Norwich bulletin., 1913-10-15

~ seheeI for Norwich is given below As ] the committee feeememnded; the fur | thef consideration of the matter was | referred te the town seheel committee. The following was the report Pursuant te vote passed at the last annual town meeting; @ committee of 1 three was appointed by the seleetmen I to investigate the advlsa ability of esq l tablishing a technical high school 1n | this tewh.
 l Since the committee was appointed | the legislature has taken action reiat- ing to this subject, and 1t Is now pro- vided by law that the state board of education or the town school commit tees may jointly or severally establish and maintain schools or courses Of 1n- struction in distinct trades useful oc- equations or Rvocations, and that the courses may be organized into day or evening, continuation, or part time classes It is further provided that whenever schools or courses shall be thus organized with the approval Of the state board of education, the state board may make application to the comptroller, who shall draw his order on the treasurer TOT one-naI or the gross expenses of maintenance, less returns from sale of product, not to exceed annually $50 per pupil in aver age attendance, and not to exceed the amount expended for the net cost of maintenance by the school complit- tees
 Provision About Starting School.
 When the state board of education sees fit to do so, it may organize and conduct such schools, the state bearing the whole expense except that the town or district in which the schools OF courses are organized shall furnish such buildings and equipment as shall. in the opinion of the state board Of education, be necessar to the operation of such schools or courses; and it is a. general requirement. that buildings and equipment shall be furnished by the town or district in which the school is organized, except that during the first two years of the operation of schools or courses the state board of educa- tion may expend for rental of buildings and euipment such amount as m9y be necessary to demonstrate the success of the undertaking.
 The state limits it's total expenditures for all schools and courses approved under the act referred to. to $125,000 a year.
 While the vote, under which the un- deFSigned committee was appointed, directed attention to the inquiry as to what was meant by the expression technical high school and what the esta blishment of such a school might mean for Norwich, the committee in terDFeted the language of the r"selu- tion as meaning an examination of such schemes of instruction in distinct trades and callingS as might, if put into effect here, afford to young boys and girls In our continuity the chance net only to get instruction in some trade, but to select and to become pre- ficient in the trade or employment for which he CT she might be best fitted Of course, the instruction should be given systematically and with due re- gard to the physical and mental power and special talent of the individual and the general plan should be so or ganiZed that in some way the students, especially those boys who require 1t most might receive some compensa- ton, for what they produced in the school, or as a return for what they might do in some employment outside of school, related to their school course and which might be given to them as students in the school.
 What Norwich Needs.
 What appears to be especially desir- able for Norwich is an institution. or industrial, course, which will take boys and girls after they leave the grammar schools at fl or 15 years of age, and give them an opportunity to acquire useful trades from which they can get the remuneration which comes to skill ed labor This will keep large num- bers of them from the disadvantage, after passing the grammar grades, of drifting into the unskilled employments of various kinds, which often hold them at poor wages up to the time they be- come of age, or too old to begin learn ing a trade
 Courses Described
 Your committee finds that the course in this kind of school may require two, three or four years and that 1t Is gen. orally regarded most advantageous to have, in addition to the manual work, some instruction in other branches, embracing in some cases studies taught in the regular high schools. But what ever may be the length of the course or the difference in the methods employed, a most gratifying result of the present investigation was to learn that the boys, almost without a single excep- tion, who had made the course in any of the schools considered, were after graduation able to find employment at once which not only paid in the begin ming, but promised better conditions for their future. They had evidently become skilled. thoughtful, methodical and earnest Wefkefs-fHll of ambition and showing in the right way an apPre citation of what had been done for them. The committee can feresee the same results here without requiring the extra time and expense made neces- sary by the additional academic train ing given in some of the schools re- fefred te.
 Various Kinds of instruction.
 Schools of different localities have different titles and courses different in many details, but all have commend able features, and the best can be pick ed cut for local application whenever d particular community determines te establish school of it's own
 The sehoel at New Britain is called Fhe State Trade Education ShoPj and the trades taught to boys are machia- ist tool making, pattern making, (weed and metal), carpentry, cabinet raakin, drafting, printing, bCekDinding and plumbing
 The Bridgeport school has the same name, has practically the same course that New Britain gives, but teaches in addition steam and gas engineering;
 At Fitchburg, Mass, the institution is called The Co operative Industrial Course of the High School, and an op- pGrtnniLy is presented for learning a trade and at the same time obtaining a general education. This is done by spending alternate weeks in the shops of the city as an apprentice in the fol- lowing trades: Machinist, pattern malk- ing, saw making, drafting, iron mould ing, tinsmffhing, piping, printing, textile work and office work.
 Wages for Shop Work.
 Wages are paid here for shop work at these ratesc First year. 10 cents an hour; second year, II cents an hour; Third wear. 12 1-2 cents an hour, ap- rlfsox.jrnatitig a total Of $55Q for the