The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-12-22

I pupils ht4Hlu4h ana Ntll7Ni0 iAaegtAf katt
community helpfully interested, and
the whole condition satisfactory % the
extent that will eutitle them 70 be
ranked as Standard Schools. This Is
the type Of school We ought to have
everywhere in the State, and many Of
our school directors and superintend-
euts are working to increase the num-
ber. which is at present much too
small
Many schools are lacking in the
things a school should have. where the
teacher struggles yaliantly against
circumstances, and some fine Vermont
children are doing their level best un-
der the disadvantages We have allow
ed 10 accumulate to hinder their educa-
ton
Look at this report from one school,
which can be given only twenty-four
counts out Of a standard OF hundred,
and note that under the heading,
building and grounds" il receives no
credits; there is nothing that can be
called satisfactory, not an item. I'm
der the heading equipment" text
books. black boards, etc.) il has moth
ing, not an item. But when you come
TO the heading teacher" you draw
breath Of relief, for she is counted
eleven out Of a possible eighteen, the
children eight out Of possible twelve,
and the community counts for five out
Of a possible seventeen. That report
shows you, as plainly as though you
saw il. a good teacher, and potentially
fine students, with building, surround
ings, equipment so poor as to hamper
good work. How can We expect to
keep good teachers in the rural dis
tricts under such discouraging condi-
tions?
And here is another school that has
only twenty-one points out of a pos
sible hundred. Under the heading
Building and Grounds" the only point
that can be credited is four for clean
'liness-do you see the teacher doing
her best with a poor, worn, spllntery
floor. and the plaster cracking off the
walls? Under equipment this school
actually has not enough modern text
books for every child, and only half
the maps and supplementary text
books they should have. The credits
here for the "tools Of the school" are
only four out of a possible twenty
seven. This means no suitasie nb.S
or chairs in good condition for the
teacher, poor desks not suited to the
children, bad black-boards, insanitary
drinking arrangements, no flag, moth
ing for the children's play-hours, no
clock, thermometer, soap, wash-basin,
door-mat, scraper, etc. The report
goes on 10 show that the teacher,
though without proper training, does
her best and attains what efficiency Is
possible under the circumstances, that
the children are of good quality Of
human material. and that the com
munity has done nothing worthy Of
credit for the school. II is touching to
see how steadily these reports show
the children as doing their best to
make UP for the bad conditions We
allow 10 exist around them. Too many
Of our Vermont children, sturdy,
native-born, naturally intelligent, en-
ergetic. are spending a large part OF
their working hours in battered, com
fortress, III equipped, insanitary
school ol-rooms.
Who is responsible for this state Of
affairs? Why, we all are! Make no
mistake about that Every Vermonter
Is responsible; you are, ! am. We
need not blame any abstract entity
like "the town." or "the state We
ourselves are the town and the state.
And in no other state Of the Union has
there been preserved more Of the
American feeling Of individual indie
ncndence and responsibility. Town
meeting is open 20 any Of US, ana
every one Of us is responsible for ae-
tion taken there, or action that Is not
taken there. Our Vermont towns are
proud Of their local independence, Let
us not neglect this important part Of
our work.
Now what can be done about It?
Taxes are high already, most Of Us
scrinpe at the thought Of paying more
and most Of Us are more or less dubi-
Gus about value received for these
taxes once they're voted. To bring
our rural schools up 70 a fair stand
ara. must we add heavily to cur
taxes
/ Not a bit Of II. A large part Of the
deficiencies ~ our schools are such
that we can personally 60 right out
ard repair them with eur own hands
ana by the use Of our own wits. A
email sum that would never BE- missed
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