Year: 1866

MessrS. Editors 1T seems to be gener-
ally expected that the subject of normal
schools will be, in some form brought before
our next legislature. Meantime it may be
well for us, the people, to be thinking the
matter over. We wish to know what
school of this kind is, and then we can make
up our minds whether they are needed in
the State of Vermont. And if they are
needed ii is desirable to know what the
legislature has to do to provide them in
kind and number to meet the wants of the
State What then are these schools? They
are designed to be places of training for
teachers of our common schools. On the
supposition that he who would teach Success
fully needs to have some special preparation
for the work. these schools are desirable.
But does the teacher need such special prep
aration Other occupations demand instruc-
tion in the one who would make them prof
itable why should not this =? 1t can not be
that the work to be done by the teacher is
less important than that done in most other
occupations. Habits of study, patience, self
control, are very much TO be formed in the
common school. And what these habits
shall be, depends very much upon the knowl-
edge of the teacher, and his ability to i'm
part that knowledge. 1t will be objected
here, that some are natural scholars, and



investigate any subject. All they want of
a teacher is TO help them over now and
then a difficulty. This may be true of
now and then child, but the majority are
not so. The habits Of thought and penetra-
ton that most m?n have, they must acquire.
And the genius of our government requires
that there shall be the largest amount of in
telligence possible among the masses of the
people. That few should do all the read
ing and thinking for the rest, is no more re-
publican than it is for few to hold all the
wealth or power and the many have no
chance even to share it. The purpose of
our schools is so to educate the masses that
all shall be able to inform themselves suita-
bly, to have opinions that are well founded
on the questions of public interests. This
will prevent the monopoly of power in the
hands of a few. Now that all the people
shall be thus educated, or even the majority
be brought to this stage of requirement, it
needs that the larger portion be encouraged
and assisted to gain love for knowledge
To do this sllilful hands must be employed


If it is necessary for physician to pos
sess both natural skill, and acquired ability,
in order that he may control disease proper
ly and restore health no less does it need
both native and acquired skill to treat sue
cessfully the mind so as to Danish lgnorasce,
and cultivate intelligence. For the mind is
certainly as intricate as the body and the
diversities of mind are nearly as great as
tho forms of disease in the body. And fur
ther. II can by no means be said that the
importance of healthy and well formed
mind is less important than a healthy body.
And as no parent would trust his child when
sick, with any other than an educated and
competent physician, neither should he trust
his child to be educated, to any but COM
petent teacher. And how are teachers to
be made competentY 1t is replied, perhaps
that the examination by town superntend-
ent should prevent any but competent ones