Norwich bulletin., 1919-07-15
TO THE EDITOR
The TourteiIette- High School.

| MT Editor:-I have read the article about the Tourtellotte Eign school in 1 the July 10 issue of your paper, and l like the people of Thompson, I am 1 "stirred up" not so much about the adverse report as about the way it l has been handled. It is MT. Kuts- l cher's place as principle of the school l to make any statements concerning | the report itself, and therefore, I will 1 not attempt to say anything about i that, but do wish to say a few words about Mir. Kutscher, and also make a :; statement about what appears to me 1 to Be the trouble. It seems that this report and the comment of the .corre- spondent places a good deal of the blame on the principle.
 I went to North -Grosvenordale last December to teach in the Tourtellotte High school, and remained there until the. school closed in June, During this time I lived at MT. Kutschers home, and in my daily associations with him both at home and at the lzschool found him to be a very fair, open minded and energetic man. He
 knows the science of teaching thor
 oughly, having been in the profession for twenty years, and the positions
 that he has filled in all cases to the
 satisfaction of all connected with the
 schools, make it seem entirely out of
 place for the people of Thompson Or
 the state inspector to lay, blame for
 the condition of the school on him.
 
 differing from many others who have
 been in the profession so long, inas-
 much as he was thoroughly alive to
 the status of modern theory and prac-
 tice, and endeaFofing to apply to his
 school the very best of the ideas
 which have been established suffi-
 c;ently to avoid being called fads. The very fact that the suggestions all been suggested by Mir. Kutscher previously, and were to be carried out as soon as the means were available shows that he was by no means un- aware that improvements were need ed. In fact it seems to me inasmuch as all of MT. Snyder's advocated i'm provements follow exactly those laid down by Mir. kutscher,. that MT. Shy der has placed the principle in bad light deliberately by using his sug- gestions as basis for the state crit tcfsm. Had MT. Snydr meant to be fair to MT. kutscher, he would at least have given him credit as. the source of his apparent inspiration.
 Now, Mr Editor, if you can spare the space, think the people of Thomp- son should know that the trouble with the school is very largely their own fault Usually when any part of the ''lffeless tone. you can look right to the community for the source of the trouble. This is true in Thompson. and especially in North Grosvenor- Qdl0. mere are TWO COnCf1DurlnC causes, and it seems that MT Snyder in his haste to- find fault has over looked these, one deliberately, and the other through a lack of insight. The town fs suffering under the affliction l of an abominate state. system of eIu- cation in the grade schools. Nowhere in this state or New England have I I been able to find educators other than l those directly responsible for this l system who will say good vserd for l it. Thank heaven, with the incoming of a new board of education ccmpos- ed of men who are themselves edu- cators, we have hope of changing it. MT Hines and his subordinatcs seem to have been intent upon driv- ing everyone into the trades and fn- dustries as soon as possible. No in- terest seems to be stimulated save that to make the pupils slaves when their school days are over. It is out of place to go into technical discus sion Of the faults Of the system. but it's results on the life of the children in community are only too appar- desire for and ability for independeT1tl thought and action, all ability to learn except by rote. I have noticed that children entering the freshman persue high school work. By dint of hard work, at the cost of Increased demands on the teachers the seniors by the time they graduate ccfnpare [aVofdpiy Wltn otaer naSh schools in | the > surrounding country. Even a l. stranger could not help but notice the difference in attitude towards stuey 1 shown in the different classes. Even our years away from the balefuI in '1uences of the state system however are insufficient to eradicate it's in .luences. |,
 The second cause can be found in he town itself. One has only to read |, numerous authors to find the criticism If mill towns in general, which is that hey are stagnant. North Grosyenor- fafe is no exception, although since 1
 have some friends. there,l F do moi { wish to say too much about it. FIov- If .ver, it will do some of the people l here no harm, to realize that some Of s he blame which they are so ready If o heap upon the school and upon the z of Mr Ksaf1c1ar Asr,aS,s. Ii,, ,