The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-30
THE ROGER SHERMAN SCHOOL
GIVEN no THE STATE no BE USED
asa MODEL SCHOOL.

Present Contract Which Gives tht
State Discretion in Choosing the City
schools for Model School Purposes
Present Methods Criticised Under
Which Model Schools Are Conducted
Amendment O f the Contract Asked For.
AT the request of Secretary Hine, of
the state board of education, a special
meeting of the city board of education
was held last night to take a formal
vote giving to the state the Roger Sher-
man school as a model school in con-
nection with the state normal training
school in this city.
This action was taken, but coupled
with 1T was request that the original
contract under which the state board Is
legally given the right to take at it's
discretion any or all the public schools
In New Haven as model schools and
maintain them at the expense of the
district, he amended SO that hereafter
this may not be done without the con-
sent of the city officials.
This is the third public school that
the state has demanded under the
terms of the existing contract for the
training of normal school teachers in
this city. The contract, made at a time
when New Haven was competing with
other cities in Connecticut for the pos
| session of the state normal school, was
worded so extravagantly in favor of
the state, in the opinion of the members
| of the city board of education, as to en-
oroach somewhat upon the rights of the
people of this city.
According to the statement of A. j.
Harmount made at the meeting last
night there has been an undercurrent
of distrust among parents as to the
value of the training afforded their
children by model schools, which is like
ly to turn into expressions of open dis
approval now that school so we'll es-
tablished as the Roger Sherman school
must be turned over to undergo the con-
slant change Of teachers and discipline
necessary for the work of normal school
training. He said that while the prac-
tice is invaluable to the teachers the
children must suffer to some extent. 1t
breaks up the uniformity of the teach
ing.
j. B. Ullman. who yesterday made a
visit to inspect the Dwight school,
which with that on Orchard street is
used as model school, fully concurred
in the opinion of Mr.. Harmount, saying
that a system which makes it necessary
for the teachers to be continually cor
recting each other before the children
during recitations could not fail of hav-
ing disturbing influence. He said that
he had himself been pupil in the
Cedar street school, which was formerly
used for training purposes, and could
personally testify in the matter. He
believed. however, that this defect may
be met in some measure by altering the
present methods.
In regard to the contract, which was
the principal theme of discussion, Mr..
Ullman said that its terms We're entirely
unreasonable that when the authorities
at Bridgeport were consulted In regard
to signing similar contract If they
wished to have the state normal school
in that city, they refused to have any
thing further to do with the matter.
He said that the people of New Haven
did not understand at the time the con-
tract was made that the state authori-
ties were quite as anxious as the city
to have the normal school located here,
and they had no need Of placing their
schools so absolutely at the disposal of
the state.
1t should be noted that the objections
raised to the model school system re-
late only to the discipline of the pupils
Superintendent Beede reported that the
instruction given was fully up to the
standard, and differed slightly from
that given in the other schools in the
city
The following action taken by the
board last night will be Immediately re-
ported to the state board of education:
AS a matter of courtesy. the state
board Is asked to voluntarily modify
the terms of the contract, and 1t is be-
leved that they will accede to this re-
quest. If not, the matter will be
brought up for action by the general as
sembly at Hartford.
Voted That consent be given to the
state board Of education to take the
Roger Sherman school as model
school under the terms OF the existing
contract, to take effect in the opening
Of the September, 1901. session.
Voted That the state board of edu-
cation be requested to amend the con-
tract made between the New Haven
city school district and the eaid state
board of education on the third day Of
July, 1893, adding to section | Of said
contract the words but no other school
buildings than those In use for model
schools on April first, 1901, and the
Roger Sherman school, shall be taken
for such purr ose without the formal
of the New Haven board of ed
ucation," so that said section when
shall read as follows, to wit:
1. Said district will always hereafter
furnish, and except as hereinafter pro-
vided will maintain at it's expense such
of the public schools within said dis
trict as said state board of education |
shall from time to time deem fitted in |
respect to their grade and location, as !
we'll as in other respects, and so many |
Of them as they shall from time to time |
regard as necessary, in order to supply |
suitable and sufficient model and prac- |
tice schools in connection with their |
training department of the state normal |
school in New Haven; but no other |
school buildings than those in use for !
model schools on April first 1901, and the |
Popar sherman school shall be taken |