Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-01-28


n,1pils in thrift inasmuch as thrift
was a characteristic of good citizen
ship in peace as well as war. Inc
second scheduled address of the even
inc was by Milo B. Hillegas, state
commissioner of education, on the
subject of present Educational Pro-
bIems in Vermont" DIR. Hillegas said
| in part that in these days of muddled
thinking the public school system re-
manned unchanged, but with an ever
growing realization that the hope Tor
| future betterment in the national lie
lies in the direction of the public
schools. Inasmuch as this is the
growing public belief, the teachers
must above all remain absolutely To-
val to the government, for 1T is
through them that the faith IN our
government must be taught.
The old order of things when the
| teachers were critized whatever they
did is past and the public is BEGIN
ming to realize the Importance OF the
teachers work Today other nations
are copying our school system and at
present in France our own principles
of education are more importnt IN
shaping French ideals than that of
exalt the dignity of teaching and try
: to keep others from leaving it. Rem
ember that the teacher sets the mark
and others follow. DR.. Hillegas en-
phasized the necessity of closer
cooperation between teacher and par
ent and advised that each teacher try
to have personal talk with the par
ents. While urging that teachers try
to interest others to enter the pro-
4fession, DIR. Hillegas expressed his
belief that at this time when the pub
/ lie is awake to the work OF the teach
ers that the profession of teaching
would receive a fairer remuneration,
that all over the country teachers are
being given better salaries and that
Vermont is following in line in this
respect The example in Barre was
cited where bonus of $500 had just
been granted through an increase
of fifty cents in the school tax making
total of $1.50 school tax and $500
total city tax. The country is facing
these new conditions fairly and the
teachers should continue to give the
same high standard of workmanship
that they have given in the past in
order that this new attitude may re-
main.
! At the morning session on Friday
it was announced that Rev. Frazer
Metzger and Mr.. George Wiley, the
I
were unable to be present and the
Prof. r. L. Jordan, of Dartmouth
college, Hanover, had been secured
in their stead. Prof. Jordan in spite
of travelling half the night gave a
most helpful discourse on 'How Tea
cheers Can Meet the Present Nation
al Emergencies in Education" Every
one should recognize that there are
today national emergencies. These
have existed in the past but it is only
recently that we have appreciated
what they really are. In the war il
was found that the u. S. is a nation
of 9th graders, that in the average
American, education was that of a 9th
grade pupil so far as actual school
ing was concerned. That there is
a surprising amount of illiteracy
that there is also a surprisingly large
number of physically deficient people
IN this country and that at present the
teaching profession was losing thou.
sands of its skilled teachers. This
I last condition was the most vital of al
the problems that confronts the ma
ton. The teachers who are leaving
the profession are the trained teach
) ers of the $780, 900 public school teach
? ers. From recent fluctuations from
( Washington there We're teaching in the
5 United States 100000 teachers who
2 have no techers training, $3.50 are
5 less than q years of age and 5000 Of
, them have only an Sth grade educa-
2 ton. This means 100000 American
5 children are under teachers who are
? both immature and unframed. i
this condition continues it means ma
5 tlonal disaster. A recent intelligence
? test to discerne the character of the
students entering teachers training
schools and other institutions O.
learning show that the average intel
llgence of the future teachers is 72T
while the future business men ant
otherwise is 92@o, whereas 10 year,
ago these figures were reversed.
The greatest help that the presen
teachers can render is to stay il
their profession, help train the un
trained and unskilled teachers that w,
find in our schools, exalt the dignit,
of the profession in order that other
may enter it, help to influence Con
2 gress in passing the Smith-Towne
bill now pigeonholed in Congress
2 CARRYING S5O,00O,000 for the advance
ment of school teachers salaries
5 Above all remember that YOU shoul
. act squarely with the pupil in orde
D that you do not turn him away from
: the teaching profession.
AT the close of Prof. Jordan
speech the convention broke up int
sections and discussed problems per
tinent to that part of teaching tina
each teacher was interested in. Owe
= each of these sections was a membe
from the state department of educa
ton and material assistance and sup
gestions were made relative to tn
solving of whatever problems tn
teacher was meeting.
The afternoon session was taken u
with discussion of the Vernon
Teachers Retirement Law by d.
Hillegas, a discussion on the schot
register, by Supt Erwin of Barton
The meeting closed with remarks b
Commissioner Hillegas and the teach
erS left feeling that in this meet