Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1914-01-16

lowing
the state superintendent Office visiting of the
superintendent order conception the spirit of the school
system and to what facts readily available.
happened that the schools had vacation during the
this April study
Elementary different
of study that had obtained When the schools again ses-
a supervisory district
devoted intensive examination of the attendance of pupils the
study the quality of instruction. the extent and character
general condition buildings
equipment Especial attention given to the rural schools Of the
twentye teachers visited during these days. thirteen
schools From this time until the schools closed the early part
OF June visits were planned that all parts OF the state were seen
every type of school and community observed yve
days spent visiting schools The difficulty
visits necessary in schools but recaos each subject
observed reasonably be assumed that neither the
best the very poorest schools proportion
of all the schools teachers visited adequate
general conception of the actual condition and operation the
The conclusions reached this have been verified possible
manner Not only teachers and other school
officers freely consulted but also merchants DOCTORS and others whose
relation to their communities them opportunity know and
judge the schools wisely
During
the registers of the school 191-12 the secretary
registers
and foyx towns cities the state forwarded From
these registers possible determine the regularity of the pupils
attendance the pupils the number of inexperienced teachers
the number of teachers who their schools the certificates
of the teachers and the number of visits made by the superintendent
2. Standards of Judgment
At the beginning enquiry necessary
upon at least some OF the standards that shall be employed in judging
the schools these standards determine the initial selection of facts
for study and the approach to them
One standard that often used based customary general
practice Thus the various states the order of their
capita for education glance will show the relative position
of this particular the topics that judged by
this comparative standard the attendance pupils the emphasis
put various subjects shown by time aomn and the
treated the the efficiency of the teaching
shown by the training salaries of teachers and the
general efficiency the schools shown by the percentages those
who remain school and of those who regularly from grade to
grade The quality of instruction sometimes the basis
of examination marks obtained by pupils school
with those secured by pupils who take the examinations other
schools.
This comparative standard has the merit of dntenes 1t also
keeps attention focused actual practice thus avoid the
influence of opinion and theory When applied particular school
system schools this defects
AS derived from the facts that intended to
the heuness of judgments reached this must depend
the extent to which the systems that compared mbody
principles Such standard further assists presenting but
does interpret them that the defects discovered this
too often merely effects rather than the Moreover emph
uniformity without due consideration of the conditions that should
egmatey produce variation 1t is likely pupils for their
knowledge of school subjects rather than ability deal with
facts Finally the conclusions reached by the this standard
likely undue dissatisfaction the systems that
high particulars although they yet be great need
of improvement
Occasionally those who have had large experience either conducting
schools observing studying educational conditions have been
asked to state their regarding the efficiency school
system schools Their conclusions valid only to the extent