The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-29

Bridgeport to play they were called
 "clam rakes," ssalt hay" boys and
 "mosQuitoes", but this gave them vim
 and they went in and won victories,
 There were good schools when he was
 a boy equal to any We now have. He
 high tribute to the character and
 work of MT. Sedgwtck, who toiled so
 long in stratford and built better
 than he knew. And when his old pu-
 pf1s heard of his death the feeling
 was like that at Rugby when Dr. Arn-
 old died. We are now face to face
 with new generation; there are
 we need this Board of Trade. How
 will the people meet the situation? The
 time will come when it will take some
 thing more than petition and reso-
 lutfons to prevent annexation. We
 must provide the town with modern
 Improvements and be prepared to
 shoulder the burden of higher taxation
 We are at the parting of the ways,
 and this calls for much public spirit.
 We need 1t now to meet the question
 Of laying tracks on East Broadway,
 Broad street and Judeon place. It is
 not necessary to give up any more of
 our streets. We should sound and
 voice the sentiment of the community.
 There is a lack of care and attention
 to small details in this town Take away the refuse and set out trees. One Of the most useful things for the
 Board of Trade to do is to plant trees. The contrast respecting our shade trees between 25 years ago and now is startling. The beauty of our streets is passing away. Do something and do it quickly. Strive to make Strat- ford an ideal home town which is something hard to be found. One of our great defects is the absolute in- difference to local conditions. There Is a broad field ,of usefulness for us. We are responsible for what we have and for what we are. Have self re- MT. Judd said he would be sorry to see Stratford lose any of it's boun- daries. He would have a feeling of town pride and build up and weld together all sections. Let us give our children the best possible education. and so build a strong, vigorous and community.
 Tn introducing William B Kelsey, the superintendent of schools, MT. Peck told of meeting Stratford man in the trolley who looked tired and dis couraged. He asked what was the matter and the man told a doleful story about his boy. a pupil at the Center school who insisted upon play ing on the fife, the snare drum and the cornet. Nothing that the father could say would induce the boy to give up these instruments. MT. Kelsey said he had a great admiration for some school men. and alluding to what had been said about MT. Sedgwick the old time teacher he thought a very high standard had been set. Keeping school is not all pleasant, but he en- joyed most the drums and fife corps. He likes to work with boys and see them work together in harmony. The drum corps speaks for Itself, but he was of the opinion that the occasion of the annual banquet of the Board of Trade was the best time in the course Of year in which to fire the school question at the men of Strat- ford. First he said, the school is not a prison, it is not place Of severity; not a place for harsh words A nor- nal child loves to learn; to use his faculties; to grasp one idea and then get hold of another. He enjoys this. At times we use pressure, but it is rational to adopt a better and more scientific method. The boy is a prob lem in school--the girls get along all right. Second, the three R's are not he fund damentals. Schools have chang ed as business has, for we do not do business now as we did. The real then speech and gesture, and then the power we have to do nothing-self control; to stop and think. and then not to do what we want to do. This is the power of inhibition, and is first taught in the kindergarten. Some parents want kindergarten child to go to school at four years of age. and they complain if it cannot read at that age. But this is not the busi- ness of a kindergarten; it trains to see, to hear, to express, to hold still whenever the child wants to move. Mr. Kelsey said the age of 5 years is not the best one for sending a child to school. He would not have them go until 6 years old No two children