Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-14
ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT
PAST YEAR CLOSED WITH BAL.
ANcE IN TREASURY.
In Spite of the Deficit of s3,942.06 at
Beginning Of Last Year-A Tax of 65
Cents Recommended Principal
Whitaker's Report.

The annual report of the prudential
committee and treasurer Of school
district No. ., which will be ready for
distribution before the annual school
meeting next Tuesday evening. shows
an excellent financial condition con-
sldeflng the circumstances under which
the year was begun and speaks well
Tor the management of affairs by the
present board, f. Q. :. 0sgood, j. l..
Martin and l.. L. Adams. Beginning
the year with deficit of S3.g42.O6 and
with outstanding bills amounting To
SSSS.s2 the committee has succeeded in
meeting all expenses, paying a bond of
S2,ooO and closing Its accounts with a
balance of S4760 in the treasury. The
/ only bills now outstanding amount TO
about $50 and as an offset to these
there is due on account of tuitions sl55
which viii probably be paid within a
few weeks, In order to provide for
numerous Improvements in the way of
new plumbing, new desks and rubber
treads for the stairways and the pay
ment ob $1,000 on one bonded debt the
board recommends tax of Go cents on
the grand list. the same amount as was
voted last year.
The following extract from the COM
mittee's report is of especial interest:
Some complaint has been made that
too little attention is paid To a review
of arithmetic in some part of our High
school course. Commercial arithmetic
mas. 10 certain extent. been studied
by many of the pupils in this depart
ment, and il will be the endeavor of
your committee in the future TO have
more work done along this line. Oral
spelling, as wen, taken up now and
then as general exercise, might
serve to strengthen those who are weak
IN this important branch of education
But II must not be forgotten that the
nine years spent in the grades are in
tended to cover very thoroughly and
comprehensively these fundamental
subjects, leaving the pupils free to take
up branches of higher mathematics,
such as algebra and geometry. and to
pursue courses in history. science, the
classics and modern languages. which
will prepare them for the advanced
work of the university.
Many changes have occurred In the
teaching force of the High school the
past year; and. although great pains
have been taken by the committee it
has not always been possible to fill
satisfactorily the places left vacant A
teacher can be gauged to the best ad-
vantage only after months spent in ac-
tive service in the school room, there |
fore, ii is impossible to tell from mere
credentials whether an applicant is to |
succeed or not. We are endeavoring to |
meet this problem as best we can, from |
year TO year, and our sole desire is 10 |
have as strong a corps of teachers as |
possible.
In the resignation of Mr. Whitaker |
TO accept the head mastership of the |
High school in Salem, Mass, the dis
trict has met with decided loss, and I
we are glad to place on record our sin
cere appreciation of the patient, help
full and inspiring work that he has
done in behalf of the young people in
the community. His efforts to improve
the school of which he has had charge
during these nine years have been posi-
tive and constructive, with a view to 1
build up character, as well as to en-
arge the boundaries of knowledge. But I
while we wish Mr.. Whitaker all success
n his future field of service. we must
It the same time, extend a cordial
greeting TO his successor Mr., Edgar
Burr Smith, of Plainfield n. j., and be-
speak for him the loyalty and willing
less to cooperate. on the part of the
district, without which the most praise
worthy endeavors must prove unavail- a
ng