schools, and
is apt to be more dlsc0uraging than
helpful.
Clear ideas as to what and how much
ought TO be expected would greatly re-