Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-07-20
ANNUAL SCHOOL MEETING.
Charles II. Thompson Reelected Mem
Der of School Board.

Tax fO5 Per Cent VOted---DIscusSIon OF
the Questions Of Attendance and the
single sessIon---Omcers Elected.
Little business was transacted at the
annual meeting of school district No.
Tuesday evening, but the session lasted
over an hour on account of lOng-drawn-
out discussions. The meeting was held
for the frs. time in the northeast room
down stairs in the High school building,
and it opened with an attendance OF 70,
which was subsequently increased to 33.
l.. +. Adams, moderator, called the meet
ing to order, and Clerk S. w. kimball
read the warrant. Mr. Adams was elected
moderator for another year The reports
of the treasurer and the prudential COM
mittee as contained in the printed report
were adopted.
For clerk for the ensuing year G. c.
Averill nominated S. w. Kimball, who
was elected. G. G.. Fits placed G. II.
Thompson in nomination for reelection
as a member of the school board for three
years, his present term having expired,
and Mr. Thompson was elected. The
other officers elected were: Treasurer, &.
c. Averill; auditor, DR.. II. d. Hoton;
collector, X. E. Gordon. Mr.. Gordon's
salary was fixed at $500, the same as last
year.
Under the article "to see how many
schools the district will have the ensuing
year and how long they shall continue
DR.. Holton moved that the matter be left
entirely with the committee. He after
ward moved that the schools be continued
| not less than 80 weeks, and that the COM
mittee be empowered TO increase the num-
Der of weeks at their discretion. g. w.
Pierce seconded the motion, which was
carried. The matter of receiving tuition
scholars was also left 10 the discretion of
the board.
c. F. Thompson wanted the committee
to be instructed to employ a supervisor
and to employ the same person who acted
in that capacity last year. 1t was sug-
gested that the committee might wish to
be allowed little latitude in the matter,
and it was finally voted to leave the matter
to the discretion of the committee. II
was voted to empower the committee TO
employ music teacher
Article precipitated considerable dis
cussion. 1t was in regard to the matter OF
raising money to defray the expenses OF
the coming year. L. W. Hawley urged
that the recommendation of the committee
to raise tax Of 65 per cent on the grand
list, the same as last year, be adopted
II. +. Taylor thought the tax ought TO be
as low as possible and be consistent with
the welfare of the schools, and he inteTro
gated the committee to see If a tax of &c
per cent would be sufficient. Mr.. Osgood
of the school board, stated that the com
mittee had had several meetings for the
purpose of discussing that very point and
they saw no way of reducing the tax anC
at the same time keeping up the present
efficiency of the schools. G. II. Daven
port mentioned an item of $1,000 in las
years account for repairs and asked il
there was any prospective outlay to pre-
vent the coming tax being reduced tina
amount. Mr.. Osgood and Principal Whit
aker, in replying, said that repairs and inn
provements would have to be made in The
Canal street building the coming year anc
that many of the text books, which have
been in use about four years, would have
to be replaced, at large expense. The mo
ton of Mr.. Hawley was then put and car
ried without opposition.
Under the head of "other business" G.
G. Fits mentioned the fact that the dute.
of the district clerk were constantly in
creasing, but that the clerks salary, So
was the same as ii has been for many
1
creased to $40, and the motion was carried
L, w. Hawley commended the reading o
the superintev dents report relating to tn
attendance of pupils, and he suggested
that the district take some action, if neces
saTy, to enforce better attendance. Thi
preciptated discussion in which g.
Thompson, II. +. Jordan, G. G. Fits, ant
DR.. Holton participated. Mr.. Hawle,
finally introduced resolution, which wa
adopted, TO the effect that the meeting en-
, dorsed the views of the superintendent il
, regard to the matter OF attendance ant
! commended to the committee the rectifica
/, ton of the evils referred to in his report
, Further discussion followed the query O
l.. +. Adams as to whether the single-ses
sion system now in vogue in the Higl
school was as advantageous as the old two
session plan; whether the single session
: did not give the scholars a loafing pero
which could be used to better advantage il
school. The discussion upon this poin
was largely by Mr.. Whitaker and was fror
. the teachers standpoint. The other sid
I of the question was not brought out. MI
Z Whitaker favored the one-session pla1
I. although he stated that it was for tn
e scholars advantage rather than the teach
er's, as commonly supposed, and that th
Il teachers were ready to return to the oil
|, method whenever the district saw fit I
q ask them to. The evils which may com
il to the scholars from the one-session plaI
l. he said, are not attributable to the schoo
but rather to the parents, who do NJ
exercise the proper vigilance over the
children when out of school.
Is DR.. Holton suggested that it would be
, good idea to hold a series of meetings du
10 ing the winter, when parents and teache
could discuss school methods. The NEE