Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-04-08
Com munic alton.
of the Middlebury Register /:

Editor of the Middlebury Register
May have space to make a few ex-
plantations concerning the proposition of
an arrangement between the school
district and the college in connection
with Middlebury high school l learn
that there has been some misapprehen-
sion of what is really proposed, but
ment suggested will be to the advantage
of the district as we'll as for the good of
the college.
In the first place let me say that
understand perfectly that it is not the
business of the district to contribute
to the support of the college in the
slightest extent. ! would not for a mo-
ment think of suggesting any scheme
by which money raised from taxation
should find its way into the treasury of
the college for the carrying on of col
lege work. The plan is in no sense
proposition to foist upon the community
any part of the burden of the support of
the college.
By action Of the legislature of 1908
the State of Vermont established in our
college department of pedagogy for
the training of high school teachers.
The college now receives $4,000 year
for this purpose. This money provides
for two professors who devote their
time to special courses designed to be of
benefit to college students who are to
become principals and teachers in high
schools and superintendent of educa
ton, and pays the other expenses of the
department Rooms have been set
apart for the accommodation of the de-
partment and the foundation of a good
library has been laid.
We desire to conduct this department
in practical manner for the good of
Vermont, since it is the people of Yer
mont who pay the bills. We have in
mind the training of young men and
women for positions within the borders
of the state, not with view to work in
the large cities or in towns in other
states. We desire further to make the
training as practical as possible, and to
this end we propose to follow the nor
NAL school practice of sending the ad-
vanced pupils of this department into
schools of the vicinity to observe how
the work is there carried on and to learn
from actual experience under trained
direction, what their future work is
to be.
The arrangement we wish to make
with the district is to furnish specially
trained and selected students of this
department, seniors only, for part of
the teaching in the local high school, as
may be arranged by the principal of the
high school in conference with our pro-
fessors. We do not intend to make any
charge whatever for this service and
the arrangement will not cost the dis
trict a cent of money. On the con-
trary, it should in year or two at least
enable the district to save money, since
our department can easily provide
teachers for whom the district would
otherwise be obliged to pay.
Only those best qualified as teach
eTS, anu WHO Will ~ OUT III dHOliltI
year to receive good wages for services
no better than those they will give
without cost to the Middlebury school,
will be allowed to have part in the in
struction. The work will be consecu-
tive in the several courses, and it is not
at all proposed that a class should have
one teacher one day and another the
next Any student teacher who does not
prove satisfactory, to whom objections
may be made by the principal of the high
school or the members of the Prudential
Committee, will be Immediately with
drawn. The College cannot afford not
to give complete satisfaction in the in
struction it provides for the District.
DIR. Collins, head of our department,
has had five years experience in charge
of normal school, which had a similar
arrangement to that now proposed, and
under his control the cooperation be-
tween the normal school and the district
grew steadily in popular favor. Profess
sor Mcfarland, who would be in active
direction of the student teaching, was
brought to MiddIebnry from the princi
palship of the public high School of It'll
AGA, N. Y, where he had charge of one
of the largest and most successful
schools in the Empire State.
have proposed the arrangement for
student teaching above outlined in the
sincere belief that it will bring to the
village of Middlebury a proportionate