Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-04-01

trade was favored with a large at
tendance on wednesday evening at the
Buckingham memorial, the large hall
being well filled when President F. W.
Cary called the meeting to order short
ly after o'clock
After the report Of the secretary had
been read by II. W. Tibbits and APP
proved, President Cary explained that
the Kickerbocker Manufacturing Co.,
which the board had expected to come
here had been obliged to go elsewhere
as the Comstock building was not in
fit condition to be occupied. He also
stated that the public improvements
| committee had been at work on the
Shannon corner changes, but mas
| much as Mr.. Shannon did not desire to
sell and it would be necessary to get
il by condemnation, It was decided to
! abandon the project. The new indus
/ tries committee has been doing much
work. and as the result the Page Co.
4 is to retain its storehouse here, and
| the Franklin street property has been
| sold and new factory will be erected
| there.
Ths following new members were
elected: Frank Hampstead James L
Frank Coxeter. Reuben S. Bartlett,
Louis M. Carpenter, Willis T. Rogers,
| H. H. Walker. Guy B. Dobbeare, Frank
| E. Beckwith. Patrick J. Cassidy, Ellis
| Raphael, George s. Draper, making the
total membership 500.
Proposed Rockwell Corner Change.
| Vice President Z, A. Tracy said that
! there is considerable complaint about
| the corner of Main and Market streets
! at the Rockwell building. II is a phys
| ical defect which Il is thought the
board of trade can have some infu-
| ence in changing. c. E. Chandler. he
| said, thought a much better grade can
| be secured there. 1t was referred to
| the public improvements committee.
President Cary announced that ex-
| President Eliot Of Harvard is to
| speak on Progress Of Municipal Re
form at New London April 5.
Principal TirreIl Speaks.
| Principal Henry A Tirrel OF the
| Free Academy was then presented to
speak upon the. proposed legislation
relative to education and particularly
| school equipment, qualification OF
teachers, and consolidation of districts
as applied TO Norwich. Mr.. Tirrell
| presented a very clear and compre-
hensive talk on the legislative bills and
the report OF the school commission.
as well as thoroughly taking up the
local questions, and during which he
advocated the consolidation OF the
school districts here, and remove the
load from the children and give all
equal advantages.
| Everyone, said Mr.. Tirrell, wants his
children to have better advantages
; than he had and one of the greatest
advantages he can give them is edu-
/. cation, in its broadest sense. II is a
debatable point whether high school
course is absolutely necessary. but all
agree that the grammar school course
Is and practically all nations demand
1t up to a certain age. A fundamental
education makes the people more law
! abiding and better. There are i've
: ninths of the children in this country
foreign born or Of foreign parentage
| leans OF them is by means Of the
schools. The state is therefore feeling
| the need more and more each year OF
| better schools. A state commission
was named and their report Is a sens
ible one. 1t makes few sweeping con.
formations but with each criticism tbs
remedy is suggested.
It states that the schools in the larg-
er centers are for the most part good
willis in the rural districts they arr
poor. While the statement is otter
, heard nowadays that education Is no
: as good as it used to be. he offered ev'
! idence to show that education wa'
ing Instances in Springfield where ex
. animation papers of 60 years ago hac
been given pupils Of today, with tn
result that the pupils Of today recetv
t ed much better marks.
1 Better Education Today.
Principal Tirrell stated that he hal
| tried the same plan here with exami
nations for the Academy in 1855, 1856
and 1868, which were given TO the pu
pills In Broadway, West Chelsea an
8 Greeneville schools, and the result
I showed a higher average on all tn
e papers, although the pupils were
/ wear or more younger than those VIII
2 took the examinations originally. Nor
v were perfect and the worst paper
s were better than the worst OF year
a ago.
raj schools have gone backward. TIL
n commission based its recommends
/. lions on the general idea that the stat
e compels the children to go to schoC
h and is duty bound to see that tn
o school Is fit to attend. II the condi
: tons are bad the state should step /
and apply the remedy.
Requirements.
81 School buildings should be well ven
Il tilated, well lighted and heated. The
: ought to be sanitary and have prope
:, seats and the buildings should be e6
- vocational in appearance and sugges
| order system ana neatneSs, as well
: | display the patriotic emblem. Cor
y ditions exist in country school house
=, which would not be tolerated in Jail
Most of the necessary tools for cor
| Quoting a school are lacking there. TT
- remedy is to make a law so that T
"a town shall receive state money unlei
~ the buildings satisfy the state. Eve
the poorest schoolhouse has the be
Il gymnasium, an open lot. which is Il
only advantage over city school.
Qualification Of Teachers.
The teachers Of today are poor
paid, inexperienced and thoroughly VI
fit TO teach the country schools. The
are hired by the district committe
often men who are not competent f
the work, and small treasures is al
other holdback to getting good teacl
ers. There is no supervision In Il
schools and there are much poor
teachers than in Rhode Island al
Massachusetts,. The proposed remeC
is that after January l. 1910, that {
a. new teachers must have state certii
Gates and that all normal gradual
10 shall receive $12 week and where Il
OF district funds will not allow IL L
state will pay the difference. Anoth
requirement Is that all schools be g
es pervised. Schools are often harm
k. by petty jealousies and incomplete
4 committees. He recommended the ear
consolidation of school districts. The
IS, were 1900 towns in New England ha
ing district systems but only rs, al
,st those are in this state. retain them. t
rest having gone to a better system.
No one defends district system u