The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-18
THE NEWTOWN
 HIGH SCHOOL
Newtown Bee.)


 Newtown High School more practical and useful to the community it so well l serves, an important change and ad- dition to it's curriculum will be made at the opening of the school year by the addition of an agricultural course, the extent to which it is to be devel- oped to depend upon conditions and school visitor.
 The faculty of the Newtown High School for the ensuing year will be
 constituted as follows:
 Warren L. Carpenter, principal, a
 graduate of Middlebury College, and
 already favorably known to Newtown people after years efficient service as principal.
 | Leonard M Johnson of Easthamp- ton, Mass, whose course of study in- cludes the Easthampton (Mass.) High School, Williston Seminary, EaSthamp- ton, and a four years course in the
 Massachusetts Agricultural College. teacher of the sciences and agricul- ture.
 Miss Laura Curtis of New Haven, a graduate of the New Haven High School and of Vassar College, and who
 has had a years study in Germany.
 Miss Lillian Troy, teacher of sub- freshman class, a graduate of the
 Newtown High School, and of the
 Danbury State Normal School. Tn the spring the Newtown High
 School was visited by Prof. Moore, of
 Yale University, representing the
 State Board of Education, who praised
 the Newtown High School highly and
 made certain recommendations. Prof.
 Moore in his report said:
 "The students of this school are a
 remarkably fine company of boys and
 girls They are more serious and bet
 fo, Li h
 are the majority of students in city
 high schools. Many of them travel
 long distances daily to attend school
 and most of them are making per
 sonal sacrifices in order to get an education. The training which coun- try life has given them not only makes them serious minded. but it gives them a pretty clear understand ing of what their studies mean and a decided hunger for knowledge. As consequence their work is good and discipline takes care of itself. I am told that there are taxpayers in this community who object to the district maintaining a high school. I do not think they could continue to object if they would go to the trouble to inform themselves concerning the stu dents for whom it is working, or the work of education which it is doing for the community. The school is amply justifying every dollar that has gone into it, and is doing such good work that the district is warranted in providing more money that 1t may do a larger work.
 In recommending the employment of a. science teacher we have not thought to enlarge the staff of the school, but simply to strengthen it by a teacher who is strong in science for one strong in modern Such a teacher will cost the district more money, but the building up it's science work. The boys and girls of this school are of sturdy stuff and the world wants folks of their kind to get on as fast as they can and to have every help they can have in making their way. One of the best services which the teachers of this school can render is to talk over their plans for the future with them, to counsel and assist them as to what callings they should enter, and how they should en- ter, and how they should fit them selves for them. Too much atten- ton can hardly be given to this side 1 of school work. We recommend l therefore:
 1. That science be built up in the | school. That a laboratory be fur nished and equipped, a science teacher l hired, and instruction in agriculture | given. N
 2 That the other changes in the | Course of study noted above be, if l possible, made.
 3. That high school teachers be paid | higher wages.
 A. That the community, realizing that it has the elements of an unusu- | ally good high school, take a large pride in it's work and provide it liber- lily with what it requires''
 After this report had been placed in he hands of the local board of school visitors, a joint meeting of the School Board and High School Committee vas held to informally discuss the Iuestion at issue. AS the result of he conference it was voted as the 'ense of the gathering that the High School Committee in engaging the eachers for 1910-1911 should endeavor 70 far as practicable to carry out the of the State Board ,f Education For a long time the question of agricultural instruction in he public schools, and especially in ,ur High school, has been advocated ,y such well-posted men as Rev. J. H. George. the efficient and popular lcting visitor for the High school; Dr. F. J. Gale, and Charles G. Meeker he latter members of the High School |