The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-23
Be MINING TON COUNTY
VERMONT IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Schools

0(UOOfo
DR.. Brown through his demonstra-
ton work and mass meetings aroused
an intelligent interest in the play and
recreation League that has been
formed for the County 1t is to be re-
GREETED that DR.. Brown did not have
sufficient time to work in every COM
munity However, as soon as the
League is fully organized the work
will be extended to outlying schools
and to the smaller villages so that
every single school in the County
shall have a vital part in the work.
AS a result of DR.. Browns demon
STATIONS and addresses number OF
local athletic organizations have al
ready been formed. At Bennington
committee was appointed by Super
intendent Varney to work up a par
ents' club for the purpose of interest
ing parents in the schools. The Ben
nington County Vermont Improve
ment Association will watch with
deep interest the development of this
club. The Association will do every
thing within it's power to help or
ganize parents clubs in every com
munity.
The following item clipped from
recent issue of the Landmark, the To-
cal paper of the town of Hartford,
Vermont, will be of interest to all
those who are anxious for progress
sive work in our schools. 1t is hoped
that similar program may in the
near future be carried out not only
in a single town in Bennington Coun-
ty, but throughout the entire County
What can be done in Hartford car
surely be done in Bennington county
cat a meeting attended by the
school board and the superintendent
of schools, three definite lines of &C
ton were decided upon of special in
terest to all citizens: To start at
once throughout the schools OF the
town. work in drawing, domestic
Science, manual training and element
airy agriculture; to give the teachers
and truant officers positive aggressive
aid in administering the school at
tendance laws.
Much preliminary work has al
ready been done looking to the estab-
lishment of the special courses above
referred TO. Excellent people are in
line to direct the work, woman for
drawing and domestic science, man
for agriculture, while manual train
ing will be divided between the two.
The fundamentals in these subjects
will be prescribed for the grades,
but for the present the work is cleo
tive in the high school till the neces-
sary room and equipment can be
provided. While in all special sub
jects the lines pursued will be practi-
cal, the pupils in drawing and manu-
al training particularly will con-
struct themselves much of the neces-
sary equipment. Agriculture will be
an all the year course, that the
pupils may be reached in the garden
or on the farm during the summer
when expert guidance is most needed
and will be most effective.
so far as possible the work will
be developed cooperative with and
co-relative with existing trades. in
dustries, and business and economic
enterprises and public utilities in our
own town and contiguous territory.
Ever school in town will be reached
in an attempt to carry equal advan-
tages to all pupils But the work is
not to stop with the schools. AS the
scheme develops elective courses will
be offered young people not regular
ly enrolled in the eschools even oc-
casional lectures and short courses
in domestic art and science for wo-
men i'm the home. Extension courses
talks and lectures will be offered in
the rural school communities and
carried to the people wherever the
opportunity offers.
Medical inspection is to be put on
such a basis as. will permit of sys-
tematic study from year to year not
only to determine wherein physical
and bygenic defects exist but also to
ascertain their effects upon the pro
gress of the individual; to follow up
| those defects and bring pressure to
the end that such defects be correct
ed; and so to prove what health con-
ditions lend most to general efficiency
of the school. Meantime. while med
! ical inspection is being put upon a
scientific basis. the ordinary ear. and
eye test required by law in all
schools will be made as usual"
Agriculture.
John l.. Sherman, the County Agent
| is at present engaged in visiting the
leading farmers of the various towns.
He plans to get a birds eye view OF
the County and to get in touch with
the conditions in the various parts
before winter sets in After that he
will spend a longer time in each
town, visiting every single farm and
spending as much time upon the farm
as may be necessary. Mr.. Sherman
has also been visiting the boys who
are in the corn-growing contest. The
committee in charge is now arrang-
| ing to have the corn show Nov. 2nd
in the opera house at Manchester
| Center. There will be no admission
charges. Everyone is urged to come
and see what the boys have been able
to accomplish. Some Of them have
obtained exceptional results.
A series of prizes have been offer
ed for those who have excelled in
both quantity and quality. Special
/ prizes have also been offered for
those who make the best reports in
the shape Of written accounts show
ing the history Of the crop in addition
to keeping their corn record careful
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