The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-05-06
The Next Step In School Improvement.
BY j. W. NEWTON.

No more important interest is under
the care of the state than the schools.
Nearly eight hundred thousand dollars
are raised annually for the support of
the schools of Vermont. About $4,000
children are being taught liz her 2, 1884
public schools. Probably no more i'm
portant question will come before the
next legislature than that of improving
the schools. Every citizen ought to be
deeply interested in this matter. The
schools largely determine the future of
the state, and the standing of the COM
ing men and women. 1t is of the
greatest importance, in view of all these
facts, that school improvement be dis
cussed by the people of this state.
There are some who have given the
subject careful study, and who have
we'll defined plans for the betterment
of the schools. Then there are many
who are interested, but who have not
had opportunities for learning the
newer and better methods. Still others
are from nature, education and habit
opposed to any change, especially if it
adds mill to their taxes. Hence those
who have plans for the good of the
schools need to be enthusiastic and az
gressive.
The friends of the new methods have
very much 10 encourage them. Some
of the best-informed authorities tell us
hat 90 H.,
tional progress than any other state.
The Legislature has responded grandly to
the friends of education and seconded
their efforts. We expect, with good
reason, that no backward steps will be
taken, and that such measures as are
demanded by the educational interests
of the state will receive proper atten-
ton. 1t is realized that the one weak
point in our present school system is
the superintendency There is no other
way to secure the best schools than to
place them in charge of skilled superin-
tendents.
This officer, when properly qualified,
doubles the efficiency of the schools in
his care. The teachers make the
schools, and skilled superintendent
make skilled teachers. Very many of
our teachers are unframed in the art of
teaching. They need oversight, crit
cism, advice, suggestion, encourage
ment All these the skilled superintend-
ent gives. 1t is easy to see what power
this officer can be in sustaining, direct
ing, guiding and restraining the teach
ers. He supplies just the help they
need. But this is by no means all that
he does. The people of Vermont need
to be infused with what we may call the
school spirit. They need to take far
more interest in the schools and in edu-
cation and school methods. They need
educating up to much higher standard
of educational intelligence. And there
is probably no other way in which this
can be done 80 well as by the presence
and work Of the skilled superintendent.
1t is true that the reading of a good ed
ucational periodical is very great help
in this direction. and if teachers would
take the Journal of Education and read
it regularly it would be of the greatest
advantage to them. 1t is not too much
to say that every school director, super
intendent and teacher ought to read
this great educational paper. The great
trouble with the people is that other in
terests crowd out the schools from their
minds, and they need wide-awake
man or woman, full of enthusiasm for
the schools and for the best educational
methods, to come among them and stir
them up, awaken their interest, get
them enthused and filled with the school
spirit. The superintendent should de-
vote his whole time to his work among
the schools and the people, going among
the latter especially during vacations.
This, then, is the great educational
need of Vermont: to so change and
amend the present law that skilled su-
perintendents will be the rule, so that
every community will be brought under
their influence and elevated accord