Norwich bulletin., 1909-02-03
Submitted to Connecticut General Assembly by
Commission Appointed to Investigate
MANY TEACHERS THOROUGHLY UNFIT
For Their Positions, Being Uneducated and Without Am
bition Ability to Improve -Dstressinsly Small
Wages Pad-Miserable condition of School Build
ings in Many Smaller Towns Recommendations

Hartford, Conn.,, Feb. 1.-The COM
mission appointed by the last general
assembly to investigate the school
system of the state. with Senator Lu-
ther as chairman, today submitted It's
finding to the general assembly. The
system of local management is de-
clared to be a grave injustice to the
children of the state. This is due to
the different ability Of different COM
munities to maintain suitable schools,
partly due to indifference and incom-
potency on the part of local authorities
and partly due to petty and unworthy
jealOusies liable to exist between COM
munities and in communities.
Unfit Conditions of School Buildings.
The condition of school buildings in
many smaller towns of the state are
old unclean, offering no proper shell
ter. poorly heated, unventilated, asso-
ciated with old buildings offensive to
the senses and sensibilities of the
child and adult alike; buildings WHICH
would not be tolerated for an instant
in the case Of a state prison or county
Jail vet in these novels are gathered
together five or six hours a day the
helpless little children for whose edu-
cation the state has assumed to care.
Many OF these schools are poorly equip
ped and in many cases the children
are without text books.
Uneducated Teachers.
The report says further that many
of the teachers in the school are thor
oughly unfit for their positions, such
teachers are uneducated, without ex-
perience or knowledge of teaching, and
without ambition or ability TO Improve.
Wages paid to a large proportion of
our teachers are distressingly small
Buildings Defaced.
"We might present photographs Of
sxteriors and interiors of schools
which would be humiliating for cit
izen Of Connecticut to look upon. We
have in our possession a photograph
Of a school building so defaced that
the photograph could not lawfully be
sent through the postoffice and an ex-
hibition OF it would be in violation or
the general statutes"
Excellent Conditions Of Schools in
Cities.
The commission notes with pleasure
the excellent condition Of the schools
in the cities and most Of the boroughs
and in those towns in which still per-
eists effectively something Of the New
England spirit Of earlier days.
Recommendations
The commission makes the following
recommendations TO the general as
sembly:
l. That after a certain date the
present district system" be abolished,
that town school committees be elect
ed, and that the towns be grouped so
as to constitute territories for con-
venient supervision.
2. That territorial supervisors be
elected or appointed substantially in
accordance with the provisions Of
chapter X of the Connecticut school
laws. their duties to be prescribed by
the state board.
8. That as part of their duties the
supervisors shall prescribe eXamina-
tions suited to pupils in the eighth or
higher grades and issue to pupils sat-
isfactortly passing these examinations
diplomas certifying to their attain
ments.
4. That after a certain date no
teacher, not appointed by the state
board Of education, shall be appointed
10 teach school in the state.
5. That the provisions of the aver
age attendance grant be extended so
that in no town shall there be less
than twenty-five dollars expended an
nuaIly for each pupil in average at
tendance in providing for his educa-
tion.
6. That after a certain date no
school shall be maintained in any town
in the state in which the average at
tendance shall fall below twelve pu
pills and pupils belonging to such dis
continued schools must be carried to
some central school according to the
provisions of section As of the school
laws.
7. That the means provided for
transportation Of children to and from
school must be approved by the terri
torial supervisor.
8. That section 169 of the Connect