The Newtown bee., 1904-11-18

lnSJrucGed at nome during the current year. In these cases a register has been kept and hours and studies of the public school adhered to as closely as circumstances would permit. In all these cases but two the mother or some other member of the family had formerly been teacher and was com petent to carry on the instruction. AS rule, unless a regular tutor is employed or some competent member l Of the family not interrupted by house. | hold or other duties can devote her en- tire time to the task, home instruction is of less value than is that of even the most ordinary of public schools. Even under the most favorable conditions such instruction is incomplete in that 1t deprives children of that mingling
 with their fellows which is apparently a necessity to the healthy and normal development of character.
 LETTERS AND NOTICES. These have been made use of to the l number of 1853 during the year and have produced excellent results as ShOWn by subsequent attendance re- ports; while by their use the agent is enabled to cover vastly larger field than could be done by personal visits alone
 The important point in this part of
 the work is that letters and notices, l to be of value, must be sent out with great promptness while the irregulari- | ty referred to is still recent; they are of little or no value when delayed. REPORTS FROM TEACHERS. The same statements that apply to n0ficQC fn rontC fr11o in, <l
 to reports from teachers, which must
 be prompt to be of any value.
 Not only should the regular report go in on the last Friday of each month,
 but special report should also be made of any considerable irregularity which occurs during the first or second week l of any month, as this will often enable the agent to correct at once an ir regu. larity which might otherwise continue throughout the entire month.
 TRANSPORTATION. The problem of providing reasonable school facilities for all children con- tinues to vex many country towns. In many of these towns distances between schools are great and some children are so far removed from any school as to render their attendance impossible unless transportation is furnished. The problem is solved varlously by various towns by employ ing a regular transportation team, by hiring parents to convey their chil- dren to school, by hiring the children boarded near school, or by opening a school in districts where the attend must be so low as to preclude any mea- sure of school etficlency. But it is a fact that some towns do provide prop CT school facilities for every child within their borders, and that, too, without friction or protest, and that such towns are by no means impOver- lshed by so doing. It is equally true that every town in Connecticut can do the same without financial embarrasS- ment or burden to any taxpayer; the only obstacles in the way being fancied rather than real and having their ori- gin in spirit of false economy which borders closely on penuriousness. There is notlceably growing public sentiment in favor of better school fa- cilities for all, and no town, however negligent, will be able to long with stand this sentiment.
 It is safe prediction that the near future will witness a great improve ment in the universality of school fla cilities.
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