Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-05-02

Unless the community is sufficiently
large to support two classes Of schools,
in one of which you have the classical
course leading toward the intellectual
life; and the other a school in which
you did not include those things
taught in the other High school; un-
less you can do that, it seems to Inc
hardly practicable to split your High
school in two.
Chairman Brooks: Suppose it
were thought best to provide for a
term of Is or 20 years, and to provide
for an enrolment of 800 to 350-we have
at present 196 enrolled in the High
| school,, and it seems to me, and other
members Of the board, if we incor-
| porate in our curriculum a commercial
course that we shall at once run Our
enrolment up to something like $50
or 375. That being so, it would seem
| wise, if we build an addition, that we
should provide for the natural in
crease for the next 10 or Is years. It
| would perhaps reach $50. Under these
conditions would you suggest an addi-
| ton to the present building, or sug-
gest a separate building adjacent to
that:
| Mr. Sturgis: 1t would seem to
me, if the growth is growing in that
dirtction-perhaps I might ask the
| superintendent question. Is the gen.
eral trend here today what 1 call voca-
tional education in the High school?
| That is, if you had the same oppor-
tunity for pupils here that we offer
them in the High School of Commerce
and Mechanic Arts High school, and
Girls High School Of Practical Arts
| would there be an immediate demand
for that sort Of education?
Supt LaRue: / am a new man
here, and suppose the chairman, OF
Mr.. Marshall can answer that ques-
ton. From my limited experience
should say yes. There was petition
presented to the board, asking for a
commercial course. and signed by
about las names. and those names l
think were the names Of representa-
tive men. I did not see the petition
myself.
I have found through talking will,
various people of the city, and should
say representative people, that there
seems to be a growing feeling for
manual training. I am inclined TO
make an effort to introduce manual
training into the lower grades this
coming year, where additional equip
ment, not expensive, is required.
Mr. Marshall: 1 think in an en-
rollment of 300 that at least ne-third
would be interested in vocational edu-
cation.
Mr.. Sturgis: If that is the case,
would it not pretty accurately fit the
problem if the present building were
equipped for the work. There is a
basement where you could run lathes
and things of that sort. You have good
rooms on the upper floor for such work
as the commercial work.
1t would seem as though you migh,
concentrate a vocational school in the
old building, reserving enough space
to carry on the purposes that must &c
with that, and then build your new
modern building on the other side. ano
equip it with everything for the course
not taken care Of more fully in thf
| vocational school, giving it the mini.
| mum equipment required. Instead o.
| equipping the laboratories for chemls'
| try and physics. equip a lecture room
which would give. the elementary
| knowledge that a Freshman in Har'
| ward would get the first year, wher'
he would do work at individual tables
where all his information would b'
| got from lectures and the demonstra
| ton tables.
Your manual training might be elm
mated altogether and then those II
the High school who wished to tax
that might cross the river and take II
| | do not believe from an econom
ical standpoint that you are read'