Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-30
RECOMMENDS SCHOOL BUILDING
 FOR CENTER DISTRICT. MontviITe Supervisor Suggests PossI- biIity of Using First School seociety Fund. 4-

The annual report OlS NdLoh -1' Wheeler supervisor of the Monto1lle schools to the Montville town school committee recommends the erec7on or a modern tWo-room building in the Center district by using the rnnd or the First school society,". which now amounts to over S3,3O0. III parF lile report is as follows:
 The regular academic work haS7been done by teachers and supervisor as in past years, and there is little to com rnent on in tbis respect. By opening another room in the Center you nave provided better schooEng Tor the cn1i- dren in that part of the town, and l am sure your efforts are appreciated by all concerned.
 A record of the school year 1915-f916 would not be complete without stating the changes made necessary by the fire which destroyed the beautiful Palmer Memorial building on the night of Dec. 1. Everything was lost. But by the cooperation and generous as- sistance of ali parties it was possible to open school OF Monday morning, Dec 6. The town is under special obligation to the members Of the Bap- tist church for opening its doors and keeping them open as long as it is necessary for us to remain there. By furnishing two rooms in the church and three in the old schoolhouse 1t has been possible to continue with all of the school work except that of cook ing The work is done under very unfavorabIe conditions in some of the rooms. but no complaints are made, as the best possible arrangements have been made.
 Reference to the statement of ex- penditures shows an increase oyer last year. Because of the fire there is a considerable increase in such items as repairs. furniture books and supplies, apparatus, and inCidentals. There has also been one more teacher in town. However. the cost per pupil in average attendance in the local schools for the current expenses is only $1.73 more than it was two years ago. This year it is S29.41.
 During the year special emphasis has been placed on the work in oral and written composition. Good prog ress has been made under the direc- ton Of Norman J. Bond.
 Nontville pupils took a prominent part in the speaking contents which have been held in New London county during the year. Contests were first held in each school. then the town contest was held at Palmertown Later intertown contests were held at New London and Norwich. The pupils from ten towns met at Norwich, at which contest Percy Allen of Palmer town WOE the third prize in the senior group, and George Killeen of Uncas- vile received honorable mention. These contests Will probably be continued during the coming year. ---.
 At this time I wish to suggest to the parents the possibilities of our system of school savings. When dollar has been deposited by 9 pupil it is placed at interest in his or her name at the Mariners bank. When parents deposit money for their children iIR the city banks direct the latter receive little experience in using and saving money Right use of money and property. and haNita of saving learned by practice gre what are desired. Let the child give m account of the money earned spent and saved. and thus at an early age form habits of thrift which will be of much value to him or her through life.
 The silver cup which was given by MT. H2rwOCd of the Mariners bank is no" being hela by the Chesterfield school on rhr basis of the greatest per c2Tf deposit. For the coming year Inc basis of award will be changed to inc ude t1e ,atio. of depOsitors to total n IHlutr .i'e gtstcred. On this basis Col Hns stood well this year. UncasVilIe fhoWed conaldcrablc interest also. By special effort the other schools can prroaDly do better another year.
 It was suggested last year that the teachers and parents meet oftener and together cndeaVCr to arouse more of a community interest in the schools Usually II is best to have something definite for which to work, so it. was suggested that schOOlrOOm recCrations. q ohouograph or playground apparatus be the ooJecJs desired. At UncasvfIle and Chesterfield phOnogra phs were purchased and a few small pictures, were secEre6 by some of the schools. Possibly a greater effort can be put forth this year to obtain more of these desirable aids
 Nineteen pupils have had perfect ats tendance during the year and will re- ceiVe certificates signed by the cyover- nor and the secretary of the state board of education. Five pupils have been perfect in attendance for three years or more. Their names follow;
 Palmertown school-xDorothy Rog- CTS, Katherine Hickey, *F'rank Pacllfo- do: Walter Church, Agnes EggIeston. **Rose Hickey.
 Uncasville school-~A ArzeIia Newton 'Agnes Sullivan, "*A1ice Ramage, Edward Lacasse, Helen Mahoney, Jo- seph Sullivan, Lydia Lacasse, Robert Tooker
 Collins school-JuIia Lesniak.
 Chapel Hill school-Anna M. Curtin.
 Chesterfield school-Bertha Tinker.
 x Perfect four years. *$Perfect three years, Perfect two years.
 State examinations in arithmetic ana English were given during the past year to the 9, II and 13 year old pupils In 90 towns. Some of the conclusions reached from g. study of the results are as follows: In arithmetic the year old children did reasonably well The II year old pupils had made con- hnued improvement over the g year olds in figuring, showing considerable proficiency in working with common and decimal fractions. On the other hand, the Il year old pupils had failed 10 master the ordinary two-step prob lems There are inherent difficulties Tn the transition from one-step to two- step problems, and evidently there is 2 need Of more careful instruction
 Se. The 13 year old pupils did bet
 kwith three-step problems than the
 G>year old pupils did with the two ,Fep problems. They also did much oetter work in figuring. The results thow definite progress in the two years rom II to IS in both figuring and in erpreting problems
 The test in English consfstedsof. t1ic- !atlon, reproduction, the use of given words in original sentences and the Gr1tlng of a theme with an outline
 ens In the first three types of work
 N good progress has been made by d%1ldren from Il to IS years old In III TOUT types little progress was made