Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-16
SECONDARY EDUCATION
Conference of Vermont Schools
with State University.
Addresses ana Discussions Mt WoroinS
and Afternoon Srssiows--ScbooI-
masters banquet In the Eve
Ming At The Shcrw God.

The eleventh annual conference of the
e,hools OF Vermont with the State uni
rersity opened Friday morning al $3.50
o'clock In the Williams Science hall
The morning session Was opened by
President Guy j. Benton, who introduced
Dr. 4. S. Downing, assistant commits
sioner of education in the state of New
York.
Commissioner Downing delivered the
principal speech OF the days session. The
subject of his address as assigned on the
program was THE organization of
Secondary Education" but the commits
sioner took exception to tho word ',rc-
organization" as applied to secondary
.duca ton. He said he had such a verera-
ton for the wisdom of The educational
pioneers, that he believed the principles
upon which they built would stand for
ell time. Consequently, he substituted
for the word re org anization'' the term
"read justment." The problem before
secondary school education is that Of
adapting the present system to our
changing conditions. and this by a
gradual process rat than by revolu-
tonarv methods,
In defining the function OF the high
school, the speaker combated the
philosophy of education which makes the
need Of tho individual pivotal. IN
silvidualisn Is what is ailing the nation
to-day"
The needs of the community arc
paramount. The individual pupils need
though important. is n secondary con
slderation. The speaker defined the high
school as the index of the effort made
on the part of the community to supply
itself with its own directive power" He
opposed the extreme Vocationalists in
secondary education. who would attempt
70 At each adolescent boy or girl into
his or her own peculiar niche in the life
echeme.
He also made a special plea for the adj
tustnent Of the educational system 50
that a country boy who could attend school
only during the winter term might he
.served and not as in the present system,
Handicapped and dismissed.
Himself a teacher OF many years serv-
Zee, DR.. Downing said that the hours of
teaching in a school day We're too short and
he vacation periods too long. compared
with the demand OF the other learned pro-
fessons This assertion. he said, was
made for the reason that It was better
+ = the teacher TO set his own educational
hOuSe III OTNeI, rather tll30 nave II done
for him by Iaymcn, for that would surely
como TO pass
Superint endent r. W. Wallace Of F,nos-
burg Falls spoke on The Problem ~
Administration. The Problem OF col
lege Entrance" was discussed by r. G..
Reynolds of tho state department Of
education, Ralph 4. Eaton OF Mortified
and Miss Margaret Tiley of ESSEX juno
Mon. Following the discussion luncheon
was served I'm the gymna stun.
PROBLEM OF COLLEGE ENTRANCE;
The afternoon session was taken up
with A further discussion of the Prob
lem OF College Entrance" by Prof James
j.. McConAughy OF Dartmouth who
defined the Dartmouth scheme Of ad-
trdssion and explained why Dartmouth
has withdrawn from tho group Of col
leges which accept certificates from the
graduat es of schools on the approved
list Dean Roberts OF Norwich spoke I'm
place Of President Ira i. Reeve. Of Nor
Nich who Was scheduled as the next
speaker. Other speakers were Dean f. T.
Wiley OF Middcburv aud Professor Max