Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-03-19
Carnegie Report Well Written
but Has Many Impractical
Recommendations.
SECONDARY SCHOOL SYSTEM
Plan Suggested Is Not Regarded
as Feasible for Vermont,
besides Being Too
Expensive.

The Vermont Schoolmasters' club re-
l,eveI its mind Friday evening at the
snmi- annual meeting of the organiza-
ton. on the subject of the report of the
Carnegie foundation on the secondary
| school system OF Vermont which con-
tanned recommendations for revision of
the high school system into Junior and
central Junior hiEh schools. That the
report was a we'll written document
and the work of an expert was ad-
mtted on all hands, as was the fact
that it undoubtedly contained many
valuable recommendations. 1t was al
50 conceded that the report was an
ideal solution of the rural school prob
lem. but the educators present were
not inclined to agree with all that
was recommended and saw much in
/ it that was not practical. That it was
the work of capable Investigators was
generally admitted, although it was the
opinion that they were men who, while
not prejudiced, were not entirely &C
quainted with the conditions in Yer
mont.
The banquet was held on the roof
Allen NJ. Fletcher, at the head table.
Besides his excellency were seated Il.
b. smith of Brattleboro, A. S. Harri-
man of Middlebury. e. NJ. Roscoe of
Barre. G D. Roscoe of Morrisville
President Guy Potter Benton of the
University of Vermont. President John
Nj. Thomas of Middlebury College, state
Superintendent of Education Mason S.
c.. IL
senger of Burlington and Archibald c.
Hurd of Windsor.
The subject of the foundation report
was assigned under various heads
for discussion, after which there were
remarks by Governor Fletcher and Il
general discussion.
THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
| The first speaker of the evening was
Principal f. =. Smith of Brattleboro,
| whose subject was 1.-THE Policy of the
Junior High School and the Attend
ant Six Years" He said the report of
the Carnegie Foundation was a good
thing If no more than to throw bricks
at. 1t is true that more money should
be put into the educational affairs of
the State. He thought, too, there
|
State board Of education. Economi-
| cally, the speaker sai1 the Junior
high school is undoubtedly a good
thing but there would be considerable
trouble when the State board of edu-
cation, or whoever had the authority.
would endeavor to place the schools
about the State. 1t would be diff
cult to pick out the location OF junior
and central high schools.
JUNIOR AND CENTRAL HIGH
SCHOOLS.
| "The Junior and Central High
School" was discussed by Principal A.
s. Hartman of Middlebury. He said
| the Carnegie report was undoubtedly
a good one and was very valuable.
Most of US will agree with the recon-
mendation of a six-year course in one
high school. The speaker said that
no child should be permitted to enter
the graded school before six years of
age and he would make 1t seven.
The speaker said he approved of the
plan of boy being at home until he
is II. 1t is not feasible or right to
relegate Latin to the scrap heap.
Perhaps the colleges would not accept
TIE StuucntS OIcTtu through tHe CIldIIltl
OF tho Junior and central high schools
and II they didn't the parents would have
a way of obJecting, seeing that the right
people are selected to run the educational
system of the State. The speaker thought
the courses as prescribed in the junior
high school were too difficult.
We cannot afford to locate Junior cen
trail schools in all the towns where there
a. l., TT. I.
have 10 be fewer of them which would
bring largo classes of younger pupils to-
sether and away from home. The cost &c
the town of maintaining the Junior CEN
trail high school and the junior school out
side would mean a greatly increased tax
list in the town. 1t would not be feasible
to send pupils to a central high school tC
} board and lodge in private houses. Dor
mitories would be necessary and
ne would not be proper to house
a vast number OF young chill
dren of IL to "A years with young men
and women There would be serious
Inconvenience, too in paying the board OF
children, and the attendance would I'M
doubtedly no larger from pupils nearby
than from towns a distance away.
The report "a a whole is impractical and
was made by dreamer of dreams and
not a doer of deeds. 1t Is too expensive
and we cannot afford to pay the price oil
a costly experiment,
II do not recommend that this club Civ
its support to any plan that has so mucl
in 1t Of the elements OF failure" tn
speaker said in conclusion.
TRAINING SCHOOL AND NORMAL
: SCHOOL,
THE Training School and the Norma
School" was the topic assigned to T. NJ
Roscoe of Barre. He said our norma
schools in the past have served a
efficiently as they could with what the,