The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-11-09
PRESS COMMENT


HHAaN 49, HH#AsHH 80 49, ~
an article By Charles A sslden treat.
Z ihg the shortcomings 81 education
This writer cited Vermont in what
was on the whole a very deprecatory
way He gave instances o. deplor-
able conditions Ia our rural schools
+ particularly, such as shooihouses IN
az for occupancy from a health and
sanitary standpoint which ne had Wis.
tied In Essex county and elsewhere;
Of immature and unframed teachers
having no aptitude for or interest In
their work. Of unrespoDsive local
sentiment and niggsrd1y outlays for
teachers salaries and other school
expenditure Il was stated that
Vermont had ceased 10 provide ade-
qnate instruction for teachers While
the writer did not assume 70 treat Of
the educational situation as a whole.
he failed 20 make this clear. and the
general effect OF his article could not
fail TO be very detrimental. The out
side reader would absorb the impress
sion that Vermont was rapidly re-
trograding and that conditions were
about as bad as could be In this most
important phase OF modern civiliza-
ton.
In the current (November) issue
Of the same publication appears an
other article by the same writer. the
tone OF which is so contrary TO the
former one in its references 10 Yer
mont that readers must be quite at a
loss 10 make them harmonic This
time Mr. Selden holds Vermont up as
almost a standard Of excellence edu-
cationally. He says the state lis
once more educationally awake and
doing remarkable things in the inn
proyement OF rural school buildings.
the training OF teachers and the es-
of high schools She |
now has something over sixteen hun
dred teachers OF normal school or
training class qualification, as
against less than seven hundred in
1900. The number of college gradu-
ltes in her teaching force has doubl-
d. In the same period the legisla-
ure has increased the appropriation
or training classes from $4,000 TO
100000 There were but thirteen
ler cent OF the schools and twenty
me per cent OF the children of Yer
mont under competent supervision in
900. There are now competent
supervisors for all the schools of the
tate He continues;
Most important Of all in this rural
tate is the work Of Miss Rose Lucia
8 the supervisor of all the rural
nhools She is not only an expert !
! education but an expert on boys
nd girls as human being as well as
upils. The average pay Of Vermont
,achers has increased to twenty
iree dollars a week. Appropriations
n Textbooks have doubled. The
mount provided by the public for :.
&c transportation Of children to re-
ote schools has increased ten times.
here have been encouraging in
eases in the amounts expended on
w buildings and the renovation of
d ones. High school enrolment
rs doubled TO eleven thousand pu
Is, over three per cent of the pop
alton, in twenty years"
Mr. Selden then gives specific de- =
riptions OF rural school improve o
ents and Of the general forward 2
ovement in the public schools Of
srmont II Is very different pic b,
re- and withal a very much truer r
Ie than this same writer present
year ago.
Now a bit Of sidelight on this mat
r year ago last summer Mr. !,
lden came into Vermont probably :.
r the first time, commissioned as Z
then stated to write a series Of Z
ticles on education for the Ladies' \
inc Journal. He called upon the I
itor % this paper and was given a Z
ite thorough outline Of the condi !
MS 10 Vermont. OF the progress I
It had been made and Of the prob (
ls presented. chief among which 8
s the effort IN behalf Of rural \
FOOLS In his first article Mr. sell Z
j used no part o. this except such Z
be could twist to serve his pur- )
81. which was 10 write Vermont Z
IN az backward He inquired (
n where he could find rural school !
editions al their worst. and as il
,eared later lost no time in seek :
them out His article 81 a year >
was 4 Jana exhibition Of muck :
ing. the distinct effect Of which Z
! 20 place Vermont 10 wrong :
IL and 10 feed whatever idea then