Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-10

guarantee Of their intellectual quail
ifications. During the high school
more than held their own with their
cousins from the city. They showed
their superior grounding in the eg-
sentials Of education by their aptitude
for study and their ability to ac-
quire knowledge.
Good Effect of Supervisors.
Mr.. Hine thought the work of su-
pervfsors had given stimulus TO the
Improvement Of schools in the coun-
try towns. The law for the ap-
pointment Of supervisors was six
years old. It was passed at the seq
sion OF 1909. when President Luther
Of Trinity college represented the
First district in the senate and was
chairman Of the committee on educa-
ton. It was at that session that
radical change was made in the
school district system Of the state.
The inadequacy Of the system for
the Connecticut of today was recog-
nized and change made on the in
itiative of the committee on educa-
ton. At the previous session of 1907
the committee on education was ap-
pointed a commission to investigate
the condition Of district schools in
the state. Senator Luther was the
chairman Of that commission and
1t was on its report written by him,
that the law Of 1909, was predicated.
1t cannot be said, however, that
the improvement in the system dated
from that action Of the general as
sembly. The improvement had begun
years before that, but the enactment
of six years ago stimulated efforts to
improve the schools and the stimula-
Son was sustained by the work of
the supervisors.
Average Attendance Grant.
In considering the improvement in
the district school system of the state
the effect the law establishing the
average attendance grant should not
be forgotten. Last year the amount
poorer towns Of the state to enable
them to pay their teachers decent
salaries, was S125,000. 1t removed
from the towns which received the
grant the excuse for not paying bet
ter salaries to their teachers on the
ground that they could not afford It
on account Of poverty.
Average Salaries.
It may be of interest to note that
the average salary paid to male
teachers IN the state during the past
year was $117.S0 a month and wo-
men received on an average Sc. 6S
each month the same time. This is
the average for the entire state, and
it includes the comparatively high
salaries paid the teachers in the ci-
ties. Last year the salaries of the
male teachers were greater than the
amount paid during the previous year
by 1851 a month, and the women
teachers received on an average $1.92
a month more than they received in
1918.
1t would be well If the figures here
given for average amount of compen-
sation represented the salaries re-
ceived by the teachers in the coun-
try school. Twenty years ago the
district school teachers were paid,
on an average, Sc a week or $25 a
month for nine months OF the year.
The average rate now Is about SAT
a month for the school year. While
II Is gratifying to note this increase
in the compensation for teaching
schools in the country towns, it must
be said that even the increased rate
does not make the position Of teach
er in the country very attractive.
School Enumeration 276,34a.
There are IN the state, 1929 public
schools with 5.433 rooms. The seat
ing capacity Of these schools is 1885,
9S9, while the high schools of the
state have a seating capacity of 1917
The enumeration of school children in
the state is 2T6,24S. The parochial
and private schools OF the state have
an attendance Of $685..