Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-13

The following is from the report of Superintendent H. W. Files made at ! the meeting of the town school com | mittee Monday evening:
 The total enrolment for January was 412 boys and AT girls. as com pared with 41S boys and 429 girls for month of December. The average
 membership for January was 1885. as compared with 751.2 for the month of December; the average attendance for January was 6S6.5; January's figures were 6s5-3. When January's total days bers the difference in the average at tendance for the two months is ac- counted for. Days absences for De- cember were SS5.5; for January 1057.5. Severe colds and disorders resulting from them cut down the attendance. During January 1a1 pupils were tar dy and the instances of tardiness dur ing the month were 245- During De- cember 1855 pupils were tardy and the instances of tardiness numbered 235. The membership at the end of Decem- Der was 761; at the end of January TAT. There has been slight improve ment from month to month in the mat ter of tardiness.
 Schools Overerowded.
 Congestion and relief-If our schools were brought to an enrolment of not moer than 40 pupils per room, and this is too great a number for best work we should have difficulty in providing accommodations for our pupils: make mention of this fact for I am given to understand that an act has been introduced in the legislature which will, if given passage deny state aid to towns having schools in which
 more than forty pupils are registered in a single room. Whether this act becomes a low or not, and it is report ed to have the support of the State Board of Education, the time is cSfning Y-- extra school room for an increasing school population.
 Ne one can tell how soon after the coming of peace our growth in popu-
 Iation will stop. if it stops at all No
 one can tell how soon we may have to
 settle serious congestion problems.
 Putnam seems entering upon a period
 of health growth in population and it
 seems reasonable to believe that, un-
 der ordinary conditions, this growth
 will continue.
 Portable Type of Building.
 To make effective provisions for the
 housing of additional pupils, it seems
 to me it would be well to have a sub committee appointed to inquire into the desirability of the portable type of school buildings. The use of this type of school structure is becoming gen. eral- I am furnishing the secretary of the committee with the names of a number of construction companies who have developed and improved porta- ble school. It is proposed to have each member of the committee furnished with catalogues and descriptive mat ter fufi knowledge of the portable building idea.
 Tests in Arithmetic and Geography.
 Arithmetic and Geography adoption For some months now I have been examining and testing tests in arith- nnetic and geography with teachers to settle upon texts that we could use has been taken to examine carefully the best known texts to be had. The matter has now been under corsidera- ton for a long time and refinite ac- the schools may be provided with mod ern workable texts in place of the worn-out and unsatisfactory texts now in uses e;s of us that our schools are not what they should be. Willingly is it ad- rnitted that the shools are not what we would like to have them or as we are interested in these reports should be interested to know certain things that come to our attention.
 Pupils From Other Communities.
 We have pupils coming to us from 1 other communities. urban and other wist, communities where the schools l are, by reputation, excellent. These l pupils have not been able, generally tol taEe up the work of the corresponding | grades in-Putnam-s In no single case has a pupil arpeared who has been in | advance of corresponding grad9 in the I Putnam schools.
 Putnam pupils have been transferred | to the schools of other communities | and ITlave yet to learn Of case where l a Putnarn pupil. fin regular standing in | his grade. has failed to enter. without | conditions. the corresponding grsZe in | the schools to which he has gone.
 Favorable Comparisons.
 This means something and should be | digested. If our schools are poor there are many others in larger communities | than ours, schools with a reputation l for excellence, that are really poorer | We are accustomed to hearing | criticisms and it is refreshing to hear | of comparison that is favorable to us l once in while. This should be grat- flying to those parents and citizens of | Putnam ho read these reports.
 am pleased to report that the in- Il spection of our pennznsifp work by | the special Palmer supervisor showst