Norwich bulletin., 1921-01-20
TELLS. RoTARIANs of -,
 SCHOOL LEGISLATION PLANNED

MenntGrs of the Norwich Rotary ciuD wao attended the weekly noonday lun- cAeon--on--W Wednesday, at the Wauregan hotel were treated to an interesting talk on the proposed legislation regarding the school matters in the state, by Dr. k B. Meredith, state commissioner of ed- ucation, who afterwards spoke at the court house. . ..'
 pr. Meredith told of the legislation needed to. give Connecticut a better and
 more adequate school system. outlining
 the ten principles of the programme. In speaking of the new legislation Dr. Meredith said that 1t was not so mucn the passing of new laws but the modi- flying of the laws now in existance that was the aim of the state board. A re- vision of the state grant laws Is need- ed so that towns with relatively small grand lists and with large school o1,i- gations should receive special consider. alton from the state in order that the equality of, educational opportunity may be better Assured '-' {: The present support of schools grant | ismade to towns with grand lists of two and one-half million dollars and less, There are at present five such classes 1 of towns to which are made respectively l grants of 75 per cent, 50 per cent, 45 1 per cent, 30 per cent, and 20 per cent.
 of teachers salaries. If the grant given | is insufficient after an appropriation of
 six mills. and an expenditure of at least thirty dollars per pupil In. the previous
 year. town m4y be given an additional grant. = lion dollars grand list receive at pres
 ent, no support of schools grant
 The bill proposes: (a) to create two
 additional classes of towns; CD those with grand lists of from 2 1-2 10 l;
 million dollars; @ those with grand list. of 10 million dollars and upwards. r class I there would be eefunded 15 pel
 cent: in class 2 10 per cent of teach 1 ers' wages.
 For these two new classes of towns tn
 aggregate will amount as estimated to
 $762.7o0.S5. all of which Is an increase
 since the present grant does not affec towns in these c!assifeations,
 (b) to increase the percentages O four out of the five classes with gram r lists under 2 1-2 million: namely. 6 per cent. to s5 per cent; 45 per cent .. to 55 per cent: 30 per cent. to 40 pc .. cent; 2a per cent. to 30 per cent !, The increase for thls group Of town would be approximately $l7,2o3s7. i The total increase of all seyen class es would be approximately ssoe. .9n4.7. -fe iiGIGdSEu SuppbEl cl sCUOClS gran , must be used for tea chers' salaries I r the first five classes this average i1creas , per teacher would be s56e6: for tn | : two additional classes the avers ge ir
 crease per teacher would he Sr1s.0o. t The bill further provides that the ar 8 proval of the state board of educatfc : shall apply to schools and not to 1T | liviHusl teachers. as at present
 l Another bill Is to provide better f. - elites for tho training ot the teacher t in the state. better normal sc5oois be V ter sanitary conditions In prio,ic school e There Is also 2 bill regarding the raj d ing of the pension for teachers. and e disability allowance.
 , Following Dr. Mern6;tri'a fqlk he "; t given rising vote of a3prpcia ton di President Joseph C %cvtF pres.d, !. at the rrnet;ng al witch hare was 2 va i. larFf attendance. Eben Learned was tl
 soEE leader and Henry j. La Fonte!n
 pianist for. the clro .luncheons. render
 severn! solos.
 Alfred LilI;'J-.dge. of 'he {. C Sw. le Conpsny. reported that he had lett r-i recently from the fr5n that !s bui!4: g. the body for the new Bacl;us hosp!f IT. aTfbulancn and that is Is now on { 1- road He said that the arr5ulan y would arrive :n New London tho last d fhe week. T. vas nie0 va'- =. 'to no ee ing to make the presentation of the a,
 buiance to the !Ic.ip.tti a.. tl" ,..GJ ..