The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-25
Is Needed, Say School Com
miSSionerS in Annual Report
PRESFnrTEy PROPOSITION.
They Would Build Story and Basement
Building at Rear of Spaulding Build
ing-School Supt.'s and School
Treasurer's Reports Given.

attendance at Spaulding high school
that the Barre school commissioners and
the superintendent Of schools coincide
in the recommendation that a one-story
and basement addition be built at the
rear Of the spaulding building on Wash
ington street. This recommendatio is
one of the features of their annual re.
ports, which have Just been submitted,
together with the report of the school
treasurer. Other features OF the reports
are recommendations for the establish
ment of manual training. or vocational
courses in the public schools, the con-
tinuance of the evening drawing school
and closer cooperation on the part of
parents.
In their report, the commissioners
state that the present attendance of 273
in the high school is likely to be in-
creased by at least l50 pupils during the
next three years, while Supt. Mathew
son, in his report, goes further back and
presents statistics of the markedly in
creased attendance in the four grades
next below the high school He says
that the graduating class this year will
number about sixty while the entering
class next fall will be nearly twice that
number. This year it became necessary
to take another room on the first floor
Of the Spaulding building for high school
work, and next fall another room prob
ably will he necessary, And he adds:
We must realize fully that the time
is near at hand when the high school
will occupy the whole building"
On the same point, the commissioners
report that ''at the present time we
are eramped for recitation rooms our
laboratory is inadequate and should ev-
cry student in the high school be present
on any morning the seating capacity of
the chapel is not sufficient to aecommo-
date them; also. "With probable in
crease of fifty students next fall, condi-
tions will be still worse"
"With these facts in rnind," continue
the commissioners "and looking ahead
TO the future needs of the high school.
we recommend that a one-story and
basement addition be built at the rear
of the spauliing building Such an adj
dition is entirely practicable; it can be
built without in any way sacrificing the
appearance or utility of the present
building and will give us an adequate
assembly room and at the same time
furnish a hall for social purposes"
Therefore, it is their intention. they re-
port, to ask a city meeting to vote the
funds necessary to erect and equip this
They express the hope that
the citizens a Barre will realize the
of the need and take the heces-
sary action.
Tnasmuch, too, as it is probable that
the demand for vocational training and
home making courses is likely to be-
come so strong as to require the estab-
lishment Of slich courses, more money
win be needed to run the schools next
wear: anf commissioners think the
city cha ought to be amended so
thar a schcai tax OF so cents can be lew
led. instead OF the maximum of 20 cents,
as at present. The additional money
will be needed within two years, if not
directly,
In fact, it has been necessary to ex-
,rcise rigid economy, the commissioners
say to make our income meet our ex-
lenditures,n and at the same time pay
)nly moderate salaries to the teachers,
who in common with the rest of us,
nave to meet an increasing cost of liv-
ng'
In closing their report, the commits
ioners ask for greater cooperation on
he part of parents, as indicated by fire.
luent visits to the schools. They also
lrge the value Of regularity of living in
he home as an aid to better work by
he school children The report is signed
~ the six commissioners, Alexander
3ordon. II. G. Woodruff, L. r. Hutch
nson, John Stephen, Michael Keefe and
Zoe w Jackson
Supt. Mathewson's Report.
Supt. Mathewson goes more into detail
# the need for manual training courses
n the public schools. In support of this
dea, he says: "The time is at hand
yhen the social conscience is demanding
hat some intelligent effort be made to
rain the youth of the land for the lead
ng vocations and to guide them into
hose vocations which promises the
reatest satisfaction to the individual
nd the greatest economic service to So
iety. The 1et-alone policy of the past
) too expensive. Too many boys and
iris with no vocational training and
title. special aptitude are taking the
rst Job which presents itself, unmind-
nj of the fact that the work is unin-
trpctiye and leads to nothing better.
Iany a boy in the years Immediately
blowing school fixes his economic
tatus. He finds himself a man in years
Ding boys work for boys wage"
Supt. Mathewson said a commendable
eginning has been made in cational
aiming with the evening drawing school,
here all kinds of drawing related to
ie granite industry are taught. The
.hool is attended by about one hundred
/ the present time and some wonder
lily fine work is being done in all de-
lrtments" Similar work is being DONE
10, in the higher grades OF the public
hools. The sewing classes in the lower
-ades are also doing a good work The
department in the high
hool is to a certain extent vocational
nd the work there is stronger than
'er.
Supt. Mathewson's attitude relative
the needs of the high school as a
hole has been spoken OF above. He
zen goes into detail of the work done
+ that department, and in the course