The Newtown bee., 1899-09-01

more justice In closing district schools
than there is for a private Individual to
occupy the highway because he has a
little money and is big toad in the pud-
die. AS long as people raise children
and New England farms are kept up, the
district schools will be needed, and there
is more sense in woman that throws
away her thimble and needle because
she has sewing machine, or for farm
er to throw away his scytbe because he
has q moving machine than there was in
the Legislature that passed a law to give
authority and power to town committee
to close district schools, especially where
the whole neighborhood do not want it
closed. Ii [ am correctly informed the
town committee have voted to close one
school where there ia over 20 scholars
between the ages Of five and 10 years
and some Of them live 10y measured
miles) almost three miles from the graded
school. And I understand that two pc
titions have been handed to the town
committee, signed by every family in the
neighbOrhood, to retain the school.
believe in good schools, good books,
and in fact everything gotten in an hon
est and honorable way that will improve
the morals of the rising generation, fit
| them for good substantial society and
usefulness in this world, and above all
for never ending eternity. But / do
not believe in robbing Peter to pay Paul,
or in grinding the poor to favor the rich
Ia some towns both in New England
and in the West, the center district of the
town, independent OF the taxpayers Of
the remote districts, have built and sup
ported graded schools and then charged
a reasonable tuition for those outside of
the limits, and that Is all right, juss and
honorable and heartily approve of it.
The word kindergarten / can't find in
Webster's dictionary, and am as ignora ant
| of It's full meaning as [ was of town
management when the town voted to put
all of the schools under the care and SUI
pervision OF four men and woman. II
L am correctly informed kindergarten is
German word and originated in Ger
many, and its design Ia for infants, and
how on earth are you going to carry in
fants five days in q week to and from
school in all kinds of weather and trav-
cling without taking the mothers, nurses
and cradles along, too. The only way [
can see for the taxpayers of a town to
honestly and honorably become respon-
stble for q kindergarten and graded
schools Tor the school of lower grade) is
for the town TO purchase another town
| farm located near by this mixed school,
then. all of the people in the remote dis
tricts go down to the Town house and
have all things common as they did in
the days OF the Apostles. Then all the
babies can attend the same school and
fare alike. without exposing their health
or running the town, for the aristocrats
can't set along without the Lord and the
farmer any more than old Pharaoh could
without the Lord and the brickmakers.
| And now In conclusion Can see how
the taxpayers OF town can honestly
and honorably become responsible for a
school of the higher grades such as Mr.
Mitchell and nearly every person that
doesn't live near this school building
(and some that do) want and by SO do
ing obey the law of the Supreme Being
of the world and the constitution of the
United States OF America, by giving
equal educational rights and privileges
to every child In the town.-[J. G.. Dowd.