The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-12-30


these means of assistance. l believe
such partial assistance should be given
in justice to the children inasmuch as
plans have been made for the year on
the superstition that assistants would
be furnished throughout the year
AS record methods of reducing ex-
penses with the least possible impair
ment to the schools, and by no means
in my Judgment a serious one, l report
that the following changes can be made
which 1 recommend if the committee
feel that the school expenses must be
reduced at this time.
Beginning with the new calendar
year. The Shelton avenue eighth grade
school to remain as at present, In this
school the head teacher acts as princt-
pal of the thirteen-room building, and
l feel that an assistant is necessary.
The Washington, Day and Wooster
schools are to remain as at present. The
Strong school is now a combination of
the Woolsey and Strong, and there are
1872 pupils in one large eighth-grade
room, with one head teacher and four
assistants. The new and commodious
building gives unusual facilities to car
ry on grammar school work. The su-
pervising principal assures me that one
assistant can be spared each afternoon.
I propose to have this assistant teacher
act as assistant teacher in the Lowell
school afternoons during the winter
term. The supervising principal will
teach two classes a day during the
+o1 of ho
sistant who in the spring term would
teach afternoons at the Hamilton
school. There were in the Lowell school
an average of fort-five pupils during
the fall term, and an equal number in
the Hamilton. Throughout the winter
and spring terms the supervising prin-
cipa1 at the Hamilton school will teach
one hour a day and the extra teacher
will assist when not needed elsewhere.
The Eaton eighth-grade room registered
forty-seven pupils The supervising
principal will teach one hour a day
throughout the winter and spring
terms. Soon after the beginning of the
winter term the present assistant at the
Eaton school will teach afternoons in
that school. The Winchester school
eighth grade averages forty-four pupils
The supervising principal will teach
one hour a day all of the arithmetic,
and the present assistants will teach
afternoons. The Dwight school averag-
ed forty pupils during the fall term,
and an assistant, certainly one for the
full time, is not needed. The Webster
school is the largest in the city except
the Strong. The eighth grade averaged
fifty pupils during the fall term. The
WEIGH averaged forty-five during the
fall term. Each Of these schools could
be provided with an assistant half the
time and possibly in the larger of the
two no change this year may be advisa-
BILE.
I will say that the present assistant
at Lowell is to be transferred to the po-
sition of head teacher in the Winchester
school. The assistant at Winchester
will act as assistant in the Zunder
school in the forenoon,
BY the foregoing plan every highest
grade room in the city of more than
| forty pupils will have an assistant for
part Of the school time during the re-
| mainder of the school year. In fact,
| far more than half the pupils will not
virtually be affected by these proposed
| changes, viz, pupils in the Strong,
| Shelton avenue, Day, Washington,
! Wooster, Hamilton and WEIGH.
I do not care to have it understood
| that in these rooms, above mentioned
| the assistant is a permanent and abso-
| lutte necessity, but at the present time
| it would not be wise to deprive these
| rooms of all assistance. I may add
| that at least two Of the supervising
| principals have expressed to me their
belief that an assistant teacher was not
a necessity in the highest grade room,
provided the head teacher did not have
charge of the building as we'll, which,
| by the way, is true of only two build
ings, so far as the eighth grade is con-
| cerned.
! l do not see how any saving could
| be iudiciously effected at this time in
| other departments without seriously
Gripping the work of the schools. If
any modification is required in our
| course (and l believe notifications could
be made-no school system that I know
of is not capable Of improvements the
present or any other time is the time to
discuss such modification, but cannot
bring myself TO see that at this time,
the middle Of the year, is the time to
I carry such notifications into effect.
Our teachers have made their con-
tracts in good faith with the board, and
7 know that these teachers have in
some cases had offers in other places.
| but have refused them. They are Civ
| ing us good results. To reduce their
salaries or discharge them at this time
would be an injustice. which, 1 think,
| must be the opinion of all citizens,
| whatever may be their opinion about
| the place Of such Instruction in the
public school system.
1 will add that by the changes herein
| proposed our teachers salary list will
be reduced $4,000 for the calendar year
| beginning January, 1898.
! All of which is respectfully submitted.
c. n. KENDALL.
Superintendent of Schools.
| In view of the foregoing statements
| by the superintendent, the committee