Norwich bulletin., 1919-02-19
Especial to The Builetin)

the state board of education was urg- ing adoption of the so-called Morrison school code bill, now before the com nittee on education, were declared to be groundless, on behalf of the board, at the legislative hearing in the capi- tol this afternoon. Tn effect, what Charles F. Smith, a member Of the board, said to the hundreds of teach CTS before him was q disavowaI of the code as a measure to be accepted as the right way to reform the town
 school system.
 The hall of the house of representa-
 tfves was filled to capacity, the great majority being educators of the state,
 and all assembled for discussion be- fore the education committee Of what is termed the Morrison code bill. The bill under discussion was submitted by Senator Heald Of Stafford and is in some degree modification of the Morrison code, but the essential points are retaiEed.f Senator Hagen presid- ed and said the large attendance at- tested the interest of the people in the educational matters of the state. He read a letter from Professor Hadley, who favored the underlying idea of the Morrison bill, and that there was need l for change in system of country schools, and he favored centraliZation 1 of authority.
 II. NJ. Alcorn of Hartford asked if there was to be a, time limit for the 1 speakers, for and against. Senator 1 Hagen announced that the committee suggests three hours to side. Mr. Acorn suggested tfiree hours be as- signed, but this did not meet with ] favor.
 1 Howell Cheney of Manchester, member of the state board of educa- 1 tion, was the first speaker in favor of 1 the bill which he said tended to
 equalize the opportunities of the chill 1 dren of the state to get an education. i The present system is surely made , quate and the board sought remedy. l Now is the opportune time to improve l conditions. The way out of the pres i. ent system was not taught by the war i but brought out more clearly the ! present musty school laws. A remedy ! Is needed and the present bill he be- ! lieved to be the remedy. The board 1 had win hope that the average at 1 tendance law would help out, but that l is a filure. 4 large influx of Jewish persuasion has prevented the working 1 out under that plan. The classification ! of towns for aid according to grand
 
 of state grants. The children of the state cannot get an equal chance un- ! der the present law, 6ue to the vary , ing capacities of the individual towns. <, While communities were more equal 1 in wealth in Colonial times. this con- i dition is changed now, and there is i vast differences in these conditions since 1SlS to 1919, and the grand lists are guide for state aid. Towns sui fer from failure of other towns by the change Of habitat!on. It ought to be understood that We are the people of the state and of no particular towns insofar as goes the education Of the children, and that there should be a common method of education. MT. Cheney said 46 per cent. were rejected in the state for military service as they could not meet the test. due to i lack of education, direct or indirect. The school must have increased meas
 ure of support, and in local taxation the limit has been reached. Will the wealth Of the state. controlled by the | state, raised by direct taxation, be devoted to the schools. The corpora- tions of the state are not s1lirking taxtion for the support of schools of the state as a whole, and under the direction of the state, rather than bS the cities and towns. The method of reform has been presented through the board of education, and if accepted
 the state will take absolute super
 vision Of the schools. The ideal of ed
 ucation must be raised if the children
 of the state are to be properly edu- cated. He said the teachers would
 have latitude as to method to achieve
 the end sought, under state super
 vision. The plan would require teach ! eVc fn rtoo
 to the ideal thus established. If there
 is to be supervision it must have tre support and energy of the teachers tc
 be successful. The proposition is not ! complicated and he could see no ob-
 ection to it's principles. This bill has
 brought challenge to the state whether . the children are receiving the hes avaiIa ble education, without regard tc location. Every community shoult have within it's grasp the hest there 1. 1, in education, and under the bill this ; would be furnished under state con. trol
 | Senator Fox asked what b4ll tn,
 hoard of education desired considered Mir. Cheney said the Morrison bill. SO called, was presented IS a basis fo
 a bill to meet requirements and tha 5 the Heald hill had not been seen b, :. the state board.
 , C. F. Smith of New Britain, mernbe of the state board of education, sait this bill never ought to have beel
 presented to the legislature until i :. was passed upon by the most learne men of the state. The actions of tn board ought to have more publicity , He said the Morrison bill containet mistaken views that did not appear a the start. Matters have been reporte
 in the press of the state attacking thi 3 bill that never were considered by Mi . Morrison or members of the stat board If there should be educationa 3 equality that work should be starte now, and a bill should be framed tha
 would bring about just what is needed
 The present bill is only g basis for
 proper bill. It is unjust to criticiz l the board without reason and withou v knowledge of facts. He said he wa :. addressing an audience of dissatisfie - l teachers but there was 8 larger audi h ence composed of citizens of the stat Q and those who are to be citizens, man p without advantages of life. This bi
 is to provide a citizenship Of the flu
 ture and not the particular way tn teachers of the state are to be regu ,, lated. The whole question has take an unfortunate turn and should hay X been discussed on a higher plane an I differences adjusted on mutual plal \ Unless that articulate voice is 1istene E to there is danger of shock to the so F cial system. He said he was a frien |. of the teachers, that they were under e paid, and that he had endeavored { d improve their condition.
 o Robert ?. Butler of Hartford state
 that Mir. Smith had furnished th n highway to get at progress in educa d ton. If the bill was framed In th e dark, and kept in the dark, theI T. should be new bill made in the iigf 2 and submitted in the light. He sus