Norwich bulletin., 1919-10-14
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We Are Told That the Junior High
 School Is Necessity"

MT. Editor: In recent issue of the Bulletin, Citizen" gave us his views on the financial condition and tax rate Of our town and pointed out that. the Junior high school is not essential for the education of our children and for the best interests of our town. We various districts of our town for many years past and in no instance has the standard Of the graded schools failed to meet the highest standard of any like school in our state.
 Norwich has always given to it's children the opportunity of good schools. We are told under consoIi- dation Of schools that many advan- tages would be forthcoming to the boys and girls in smaller districts. The answer to this can be plainly answered by the parents of the child dren in those districts. With the trial of consolida ton for period of seven years we leave the citizens of our town 10 judge how much better educa tional advantages our children are getting for the increased cost Of tax recommended to the town meeting on next Tuesday.
 We are told in the recent issue of The Bulletin of the crowded condi- tions in the various schools and the absolute need of increased school room. yet by the figures produced by the town school committee no greater number of children are being
 
 former district system and the con- ditions are no worse today than they have been prior to consolidation and all during consolidate We are told by the advocates of the junior high school that it would relieve the acad- emy of it's crowded condition and would decrease the cost of the town in the tuition charges, to the academy. This is contradicted by the officials of the academy their cost is ex- pected to be higher instead of lower We arc told that it will keep many more boys and girls in school longer but this is all supposition and the only thing we have to bear out this assertion is the statement of super intendent Graham which comes from hearsay and not experience.
 Citizen" pointed out the wealthiest city in the state which still remains under the old district system, Hart ford, and who is financially able to try out all the new fads if they could see any advantage in doing so but their educators are more practical, whose experience has taught them the necessity of giving to the boy the fundamentals instead of the fad -isms
 We are told the crowded conditions at the West Side school can be re- lieved by sending the seventh and eighth grades to the junior high school as would also the other sec tions. That means to transport our children from the extreme north, east and west to the center If we are going to do this transport our chil- dren from one end of the town to the other why suffer with the crowded conditions which are enlarged upon in the claim for junior high school and send some of our children to the school buildings which have several vacant rooms namely, Laurel Hill. Falls. Boswell avenue, TaftviIle. Long Society and perhaps others, instead of trying to sadole a burden of three or five hundred thousand dollars on the over burdcned taxpayer of this town.
 It matters not how this money is raised it has to be paid for by the people. If the advocate, and I am in- formed it is the superintendent of schools, of this. junior high school proposition can point out from exper- fence and not from theory the nec- essity Of such a school l am sure the citizens would Willingly vote any sum necessary but we have had too long a trial of practical education which was a bly handled by such sup erintendents as N. l.. Bishop, Solomon Miner and others whose practical work has imprinted indelibly upon the mind and character Of the youth of their time. We miss the force and strong influence was transmitted to suming burdens for the coming gen eration in many places and I am sure that there are many of those in Nor wich who will readily vote for jun for high schoo: or any kind of a school