Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-13

ceive your favorable consideration
Both parties are committed to the
same promises as to the employers
liability bill will not detain you by
repcatii.. the arguments advanced in
behalf Of this measure. The public
press has reiterated them time and
again, and during the last campaign
both parties wero obligated to this meas
ure, and ] earnestly recommend that this
obligation he kept and that tho legisla-
tion promised be enacted.
There Is another labor question. So
called. which / trust will receive at
tention by this assembly, viz. Law
providing for some equitable form Of
arbitration in labor difficulties, and my
suggestion would be. some enactment
similar to the Canadian law. believe
that some effective legislation along this
line would inure greatly 10 the minins
and manufacturing industries Of oui
State. and to the laborers as well.
The question may arise ms to the
constitutionalty of this latter measure
and. II so, this would be an opportunc
time for the consideration Of this subject
EDUCATION.
There Is no subject Of moro vital i'm e.
portance to the welfare and better
mont OF our State than that Of tho
education of our children A State ia
not esteemed most for its wealth nor
Its rapid Increase in population. nor
for Its physical attractions or natural
resources, but 1t is przcd and respect
cd above all for the Intelligence and
| character of Its people. THAT they
might better promote these nrd render
/ each succeeding generation better
equipped for It's life work than It's pre-
deressor, our fathers provided for n
system Of free public education.
/ For many years every Legislature
| has cndcavorei to do something to
strengthen our educational system
and it remains for the Assembly OF
/ 1870 to contribute to the work and Of
I Ter TO the children Of our state the
/ best advantages possible along educa-
ton lines.
The children are the subjects of our
ambition, and the teacher is the in
/ struincnt for their betterment. II the
teacher T. not fully equipped for the
/ task. what are the results? My fea,
is that our system Is the weakest
whore It should be the strongest
namely, in it's teachers in our rura
schools
Vermont employs a larger percentage
OF unframed teachers than any Other
New England State. the percentage be
: ing about IS per cent More thar
, three fourths of our teachers. then
are unframed In Rhode Island or
/ the other hand. less than one third OF
the teachers are not trained for thcir
work
our fathers ere proud of the fac
that AS to the education of her children
Vermont of all the States in the Union
was second only 10 Massachusetts
but to-day We have fallen to a dis
creditably low rank and are on leve
with some of the southern States
These facts do not make pleasan
reading. but they are facts and W,
cannot alter them by closing our eyes
( The time has come when we mus
look the situation squarely in the face
find out the trouble and begin to rem
edy II at It's source.
Upon one thing. all who have inves
tiEated the educational conditions il
! Vermont are agreed. viz. if we are t,
keep pace with the progress of othel
States. and indeed if we are not L
actually rctrograde. the standard o.
our rural schools must lie decided,
raised And the standard Of the ;,
schools depends largely upon the eff
cheney of the teachers IN them.
The trouble at present Is not in tn,
character md natural philit, Of h,
teachers in our country schools. but II
their lack Of training. Reference ha!
already been made to the very larg,
percentage of unframed teachers II
our schools to-day. In this age o
special training for every pursuit
there is not another walk in life wher,
such a condition would he tolerated
and yet the education Of our children
lies at the foundation Of all progress
The difficulty with our present sit
uation, which at once presents itself
il the lack of training facilities 70
those who wish 10 become teachers.
our normal schools, three in mum
Der. draw their pupils TO large en-
tent from tho communities immedi
atcly around them. and the effect t.
shown in the percentage of trained
teachers in the rural schools in diff
fercnt parts Of the state.
For example. in Rutland county
whore one Of the Normal schools j.
situated. excluding the city OF Rutlan,
and West Rutland. the percentage u
trained teachers is four times us grea
as in Windham county. which has H.
normal school, excluding Brattlebor
Lot, Ill, linn i.,,,
of the pupils in attendance at each o
the normal schools is drawn from tn
town in which they are situated an
the towns Immediately around them
1t is no more than fair. then. Z
other parts Of the state. and it is alb
solutely necessary. IL we are to hrin.
our schools throughout the State "
70 anything like an even standa I'd
provision should be made for traininl
teachers in each section.
Excellent results have been obtain
ed in other States by establishin
training courses in connection wit
high schools and academies under tn
supervision and direction Of the stat
department Of public instruction.
! therefore recommend that tn
Legislature appropriate sufticien
sum to establish training courses l.
the principal high schools and acad
cmics where the towns are willing I
CO. operate by contributing in u prop
e. proportion to their maitenanc,
giving to the State the immediate con
troll and supervision of these course
and the power to determine wher
they shall he installed and how Ion
continued with but little expens,
4 = 80, Of tanchars