Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-04-02

taught by your humble servant, who
teaching previous to this term. The
greater part Of the pupils made salts
factory advancement. A few on ac-
count of absence, which was mostly
cause d by sickness, did not do the
work of regular attending scholars.
/ In No. s, the three terms we're taught
by Miss Emma Parlin of this town.
Miss Parlin had taught several terms
previously in this school. Her school
was quite large and she gave excellent
satisfaction as far as could learn.
In. No. 9, the summer term of eight
weeks was taught by Mrs. Mary
Stumpf of Charleston. She had taught
here several terms before, and the
only fault I could hear in regard to
this school was that the scholars had
been long enough to the same teacher
and desired a change. There was
some misunderstanding about the fall
term between the teacher and school
directors, and Miss Annie Cobleigh of
this town was placed in the school in
stead of Mrs. Stumpf. Miss Cobleigh,
do not think was quite as strict in
governing the school, but gained the
good will Of the pupils aud taught a
very acceptable term of school, The
winter term was taught by Miss Alice
Bean, Of whom have heretofore made
mention in No. 5. On my visit to this
school l found everything orderly;
the recitations were good. and every
thing Indicated that it was success
full term of school. Several of the
children in the district have long
distance to travel to attend school and
some of the taxpayers sent petition
to the school directors, asking to have
their children conveyed at the ex-
pense of the town. The directors, af
ter carefully considering the matter,
did not grant the request. Notwith
standing all the obstacles in the way,
the school prospered and it proved a
very successful term.
In No. II, the three terms, twenty
six weeks in all, were taught by Miss |
Bertha Hopkins of this town. The at
tendance was very small through the |
whole school year. The children
seemed to be interested in their stud
les and there seemed to be good order.
noticed quite an improvement in
their studies on my last visit to the
school.
On my visits to the schools l have
endeavored to note the methods en-
ployed by the teachers, and to make
such suggestions to teachers and
scholars as seemed necessary. The
schools, consider, taken as whole,
have been quite profitable, and with
the present facilities that we have for
educating the young, there is 70 ex-
cuse for children who grow up in ig-
norance, and become menace to the
community in which they live. In
stead, they should make men and wo-
men, who will make a community
better by, their living in it, 1t is a
fsct, that in many Of the towns
of the state, the men fitted to
hold town offices, and especially
school offices, are very few indeed.
All IrOIu UtlO WduU VI d ouu
cation. A man may be naturally in
telligent, but without education he is
at a great disadvantage in almost
every undertaking. Educate your
children, for there is nothing that we
can bestow upon them that will be so
valuable to them in after years as
liberal education. Properly speaking,
in every school there are three par
ties engaged, and the results depend
~~,+ hn 1f
teacher, pupils and parents, for with
out these three elements working har
moniously together, it is impossible
to achieve the desired results. What
appears very strange to me is that in
examining the visiting column in the
school registers I do not find half
dozen names of parents enrolled
thereon. This, in my opinion, is all
very wrong, for you have no right to
out making first a personal investi
cation. From the earliest history of
New England great attention has
been paid to education, common
schools having been established in
every town. You may travel in the
United States, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific from the Great Gulf to the
Great Lakes, and nowhere can you
find so perfect system of education
DIS We AdNO Ill OlO IN0W TO-
day. The future character of the peo-
pie of this state depends very much
on the efficiency Of the means provid-
ed for public education. Make the
common schools as useful as they can
be, and Vermont will continue to hold
it's present elevated position among
her sister states, and her people will
retain their present characteristics of
morality, intelligence, enterprise, and
patriotism.
Fl. H. TRACY, Supt.