Norwich bulletin., 1919-04-25
INCREASE NIGHT SCHOOLS TO COMBAT lLLiTERACY

The state board of education has
 sC Ca.nstted to Governor Holcomb .
 p;".vnlet Of thirty two pages which 1t d. ',.''l ae as it's report covering the bi- ...---. gi--Is." The board ex- presses it's regrets that it is not able to lai before the governor a printed abstract ui the return of local au- thorities but IL promises that an ex- tended report of the secretary will be presented as soon as possible. h reference to the work of ev- eniDg schools statment is made on Americanization among all classes of citizens and the report say: "Atten- ton was directed anew to the deplor- able condition of illiteracy in the mass es of the population" The board took steps to secure a more effective inspc- ton of evening schools and for the promotion of new schools in towns
 not required by law to maintain ev- ening schools. The result was seen in an increase of thirty in number of evening schools in two years. making l the total number at the close of 1918 i nfty-two This" says the report, ~covers all considerable non-English speaking groups in the state except Branford, East Hartford and Stoning- ton"
 Interesting figures are given in the report relating to the birthplace and
 
 private and parochial schools of the state. Connecticut was the birthplace of 5.230 and 3,670 were born in other states of the Union. There were 554 teachers who were natives of foreign countries. There were in all $500 teachers employed in the public, pri- vate and parochial schools of the state. Among the teachers were twenty-six who were classed as enemy aliens but the report says If they entertained political sentiments at all the la CT would be intensely anti German, v The 1 report continues: "A few enemy aliens were found in private schoors and in every case but one they were dis missed. In that single ca e careful in- vestigation showed tha. the alienage was technical rather than real and upon the testimon' of many citizens of undoubted pa .atism she was not tnterfered with One case similar to the last was found in the public schools"
 Refer F to the development of trades chools. the report says: Dur ing .e biennium new trade schools / been organized at Danbury, Mer- | .den and Stamford. Further develop ments are found in the shipf1tting and loft work layout course and a screw machine section at Bridgeport and an evening course in blueprint reading. 1 shop sketching, mechanical drafting and shop mathematics in New London. An automobile course in Bridgeport is . tn process of organization. Referring to the supply of teachers the report says:
 ~The ability of our towns and cities | 10 supply themselves with suitable competent and well trained teachers to say nothing of relatively permanent force has become very seriously threatened. This problem has been acute in more sparsely settled and less wealthy states for long time. The war has of course greatly aggravated ! the whole difficulty.
 "The gateway through which the ] bulk of the teachers in the elementary schools has entered the schoolroom IS the normal schools. The enrolment in our four schools for November, 1918, Is All. For November 1913, it was 799. similar decrease is found in other states The falling off presents a very l fair picture of the situation The short age in the supply of trained teachers | which is now inevitable for the next two years may doubtless be made up by accessiOns of experienced teachers from other states. This source of sup- ply Is not in the long run dependable for each state must in the long run develop as many teachers as it requires for its own needs.
 Among the causes responsible for depletion in the supply may be enum- erate3:
 T. Cnprecedentcjly high wages and salaries in cgrnt 4-tive callings. Wtthdra- Tor war work l 'S. Dislike coalitions under which teachers w.-
 "A. NCu- 11Dent character of Iwork co riag preparations requir- ed.
 "' these four causes the first may
 or not cease to operate within a
 >-- or two. Even if economic condi- N ts become normal after q few years The normal competition of more highly
 paid calliues will still operate.
 The second cause enumerated will
 Of course disappear-has in fact begun
 to disappear
 "Thq. third and fourth causes will continue to operate"
 Windsor.---The 155th annual meeting 1 or the Litchfeld County Medical as- sociauon was held here Tuesday at the Hotel Winchester. About % doctors from the county were present.