Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-07-12
BRATTLEB0R0 LOCAL NEWS.
THE SCHOOL REPORT
Committee Recommends Tax Of
SIS Cents the Coming Year
Good Financial Showing at the End Of
This Year-Manual Training and Play
ground Discussed by Teachers.


ground Discussed by Teachers.
The annual school report for district
No. . has been issued ready for distribu-
ton. The prudential Committee-E. ..
S. Osgood J. l.. Martin and l.. f. Adams
make an opening statement regarding
the changes among the teachers which
have already been announced, and they
devote some space to supporting the
statements and recommendations of
the principal supervisor, supervisor of
music and supervisor of drawing.
In noting the retirement of the super
visor of drawing after years of faith
full work, the committee say: we have
presented to us this year the ninth AMI
last report of Mrs. Crosby as super
visor Of drawing, owing to her resigna-
ton at the end of the spring term. This
report gives evidence of her deep in
tcrest in the subject and of her desire to
have it carried out and oNemplitied in
many practical details. 1t affords us
pleasure to bear testimony to Mrs. Cros-
by's genial instruction in the class rOOm
during all these years and to the en-
thusiasm for better service in this field
with which she has inspired so many of
the pupils in The different classes"
Attention is given to the work of repairs
and improvements effected during the
year The committee say in regard to need
ed improvements: During the present sum-
mer the heating apparatus in the Canal
street building must be thoroughly over
hauled and put in repair, i'm readiness
for the fall term. But. i'm all probability,
in another year. it will be necessary for
the district to put an entirely new system
of heating and ventilation in this build
ing if the health and comfort of teachers
and scholars are to be maintained as they
should be.
"Other repairs that may be mentioned
in addition to the usual painting. varnish-
a c nf fntnNr
desks when necessary, concern especially
the primary buildings on High street and
Chase street The one requires a new
furnace and proper drainage for its cellar
which is often partially filled with water
in the winter and spring; and the other
should be provided with one or two extra
windows for lighting and ventllating pur-
poses"
Regarding finances the committee
say: The report of the treasurer
will show that we have received the sum
of $31 4S604 from all sources during the
year, now brought to an end. and have
paid out S3l,34Sl1, leaving a balance to
our credit of $13793. All outstanding
bills, so far as known. do not exceed $50
On the other hand, at least 5000 is due
to the district on account of buttons
The last of the bonded indebtedness on
the high school building. amounting to
$4,000, has been met this year. This
leaves $4,000 as the total bonded debt
viz; $4,000 high school heating apparatus
bonds and $4,000 Canal street school
bonds. The heating apparatus bonds are
the ones next due, maturing July /.
1909
an order, therefore. that the
district may provide for the i'm
provements already referred to. as
well as for the regular expenses of the
school year, including the setting on one
side at least $4,000 toward the payment
of the high school heating apparatus
bonds, at maturity, we recommend that
a tax of 65 cents be laid on the grand
list"
Principal E. Burr Smith explains the
system of marking in the high school
A is excellent and stands for 9O-lOO b
good, 5000; c, fair, 1880; d. barely
passing, $500 f, failure, below Go. Mr.
Smith IS confident that the Austine
scholarships will prove a source of much
good. He says: There will undoubtedly
be from year to year some disappointed
hopes Of those who have worked faith
fully and almost woman experience that
all high school pupils will pass through
sooner or later This feature of the
prize system will be offset by the in
creased stimulus for study on the part
of the majority of high school students"
Mr. Smith discusses the question
or the relation of scholarship 10
athletics at some length. He is
of the conviction that the COM
vantage than when they voted to pay
Mr.. Stolte for his services as coach for
the track team. Mr.. Smith is of the
opinion that football next fall should be
under the direction of a trained athlete
and he hopes the committee will see
their way to engage Mr.. Stolte as coach
and trainer. Mr.. Smith believes the
greatest need of the school system of
Brattleboro is a director of physical
training. The trip of the senior class
to Washington, the meetings of parents
and teachers and the meeting Of the
alumni are subjects discussed briefly by
Mr.. Smith
The report of Miss Marguerite Tucker.
supervisor, deserves the careful perusal
of all interested in the school children
she says 30 per cent of the enrolment
have defective vision, 10 per cent have
defective hearing, and that parents have
been notified for three years of the re-
suits of the eye and ear tests About
one-third of the parents so notified have
consulted their physician or a specialist
and applied remedies to the defects
The astonishing statement is made that
80 per cent of the enrolment of 626
children have neglected teeth and the
need of care in this direction is sensibly
discussed. The benefits of gymnastics
and the Importance of establishing a plav-
ground are two other subjects which are
given discussion. Attention is called to
the vacation school, Miss Tucker be-
,.eves a curfew law would prove a bless
ing to the schools of today and to the
Brattleboro of the future. The visits of
parents to the schools as a result of
parents days is an encouraging feature
of the year
Miss Emma Gregg, supervisor of mu-
sic, and Mrs b. V. ID. Crosby super
visor of drawing, make interesting re-
ports of their departments. Mrs. eros
by says at one point; 1.-THE subject of
manual training is now generally recog-
nized as subject to be taught not only
In manual training high schools, but in
the higher grades of the grammar school,
and enormous sums of money are being
spent on buildings, equipment and in
struction. Drawing in the public schools
must be genuine art education, and
manual training in the public schools
must have a vital connection with true
art principles and illustrate a fitting
adaptioR of art to material"