The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-11-25

slower youths and giving the less
quick pupils opportunity to learn as
much as they can thoroughly. Previ-
ously, the overgrown youngster
whose body grew more rapidly then
his brain snailed along as best
he could and gradually became
ashamed of his long legs and large
body among so many smaller child
rem, and, as natural consequence,
dropped out of school entirely. Now
the older boys are kept in class by
themselves and their self respect is
not bruised by mingling with young
sters of half their size.
The same segregation system Is car
ried on into the High School. Two
divisions are instituted, one the col
lege preparatory, which covers all the
requirements, the other, the general
division which covers as much ground
as the ability of the class determines.
Statistics recently compiled from ev-
cry grade up show that the senior who
|
failed regularly through his gram
mar school course. From this fact it
is evident that special attention must
be paid the duller students, or, the
less gifted pupils, to keep them in
school. And this is the Montpelier
idea. To keep the youngsters in
school and give them all the educa-
ton they will hold. If they can't
keep up with the class, they are CIV
en- a class by themselves and do what
they can. The argument is that the
taxpayer isn't paying his money into
the school treasury in order that the
bright son and daughter of his neigh
Dor may receive an education. He
pays for his own sons and daughters,
brilliant or backward, and everybody
must have a chance. That is why the
elective course supplanted the COM
pulsory course in the High school
with such marked success. The school
is now on the college list for three
years and senior class failures have
been less than five per cent. in re-
cent years, while the attendance in
creased "a per cent to percentage of
something like IL per cent. in the
grades.
Social Idea.
The school course is not so much
a preparation for life as it is life
itself. The school is small COM
side, which the school authorities are
providing. To awaken interest in
eighth graders in High School life
there are five freshmen events of i'm
portance, the flag rush, the grill, the
cane spree, the annual dance, and the
; investiture of colors. Dances, chaper-
oned by the teachers and one or more
parents, are allowed at regular in
] tervals. The youngest pupils of the
) grades celebrate birthday parties with
cake and candles and a day is set
, aside once in two years as Govern
or's Day" when the chief executive OF
] Vermont visits the school and delivers
an address, escorted by the cadets and
, drum corps and class presidents
= Every task is made as attractive as il
e can be. Outdoor excursions, headed
y by the teacher, and, usually, the su.
: perintendent, are occasions of joy. In
the school rooms there are singing
= birds, gold fish, bulbs and Towering
s plants, which the children care for
d There are 30 or 40 original songs
S for many of which W. d. Bartlett, &
High School boy of 16 years, deserves
credit. 1t is intended to get these
/, into shape in the form of a bookle
Q at later date.
s If boy has an opportunity to MAKE
e a little pin money, the superintendent
q of schools arranges for his absence
: during the time required for the rer
d Torrance Of the work. The manIa
n training system installed few year
g ago, is one of the most important fea
n lures of the present system. In thi
N each teacher carries out her owl
l. ideas and the youngsters do the worl
Is voluntarily, and, in most instances
AZ enthusiastically. 80 ~s.'-"'-
n When public interest was arouse
If in this feature, Hon. John II. Sente
70 raised a hundred dollars in fey
\ days to provide woodworking oat
6 fit and cardboard work, weaving, raj
G fla, typography. sewing, chair GAMING
~ brass work, leather, and venetian iro
n, are employed. 1t is the earnest dc
g sire to introduce cookery and domes
m tic science courses, and carpentry o
wider scale at later date. Thu
A. little by little, the school system
at becoming practicalized.
es Physical Side.
At 1t has not been the custom unit
A, recently to pay much attention 20 I'll
Is physical side of the child in scho'
o. hours. The teacher, nowadays, how
d. ever, isn't allowed to consider he
be duty done when she has stimulate
he the brain. She must detect signs
he illness, detect vermin or other col
to tagion, and report 10 the authorize
er, Superintendent f. ]. Brownscomt
ca hos q drauar In his dask c0mnlate