The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-08
Does Bennington Need a New High
SCHOOL,


To the Editor of the Banner-The
otal increase in enrolment during
he past few years in the public
Il high school and the grades Inn
3chools has been only about $50.
Nearly all of this Increase has been
nediately below high school. This
due to various influences. State
laws have increased the legal school
age to 16 years. Below that age q
child cannot have school unless he
has completed the grade works Tru.
ancy laws have been strictly enforo-
ed, with the result that pupils are en-
tering high scn.UI at d. ..S ..u.-.-
ing eight months younger than for
merly. The parochial schools have
largely increased enrolment and
many pupils finishing work in these
schools enter the higher grades. of
he public schools or the high school.
..'rivate schools -are also sending
'dplls The state law requiring all
owns to furnish high school educa-
ion to all citizens, has increased the
lumber of tuition pupils. Union SUI
Jervis.on of rural schools by making
hose schools more efficient, has en-
bed more rural pupils to pass the
tate examinations for entrance to
Ugh school. All these conditions,
combined, have doubled the enroll
ment of the high school in ten years.
Bennington, from its location and
size. is dest ned to become the edu-
cational center of the county. Citi-
The marvellous change in the modern
conception of education, will see the
necessity of making immed ate pro-
yision of a modern high school plant.
not iong ago education was for the&
elect few, who by fortune of birth
Or perhaps the possession of an abb
....-.y UIIIIIanl inInd, were abe TO
Ke the set course in Greek, Latin,
zebra, geometry and natural philos-
ply which was supposed to place
lem on a profess onal level far
bove the common illlterate crowd
This standard of the middle ages
leld absolute sway until the last de-
cade of the last century. Twenty
i've years has seen complete
change. Greek has passed, Latin
nolds a small place confined to those
lifting for one or two special profess
sions. English has become the first
subject, modern languages and
science take the place of Latin and
Greek. and Arts and Crafts have
been given large place. Education
IS being made practical, not merely
4 mental gymnasium, a setting forth
Of literary and speculative ideals of
The past, but a training of hand and
eye, and ear to do and see and hear
what is in this old world to be done
and seen and heard. II makes poss.
BILE more useful lines, the ability TO
earn living, and opens up vastly
greater powers of enjoyment.
At present the high school has a
strong commercial department, but is
limited to seven typewrters because
Of lack of room. These seven ma
chimes are placed in a hallway poorly
lighted and having no ventilation.
A course In agriculture is maintain
ed, but there Is no room available for
the experiments in seed testing. soil
analysis, and the many necessary
general experiments. A course in
sewing begun in q corner of the
Latin room, has now taken nearly
he whole room Domestic economy
IS class without a home. They are
meeting in the general stock room
dusty, poorly lighted place next the
office on the second floor A course
in cooking is planned to take theory
the school and practice in moth
ers kitchen. There is no possible
way to make even a beginning in
wood work or machine shop work.
There are dozens of boys who
leave school because unable TO get
the practical hand work needed to
stir their mental activities. This
work should be begun in seventh
grade and be carried through the
high school, Changes in the domes-
tic conditions of modern life have
taken away from the children all OPP
portunity TO do things. Gas, electrici
~ and heating plants have made less
chores about the home, and too many
qulrng their children to do any work
curing their children to any work
outside Of the school. This is all
80
gelopment or even arrests normal de-
velopment. The mind is not an indie
pendent organ of the body, but re-
suit OF the harmonious development
Of the whloe body. Education equal
ly comes through hand and eye and
ear. II depends on muscular growth
as well as nerve force. Good circula.
ton and respiration contribute more
to mental development, especially of
young children, than memory work.
rhe growth OF the power to judge, TO
estimate. to reason depends more on
manual dexterity than upon pure
thinking.
Under present crowded conditions
Bennington is unable to give her
school children the necessary manual
raining II the high school were re-
moved from the third floor, the
seventh and eighth grades could oc-
,upy the space thus vacated and be
conducted as modern grammar
school under departmental instruc-
ion. Manual training and domestic
sciences would become a part of the
curse. There would be room for
spec al teachers, room for back
ward pupils. in fact 1t would open up
possibilities of wider. better. modern
methods from the Kindergarten to
the high school.