Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-16

serious fault on the part Of teachers is
the confinement to the text books. both
In the assignment OF lessons and the
asking of questions The subject should
he taught rather than the text book and
the teacher who can ne divorced from
the text book is the one who can make
the subject interesting and hold the at
tention OF the pupils.
At the superin.endents conference.
conducted by State Superintendent Stone.
three points were urged upon the district
superintendents First the augmenta.
ton Of the interest on the part OF the
parents. II the schools of Vermont wee
to be Judged by the interest manifested
~ the parents they are total failure.
BY this it should not be inferred that
parents are not Interested On the con-
trary they are highly interested in the
training of their children: but their IN
terest does not disclose itself in any out
ward or tangible manner. Most parents
probably neglect the school for the rea-
son that they are unacquainted with the
art Of teaching and, hence. they are
more or less timd about visiting. In
most schools visits are so rare that the
children are unable to keep a their nor
nal work In order to drop down the
barrier between home and school the
following suggestions were made
First-That parents day be OBJ
served occasionally on which the par
ents were invited to school to see the
regular work and thar as the teacher
proceeds with the reading, geography.
or drawing she make explanations to
in they
understand why certain things are
now done as they are.
Second-That exhibitions be given
occasionally on an evening, not sim
ply for the sake OF the exhibition or
for the training that IT may AFFORD
the pupils, but rather to get the peo-
pie into the school room in order that
they may be familiar with the place.
Third-That exhibits be made of the
different kinds of woods or wild flow-
ers or plates of birds or soils or other
things that pertain to nature. AT
these exhibits essays should be read
pertaining to the uses of the different
woods their values pertaining TO the
service Of certain brds which have
been maligned such as the robin, ce-
dar waXwing. the hawk and the crow
to the process of eliminating weeds
and to the cultivation of useful soil
1t was recommended to the superin-
tendents that in each union some COM
munity be encouraged to build an an
mex to the school in which various
kinds OF manual labor may be carried
on as In work shop Likewise II
was recommended that in connection
with each school there be attached
sufficient area for the study OF soils
and grass.
Superintendent were also urged 10
encourage the farmers to give to their
boys small areas OF land on which to
work; to study the soil. to learn It's
adaptibilities. the kind OF fertilizers
needed the hest crops, to keep notes
concerning the cultivation and then
at the end OF the fall term these prod
ucts should be brought into the school
room and the school beard should give
a prize to the boy who raises the best
bushel of oats, potatoes or corn, and
essays should be read concerning THEN
cultivation.
A definite effort should be made to-
ward overcoming present ignorance
existing in Vermont concerning the
soils and fertilizers, to prevent the
tremendous wastage that at present is
tolerated.
A second point made by Superintendent
Stone WAS to the effect that the schoo!
house should be the social center OF the
community. II GENERALIZATION stands for
anything It should mean a higher unity
OF purpose on the part Of the people. In
connection with every central school
there should be hall This should be
the common resort OF the people In this
hall they should meet for social pur-
poses, fov musical entertainments, for
exhibitions, for spelling matches and for
exhibitions Of all kinds. The barges used