The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-19

heights. NO man Whose HOlne 10 III
Caledonia county, Vt, ever referred
to the habtate of swine as pigsty
He would have said pigpen.
Bennington County Vermont Assocla-
ton News.
1t is very gratifying to all those
who are interested in the improve
ment of Bennington County to observe
the formation of unions of our towns
for the purpose of obtaining expert
supervision of the schools. Only a
little over a week ago the school di'
rectors of Dorset, Manchester and
Sunderland formed such a union and
at their meeting engaged Mr.. II. b.
Dickinson, who has been principal
of the Bennington High school for
some time, as union uperintendent.
1t is also gratifying to know that Ar
lington and SALISBURY stand ready
to form a similar union with North
Bennington.
The expert supervision will counsel
with the teachers concerning their
pupils and visit their schools and
help them in every way possible
Where they have had such supervis
ors the schools Immediately began
to improve and were lifted to higher
attainment both regarding discipline
and scholarship. Where the gram
mar schools are thus improving the
pupils who enter high school are well
fitted to take up the work of the
freshman year in the high school
and will not retard such pupils as
may come from graded or supervised
schools. All the pupils are brought
up TO the standard required of high
schools and therefore, can advance as
rapidly as those coming from the
graded schools. In addition to this
the superintendent is man who
knows and studies the work that is
done in the best high schools. He
therefore, will be able to make val
liable suggestions to those who are
in charge of the high school and re-
lieve the principal of work in the
lower grades, thus enabling the prin-
cipal to give his entire time to the
high schools.
The state pays $3.50 toward the
salary of a supervisor who receives
$500 a year. Thus leaving the
town TO raise $3.50. This amount is
to be divided among the towns ac-
cording to their grand lists.
There are those who feel that the
whole system of education as at pres.
ent carried out is directed toward
the preparation of the children for
college. The whole curriculum is di.
rected to that end and this in
spite of the fact that only 5 per cent
of the pupils of Vermont go to col
lege. Many feel that 95 per cent
of the pupils who represent the av
erage home, should have a larger
consideration in our educational sys
TEN, that practical subjects should
be introduced Subjects that will
these 80 per cent of our pupils fol-
the life in which they are to live and
for the work in which they Will en-
gage. Every school ought to aim tC
prepare its pupils for greater useful
ness and efficiency in the communi
ty where the school is located.
Such a course would have to hav,
more teachers. There ought TO b,
for example, a teacher In Manua
Training, in Domestic Science. IL
Agriculture, in the Industrial Arts
as well as in business. The state
in order TO encourage such instruc
ton, offers to pay $3.50 annually to
ward the salary of an instructor o.
Manual Training or i'm the industrial
arts and sciences. Now, these union.
that are in the process of formatioT
might parallel the territory of the su
pervisors with such instructors ant
share the expense. Say. for in
stance, the union between Arlington
SALISBURY and North Bennington 1.
formed and got an instructor in Man
ual Training. The state would pa,
$3.50 toward his salary and the thre,
towns could divide the rest of In,
salary according to the grand list
If this we're equal. II would NEAR
that every one of these towns need
but add $3.50 If the salary were $1,000
These instructors would give 4
p NcAAotNNa hhAt smart VI lutlE time ff
high school work and to the two M
per grades, thus the high school ant
the grammar schools together would
add to the faculty efficient teacher.
and our schools would serve the 81
per cent of the pupils as well as the
> per cent who would 20 TO college.
The whole county is watching with
with the greatest interest the actor
North Remington will take tonight
regarding the formation OF a unior
with Arlington and SALISBURY for
the purpose OF expert supervision
Arlington has under consideration
plan for the improvement OF road.
that might well be taken up BY al
villages and country districts. The
village improvement association OF
Arlington is not only planning tC
raise funds 70 the Improvement oil
the roads. but is also going to ash
the people to come out with wagons
spades and other implements TO helr
fix up the roads. The value Of such
work is beyond question. n 5000 or
5000 Of our citizens in this county
would do likewise for two OF three
days in the year. the problem Of good
safe and beautiful roads would be
a-s-1naI-H -.