Norwich bulletin., 1917-09-19

7th hhansuaee sua ,ts :.s4 c.:. ss s5
 The foregoing table show. :is .S. aver. sa age for Preston to be slightly higher than the average for the entire state This is commendable, yet there are many opportunities for improvement Progress is also indicated in penman- January showed the efficiency fS ou1 schools to be 70 per cent A similar test in April was graded 75 per cent This; too. is slightly above the average
 Public MsetInss.
 There is a great desire on the par of tho school. officials to bring into closer relationship the home and the school To this end, two public meet ings have been held in your town thil year, the first at Preston City, where about 50 citizens gathered to observe listen to remarks by the state inspec. tor, H. O. Ciough, and tho supervisor In connection with the graduation exer. ctses at Poquetanuck, a public exhi- bition of chifdren's work was held :. Nine teachers meetings have beer held this year. It fs the purpose o1 these meetings to instruct the teachers In methods and theory, explaining both by demonstration, to encourage free discussion, and to give out notices
 
 misunderstood. The distances sep arating schools made it difficuh for the teachers to attend and 1t is uhiy by 6 great effort that they are able to come If thes9 meetings are helpful, or al least ought to be. the town should pro- vide conveyance for teachers who are unable to attend; otherwise. Six of our teachers took: the correspondence course in penmanship given by the Danbury Normal School. By so doing "a ed by the author of their system and the penmanship much improved. Four tea achers attended the State Summer School for Teachers in Danbury.
 Model School,
 At meeting of the new school board held December 13 1916, it was voted to make the Kimball school a state model school. This school was visited January 23 by the state inspector, W. s. Dakin. and approved. Under the anagement of Miss Helen Stark weather, this school has been Of great assistance to the schools in town. Twelve teachers have visited it since its approval Eight were local teach CTS and four out of town teachers. Model schools of the state are graded in classes 1, and 3. the Preston school being rated in the 1st class.
 Preston was also one Of the three best in the arithmetic and multiplica- tion tests.
 All teachers meetings have been held at the Kimba11 school since it's ap- provaL Demonstration lessons have been given and special detailed plans prepared, manifplded, and sent to other teachers in town. Samples / of seat work were made for distribution. It is the opinion of the Supervisor that this school has been a powerful factor for good in the town.
 Free Textbooks.
 The school work in any town is se- riously handicapped by lack of free textbooks. In our town we find many books that are past usefulness and it is very difficult, if not impossible, to change. them. since the expense of changing bears heavily upon individ- ua1s One hundred and thirty -one out of sSS towns in Connecticut furnish free textbooks to their school chil- dren at an average cost of s0.71 per pupil. Books at this cost are of vii tai interest to the citizens of Preston, since very few books can be purchas- ed at the local bookstores for $0.71. To supply free textbooks does not mean an entire change of books in the town Many of the books now in use could be continued in use while others would have to be replaced. For sum of $20G. or even one-half of that amount, each child could be supplied with books where they are seriously needed and this practice continued until in a short time each child would be sup piled with new and up-to-date books. attention of the public at the regular town meeting and the voters givein an opportunity to put Preston in line with the 131 other towns that are furnish ing free textbooks to their children.
 Physical Training.
 Realizing the need of training the body as well as the mind, physical has been introduced into our schools. Five minutes each day is de- voted to teaching the pupil correct habits of posture and dIespiration. Pu- pills of Preston schools gave q public physical training at the New London County Teachers Association meeting held at Norwich.
 The decreasing number of pupils in the Poquetanuck school has made it possible to consolidate the three rooms employing two teachers rather than three.
 It is we'll for the town of Preston to note the active interest which the state is taking kn the welfare of the schools in their town. Besides fur ,ishing a supervisor free of expense to he town. the 1916 report shows that II. f.161.10 was received from the state. This is worthy of consideration when t is realized that this is 26 per cent If the whole amount spent for schools hat year. A change in the law re- ating to the state grants will increase his amount next year. This movement ,n the part e the state is not intend d to make the amount of taxation any ess but to enable towns to maintain better schools without an excessive ex- ,ense.
 School Buildings. A special report has been made rel tive to school buildings. As a whole, buildings are in good repair.s Special quipment is needed in individual A tacketed stove las been