Republican farmer., 1920-01-09
SLAWSON ANNOUNCES HE FAv0RS TWELVE
 MONTHS 0F SCHOOL
ALSO BELIEVES IN 12 MONTHS SCHEDULE OF PAY FOR TEACHERS-BOARD MUST GRANT AT LEAST $75O, 900 FOR
 NEW SCHOOLS.
That the Board of Apportion-

Hat lIlC DOdIu O1 AppOIIlOll- Ament must give the school rboard at least $75O,OOO of the / $2, ,5OO,OOO asked for building purposes and an increase of 25 per cent if the board is to be able to run the schools proper ly in 1920 is the opinion of Su- perintendent Samuel J. Slaw- son. Mr. Slawson also said this morning that he favored a 12 months schedule of pay for the teachers and a 12 month school year instead of the 40 week system now ill use.
 MT. Slawson points out that should the board get only $600,0O0 they would only be able to buld the Grand street school which has been planned and the land made ready. The cry ing need of the city is new High school With s750,000 the Grand street school could be built, the land purchased and plans drawn for the new High school which could be started in 1921. Without this money the land could not be bought and without the land no plans could be drawn for the building.
 On the first of next month the superintendent claims that over 300 more boys and girls will enter the high school and this is already crowded and on part time with the old High school being used as an
 If more boys and girls on February 1 will mean that the entire two build ings will be on part time with five period morning and afternoon. This means that the chiidren's education is shortened by half of them attend ing school in the morning and the other half in the afternoon and they all get a five period session where the regular schedule calls for six per1oos.
 With both high schools on half time schedules and the teachers do- ing double work MT. Slawson Is greatly worried about next year. lie Do1r;s out that he may be able 70 stLreze by for another year but not more than that. He hopes in that time to have the new high school built and with the board of appor- tionment giving the educational board $75O,000 to work with toward new buildings. MT. Slawson believes that it can be done by 1921.
 To say the least the school off, cials are surprised at the statement made by Chairman William E. Seeley of the apportionment board that he was to cut the approprla- tion for new buildings in view of the fact that Mayor Wilson when he ap- Deared before the school board told them to go ahead with building plans and send the amount which they needed to care for the situation for the next two years. Unless the mayor takes an active interest in the school appropriation intimations are floating around that charges Of double dealing" may be made pub lie.
 Tn regard to the teachers of Bridge port schools MT. Slawson says that there are seven vacancies which now exist and which he is having hard time to fill He says that with the advent of new classes in February he will need more teache-s especially in the high schoc! 4t IS claimed that MT. Slawson has secured the country for high school teachers and he can not secure them at any price. TO meet this situation he has taken three college graduates now teaching in the grammar grades and transferred them to the high school This leaves three more vacancies to be filled.
 Mir SIawson said this morning that Rridgeport has fallen behind in her uchedule of pay for the teachers until today none can be secured from the larger cities. Even if the full increase recommended in the school board S reouisition was granted he points out that this city will be far from paying lhe highest rate in New England and Bridgeport has always had the repu- lation of being in the front rank of this llne.
 Bridrgeport's superintendent put himself on record this morning as favoring a schedule of pay the IF months in the year, instead of a 40 week basis, and he also said that he was in favor of school twelve months in the year. With this schedule he said that competent athletic in- structors would be engaged and the children given an adequate oppor- tunity to have recreation and games and he believes that under this sys- tenn the boys and girls would learn a great deal more as they would take a healthy interest in their work.
 In a table of figures paid teachers in the middle west states as com pared with skilled laborers MT Slawson points out that the teach CTS are badly underpaid. He shows that a machinist in the middle west receives an average of S1,900 q year. the same as bricklayers and fathers while high school teachers get but about s1,000 a year, inter mediate teachers get $500 and ele- mentary teachers an average of $700