The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-03-15
Talks on Educational Topics.
IBY j. W. NEWTON.

One of the best ways to do away with
the prejudice against the town system
of schools is to get copy of the
WATERMAN edition of the laws and
carefully read the laws relating to edu-
cation. 1 do not know of single real,
valid objection to the new laws. What
satisfaction can there be in having
school district with a school-house to
keep up and school to support for five
or six, or even ten, scholars? By trans
ferring the schools to the care of the
town and supporting them by town,
instead of district, tax, the expenses
will be much more equally divided.
The fact is, we must have good schools.
That is of the greatest importance. 1t
is not so important that we have cheap
schools must have good teachers
and good superintendent and good d.
rectors if we would prosper as state.
Now the town system opens the way
for all kinds of improvements. BY
reducing the number of schools,
the number of teachers will be
reduced, better salaries can be paid,
the teachers can afford to obtain
better preparation for their work, they
can be engaged by the year, and, in
fact, the door is opened for every
needed reform. What evil effects does
any one suppose will follow?
The only objections that have any
force are those which relate to having
the schools at a distance from the
homes of the pupils. AS things have
been, many small children have had to
walk from mile to mile and half or
more to get to school. When it was
stormy, the farmer must rig up his
team and 90 after or carry them to
school. Under the new law, if the
children live at distance, the town
must provide for their transportation.
1t would be far better to have the chill
dren carried regularly, even if they had
| to 90 three or more miles, than to COM
pei them to walk through mud and wet.
1t is needful that judicious persons
should be employed to care for the
children from the time they leave home
until they return to it. No amount of
educational gain will compensate for
loss in morals or health; and it needs
to be especially emphasized that no
consideration whatever should allow
the employment of unfit persons to
carry the children, or admit OF insult
ficient protection from the weather.
Home influences have much to do
with pupils progress in his studies.
Where schools are in session only about
half the year, children who do not study
at home forget many things which they
have learned. Take young children
who are learning to read,-it makes
great difference with their progress
whether at the end of school they drop
their books entirely, or whether they
read little each day. Ten or fifteen
minutes day will aid child wonder
fully in learning to read. 1t is not al
ways best to use the school reading
books. Another kind of reading book
of the same grade is often better.
There is a great diversity in reading
books. Many of them are too much
like children's story papers. Inc pest
series have ever found, for country
children especially, is 1.-The Normal
Course in Reading" 1t leads the pu-
nil to use his eyes, teaches him con-
corning nature, and gives much valu-
able instruction. 1t is series OF read
ers pure and simple, not a collection of
language lessons or fairy stories.
There is a real need that school chill
dren should acquire taste for good
reading. The knowledge of English
literature is very necessary and use
full kind of knowledge. Every teacher
should be able to give the pupils short
talks about authors of note and their
works. 1t need not take much time
half an hour once or twice week
would amount to considerable in a
school year. The world of books is
maze to one who has little knowledge
of them. The study of literature puts
person in condition to find a sure ana
pleasant pathway in the tangled maze