The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1906-07-20

Ten Pages.
HOME NEWS.
SHALL THE TOWN HAVE ITS owl
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING?
A PRACTICAL QUESTION CLEARLY
~ STATED.

We have a High School which has |
won its way to the good will OF all our
people. In it every boy and girl In
town can have the opportunity for q
good education free OF charge. 1t has
done good work, SO that the parents
are satisfied with 1t. We have been
fortunate In having good
teachers who have created genuine
enthusiasm for It. We now have q
Principal as public spirited In all mat
tiers as he Is faithful and dilIgent in
his work. 1t is not too much to say
that there is no more popular institu-
Every part of the town Is interested
In it and is proud OF it. It draws q
good number of pupils from the sur
rounding towns and SO gives US the
benefit Of their tuition to the amount
Of 5000 each year.
But the Town does not own a High
School building. The building which
We occupy is rented from the Newtown
Academ1cal Association, and we pay In
the neighborhoOd OF 5000 year for
rent. There Is now an opportunity to
secure the building for town High
school at a,price which Is merely nom
inal compared with its original cost
and real value.
Without going into heightened
history Of the Newtown Academical
Association, 1t is enough to remind
our people that there was time when
few country towns had High school
or any opportunities for more advanced
education than was afforded by the
ordinary district schools. 1t was In
those days that q number of citizens
In NewtOwn determined to provide for
their children better advantages.
There was no help from the town.
individuals contributed to erect .
building and were responsible for the
support of the school. Stock was
issued and the stockholders chose 9
Board of Trustees, who administered
the affairs Of the school, engaging
teachers and making themselves re-
sponsible for their salaries, the support
being derived from the tuition of the
pupils.
This filled the want for that time
and the circumstances of the cOmmu-
nifty. But when High schools began
| to be established in the cities, and
especially when the state required the
| towns to pay part OF the tuition OF
scholars going from towns where there
were no High schools, the conditions
were greatly altered. Even then 1T was
impossible for many to send their chill.
dren out of town without too great
expense, and we had state of things
in which those who could afford to
give their children better advantages
could send them to the city, and the
poorer people could not afford to pay
the tuition, and SO the Academy lost
! patronage.
The stock of the Academy has never
paid dividend; and It's subscriber
never expected to receive any. They
were satisfied to have the advantages
for their children and to pay the neces'
sary tuition.
The present building, about 20 years
old, was erected on Sunset hill and
later was moved to its present location
to better accommodate the patrons In
all parts of the town. In the cree
tion of this new building, which su.
perseded the building now used for 9
pO6toffice, debt was incurred, and
more was added by the moving and by
the building Of the recitation room or
the north side. Additional debt wal
incurred in paying the salaries OF the
teachers; so that now the association
owes about 81, 800.
/ This was the condition of things
four years ago when the High school
was established. 1t was established
partly because it was difficult to sup.
port the Academy as q private school
for the reasons already given, but prin
cipally because in the minds of those
who led the movement the time haC
come when every boy and girl in town
whether rich or poor, should have the
opportunity for an education. The
movement was started by the Trustees
of the Association itself for these
reasons, and not for the purpose Of
i b tho q fiara
The rent for the first year OF. 500 was
expended entirely on repairs and i'm
provements after paying interest or
the debt; and every year since the
whole income received has been SO ex'
pended. Neither the trustees nor the
stockholders have at any time received
q cent for their Investment or theil
services.
The time has now come when extern
Sive repairs must be made upon the
building. The association does not
feel called upon to borrow money or tC
raise more money for the purpose
They are willing to contribute what
they have put into the property, near.
and pay the debt which rests upon it,
The building is we'll built and con
venient for its purpose. 1t is located
in the best place in the town for al
the pupils. It only needs that the
town assume the ownership of it as ii
is, put it in suitable repair and own it
for its High school.
Certain repairs are imperative, such
as relaying the foundation, which car
be done at an expense of little oveI
$500. The stoop should be rebuilt, an6
some other repairs might we'll be done
now. Further repairs and improve
ments could wait. But even II the
property cost the town $1,000 in all, ii
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