The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-23
Teacher Training Work

Reformer contains the following let
ter written by Principal E. b. Smith
Of that village, critcizing the teach
er training courses recently estab
lished in most OF the counties of the
state:
'As no time was given for discus
sion at the Vermont Forward Move
ment meeting in Grange hall Monday
afternoon, may | take up little
space in your paper this week in com
mentng on one prominent feature in
the educational program as laid out
for the state of Vermont at the pre-
sent time? | refer to the emphasis
that is being placed on the teachers
/ training courses established in high
schools, beginning last September
, The Brattleboro high school did not
then want such course and does not
today The law provides for the APP
pointment of special teacher by the
state superintendent OF education;
the state pays $500 towards the teach
er's salary and 5000 must be paid by
town or district. A class OF at least
ten members must be furnished the
teacher, the pupils being made up OF
seniors or post graduates. After one
years training, graduates of these
courses may receive a certificate TO
teach for a period of three years
Now, ! maintain that such a meth.
cd of dealing with the problem of a
scarcity OF teachers for the rural
schools Is a mere makeshift. II
means that the State OF Vermont is
sending out immature, inexperienced
Gin lifel young women-girls, in fact
Ito grapple with the most serious
educational lob" in the state today
the rehabilitation OF the rural
school, The state OF Vermont ought
TO take bigger strides in its march
toward the goal OF educational efici.
ency. The teacher training course is
mighty short step.
The legislature should serve notice
on every town and school district in
the state that in three years no new
teacher should be employed unless
she is a secondary school graduate
with az least two years OF profession.
al training. And the place for such
professional training is not in the
high schools but in the Normal
schools. The state would have to
assume the burden of extra wages to
such teachers-the small town could
not do II. Under some such arrange
ment the Normal schools of Vermont
would then amount TO something.
They have been Justly criticised in
the past for their shortcomings but
the fault has not lain with the Nor
NAL schools or their immediate mig.
gardly policy OF trying to make some
thing out OF nothing. Give the Nor.
NAL school funds to equip their build
ings and TO hire the best teachers In
the Normal school market and then
the state will have a right to expect
something from teachers trained in
Vermont Normal schools"
The answer TO this criticism that
suggests itself most naturally is that
II the teacher training system is a
makeshitt Il is a long step In ad. |
vance over conditions that hereto |
fore have prevailed and that II seems
10 be the best that can be obtained |
az present for the rural schools. In
the past some Normal graduates have |
taught In the rural schools for a few
terms, but rather as a temporary ex.
pedient than as settled policy. With |
the raising of the Normal school |
standard very few graduates are |
hkely TO teach in the country dis. |
tricts. They will be fitted for more |
advanced work and the rural school
wage VIII not appeal to them.
According to the report of the
state superintendent OF education for
the last biennial period there were
maintained In Vermont. In 1910 249s
public schools. Deducting from this
number the 6s7 graded schools of
the state there are left 1896 rural
schools During the school year 1909
10 there were graduated from the
three Normal Schools OF Vermont 6S
pupils. Since that time the Randolph
Normal School has been transformed
into a State Agricultural School and
the standard required for graduation
has been raised. which will reduce
the number OF Normal School grad.
yates, for a few years. at least.
Even though the State turned out
SO Normal School graduates every
year, the number teaching In rural
schools would be exceedingly small.
compared with the 1880 schools need.
ing help. The law now permits the
establishment OF fifteen teachers
training departments, and each must
have at least ten pupils, or a total OF
100. This represents at the minimum
number required more than twice as
many trained teachers as the Normal
Schools turned out In 19O91O. More.
over they are trained particularly for
the rural schools and the average
Normal School graduate is looking
toward work In graded schools.
For the maintenance OF the two
Normal Schools the State appropri.
ates $4,000 annually. Fifteen teacher
training departments at $500 each the
amount the State pays the teachers
for such departments cost $1,000 In