Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-02-11

AfllllllFiAtAf'AA atN ~ AiAAAFlN ihtttAN VI dN
ing public attention TO the needs OF
the public schools, and the mayor
declared again his own personal con
yiction that the administration of the
puhic schools should he Il part of the
central municipal government, with the
responsibility as for other departments,
/ placed upon the chief executive. The
addresses of Mr.. Mead, Mr.. A. Law
renee Lowell and Mr. Samuel T.
Dutton expressed and emphasized the
slowly spreading popular conviction
/ that our public schools are vastly be-
! low the standard which they should
hold. ana the parallel conviction that
| the time is come for their improve.
meut. 4 prime fault of the schools,
deeper than any OF their technical
| shortcomings, is in the attitude of too
many parents towards public school
| education 1t NAV be difficult to he
lieve theoretically of such democratic
institution as public school, but it is
well known that one day the appearance
of Il hired housekeeper' child at a GER
tain public school in Boston created
/ almost as much snobbish comment
among the mothers of other chl-
drem in the school as if il were Il
| private school of professediy eXclu-
Sive tendency The true exclusive
ness of genuine gentlehood goes
( ou saiting the earth, however, III spite
/ of all such superficial distinctions.
But the virtue that is IN our public
schools must he cleared of lot of its
external political rubbish also. and
made to serve better purpose in deep
/ pning our democracy rs well as i'll
/ elevating the educational standards of
/ our young people.
! The announcement that the Rev.
/ Stopford W. Brooke. for II wears min
I lister of the First church in Boston,
Unitarian has sent his resignation to
/ the chairman of the committee. Mr.
! Walter Hunnewell. has caused great
/ deal Of surprise. 1t is well known
/ thar Mr.. Brooke is universally be
/ loved in his parish, Mr.. Brooke will
/ give no reason for his resignation. ex-
cepting that he considered paStorate
of II years long enough for these
modern days He says his rela,
tious with his people are very
! harmonious. Mr.. Brooke is the son
of the Rev Stopford A. Brooke ot
London. He was reared in the estab.
lished church, and became Unitarian
in 1888, and long after his father
changed his belief. He was educated
! at Oxford and Winchester. The First
| church is his own first charge, and
since he has been there he has at
tracted many young people by his elo-
/ quent sermons and personal magnet
ism. Mr. Brooke says he has formed
no plans for the future, and his resig-
nation is to go into effect at the
| mutual convenience of pastor and
parish. Mr.. Brooke was married
about five years ago to Miss Helen 7.
! Ellis. a member of we'll known old
Boston family.
Mayor Qulncy's convincing mani
festaton of his deep interest in the
welfare of the public schools of the
city by his attendance and remarks at
| the public meeting of the Women $
! Educational and Industrial union to
| give impetus to the movement for the
| proposed reorganization of the school
committee, only serves to deepen the
| interest in what he so pointedly says.
The school cost annually about quar-
ter of million dollars-mOre money
than we spend for any other municipal
departments except the street depart.
ment, and that really embraces many
| important lines of work. The mayor
| regards the recognition of the unfit.
ness of the present school Organiza,
ton to meet present conditions as the
most hopeful sign of municipal prog,
ress he has seen. The school com
mittee as it is he thinks too large and
cumbrous. 1t would, in his Judgment
work considerable improvement if il
were reduced one half. That would
make it a better working body. The
field of selection is uncertain for the
reason that it is 50 large. Fewer
| places to be filled would mean less
INDIGESTION on the part of the
voter and better candidates for the
board. The financial responsibility
too. for the schools should be more
clearly fixed. The city council anC
the mayor now have only semblanct
of control of the finances of tn,
schools. Mayor Quincy regards the
financial side of the school question
as important as the educational side
One is the end, the other is the means
and the latter should be very carefully
regarded.
The statement of Chairman Stratton
of the park commission that the de
partment obtained 10000 trees anC
100, 900 shrubs for planting in th,
park system the past season woulC
seem to show that there is a vast addi
tion to the ornamentation of the park,
every year, as well as Il good deal o
wedding out 1t is thus that the best
results are ultimately obtained in land
scape gardening.
For the first time in twenty years
the police have raided Il rat pit. Thi
sport" at one time was very popular
and was wiuked at by the police, bu
u score of years ago was broken up
The police, in citizens clothes, got il
easily and captured the proprietor
fifteen men, two dogs, and live ant
dead rats enough to hang the Who'll
bunch frat killing was a capital offense
4
Mayor Quincy is still keeping VI