Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-16
SUPERVISORS REPORT TO
 PRESTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Recommends Free Text Books and Also Six hour Day For Che Room BuiIdinqs.

Buildings.
 G. c. Swift, in his report to the town school committee of Preston as state supervisor of schools, recom- mends free text books for all students in the schools and also that the school day for one room buildings be six hours. Says the report:
 The particularly high rate of non- promotion in the first grade is due to many children entering school late in the year. Retardation Is a natural result of non promotion and a high percentage of retardation is evidence that a school system is not doing what it should for the pupils.
 It is commonly agreed that the nor nal age for entering the first grade is six years and the very latest nor nal age for completing the eighth grade Is A years In order to com T plete the elementary school at the normal age 1t is necessary for pupils progressing regularly to enter the sew eral grades within the following age limits: Grade 1. to ', not including [; grade 3, to 8, not including s; grade 3. to g, not including 9; grade 1, to 10, not including 10 grade 5, 10 to Il, not including Il; grade 6, Il to 12, not including IF. grade |, F to IS. not including IS; grade 8.
 
 Using this standard as a basis the 159 pupils who left Preston schools in June, 1916, may enter schools in Sep tember as follows:
 Thirty nine pupils or 25 per cent. may enter young for their grade or below normal age. f-ss Fifty-five pupils or S4 per cent. may enter at normal age.
 Sixty-fv pupils or fl per cent. may enter old for their grade or above nor nal age.
 Twenty five. pupils or .1s per cent. are more than one year too old for their grade.
 Although the percentage of retarda- tion in Preston schools will compare favorably with many other towns 1t ,, is not what may we'll be desired. Many causes may contribute to non- promotion and retardation. Shortage of good text books. This is common where books are not fur nished free by the town. Poor or un- thinking parents will neglect to fur nish their children with books or will supply them with makeshift copies of old editions. This is harmful to the whole school.
 Poor school equipment-No work , man can work profitably with too few or poor tools. Teachers should have 1 a good equipment of blackboards, charts, desks and supplies. Many good slate blackboards have been put
 
 Teachers with poor training and ex- perience or none at all. Preston has been fortunate in having many teach CTS of ability.
 Short hours-A rural school needs a six-hour day.
 Causes over which the schools have little or no control, such as poor health. late entrance, physical defects, lack of home interest and poor at tendance.
 Accomplishments or progress in a school system may be indicated by comparison of school tests. The teachers of Preston have accomplish ed much during the year. Pupils in the grammar room of the | Poquetanuck school averaged 65 per cent in an arithmetic test given in October, 1914, by the state inspector who visited the schools at that time The same room with different pupils but the same test averaged 7S per cent. in June. 1916.
 i A comparison with other towns is | given in the following tables showing | results of arithmetic and English dic- l tation tests given throughout the state : during the past year. The same test , was given to all pupils.
 English ictation Test Aesults. Fossil i ble Points 1OO 1 Nine-year Pupils-Preston 22.6, Lis 1 bon 79S, Ledyard 79.4. North Ston- l IIIS lOIl t4.V, SdND i1.S, O1unlOWn l 69.3, Sterling 67.5.
 Eleven-year pupils - Lisbon 91.4, | Saybrook 85.9 Preston S4.6 Ledyard S3.6, Sterling 81.3, Voluntown SO3, North Stonington 77.5. 1 Thirteen-year Pupils -s Saybrooh | 98.9, Ledyard 90.9 Lisbon a0.S, Steri- 1 ing sol. Voluntown SS.7, Preston STA, l North Stonington S3.1.
 Arithmetic Test Results. Possible Points 3O ! Eleven-year Pupils-Saybrook 24O ! Lisbon 21.5. Ledyard 21.3, state ave- rage 18.6, Sterling 18.6, Preston 175 i Voluntown 13.2, North Stonington 12.6
 Thirteen-year Pupils-Lisbon 26.6, Sterling 25,S. Saybrooll 23.5, state ave- rage 23.1. Ledyard 23.1. North Ston- ington 21.6, Preston POP, Voluntown | I8.8.
 All towns in the state and espec- tally the smaller are assisted by state | of charity for the purpose of reliev- | ing the towns of the burden of edu- l eating their children but to assist 1 them in having better schools. Evi- | dence of such a desire on the part of | the town is required by the state | before these grants are paid. The business of educating the chil- l dren is an important business in any | community and requires the super l vision of a specialist who makes that
  l from a town the state will assign a 1 school supervisor to that town free of 1 cost. As an agent of the state it is 1 his duty to inform the town of it's l educational conditions and to assist | it in the formation of general policies. 1 The organization and directing of the l several schools should be in his hands | Otherwise the town is not receiving l the full benefit of their state officer. Connecticut is behind the other New 1 England states in not requiring free l text books by law. Under our states 1 policy of voluntary adoption, Preston 1 is one of the few towns in the state 1 which has not voted free text books and supplies.
 Following are a few reasons why school books and supplies might well | be furnished by the town: | To furnish books to the poor only, as Is now done. is pauperizing and places the poor children at a disad- vantage. Rather than submit they may go without or use a poor quality | of books. This retards not only the l poor but the whole school. | Free books increase the attendance l as many pupils stay out until they l have the hooks and -slIp1Iies whiob