The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-06-11
EFFICIENCY IN INSTRUCTION

as system and organization exist eff.
cheney is secured.
In matters educational no less than
in other perhaps more than
in some other affajrs-united, intelli-
gent, systematic and painstaking la
Dor is absolutely necessary to insure
good and adequate results - results
adequately compensatory not only for
time and money Immediately ex-
pended in school instruction. but also
in the primary provision made by
by government, and secondarily by the
towns, to insure schools that shall
meet the great end and purpose of
education. In proportion as the work
in the school room is deficient, the
plans of government. general and
local. fail and it's expenditures are
wasted
In the State at large the superin =
tendent of education is diligent in
organizing, putting into operation
and giving effective force to the
means and agencies supplied him by
the State government for the per-
formance of his official duties. These
he supplements with other and per-
sonal expedients and instrumental.
ties to give practical effect to school
instruction. He is vigorous, intelli-
gent and entirely capable admins
TRAITOR of his office of superintendent of
education - an exemplar for local
superintendent and for instructors,
from primary departments up.
These predatory observations have a
local application. Montpelier has ex-
pended a large sum in providing
school buildings, For immediate
school instruction the city pays annu-
ally another large sum of money and
makes further considerable expendi-
ture for text books, for the transporta-
tion of pupils and the incidental
expenses of maintaining it's school
system. 1t is the end of the school
year. AT the close of a business year
the man of affairs takes an account of
stock and of business conditions, and
considers how he may increase the
product and profits of his plant
his Investment So ought the school
commissioners to inquire into the
profitableness of the costly educational
plant whose affairs they administer.
and take forethought as to the
means of improving it's output in
the future. The board hires superin.
tendent, who is also an instructor,
and under him thirty-one other in
strnctors. On what basis are superin-
tendent and teachers engaged, or re-
engaged after a period of service?
1t on the score of efficiency in in
structng how is this efficiency ascer-
tained? OF course on no other ground
should preference be given, and where
reasonable standard of practical eff
cheney has not been maintained new
candidates ought to be considered.
On their part, the commissioners
ought to encourage the incoming of
instructors-from the head !
down through all the grades by the
payment of liberal wages. An in |
efficient teacher, at any price, is the !
most ruinous investment school |
board can make.
Here in the schools of Montpelier
are thirty two instructors. including
the principal. The State superin-
tendent of education is marshalling
the teachers in county associations,
in the State association, in summer
schools of instruction, to equip and
drill them to secure efficiency in in
His jurisdiction, except
as an adviser, does not extend to the
These have their
own superintendent In a school
having thirty two instructors the
local superintendent has the oppor-
tunity-it is his manifest duty-to
organize his subordinates, to hold
periodic meetings for conference, for
report, for advice, for suggestion and
instruction. The Journal is credibly |
nCu tldb lO SuCi tx
lists in the Montpelier school; that
each department. is practically a sep
arate school; that organized supervis-
ion does not exist; supervision is
either incidental or perfunctory it is !
not an active, controlling, regnant
force. II this is the real state of |
things it is something for the COM |
missioners to consider in making their
plans for the future management of |
the school; and it is for them to con-
slider, also, to what extent perfunctori-
ness exists in the instruction in the !
various departments. No teacher,
whatever the experience in point of
time. can successfully instruct who |
does not spend as much time out of |
school in preparation for each days |
duties as is spent in school. That is
a general proposition. 1t is a mat.
ter for supervision; it is an important |
matter for official consideration in |