Putnam patriot., 1915-10-01

VOTED
For New State Trade School Building on
High School Lot
Large Meeting Addressed by Secretary
Hine, Supervisor Trinder and Others

special town meeting Monday even.
ing and $4,000 was appropriated for
the erection of building on the high
school lot to house the Putnam State
Trade School. The vote was by accla-
nation and there were only two dis
senting voices when the negative side
| of the question was put. 1t was voted
10 authorize the selectmen To borrow
/ the money and that the chairman APP
/ point a committee of seven as build.
/ ing committee 10 carry out the work.
| The committee named was ms follows:
/ Chester f Child, Archibald Maedon-
aid, Luther NJ. Keith, Alexander Gil
man, A. w. Marcy, j. j. MeGarry
and Ernest b. Kent.
The meeting was called to order by
Town Clerk David klagg who read the
call. Judge l.. II. Fuller was chosen
chairman of the meeting.
! The chairman called upon c. :. An
dem, president of the Putnam Cham
] Der of Commerce, To introduce two
state representatives.. Mr.. Andem
| then introduced Charles d. Hine, sec.
rotary of the State Board of Education,
who said in part:
There are $4,000 boys and girls in
| the state over ii years of age and of
these there are only 5000 in the high
schools and 10000 in other schools
which leaves about $1,000 boys and
girls getting no further than gram.
mar school education. The object of
trade school is to give these boys and
girls over IA an education that in a
measure takes the place of high
school education. 1t gives them bet
ter start in life, RS boy without some
| special training is at a disadvantage.
| On behalf of these boys and girls the
| question is, shall they have this eduea-
| ton? The towns and the state are co.
operating together TO furnish them
schools of this class. Trade schools
are not an untried experiment. 1t
has been found that the boys and girls
| from these schools go out well fitted in
the mechanical arts prepared to take
useful positions such as they could
otherwise be untitled for only by long
| experience in the shops. 1t leads at
once TO useful and gainful education
with immediate chance for advance
ment.
The state and country suffers from
competition from abroad as our young
people have not been so well trained as
those of foreign countries. The boy
who can do something makes the best
citizen. He hoped the citizens OF Put
nam would support the school rs it
will be an excellent thing for the
community. 1t will attract attention
everywhere. Employers approve of
these schools as do the trade unions.
Only 10 per cent go to high school and
only about per cent of these finish
the course. He urged that to the boy
who can't be given high school sdvan-
tages the opportunity of the trade
school be given.
&. j Trinder, Supervisor of State
Trsde Schools, was the next speaker.
He said that the present Putnam state
trade school does not meet the require
ments. The machine shop and the
carpenter shop cannot take care of the
number of pupils. He said that the
state was ready to install more ma
chinery and to double and more than
double some departments. III the APP
preparation was voted he would leave
the next day to spend 81 900 for addi-
tional equipment. He promised that
if a new building was erected night
courses would be organized. Thirty
five pupils are now coming from out
side towns and with proper facilities
there will he three times that number.
The school will bring families to Put
nam who wish 10 give their children
its advantages. More equipment and
more instructors are needed. The
state board OF education is willing to do
everything to give Putnam one of the
best trade schools in the state. The
state is carrying IS per cent Of the
burd,n of the school. AS soon as
building is erected and equipped there
will be more instructors and night ses-
sions.
In reply to questions the speakers
stated that the board of education
would continue to spend money for
the maintenance Of the school just 50
long as the legislature gave il 10
them TO spend.
W. 5. johnson said that if there were
10 be night sessions he was heartily in
favor Of the appropriation but If not he
WAS opposed 70 it. He further said
that If night sessions were to be had
snd it was so incorporated in the mo-
ton he would donate 81 900 To the
school.
Others who made brief remarks
were j. b. Tatem, q. j. Hartman, +.
RI. Johnson, Mayor Macdonald and
Chester f. Child. Mr.. Andem took
occasion TO point out the part the Put
nam Chamber Of Commerce had taken
in the trade school matter, its investi-
CATION and discussion which resulted
in its endorsement Of the sppropria-