Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-07-19
DIR. HoLToN's SERVICES
The Development shown nv "Looiun.
HnrlsNvnr d'' over the Past ~ Year.

backward" over the Past ~ Year.
Dr. Holton's positive declination % a..
cent a reelection to- the school board Tues.
dav evening was a surprise. and his actiu.
is a source of general regret. lis service
for the schools has covered q period OF 81
wears. He was FIRST elected a member ..
the committee in 1863 Sometime iu tn.
early seventies he declined reelection Tor
/ wear or two but was soon returned 90 OBJ.
/ board. where he has ever since RENAME.
] Since s. NJ Waite went away lu l>~J n.
/ has been chairman OF the committee. TIL.
/ changes which have taken place Iu ol.
schools during The time covered bv jig.
/ Holton's service are very great and he ua.
been leading factor in bringing then
about TWENTY-FIVE years ago the uumn.-
of teachers employed was only il and f..
number OF pupils was about $50. lncu.
ING all the Roman Catholic children I'LL.
schools were loosely graded ana consist.
only of the several primaries, with o..
/ Grammar and High school grades taug.
In the central building. Today - teacue-
are employed and the number OF pupils
700 not including 100 or 40 in the pa.
chi3I school. The system OF grading
complete as 20 be found in the best scnu.
anywhere. 80 TAR as the two central uu.
mo. are commemorative new High sen.
buildiur and the Canal street I'm ldlI
the equipment lsaSss~R Oh - ~. ~
.-.'Tr--;ssl-.d-,-"---
Progress in methods has kept pace with
the growth in numbers and material taclll-
Ties. The great awakening lL publ.
school methods came In the years iron
1S1b 90 1850. when the work of Co. ].
W. Parker as superintendent OF schools O..
Quincy. Mass. began to come into prom
nence and the Quincy method cot Ou-
zee. teaching was the one topic ID educt-
tionaI circles. The BrattleDor0 schoa
board and school teachers were not benin.
the times lu their interest and apprecIa-
zion OF this development some OF the
teachers studied t1e system al lbs HON,
and IN due time 1T was incorporated as
principle of the BratteDOTo school WORK.
Col. Parker fundamental IDEA has crow
and expanded, but 10 was this which has
led up 10 or developed into the 'cOrrela-
ton OF school studies, alluded TO ID the
committee report Tor the current veal
and which means. in brief the system TN
der which each child accomplishes ii one
yea what formerly required twice th-
time and does il with far less fret aul
nervous strain than bv the old way.
In many minor WAYS the standard OF the
schools mas DeeL steadily advanced until j.
is no boast 10 say that their results com
pare with the best OF our New Englaua
schools. No one will dispute that Or. H0.-
ton mas given his full share OF persona.
service to the work which tins deveopmer-
mas involved That IJ has been a labor OF
love none will doubt who know now much
time and patience place or the schOo.
board requires.
Mr.. Stoddard. who now becomes chair
man OF the board. has been - years IL the
service. and is qualified as no other man
could Oe to carry on the work OF that
Otiica
The statement made bv DT. Hoton IN
the school meeting about the opinion of
our Brattleboro school work. held by the
school boards OF some OF the larger New
England towns. notably OF Springfield
Mass. deserves notice. He stated that the
Springfield committee were surprised a.
the quality and standard OF the work IL
our schools and wanted to know where the
teachers were found TO do this work.
When told that I'VE raised them the com
mittee expressed their determination to
/ nave some Of these teachers II an increase
OF salary would tempt them. Good teach
ers are everywhere commanding larger
salaries. and this fact suggests that we can
not look for a reduction OF school expense,
/ white the present standard Is maintained.
one suggestion should be made against
! another year comes round. Many people be-
/ lieve that the Chase street primary building
] should be replaced with an edInce which is
al least heaithful and reasonably comno-
dIous. This building which began life as
4 ''Iittie red scnoolhouse'' IN the northwest
: corner OF the common. has seen some 50
: years OF service. and IL Is not cause Tor
wonder that many people send young chill
Gren there with hesitation. one of the
next steps in material development should
evidently be 10 provide a better build!n-
3 for the primary children OF the north par
OF the village