Putnam patriot., 1915-08-06
TRADE SCHOOL
Situation DiScnsSed and School Endorsed
 by Chamber of Commerce
If Town Will Erect Building State Will support School at Least Two Years


 is attention to the Trade School going on record in favor of retaining the school here and instrueting a commit Lee to find out exactly what sort of building will be needed and how it can be paid for, and making it's ind ings as public as possible. Consider ing the heat, the attendance, the larg- est of the year, went 10 show the inter- est that has been aroused and twenty different persons took their part in the debate.
 The subject was introduced by the president, Clinton ;. Andt m, who called upon Fredenck J Trinder, ss- sistant secretary of the State Board of Education with special jurisdiction over Trade Schools, to speak. Mir. Hinder, who came to Putnam for the purpose, in response to the invitation of the committee, went back to the be- ginning of the movement which result ed in establishing the school here. He gave figures as to the amount of money which had been spent here. He show ed how inadequate the present hired building is to care for even the present scale of operation and that larger and more suitable quarters would be abso- lutely necessary if the school is to have the development that it should.
 If the town will erect building at cost of about ,000 the state will con- tinue the present machine shop, wood working and electrical departments, with added floor space and equipment, add largely to the cotton department, so as to give the complete process from bale to cloth; and install the machines needed to teach the woolen and silk branches as well. The state will pro- vide heat, light, power, and janitor service, as well as the teaching force.
 By comparison with what other towns offer to secure a State Trade School Mir. Trinder showed what good bargain Putnam is offered and was so convincing on this point that Judge l.. H. Fuller's remarks on look ing gift horse in the mouth elicited hearty applause. This phase of the subject seemed to be new to many present who had the impression that the state WAS trying to get the city to defray what should be a state expense. Another surprise to some was the statement that the state would proba- bly not continue indefinitely to main tain the school as it is at present, in case the town would not provide building, for there are iiftytwo towns that have applied for schools and the board can only put them where there is the most demand, measured by what the people of the towns are vii ling to do in help.
 Arthur D. Lown, chairman of the Chambers committee on this subject, spoke at length on the value of Trade School properly run. The pres' ent school, with it's cramped quarters, limited equipment, and no evening classes for employed men and boys, was of very little value indeed. From experience with the Trade Schools of Fall River and New Bedford he said that there were more than ten times as many pupils in the evening as at the day sessions. About 75 per cent of the men in responsible positions h Fall River mills, from second hands up to superintendents, either are students or graduates of the Trade School u ere.
 J. P. Geaudreau, a boss weaver, and chief mechanic Holman spoke of the value of such a school and of men who would attend evening classes. MT. Geaudreau said that he owed his rise to such courses.
 Chester E. Child and c. $. Andem asked questions and raised possible ob- jections, emphasizing especially the need of keeping the tax rate down.
 Alexander Gilman, James H. Cut Ter, pr. Omer LaRue and others spoke in favor of the plan, and on motion of John J. McGsrry the meeting by unanimous rising vote went on record as in favor of keeping the school here. IL was then voted to appoint con- mittee to secure definite plans for such a school building and for financing the same, to give them publicity, and to take steps 10 bring the matter before the voters. It is understood that the land owned by the town on Providence street just west of he high school would probably be selected as site in the event V the towns deciding to build.
 A vote of thanks to air. Trinder was carried and a record of the action Of the meeting was ordered sent to the state board.
 Seven new members were elected to the Chamber. Various committees re- ported mostly showing progress. The next meeting will be held al the call of the president in consultation with the directors. The matter of eommis- sion form of government with city manager, and possibly involving the consolidation of town and city govern ments, is being considered by a com- mittee and the formation of building and loan association is also under ad- yisement.