Your committee submit a few general remarks. You have noticed, perhaps, that we have spoken in commendable terms of most of our schools; we think we have spoken truly. But still they are far from what they ought to be. The question now arises, why is this? We will enumerate some of the reasons. The difficulty of obtaining suitable teachers for some of our schools; the amount of money being so limited that agents do not, even if they find good teachers, always feel warranted in employing them at prices they can command in larger schools. But we think that not the cheapest, but the best, should be employed; for a good school of six weeks, is more profitable than a poor one of twelve weeks. The idea is quite prevalent, that young, inexperienced teachers, will do for small primary schools. We think this is very erroneous. It is acknowledged by all educators, that it requries the highest kind of teaching talent to conduct a primary school successfully. The right commencement of education is most important. We have a good uniformity of text-books; but we find one sad deficiency in all our schools, viz: Lack of school apparatus for illustrating the branches taught; except, perhaps, an apology for a blackboard. Every school-room should be furnished with a good globe, maps, movable blackboard for geography classes, &c. We believe that any agent who will supply his school with such apparatus, will expend the money to the very best advantage.

We would make one suggestion here, from our observations for the last year or two. That it is better for those districts now in the habit of employing young male teachers, to employ old experienced female teachers; for you can hire female teachers for less money, and have longer, and we believe, better schools. When you have secured a good teacher, keep him, if you can. If you change, it will not probably be for the better, and there will certainly be a loss of time. The new teacher has different methods, and it will take a week or two for the scholars to become accustomed to them. He comes a stranger to them all, and it will take some time for him to learn all their names, dispositions and capacities, so as to be able to teach them to the best advantage. But, after all, it is our candid opinions, that the way to take the first grand step towards a general improvement in our schools, is to abolish our present district system. We believe it is an acknowledged fact, that the best schools are to be found where the district system does not exist. We do not intend to go into any argument upon this suject; but we would like to call your attention to a few objections given by the Hon. E.A. Rankin, Secretary of Vermont Board of Education, to the district system. 1, Lack of sufficient supervision; 2, Constant change of supervision; 3, Poorly qualified teachers; 4, Constant change of teachers; 5, Employment of relatives and favorites, without regard to to qualifications; 6, Too small schools in some districts; 7, Too short schools in small districts; 8, Employment of incompetent teachers in small districts; 9, Poor school-houses; 10, Lack of proper classification; 11, Pupils studying what they choose, and not what they ought.

Let us look at some of the results that would grow out of the municipal system: 1, It would establish a uniform rate of taxation; 2, It would dispense with a good number of school officers; 3, It would diminish aggregate expense; 4, It would secure a more efficient system of instruction and supervision; 5, It would secure a greater permanency of teachers; 6, Better class of teachers; 7, Will secure better school-houses; 8, Will result in a more uniform method of teaching; 9, It will tend to diminish neighborhood quarrels.

         P.C. Torrey  )
                               N.L. Graffam > S.S. School Committee
         S.D. Andrews )
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This page was last on October 17, 2002.