Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-03-30

Bridport School Report.

Owing to a vacancy in the Office of super
intendent of schools, during the fall term
the schools were not visited by the super
intendent; but this winter they have been
duly inspected, and, with a few exceptions,
found very satisfactory. ! think the majority
of our teachers this past year have done
excellent work. However, there are few
who, although doing well considering the
small amount of training they have had, yet
do not reach the standard we have Get for
our teachers. Let such, if they wish to
continue in the work, avail themselves of the
opportunities offered them by the Normal
or Summer Schools.
But, fathers, right here would like to
make suggestion to you. Are parents doing
their share toward making our schools
success? The more | am engaged in school
work, the more ! realize how much Of the
success or failure of the school depends upon
the parents. Let me illustrate one need of
your aid. Here is school of fifteen pupils,
we will say, seven out of the fifteen range
in age from nine to thirteen years. When
school opens, one of them announces her
intention to have party in about two weeks.
All plans must be laid, of course, and party
is uppermost in their minds. 1t comes off
on Wednesday night of the third week. 1t
lasts until one, two or three o'clock. Thurs
day and Friday the ten are so listless that
they cannot learn and so restless and mis-
chievous that order cannot be maintained
except by the utmost strain of effort on the
part of the teacher. So it goes on until
six of the ten has each had a party, and
the term is over. The pupils have not
learned a thing, the school has been mis-
managed; but whose fault is it? This is but
one of the many things which detract the
minds of the pupils from their school duties
and which parents might avoid The absence
of pupil, too, now and then day not
only retards the advance of that one pupil
who is absent but also interferes with the
progress of the whole school and with the
preservation of order. Only thirty weeks out
of the fifty-two are the children in school;
is there not time in the remaining weeks
for the other thingso Fathers, let US do
our part faithfully in supporting the schools;
let us see that, during the time allowed
children for school work, nothing be per-
mitted to take precedence over their school
duties, and also that they take the amount
of sleep they require to effect the growth
of the mind.
All that done, let the mothers visit the
schools that they may become acquainted
with the methods of the teacher and may
show their interest in the work, thus en-
couraging both pupil and teacher. Then,
too, they may feel a perfect right to critcise
the school.
Now may suggest to you a plan that
has appealed to me as means of lessening
expense and of improving our schools. We
are paying seven dollars week to teaches
in several schools which average from eight
to twelve pupils each, making the education
of one pupil rather expensive. 1t seems
to me that the number of schools might
be lessened. for instance, by bringing the
pupils of the Lake school to the Myrick
school, making one of moderate size. This
would not only decrease the expense, but
would greatly increase the interest of the
pupils in their work. Where there is but
one pupil engaged in certain study, unless
he be more Jealous than the average, after
few days the work becomes monotonous
and the pupil disnterested and therefore
negligent; because the teacher is unable TO
introduce various means of engaging interest
as she could in a class and there is no COM
petition to incte enthusiasm. BY this method
too, perhaps those whose tuition we are
now paying in other towns might be brought
to home school. This tuition expense,
during the past year, has amounted to ons