St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-06-07

"A SGatement OF EActs 1f0m INC SCn~~A
Directors for the st. Johnsbury Voters
10 Consider.
For several years the school directors
have had to contend with overcrowded
conditions in the schoolhouses on Sum-
mer street.
These conditions, steadily growing
worse, have now reached point which
compels the directors to make some
arrangement whereby so many pupils
will not be crowded into single room.
During this school year there has been
in the room for the fourth grade an
average Of So pupils; in the fifth grade
an average Of 10 pupils; in the sixth
grade an average OF 81 pupils; in the
seventh grade an average of go pupils,
and an overcrowded condition in all the
rooms above these grades.
Anyone with slight knowledge OF
what a single teacher can accomplish
under such crowded conditions can see
quickly that at least two things are
likely to follow, viz: an impairment, If
not lasting injury, to the health OF pupil
and teacher, and lack OF thorough
instruction by the teacher who, however
capable, simply cannot do justice either
to herself or her pupils. The general
standard of scholarship from the fourth
grade up has been lowered because OF
conditions described above.
Many plans have been considered.
First, the use of the third floor OF one of
the Summer street buildings; second, a
re.arrangement of rooms with different
use of recitation rooms; third, the erec-
ton in the rear OF the south building, OF
two.story ell. at quite large expense;
| fourth, the erection of another school
building; fifth. the utilization of unused
rooms in the Summerville schoolhouse.
The directors deem the last named
plan the most feasible and economical of
all those mentioned, unless the town
1
desires to vote an appropriation Of at
least between four and FIVE thousand
dollars for the erection of proper addi-
tions to the present buildings.
The directors believe the last named
plan the best one for the following rea-
sons: First, If pupils be sent to Summer
vile there is ample provision tor the Or
/ binary increase in population for a
period covering the next ten years.
Second, the health and general standard
of scholarship of the pupils will be great.
" enhanced under conditions that will
assure efficient and thorough work, and
| gain far greater and better results.
Third, all the other plans (save possibly
the one that would call for quite large
outlay of money by erection or extension
of buildiugs) would prove but temporary
makeshifts, necessitating in the near tu'
ture some other arrangement. Fourth,
by utilizing the unused rooms in the
Summerville building the congested con-
ditions in grades fifth and sixth, as
well as all those above, will be relieved
whereas, II the other plans are carried
out, there will still be undesirable con
ditions 10 the grades above the fifth and
sixth. Fifth, few years since the towr
was bonded in order that building il
Summerville might be constructed that
would meet future needs. This building
cost $4,000. There is ample room in il
to meet the demands now pressing. Th'
directors believe that the unused portion
of this building should be made available
This can be done with an outlay OF 5000
possibly a little less. Sixth, the directors
believe that all parents, after due con
sideration OF the conditions described
above, will realize that the new plan con
templates change that will result il
sounder bodies, better trained minds ant
greater development of all those quail
ties that make strong men and women
Taking into consideration all thes'
conditions, the directors purpose te
carry out the following plan: Beginning
next September, all pupils from Railroad
street, above the third grade, and al
pupils from Paddock Village, above tn
Fourth grade, shall go to the Summer
willie schoolhouse for instruction.
A. FRANCIS WALcH.
FRANK H. BROOKS.
EUNIcE A. S. MAY.
St. Johnsbury, VT, June 5, 1905.