New Britain herald., 1916-09-09
iaI schools being under a separate con-

1al SchOOlS Delng under a separate con- trol.
 In the case of transfers from the public schools to other schools or from the Parochial schools to the public schools, it is now next to inn possible to be assured that a with drawal may not be followed by sever- al days or weeks of absence from school before the absentee is ac- counted for and made to return to school
 From observation, extending over several years, it is difficult to escape the conviction that there is now alto- gether too much laxity in the enforce ment of the attendance laws and that @ remedy should be sought for the present situation.
 It would be hasty conclusion to say that the truant officer should see to the enforcement of the law, for the services of the single truant officer employed by the school department are entirely taken up with his public school duties, an occasional call being received and answered for his services at certain of the Parochial schools.
 It would lso be unreasonable to as- sert that the city should not concern itself about the attendance upon any of the schools not included in the pub lie school system, for it is the duty of the city to see to it that every child of school age is in school unless pre- vented by i'll health or feeble-minded- ness. A failure to secure the full en- fOrcement of the school attendance laws Is a matter of vital interest to the future welfare of the city and the state and we are all concerned to se- cure regular and full attendance upon all the schools whether they be public schools or other than public schools.
 It seems plainly evident tat co-op- eration is needed on the part of the city, state and parOchial school au- thorities and that one or moro addi- tiOnal truant officers should be em- ployed whose duty it should be to serve all of the schools of the city whether they are a part of the pub lie school system or not.
 In view of the cordial and whole some relations now existing between the city, state and parochial school authorities, it should not be difficult to secure such cooperation through a conference to be invited by the school committee.
 The Teaching Force.
 One Of the factors essential for sue cess in the school work is a teaching force large enough to do the required work, professionally prepared and professionally alive, contented, and reasonably stable.
 It is understood to be required by the committee that all ,appointecs to the teaching staff of the High school must have had at least one year of successful teaching experience in ad- d1t1on to graduation from an institu- tlon of college grade or the cquival ent of such a training. In the gram mar and elementary grades only such teachers may be appointed as have the diploma of a recognized normal school or college or the equivalent of such professional training no experience in teaching being required, although as a matter of fact it nas been the cus- tom for some time to employ only eX- perienced teachers in the grammar grades. For the elementary grades and for hindergartens, appointments have for the most part been confined to inexperienced graduates of the New Britain State Normal school who are local residents
 On the whole this policy has worked with satisfaction. In fact it seems to be the only reasonable policy to fol- low. To the High and Grammara schools in particular teachers of prov en ability and good education have been attracted in large numbers.
 In the schools of all grades how ever, the problem of greatest difficulty that cOnfronts us at all times is to se- cure such stability in the teaching force as is necessary to secure contn- ued progress and improvement ill the work of the schools.
 In other words, the problem is this
 a. To secure and to retain the ser vices of able teachers.
 b. To improve tre teachers in ser vice, particularly the inexperienced and inefficient.
 c. To eliminate from the teaching force those teachers who are hopeless ly inefficient or temperamentally unfit for the work of teaching, and so-
 d. To protect the teaching staff from depletion of it's efficient teachers and overlooking with inefficient teachers.
 Because we believe it to be the