Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-06-08

Ma gymnasium work, playground aciiyi'
lies, act as coach for the high school team,
teach the boys and girls separately lhroush
the grades aud IN the hlgh senoois Suus'
and all these things ought 70 DC uvhu ~
we are 10 have our human wealth constantly
increasing, that is, II We are 70 nave kuu1i
and pure aud strong and capable men and
women tomorrow feel that ms phys'e1lii
training should be for the benefit OF all
boys and girls Of every church IN this loNi,'
Catholic or Protestant, or no church ~ an
And In pure democracy such as We nave
here, isn't the school district or the VILLAGE
or the town the proper source Tor inc n""
agement Of such training a..
Now that we have considered the bouliy
health Of the child, lei us look al what y
being done for him mentally, l DO not WISH
TO enter into q prolonged discussion OF o'u
and new methods OF instruction. Today a
college education means much more thah u
did a quarter Of a century ago. Colleges
and scientific schools have sprung up every
whore with wonderfully generous ehuow'
ments and | have no hesiiancy now IN telI.
ing my boys, il they are In good health, that
a college education Is possible even tor lhe
poorest, This larger view Of education mas
reacted ON the schools, and now we hnu
schools preparing for college-schools that
heretofore cared for nothing beyond their
own doors. The Brattleboro high school
prepares boys and girls for college and sell
eniiRc school and does IL well. However,
believe that too little attention has been
paid 10 the boys and girls who can go 10
college. Why should II be necessary Tor
boy or girl who wishes to know something
OF business or accounts to 20 10 some So
called business college In Springfield or Al
banyi A commercial or business course 10.
day should include as many hard studies as
any other course in school. Business houses
are not looking for expert accountants among
the graduates OF our high school Or business
pnlipung NOuuu and women We'll ground
ed in English, history and mathematics
ought 10 make the best kind Of help In Of
flee work. The handwriting OF the pupils in
the high school will compare very favorably
with that Of the majority Of our business
men.
And then for the girl who is to go no far
Their than our high school and possibly not
through the high school even, is there any.
thing that would be OF more use to her than
knowledge Of cooking and dressmaking
l am not speaking Of something new, strange
and unheard OF. The best high schools in
New England are those equipped with col.
lege preparatory, commercial, technical and
domestic science courses. What New York
or Springfield does on large scale, Brat-
tleboro could do ON small one. ! will ad'
nit that these things cost money. Surely
place OF this size that can boast OF 80 Cor
Is il $50 automobiles owned in town, must
be wealthy enough to afford frst-class
school system.
Another thing I believe manual training
could be introduced into our schools with
great advantage. Drawing is not enough,
though more could be made of that. There
ought to be more manual work. When the
boys reach the age Of IL or before, there
is nothing that will appeal so much TO them
as the opportunity to make something with
their own hands. At present many boys are
struck with the idea Of getting 10 work in
store or factory. where they can earn per-
haps as much as a dollar a day, and later
they may rise to two dollars a day where
they may forever stay. II these boys had
stayed in school longer their views Of life
would have been broader. the sum total of
their actual knowledge larger and eventually
they would be worth more to themselves
and to the community. Boys frequently drop
out in the last grades of the grammar
school, whereas II their restlessness and I'M
nasness in the presence of books could be
turned into other channels better equipped
boy in few years would be turned loose in
the world.
very serious fault of the Brattleboro
public school system is this lack Of men
teachers. Another thing public opinion can
10 is this: See that the standard Of teach.
ne, ability is kept high. This will mean
higher salaries, otherwise the best teachers
will be constantly drawn off by more lucra-
i've positions. Isn't il comment on the
salary question TO note this: The ianitor Of
he high school building receives higher
alary than any grade teacher And / don't
wish TO imply that the janitor is overpaid.
rhe ianitor at Canal street also receives
IS much as the principal OF the building.
There are some stout defenders OF the old
ashioned training who will tell you that the |
esults OF the new methods can't compare |
With the results of the methods so and 60 |
ears ago. In 1916, Mr. Parish Of the |
springfield, Mass, high school set some ex
limitations for his pupils in the high school |
the questions, and the answers
S given by IS boys and girls, were pre-
erved. One Of the grammar school princi. |
'als gave the same questions TO some ninth |
rade pupils in 1905 with these results:
Year 1916 1905 |
20. of pupils, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. IS 245 /
spelling, per cent. correct -. 400 51.2 |
arithmetic. per cent. correct. 29.4 65.5 |
Brooklyn, \. Y, grammar school master
ave the same questions TO some eighth |
rade pupils with these results:
Year 1916 1905 /
To- pupils .............. IS "a
Ter cent Of pupils who received
70eo or more in spelling 1894 $50 |
per cent. correct. 29,i 71.27
This is not conclusive evidence that the
ew education is absolutely perfect, but I I
OF neglected under present conditions where
he child's activities are taken up with
God deal besides the three RS Il
One Of the worst things that can happen
! graded school system is too much en-
basis in the class at the expense of the in.
ividual. We are sacrificing the individual
20 much--the bright boy or girl has to
ait too long for the one of slower mental II
rowth, At the same time, it is quite I'M
lir to hurry the slower pupils. If we
IN pay more attention 10 the individual and
IS to the class, some or our problems will
.tte themselves.
believe the faults of the present system
education--if it can be said to have a
'stem--are more the faults of poorly
luipped teachers. Personality means so i
UGH more than mere book knowledge that |
lie personality of the teacher should be the !
-st thing to consider.
After all has been said and done there re.
aims one great thing OF which must speak. c
m of today is lack Of superior qualities h
the parents. We really need complete a
w set of parents for practically all our !
lldren But as this can't easily be at :
ined, the only thing left for us to do is a
see to il that parents of the next gem h
alton are better than those of today. There o
no question in my mind but the whole "
Vocational outlook would be completely :
anged if teachers and parents could work n
gether more tremendously. Parents seem !,
forget that out of the "a hours, the school II
responsible for barely five. Too many h
rents are Sinking their responsibilities W
we are to have our children educated :
r the highest service there must be at the :
lndation OF their education a respect for
thority. There would be more well be-
we'd, gentle hammered children in this town
the fathers and mothers realized the i'm T
rtance of obedience. I believe children
We certain rights in regard to punishment.
child is told that II it transgresses a
rtain command, punishment will follow
w if the punishment follows the trans. t
ession surely and swiftly the child has a
ded to its experience a whole mine of a
liable information. The responsibility for !.
edient children rests with the parents u
child's sense of justice is so keen that II t;
luires great patience and wisdom in issu.
orders for children ito follow Along
tn the old-fashioned ways of teaching have !.
ne the old ideas of punishment I consider Il
self poor teacher Just in proportion as W
have to use physical force to get what /
mt from my boys. I tell you frankly |
Mt believe in corporal punishment in 81
lool and the less of it in the home, the Sc
ter. And so, il parents will do their duty B