Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-03

Mr.. Editor: I would call the atten-
ton of the voters of the town of Nor
Wfcl1 to the fact that question Of vital
Importance is to come before the town
meeting on Monday night: Shall the
town of Norwich appropriate sum of
money to pay the tuition fee charged
town pupils at the Norwich Free Acad-
envy?
This is a question of large import;
in fact. no question of greater concern
has been placed before the voters of
this town in many a year. The i'm
portance of it, / fear, has not impress
cd itself upon the average voter. The
fact that no such provision for free
high school education has existed here,
and that this condition has been allow
ed to exist for some years, seems to
many sufficient warrant that such
action is uncalled for at this or any
time. In my opinion, the longer such
nom existence has prevailed the SOON
err ought its existence to prevail. Prog
resS does not consist in mere imitation
of our worthy forbears, with all due
regard to them and their wisdom.
Progress consists in changing action to
suit changed conditions.
But is this q progressive step? If not.
Norwich is in class by herself; she
alone of the many cities and towns in
the United States is the progressive.
up-to-date city educationally. The
cities and towns of our country, SUP
some J.3li high SCJtOOiS at pup
lie expense, according to the last re-.
port of the United States commission
er of education are making needless,
unwarranted Expenditures of public
money through false conceptions Of
their duties to the boys and girls of
our country, through misguided good
intentions, and possibly through a false
valuation of the invaluable return for
such expenditure. In our own little
state, Connecticut. according to the re-
port quoted above, there are IS free
public high schools, In towns and cit
les with a population exceeding 5000
there are Is public high schools, and in
so places numbering less than 5000
people there are these schools main
tanned at public expense. If public
provision for a secondary education is
wrong. these cities and towns ought to
be educated up to a better conception
of right and wrong in the expenditure
of public money.
Recent statistics from the report of
our own secretary of the state board
of education show that only six towns
Clinton. New London, Norwich North
Stonington. Winchester, Woodstock
which have free private schools; that
there are only twelve towns-Bethle-
hem, Bridgewater, Canaan, Eastford,
Easton. KilIingworth, Lyme, Roxbury,
Salem. Union. Warren, WesthrooIx-
which did not maintain high school
or pay tuition at a non-Tocal high
school, I will not Vouch for the ac-
curacies of these statistics in toto;
nevertheless, they are sufficiently ac-
curate to show how Norwich compares
with other towns in our own state.
Owe are credited with free tuition at
q private school, which, of course, Is
not correctly Norwich ranks about
seventh in population Where does she
rank in public support of secondary
education? The answer is obvious.
The chief argument against public
payment at this time is the financial
condition of the town. Yet other mat
ters of minor Importance, although
regarded as Of greater importance. re-
ceive immediate attention, and get the