Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-04-29
VILLAGE DISTRICT
Votes to Open the FALL Term
on September IS.
Walter D. stinson Elected a Director
to Serve Three Years.
Annual Report Of Directors. About $4,000
Will Be Raised.

| Scnocl district was held SoturJov -,
terncon. in the hail of the VIM r
Smith Grammar school BUILDING tho
1 attendance being rather small Tha
meeting was called to order nv tho
t.erk. IrcDy Johnson. and on motion
OF Charles Il. Nash, Clarence Il. Rur.
leigh was elected moderator. the clerk
/ casting a ballot for all present. ON
motion Of Thomas Clark, the modera-
tor cast the ballot for Treby Johnson
as clerk. The meeting then nroceeded
TO the election of a director for thre.
I years, the tenn OF James II Townsepd
hay ing expired.
MI Townsend was not a candidate
for reelection and placed the name of
! waiter j.. Stihson IN nomination. r.
w fldisi"d moved that the clerk cast
thc vote oi the assembly for Nj. Stin-
son ana the motion was unanimously
carried.
Mr.. Stinson spoke few words OF ap-
probation and said that he did not
want the position but if il was the de
sire that ho accept he would do so as
he believed that an should be willing
to enter upon a duty when the schools
are concerned. If called BY the people.
The annual report OF the directors
: WAS then in order. Mr.. Nash moved
| that the reading of the report be dcs-
/ pcnsed with as II had been circulated
/ thc read among the people. 1t was
voted 10 raise $4,000 by taxation for the
support of the schools, that amount be
ing an estimate Of the required sum. 1t
WAS voted to employ the city collector
To collect tie school taxes, the same
commission 10 be given as on the city
taxes.
G. W. Jones moved that the directors
OF the Village District be instructed to
postpone the opening of the next school
year until september 10. 1901.
Mr.. Stinson asked whether the mo-
ton meant shortening of the school
year ny two weeks or whether the idea
was to make it up on the other end.
Mr.. Jones replied that the motion
was intended to shorten the year by
a fortnight if il were necessary to do
so in order to avoid the hot weather,
ana did not contemplate any setting
ahead of the schedule in June.
Mr.. Nash said the motion would
mean n shortening Of the year. The
school year last year was IS weeks.
The schools We're opened early in Sep
tember to avoid carrying the work
further into June than was necessary.
Charles :. Pettingiil. principal Of the
schools of the Village district. said that
the teachers find they can begin the
work better, early, III September, than
carry it into the Warm days of June.
At the end of the year the pupils are
tired and find it difficult to apply them
selves to the work. In the fall they are
used to the hot weather and come TO
school rested and ready for work. He
spoke OF the increased study required
for entrance TO colleges and said that
the school year was now so short that
the pupils We're crowded.
Charles f. Flynt said that as far as
ne was concerned he would prefer a
school year of So weeks to one of 3S. He
believed that this was practically the
unanimous sentiment of the parents OF
the district. He was decidedly of the
opinion that three terms of Il weeks
each were all that young and growing
children should be required TO
attend. The pupils are being crowd
ed too much every year. The children
should have all the learning possible
but he thought the tendency to be too
much in that direction. No matter
what Portland and Massachusetts
cities did. he did not believe in crowd
ing the children and sacrificing their
health.
1t was evident that these views were
those OF the meeting. for when the
motion OF Mr.. Jones to postpone the
opening of the next school year until
| Seot. 16 was put il was carried without
opposition.
There being no further business to be
transacted, on the motion of Mr.
plaistcd the meeting adjourned.