The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-07-15

we have studied the school systems all |
through the state, but have failed to |
find a single town or city in which the |
six-six plan has been adopted. DIR. |
Milo B. Hillegas, the commissioner of |
education for the state of Vermont, |
wrote us a few weeks ago: 'The law |
does not permit of an organization |
according to the sixsix plan. If |
there is to be reorganization it must /
be in accordance with the six years in |
the elementary school, four years in |
the Junior high school 1--WE are hoping
that this will eventually be changed
to three years for the cities) and two
years above the junior high school to
constitute the senior high school work.
This letter of DIR. Hillegas simply en-
phasizes what he said to the members
of your school board a few months
since when they were consulting him
about this very problem. For school
system the size of yours, he said sub
stantially, "the four-year high school
and the eight years in the lower grades
is the best The seventh and eighth
grades may be enriched by the hand
ing down in very guarded way high
school subjects such as Latin, French,
and algebra, or the elements of some
science, but these grades should still
| form a part of the elementary school.
| We do not feel it necessary to say
more than this. The only reason we
bring the matter up at all is to show
you that the system we are unwilling
to surrender has the sanction and
hearty endorsement of the leading edu-
| Gator in the state. Possibly sometime
junior high school will be introduced,
| but this ought to wait until we can
| afford the increased cost attending
such measure, and until in this state
it has gone beyond the experimental
stage
The committee strongly favors in
dustrial training as recommended by
the superintendent Of industrial education
for the state of Vermont, but it was
found that only two or three of the
boys in the high school who were eligi-
BILE were willing to take the course, so
the idea had to be given up for the
present, as according to Leon III. Beach,
the state superintendent, a class would
have to have at least 10 before a teach
er could be provided.
An interesting review of the dis
trict s Indebtedness Is included in the
report, as follows: ''Coming finally to
the financial concerns of the schools,
which are always interesting, we are
pleased to record the fact that the last
two thousand dollars in bonds, due on
account of the Canal street building,
have just been paid. Perhaps, too, it
, may be worth while to state here what
, has been accomplished by the district
, towards the removal of bonded indebt-
edness during the twenty years now
; ending, or, in other words, since the
Spanish war. In July, 1898, the dis.
| trict owed $4,000, on account of the
high school building, and $4,000 on
account of the Canal street building
This $47, 900 has all been paid in full
together with the hundreds of dollars
of interest due from year to year. In
, addition to this amount the district
has paid $4,000 to meet the bonded in
/ debtedness incurred by the placing OF
, a new heating plant in the high sehoo
building in 1901; $3.50 on account OF
| a So 800 note given one of the banks
J to defray the finishing off of the two
i upper rooms in the Oak Grove building
!. in 1914; and $500 paid out so fal
h toward the purchase of the Hines prop
4 erty. Thus an aggregate sum Of
$56,S50 has been disbursed by the dis
. trict during these two decades for per
: manent improvements, giving to al
! courage and hope with which to lool
\ into the future and take means to re
!. duee whatever burden of debt may b,
q meeting us there. Obligations of sucl
. a character now before the distric
r consist of $4,000 Oak Grove bonds
an Oak Grove note of $l,l50 due OF
= demand; a note for $l4 800 on thu
!. Hines property, of which sum 81 ,00t
n is paid automatically each year, ant
note for 81 200 on the Hines prop
erty, to be paid after the Oak Grov,
j bonds are paid in full-the entire sun
q amounting to $3S,650.'
Is Attention is called to the fact tina
IS the grand list is reduced by nearl,
& $1,000, thus depriving the district o
If nearly 81 400 which otherwise woul
re be an asset and make it possible t
e impose smaller tax Gin order there
If fore the committee SAYS in closing
q 81 that the district may provide for ex
s, penses of every kind in the year t
ID come, including payment of interes
he on bonds and notes, the first $4,000 o
at the principal of the Oak Grove schoc
T. bonds, 900 of the $21 800 now du
e. on the purchase price of the Hins
Of property, and the temporary note G
to $4,000; your committee has the follow
he ing recommendation TO make,-viz
e. that tax of Il cents be laid on tn
an grand list. If, however, it be though
Sc best at the annual meeting to pay onl
e; 800 dollars of the temporary indeb
m edness this coming year and the r.
er manning 81 800 dollars the year follow
ut ing, then a tax of SO cents, laid on I'll
is grand list, viii be all that is needle
lie, and will meet the approval of yol
he committee.
ce With the committee IS report is prin
de ed the report of the retiring principe
he having to do wholly with the past yea
and the reports of the superintendent
ch supervisors and heads of special d
Z LOOMS