St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-10-27
Teachers Convention.
Address by a St. JOhnSbury
Woman.

The annual convention of the Vermont
State Teachers Association held in Bur
lington last week was one of the largest
ever held in the state, there being total
registration of 1858. Is was also char
acterlzed by important action by the
body resolutions having been adopted
favoring the enactment of laws proVid-
ing a tenure of office in the teachers pro-
fession, a minimum wage, and some sys-
TEN of pensions, in favor of medical in
spection in the public schools, and de-
ploring the disposition of parents to rele-
gate moral training to the schools
These officers were elected: President,
E. G. Ham of Randolph; vice president,
E. b. Smith of Brattleboro; treasurer,
D. T. Page of Bakersfield; secretary, A.
H. Hartman of Middlebury; executive
committee, E. NJ. Roscoe, chairman, of
Springfield, G. S. Wright of St. Adams,
A. E. futile OF Bellows Falls.
School MistreSseS Meeting.
Another important feature of the con-
yention was the annual meeting and
action of the School Mistresses club
which changed its name to The Vermont
Women Teachers Club. At the organ
ization two years ago its object was
purely social. 1t has been thought how
ever, that the club should now stand for
something higher. The organizations OF
women i'll the National Educational AS
ISOLATION and in many states are becom-
ing power in educational circles.
Hence it was decided that the purpose OF
this club should hereafter be to promote
among teachers livelier interest in the
educational questions OF the day.
A committee that for the past year has
been investigating conditions of teach
ers' salaries in the state, gave report
| of much interest, summary OF which
will appear later. The club is to make
further study of minimum salary laws,
pension and annuity laws as operative
in states having such legislation, hoping
to arouse enthusiasm that shall eventu.
ally lead to such a monument in Yer
mont.
One Of the prime features of the club
under its new constitution is to provide
for the annual meeting a speaker OF note
who shall present phases of new and pro-
RISSSlNC IIONCHIClllS dIOHS SuuCdlloutl
lines in order to stimulate among teach.
ers keener interest in methods for the
betterment of our public schools. St
Johnsbury is glad to have furnished the
first one to give such an address. This
lecture by DR.. Alice E. Wakefield on "The
Need of Medical Inspection in the Public
Schools" was handled in an able and
convincing manner. She called attention
to existing conditions as shown by local.
tiles where medical inspection is compul-
sorry, emphasizing the great need of the
preventive measures that such legisla-
ton provides. 1t was also noted that
those centers which have made the great.
est progress in educational work are the
ones most actively interested in this
feature that is forcing itself upon the at
tention OF leading educators in all coun-
tries.
The officers elected for the coming year
are: president. Miss Amy B. Drake of St.
Johnsbury; vice president, Miss Sarah
Martin of Burlington; secretary, Miss
Reed of Vergennes; treasurer Miss Efhe
Moore of Burlington; executive commit