The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-10-28
VERMONT SCHOOLS
Report Of the State Superintendent
Mason S. Stone.

of schools for the biennial period is
just issued.
Probably no biennial period of the
past fifty years has been productive
Of a more healthy and encouraging
growth of interest in educational af
fairs than that just past, Mr.. Stone
says: The Grange has discussed It,
the Dairymen of the state have adopt
ed favorable resolutions, the atten-
dance at the State Teachers associa-
ton meetings was unprecedented and
there have been many calls for and
large attendance on the local meetings
held throughout the state.
This is a welcome and a needed
growth II has been fostered by the
attitude of Governor Proctor and the
Legislation OF the session of 1906 which
probably did more for this branch Of
the states welfare tnan any other ever
convened under the state government.
The supervision law was passed TO
do away with the waste and weakness
of administration, the Permanent
School Fund law was passed to secure
a more economical handling of the var
ious school funds and to relieve poor
towns; the Transportation law was en-
acted to encourage Capitalization and
to correct the defects of the small and
improbable schools; the high school
law was intended to standardize the
schools of this grade in the state to
secure more uniform results from the
expenditure of funds and the Entrance
Examination act was passed to deter
mine the fitness of pupils wishing to
have the town pay their tuition for
higher education.
A deep and broad foundation has
been laid for future growth. but there
is still weak link mat bars perfect
school system This weakness is a
lack of skilled labor The people OF
the state want and are willing to sup
port good schools because they real
iZe that such an institution is an in
vestment while a poor school is a tax.
The teachers are not at fault, II is the
state, which is responsible for the chill
dren of the commonwealth and should
be held to the duty Of training teach
ers.
The matter may be summed up thus
Better facilities for training will pro
duce better teachers; better teachers
will produce better satisfaction; bet
ter satisfaction will produce better
wages nd better wages will produce a
better supply OF teachers.
The matter should be traced to the
following sources, the ART OF training
teachers. the incompetence of the pre-
sent teaching force and the inadequacy
of our present normal school system.
The fact that the child mind is sus-
ceptible TO Influences TO "a far greater
degree than the adult is we'll known
the results Of improper handling OF
that mind is easily seen Only II per
cent of the teachers of the elementary
schools OF the state have received any
training. less than 40 per cent of the
teachers of the rural ungraded schools
have received any training In Maine
The percentage for the elementary
schools Is Is. New Hampshire Il,
Rhode Island 10. and Massachusetts,
80 These figures speak for themseE
YES. To- the detriment OF Vermont. The
other states, already far ahead OF us.
are striving TO better their conditions
and this state must adopt a better sys-
tenn or deprive her children of the
precious advantages rightfully their
due
The state is trying to support three
schools OF the normal grade and the
support is discreditably small. Each
OF them is given the beggardly allow
ance of $500 annually No other
state north of Mason and DiXon's line
or east OF the Mississippi is so impe-
cunious I'm the matter OF training teach
ers Maine New Hampshire all Of
the New England states appropriate
over ten thousand and New York al
lows $4,000 for each of her normal
schools
The teachers are unframed. the
students require. in many cases, elem
entary training. the buildings are in
adequate and are far inferior to the
penal and insane buildings. the atten-
dance has been falling OF since the
Tuition act was passed as many OF
the possible students take advantage
of that law and receive secondary
training in institutions where they are
nearer home
These schools were established In
1867 and were a, that time able TO
meet the conditions now they are
out OF date, cuf Of the line Of travel
and out of their period OF usefulness.
They do not AFFORD h7 conditions that
go TO max, .lccy ssful training
school
The ideal system would probably be
found In ono Two high grade normal
| Industrial schools and several sub
normal or training schools In connec.
ton with the high schools and acad'
emies OF the first class. These lat
ter would prove here, rs they have
elsewhere practical and profitable
adjunct TO both the high schools and
! the normal schools They would al
low the pupils Of the upper classes OF
| the secondary school TO select "a course
| fitting them for the normal school. TO
be taught by graduates Of the normal
schools The result would be two
! fold. The normal schools would have
better prepared pupils and the normal
graduates would have better training
Three facts should bee borne In
mind All young women engaged In
teaching intend to marry Therefore
teaching Is not lifework. This be-
| ing true. they will not spend two
years In training for the occupation
when their wages and chances for po
sitions are not greatly benefited there
| by u is the duty of the state and
should be its aim 20 so train these
successive relays OF workers that they
can render service Tar superior to that
now given IN much too great a mum
Der of rural schools. lly physical tea
lures. location of travel routes aud
occupation of the inhabitants Yer
mont Is the parallel of New York
which state has the above mentioned
system Of central normal and sub nor