The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-24
SCHOOLHOUSES
AS CENTERS
Seats Of Education For Both
Adults and Children.
COMMUNICATING PLACES

there Is a Pronounced and Growing
Sentiment to Extend the Uses OF
Public Schools and Make Them More
Valuable to the Public at Large.
Until very recently millions of dol
lars were tied up in public school prop.
erty, paid for in large part by the peo-
pie of small means and utilized for
only from five to seven hours day in
the week and nine months in the year,
total of not more than 400 hours u
year, and closed through the remaining
s,760 hours OF the year.
The public school funds, again a levy
upon the small householder, Were used
solely for the regular school work,
meaning for the most part the ele-
mentary education of young children.
Every effort to open the schools for
night classes or for any other purpose
than that of the set routine of the pre-
scribed school period met with vigor-
Gus opposition. Attempts TO make Il
better utilization of the school plants
were regarded as almost sacrilegious.
Pupils were turned out when they
had finished the sixth grade or the
grammar school or the fortunate few
when they had graduated from the
high school, and the public schools had
no further concern with them In the
last decade, however there has been
and ont
in favor of getting better value for
larger part of the population out of the
expensive American public school sys-
tenn
All over the country there has come,
slowly, but surely, the new order which
makes the schoolhouses seats of edu-
cation, not only for n very few pupils
during q short period, but for persons
Of all ages who wish to learn many
things which are not set down in the
ordinary public school curriculum.
Also in most cities and large towns the
schoolh0uses are used for civic and so
cial purposes, for immigrant classes
and instruction in casting the ballot.
for concerts, lectures and dances and
for parent-teacher associations.
TO show how widely this movement
has extended, where the greatest adj
vantage accrued and where the most
remained TO be done survey was
made by c. A. Perry of the Russell
Sage foundation and published 10y tho
United States bureau of education.
Mr. Perry calls attention to the fact
that it is q common habit to think OF
the activities that go on in the class
room as in some essential way differ
ent from those which 80 on in the par
Tor, the office or the shop. Because OF
the imposing and intricate machinery
OF modern education one loses sight of
the fact that nothing is done in school
that is not done outside. Boys and
girls pick up knowledge of letters
and local geography before they go to
school. With every one learning be-
gins before school days and continues
afterward.
The distinctive work of the school.
room is to make certain common actiy.
tiles so better than they ordinarily do
apart from it, Its efficacy was first APP
preciated by the church. As democracy
developed and the participation of the
people in the affairs of government in
creased concern was felt as to the wis.
dom and intelligence which the masses
would display in the exercise of SUI.
trage. The instruction given in the
homes and by the church and private
agencies was not sufficient to insure
the adequate education of the citizens.
The lack of uniformity i'm education
was especially bad. and the public
schools We're instituted 10 better con-
ditions. M
The statistics that Mr.. Perry collect.
ed in various parts of the country show
that new and varied activities have
come within the environment and un.
der the control Of public education.
Mr.. Perry thus translates their signiii-
canoe: DO they show that lectures are
held in schools? 1t means that new
canals have been dug to facilitate com
merce in the worlds stores of knowl.
edge. Do they reveal parent-teacher
gatherings in classrooms? Society is
getting team work between the home
and the school. Political rallies and
voting? The seat of democracy is be.
ing transferred from the back hall and
the barber shop to more suitable quar-
tiers. The games of boys ana girls
Childhood is beginning to receive intel.
ligent consideration. Youths and maid
ems consorting in school halls and gym.
nasiums? Instincts of racial imporA
lance are being cherished instead Of
exploited. The figures roughly profile
ground swell of social effort"