The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-10
TEACHER TRAINING
BILLS CONSIDERED
CONTINUED from first page)

follow. cone was the refusal of the
state to continue the normal schools
The other was the existence on the
statute books of q provision making IL
the bounden duty of the board, without
any discretion whatever, to locate and
establish central normal school
whenever adequate buildings or funds
sufficient to erect the same should be
provided without expense to the state
This act Just referred to was passed
six or more years ago, and has not been
repealed, said Mr. johnson, and com
bincd with the action of 1919, regis
tered the unmistakable purpose OF Yer
mont to supplant the two normal
schools by single training institu-
ton" while retaining teacher training
in high schools as well as IN johnson
and Castleton.
Mr. johnson explained how the state
board had gone about carrying out
what It deemed to be the wish OF the
state Investigations were made in 9th
er states. and it was found that the
normal school method of training
teachers, especially in the western
states, where the most advance In
teacher training seemed to have been
made, was nowhere in use.
Mr.. johnson called attention to the
marked advantages of the teacher col
lepe plan. namely, that it is unified;
| that it makes full use of the only ex-
| listing agencies for teacher training in
Vermont; training at minimum ex-
pense; provides full normal school
of two years for the training OF ele-
mentary teachers; provides for state
nav for teachers in rural schools; ex-
! tension courses will serve all parts OF
| the state fairly; use will be made OF
the former normal school plants at
johnson and Castletop for extension
courses; central institution to be. To-
Gated at the most convenient and ac-
cessble point in the state; the full
four.vear course win fit the student for
secondary or high school work, for
teacher training, for superintendent
positions or for special branches OF
teaching, giving the student a degree
from the University Of Vermont; there
will be practice teaching in the pub
lie schools; the teachers college Will
have all of the advantages of the facili-
ties at the university
Commissioner Dempsey.
! Commissioner of Education Clarence
! II. Dempsey declared we should strive
! for intensive teacher training in Yer
mont. We must maintain high stand
ards: must have adequate appliances,
abundant practice facilities; the best
Of instructors; economic and Efficient
management; tone well conducted In.
stitution is better than two not SO well
conductedl; better attendance; compe-
tition; development of character; full
err development Of the pupil who IS TO
become the teacher; extensive as well
MS intensive knowledge. All OF these
things can be better secured through
central normal school at Burlington
than with two schools at johnson and
Castleton. said the commissioner
In a census of 246 girls in teacher
training classes in the state las signl-
fed the girls wish to go TO a state
teachers college, while only 45 were
interested in a normal school. We want
an institution which is worthy ~
mont said the commissioner. He quot
ed from the report OF the United States
bureau of education to show that the
Vermont normal schools stand at the
foot of the list of those throughout
the United States, even below. 100 OF
the normal schools for colored girls IN
the south. Vermont could not be proud
of this. he thought, The Stearns bill,
ne said, will tend to keep Vermont at
the foot of the list, will create short
ace OF teachers and weaken the edu-
cational system, while the state teach
ers college measure will bring Vermont
I'M toward the front and keep her
there.
Steans Bill Supported
DIR. Edward d. Collins of Middlebury
college, defending the Stesrns bill, said
that after hearing of all the wonderful
things which the state teachers college
would do for the girls OF the state he
would like to send his daughter there,
but he feared that should she go there,
she would not want to come back and
live with the old folks again, much less
to teach a rural school in Shoreham or
like place. Girls to teach rural schools,
he said. must keep in sympathy with
the rural environment, The Stearns
bin links together all parts of the
teacher training work in the state
without entangling alliances, utilities
the existing plants (which he did not
think 60 bad distributes the train
ing while centralizing the control,
standardizes the work etc. He said
that he thought there should be more
normal schools rather than less. The
Stearns bill encouraged the girls to
90 ahead with their teacher training
and 90 through college if they had any
ambition at all. as it offers aid to the
Young people who want to advance
along this line The measure would
also raise the standard of teacher train
ing something which is much needed.
Warning the state against tying up
teacher training with any institution of
higher learning. DR.. John NJ. Thomas,
president Of Middlebury college, who is
soon TO leave the state to become pres
ident of Pennsylvania State college.
arpIed against the state board of edu-
cations measures. lie said he was vio-
lating no confidence in saying that at
NliddIebury the same prop ition was
considered and the conclusion was
reached that it was impossible to train
teachers for the rural schools and for
the high schools at the same time.
Characterizing the state boards bill
as a measure, not Of the board, but
- -