The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1892-09-23
Looking Toward A Free High School.

Looking Toward A Free High School.
| A project for establishing or securing
free High school advantages for resident
pupils in town through the medium of
| the Newtown Academical Association
has been agitated during the past few
weeks; and, although the matter is now
somewhat in a tentative state, owing, it
has no basis in fact and which can be
easily removed, the plan of securing
High school advantages for all the peo-
pie of the town looks bright for success.
That the time has come for this, most
| thoughtful citizens maintain; and the
trend of public opinion in the State for
| the last decade has been directly in the
line of free higher education for our fu-
ture citizens. The project as outlined, if
| adopted, will be at a moderate cost to the
town and be productive of great good to
all its people. And it would seem to its
promoters that it is matter which will
bear talking about and, the more it is
talked about, the better its chances of
success. But every public movement
must have a force back of it; and the
promoters of the plan were fortunate in
having for persistent and quiet agitation
Rev o. o. Wright and, whatever has
been accomplished in that direction, is
due solely to his intelligent supervision
of details. The following letters give
resume of what has been done and are
their own sufficient warrant for the be-
lief that free High school advantages for
Newtown's youth are not far distant:
Sandy Hook, Conn.,,
September Is, 1892.
Rev G. T. Linsley,
Newtown, Conn.-Dear sir:
Believing that it is the aim and intention OF
the Newtown Academy association, of which
you are president, to supply fully the educa-
tional wants of the entire people of the town,
the writer of this, both teacher in the pub
lie schools and school officer of the town in
terested in better school system, begs leave
to point out way by which it is confidently
believed these aspirations OF your board OF
trustees may be realized and the town receive
High school advantages at trifiing cost-in
the light of what will be gained. The method
is briefly as follows: Chapter C&XXvIII OF
the Connecticut statutes authorizes towns not
able willing to establish and maintain q
High school in its entirety, to contract with
an existing educational institution in the vi
entity tor tree High school privileges for ali
its pupils graduated from the town schools or
resident pupils in town passing the required
examination for admission. by the payment
OF a fixed sum annually to such institution.
Under this law the admission of pupils, course
OF study, certitication of teachers, etc, would
be under the supervision OF the board OF
school visitors, the Academy association
tanning, OF course, as now, control OF the APP
pointment OF teachers. The design is to make
a purely practical course OF study tor our
youth and it would seem to the writer that, in
those matters under control of the board OF
education, no radical changes need be appre-
nended. There could be no clash of authority
under the plan.
Herein lies the opportunity for both this
town aud your association to enter into
rangelnent as indicated above, which could
not tail TO prove mutually advantageous and
satisfactory. Such a contract may be for one
year, terminable then, If not found to be what
is wanted by either contracting party.
Iregret exceedingly time and space will
not permit me to go further into particulars,
but, let me add, this plan was found practical
BILE in Danbury and is now, am told in prac-
tice in other towns OF the State. with very
good results thereirom.
Should your association think favora5ly OF
this project as outlined and SO advise me or
the board of education OF the town and pre-
sent tor our consideration definite PROPOSE
ton of cost (Which should be moderately OF
such plan. am OF the opinion the board
would recommend the adoption of the project
by the town in its forthcoming annual report.
Under such auspices, the plan could hardly
tail OF approval in town meeting. Yours tru-
ly,-t THoAAs j. CoRBETT, S. V.