Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-06-23
THE VILLAGE DISTRICT.
Report OF Committee On school Accommo.
datlOns.

A special meeting of the voters in the vii
lage school district, was held Saturday after
noon, at 2 o'clock.
II. w. True was chosen chairman. TIN
call for the meeting was read by the clerk
Geo. 4. Macomber.
The committee on school accommodations
appointed at the spring meeting, in April
made the following report:
To the Inhabitants Of Village School Dist,ic
an augusta:
At the annual meeting Of the District, hel,
in April last, the undersigned were appointed
Committee to present some plan for the bet
ter accommodation Of the Primary Schools OF
Grove and Chestnut streets. We now pre-
sent the following report, and this meeting il
called for the purpose of considering tn,
same.
In the performance of their duty, the Com
mittee has made u thorough examination of al
the school buildings in the District. They
have no new facts in regard to their character
and condition. What has been said in the an
nual reports of the Directors for several year.
past, may, with equal truth and and more en-
phasis, be repealed to-day. With the exception
OF the high school building, all tn,
school houses are very much dilapi
dated, with ill contrived and uncomfor
table seats, and with little or no ventilation
In their present condition, they are not adapt
ed to the use of the schools, while the health
of the children is endangered, and their pro-
gress and improvement in their studies great
ly retarded. If the existing arrangement OF
the intermediate and Primary schools is tc
be continued, extensive repairs and some
changes must be made, to obviate the diff
cuties complained Of.
The Crosby street building ought to
be abandoned, on account of the unsafe char.
acter of its situation and surroundings. That
the District must, sooner or later, cease to
occupy it, by reason Of the gradual wearinS
away of the land on the north and east of the
lot, does not admit Of a question. II, how.
ever, the people of the District, still deter.
mine that this building shall continue to be
occupied, and that the needed repairs shall be
made upon it, as well as upon the other build
ings, the amount required for the purpose
will not be less than $500 or $1,000.
The Primary school on Grove street i,
crowded to Overlooking. One hundred and
thirteen children have attended the school in
the course of the last term, and the average
attendance until towards its close (when the
prevailing sickness reduced the number wa.
about eighty. The room contains sixty-fouI
seats. The Chestnut street school shows Il
similar condition, the attendance being much
beyond the capacity Of the room.
Accommodations should be provided for the
whole number of children entitled to school
privileges. Even if the school rooms were
large enough to admit of an additional mum.
Der ofseats, as they are not il is ply sically I'M
possible for single teacher to manage so large
number of scholars As the schools are now
graded. Huddled together as they now are
no satisfactory work can be performed, and
pupils can make little or no progress or i'm.
provement. At the same time, the want OF
ventilation, in "A room so much crowded can
not but result in injury to, and in many in
stances, loss of, the health of the children.
To very great extent, the money expended
on these schools, is spent without ade-
quate return. This demand for increased ac-
Communications can be met by the purchase of
lot, in the proper locality and the erection
Of new building at an expense probably of
81 800. This course will involve the employ
ment Of all additional teacher and the further
expense Ofthe warming and care Of the build
ing.
There is still another plan which has been
considered BY the Committee and has many
advocates as well as decided merits. 1t is to
divide the room now occupied by the Gram
mar school, by partition, into two rooms,
making, with the recitation rooms, four con.
venient and well ventilated apartments. This
plan would enable the Directors to regrade
the schools in a more perfect manner by
adopting the system now in use in most OF
the cities of the State, which allows but two
grades, at most, to q teacher, and in some
cases but one. This system has been found
very satisfactory, and enables teachers to
work much more efficiently and successfully
As our Intermediate and Primary schools are
now graded, teachers and pupils both work
to great disadvantage. Each teacher has
now three grades in a room, involving twen-
ty-three recitations to each Primary, and fif-
teen to each intermediate school. Under the
plan suggested, a first and second grade of
primary scholars can be placed in the two
recitation rooms, and third grade primary,
and first, second and third grades interme-
date into the rooms made from the grammar
school room. The number of recitations
would thus be reduced, and the teachers be
able to devote more time to the pupils.
Should this plan receive the appreciation
Of the District, the buildings on Chestnut
and Crosby streets could be dispensed with
and sold. We should then have system of
graded schools not inferior to any in the State,
and the means of education would thereby be
greatly improved. The necessity of build
ing new school house, as we'll as the en-
ployment of an additional teacher, would also
be avoided The plan involves the necessity
of providing other accommodations for the
High or Grammar school, which may he
done by renting suitable rooms until the
District is prepared to erect new building
The estimated cost of this change is $3.50
Whatever amount should be received from
the sale of Chestnut and Crosby buildings and
lots, would be available for this purpose and
the other needs Of the District to which We
have referred.
1t should be added that the estimates con.
tanned in this report, do not embrace new
seats, which it is recommended to provide
the cost Of which will be $500 to 81 900.
The Committee present this whole matter
to the favorable consideration of the people
of the District, in the hope that il may be
met in the liberal spirit demanded by the ex
licences of the occasion.
; ; ; * + S S$!SS: Committee.
June 81, 1879.
The absence from the town of the remain
ing members of the Committee prevents til,
signing of the report by them.
On account of the small attendance, it wa,