The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-08-05

| al believe in so much education as Is
furnished by our seminaries, for all our
young people; for anything beyond that, 1
am not enthusiastc." These were the
words of a man whose son has recently
| graduated from college, as he stood, few
days ago, looking out upon the spacious and
beautiful campus of the Montpelier Semin-
ary Probably he was feeling his sons
heavy bills too deeply just then to estimate
fairly his college education. A few years
from now, when the son has made his mark
in the world the higher education will be
more highly valued.
There is significant truth in the remark
above quoted The seminary education is
| more generally useful, and it is within the
easy reach of nearly all. A recent nvesti-
CATION revealed the fact that very large
! proportion OF Vermonts distinguished men
were academy boys, and never went far
| Their than the academy. There is a reason
for this. OF course, college education was
not so common few years ago as it is now
! and the common schools were not so etii-
cient; but the seminary occupies most i'm
| portant middle ground between the two.
| Its value as an educator is due not merely
to its courses of study, but equally to its
| broad, wholesome, inspiring tone, so well
calculated to produce independence, ambi-
ton and moral responsibility Manly men
/
one who is familiar with the seminary at
mosphere will testify to its stimulating
character The seminary is an excellent
place for even the high school graduate to
! spend year or two.
The time was when secluded places were
sought for the location of institutions of
learning That time has gone by, and the
university is now located at the metropolis.
The scholar was then regarded as recluse,
| a book-worm, a hermit, whose time was to
o., Id
The world was nothing to him, and, conse-
quently he was nothing to the world. All
that is no more. The scholar is to live
among men, to minge in political affairs,
to use his knowledge for the good of his
felow-men. He ought, therefore TO be edu-
| Gated among men, at or near the great CEN
ters of civilization.
For this reason the state capital is an eX-
cellent place for secondary school. Here
the student has an opportunity to observe
the ways of the chief gathering of the state,
to attend its legislative sessions, many OF
its polite receptions and social occasions,
and to learn much of the ways of society
and of state. He can also attend the SEES
| sions of the county and supreme courts and
become familiar with legal processes. The
conventions of political parties the fire.
quent gatherings Of the great religious bod
les, the public libraries and reading-rooms,
lectures and sermons by the ablest talent,
! musical conventions and concerts, and the
| innumerable occurrences of note at such q
center are all educators Of no mean value.
And yet Seminary Hill is as quiet as a
country village; indeed, more so than the
most of such villages and more free from
communicating influences.
Every school is, in one aspect, business
enterprise, and therefore efficient supervls-
ion, by men of business ability, is essen
tial. A glance at the catalogue OF the Mont
peier Seminary is enough to show that it is
in the hands of an unusually competent
body of men. At the head of the Trustees
stands the name OF Hon. W. p. Dillingham;
Among those which follow are Senator
Redfeld Proctor, Hon. n. w. Fisk and
Hon. DIN Merrill with Others of equal
ability, The clergy are represented by
Sherburn and w. r, Davenport. The
board is well balanced, containing variety
of talent, which secures attention to all the
varied interests of the school.
In addition to the above, there is also &
Board of Conference Visitors and College
Examining Committee. This committee
consisted last year OF representatives o.
three of our best New England colleges
Wesleyan, Dartmouth and the University
of Vermont. After thoroughly examining
the work of the school, during two days
they made the following report, for thu
benefit Of the public:
MONTPELIER, VT, May 20, 1896.
, "To the Principal and Trustees Of tn
, Montpelier SenliR1ry:-As Examining Com
mittee of the Seminary, we wish to express
to you our great satisfaction at the presen
condition of the institution. The schoo
seems to be composed Of students who ar
, faithful, jealous and earnest to make TIN
4 most of themselves physically, mental.
: and morally. The courses OF study are ad
: mraby arranged, and the instruction seem
l very efficient and thorough The Who'll,
y | ~ ba uchno1 10 aupb 40 m TN
I committee that this institution offers thor
l ough education in preparation for college
y for business, or for the duties OF life.
o "PRoF. ELMER TRUEsDELL MERRILL,
: Wesleyan University
y PROF FRED PARKER EMERY,
Dartmouth College
PROF. M. II. BUCKHAM,
University of Vermont
A detailed report to the Board of Trustee
N was equally commendatory.
% In estimating schools, the courses
u study and the makeup of the faculty shout
> be carefully scrutinized. 1t makes a gre'
= difference whether course OF study Is sho
" and meager, or liberal and full The MN
mum length tor high school, as now pr
scribed by the State OF Vermont, is foI
4, years Anything less than this is belo
70 the lowest standard, and this is the lea
$ amount which ought TO be regarded as
!, sufficient basis for normal training, or Il
- huiulh6lOH W tOil'Eos Assam ~ 'N'NN'
's great difference whether the instruction
10 given by two or three comparatively u
@ educated and inexperienced teachers wi
9. must teach everything and therefore
~ specialists in nothing, or by strong for
ID Of highly. cultured and experienced teae
ers, who are specialists in their several d
IN parments.
10 The shortest literary course at Montpeli
W Seminary is four years, and preparalo
10 course Of one year in the common Englii
a 10 ra1 an mi
to dents are admitted to the courses at al
90 point for which they are prepared, and a
III allowed to select special studies, II they pr
~ fer to do So The faculty consists OF t.
&C. teachers the character of whose work CT
IS be inferred from the report of the collie
committee quoted above.