The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-12-01
9ermunt Matthnan.
THE NEED OF A HIGH SCHOOL.

The special report of the Board of
School Commissioners, printed in
yesterdays Journal and published
in pamphlet form by the commission
ers for general distribution, is a doc
ument of more than ordinary import
ance. In plain but forceful language
it sets forth the imperative need of
new High School building and pre-
sents the plans that have been drawn
for new structure.
Already the matter of more room
for our schools has been neglected
too long. BY our delay We are sub
jecting our children to unhealthful
conditions, depriving them of the
educational advantages which they
should enjoy, and laying upon the
teachers burdens too great to be
borne with safety to health and life.
There can be no argument over the
fact that more room is needed at
once for school purposes. This fact
being conceded is it not better to
make adequate provision for these
needs than it is to attempt to get
along with some cheap makeshift, at
best entirely inadequate.
Montpelier needs a new modern
High School building. This city has
splendid prospects for "A bright in
dustrial future. 1t is likely to grow
faster during the next decade than it
has in the past ten years. is Montpe-
lier to be an aggressive, progressive
city, taking advantage of every OPP
portunity for improvement, or is it
content to be a dull, sleepy New
England village fearing nothing so
much as spending a dollar? This pa
per believes that Montpelier is going
to be a wide aawke hustling city, in
the front rank of enterprising towns,
demanding and securing the best ad-
vantages to be obtained by city OF
it's class.
OF course it will cost money to
build a High School, but it will be
money we'll invested. No business
man who conducts enterprises OF
any magnitude attempts to do SO
without borrowing money. TINS city S
credit will enable it to secure a long
term loan at a low rate of interest.
This city can pay for High School
and a City Hall far easier than 1t
could pay the large debts contracted
earlier in it's history We want our
boys and girls to have as good advan-
tages as any Vermont city offers.
We want them to study under health
full surroundings that will give them
a fair chance to do their best work.
We want them to have the chance
to study those practical branches
that help them to earn their own
living. They should have the oppor-
tunity to take commercial course
without going away to business
college. The boys should have the
chance to learn how to do things
with their hands and the girls to
learn those facts concerning the val
ne of foods and their preparation,
and the cutting and making of gar
ments that will fit them to become
DeIleT wives ana lnOUueIS. IIOUdDly
no study taught in our schools will
be of permanent value to so many
persons as the subject of domestic
science With the high cost of living,
the meagre facilities which girls now
have to learn the science of home
making, and the modern lessons con-
corning the nutritive value of foods
which few mothers can teach their
daughters the subject becomes of the
greatest Importance not only to the
girls but to the husbands and child
rem of the future.
Let us give Montpelier's children
of today and tomorrow fair chance.
We have erected the finest City Hall
in Vermont Let us build a High
School that shall afford to the child
rem of Montpelier educational facili-
ties equal to those furnished by any
other Vermont community. Then let
us boom Montpelier until it is gem
orally recognized as the most pro-
gressive city of the State. We are
compelled to do something. While we
are about it let us do something
worth while