The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-27
SCHOOL WORK IN
STATE REVIEWED
BY AGENT HERE
Veteran Giles Potter to Re-
tire After Many Years of
Service Interesting Rec
elections.

Giles Potter. the veteran agent OF
the State Board OF Education. who is
now in his SD year. has presented his
resignation to take effect with the
new year. told a group Of listeners
at the Police and Charities building
as he bade them farewell today. some
thing Of the history Of public schools
in Connecticut. and in passing. dwell.
upon the salaries that were paid to
male and female teachers in Connecti-
cut more than half a century ago.
Mr. Potter has figured prominently
in the educational work of Connecticut
since the early '40s. He was a school
teacher before he entered Yale college.
class of SO. Governor-elect Baldwin
George NJ. Woodruff OF Litchfield. and
he We're the committee Of three to re
wise the school laws of the State In
The early '70s. For IS years he has
been the State agent Of the Board OF
Education, working unaSsisted until a
short time ago and issuing thousands
and thousands Of certificates 20 the
boys and girls who want to get en-
ployTnent. -
Hale and hearty despite his more
than four-score years, the veteran
educator stands erect as a soldier.
His snowy locks and beard give him
patriarchfal appearance. which read,
lily gives away to a more youthfui
countenance as his features frequently
relax in smiles as he recalls hunOr-
Gus "reminiscences Of the school days
Of the Nutmeg State Of so and so years
ago.
For many years Mr.. Potter has been
visiting Bridgeport. For. about two
wears he has sat at desk in the
Police and Charities building. every
Monday morning. surrounded by
motley array of boys and girls seeking
to display their proficiency in the three
RS 20 the satisfaction of their cate
chiser. It was with keen regret that
the attaches of the building bade him
farewell, for his weekly visits had
come to be looked upon as a pleasant
event in the weeks work.
"When I was at school. in Lisbon.
near Norwich said Mr.. Potter. 1--WE
used to pay the school teacher $12 or
SIS a month. The pay was raised by
the parents Of the pupils. The teacher
was given his board by the families
whose children attended school. If
there were two children of one family
at school, the teacher boarded twice
as long In that family as at the fam
lily with but one child in school The
parents had to furnish the wood to
heat the school. too.
'In those days We paid a great deal
of attention to the three, RS. Per-
haps I'm getting so well along in years
me that nowadays we are devoting too
much to other things in our school
work. We sacrafice time that might
be spent to good advantage with the
fundamental things. for a diversity of
subjects that in my opinion are of not
such vial importance"
Speaking OF the pay of school teach
ers, particularly of Bridgeport condi-
tions. Mr.. Potter recalled with inter
est the conditions Of his school days.
I'VE never thought a woman could
each school in the winter said he.
Men teachers We're employed during
the winter months. for they had to be
ianitor as well as teacher. The teach
ar had to attend the fire. But in The
summer months there were women
teachers.
Few children went to school in
the warmer months. The women
were paid 81 a month, and their
board. And if the truth must come
out, in those days We thought wo-
man was not competent to teach
school. There was little or no
thought of 2, uniform system of edu-
cation through the state. l went to
the legislature from Essex for three
years, and during that time took an
active part in the enactment of leg
islation. It was as a result Of the