Norwich bulletin., 1919-02-19
DISCLAIMS BACKING MORRISON CODE

satisfactory to the people Of the state and that a commission be appointed to hat end. He would suggest that the board of education co~operate to that end, as it was shown by Mr. Smith that the bill as presented was only a basis for new law. Mr. Butler in this respect represented the official repre- sentatives of New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford. He asked for oppor. tunity to confer with the board with 2 view to withdrawal Of the present bill Senator Hagen said tho bill was with the legislative committee and ali inter ested would have opportunity to be heard. The senate committee chair man said the committee wanted light and more of 1t before recommending passage Of this bill, or any other, for that matter.
 Mir. Jennings Of Meriden said Mfr. Smith stated this discussion ought to be oil q higher plane, but gave, no specified plan. He asked a series of questions regarding the board of edu- cation and method Of appointment.
 Miss MarcIlant of New Haven was opposed to the bill and as leader Of the confederation of teachers she would raise the question to the higher plane,
 
 prehension but were based on the bill itself. The teachers have dealt with facts. School teachers are more inter ested in education than are many others. We have been referred to as scared rabbits or afraid of losing their obs, but as matter of fact that is not true. Teachers consider something more than salary in their work and arc intensely interested in every pupil. The school teachers would welcome real
 Improvement, but the present bill de-
 tracts from educational efficiency and is shield to the dark method referred to by MT. Smith. This bill is an edu- cational autocracy and would have with it an educational dictator This bill is self aggrandizement on the part education, as teachers could not do their best under it's restrictions.
 Superintendent Tinker of Water bury stated that the teachers of the state agreed with the aims Of tn { bill, but objected to the method 10 attain the end. The only system that resembled the one outlined in th.s bill was located in Germany. Under the bill all school money would go to Hartford and disbursed by some official here. He was opposed to all school supplies lS.ng purchased from 1 the state board at Hartford, as it would tend to inconvenience, lack of economy, and perhaps invite graft AL 1 teachers could not be induced to go ] into some country school district al any price, and therefore the best teachers could not be secured. He 1 said the commissioner exercises too much power and controls the board i fNf kryIf Ta+T [. without the authority 0f this com missioner in the line of education. Un- 1 der the bill the commission has chance Of discrimination. He said the super i intendents Of schools in Waterbury and New Haven have too much power 1 but their power is inhnitesimal ir comparison with power that would bt given to the board under the bill. He
 believed in some sort of fair stand 1 ardization and the clari6cation Of t.it hschool laws, but not in line with tA l intents of this bill
 1 Judge Gates, the member iron 1 Saybrook, said the bill was the mos autocratic and despotic bill ever pre- !, scented in q legislature and hoped i
 would be Buried beyond resurrection
 John A. Cornell oF Bridgeport, rep.
 resenting the Connecticut Federation i of Teachers. gave a prepared speect in opposition to the bill. He tol3 o
 what was being done along ctiuca tional lines, in rural as well as in citl i districts. The state has recognized the value of method of education l through local school boards, and tIlcst boards have been able to hire teach
 CTS and purchase materials. Now i is planned to have a chief pedagcgue.
 and dictator. There has been misap prehension on the part of the framer Of the bill and the educators of tn state were not consulted. MT. Con nell stated that copies O. the Merli son code were in the capitol. one lis appeared, and it was claimed it ha'
 been stolen and was copyrighted, ant hone were sent out to the teachers Q
 the public. MT. Smith, member 0
 the board, stated that was not s. Mayor Fitzgerald Of New Haven, sup
 ported the claim of MT. Cornell, an
 read letter from 8 Hartford attor ney, showing the cla1n to be an ab solute fact. There is no constructiv plan in the bill to effectuate it's out lined objects and purposes, and show
 it's vagUeness. The opposition to tn bill on the part of the teachers i
 only as a grain of sand in compariso
 to the general opposition in the stat l Representative Rogers of Manches ter said he was against the Morn son code because it was ungram1nati
 and because it is an example of Ger man propaganda. He visited city an rural. schools and quoted cases wile1 country boys and girls came into cit
 1 schools and captured all llenors H : said we arc getting away from tl1 1 three R's, and too much is devoted { l other matters perhaps Of a vocation; { nature. There Is no cause for worr for the rural districts, and opposed | } any bill that takes authority from lc . cal boards, and he surely had no Wol l ry for the Morrison code.
 Stanley Holmes of New Britain ar l nounced that the answer to the ques 5 ton discussed WAS to leave IL alof ;. CT to improve present conditions. F 3 asked for hearing on tho substitu ] for the Morrison bill. which had bee ] circulated. He asked in behalf | some teachers, Of the children of tl !. state, the small tax payers, that some thing be done.
 ] John l.. Cham plain, of pIainfei | entered protest against tine Morrisc code or any substitute that carri, j the pernicious features of the Morr
 son bill, as dVes the present subst !, ute. He was against the removal ' local government of schools. TT lawful town meeting cannot be d. prived of the feature of the educatIc of the children.
 , F. E. Duffy of West Hartfor @ speaking for the legislative grang i said that the farmer, if he wantt i, anything done, would go to those wi i specialize in the work desired. B = in this instance the fran1ers of fl < MorrisoN code did not go to tpe edl = cators of the state. He was oppos, o to the super-man idea in connectit with education. He believed in un 5 form system in the state, but not a U i,nrfirrr tn thH h6nrrisnfl idea If fhe