The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-12-21
Standardization of Vt.
Rural Schools
iContlnued from Page ~

anv picture of our schools we can
visualize. And now we have 1t
there to look at, the picture
S not all we desire. But it Is
good for US to examine it intent
~.
The reports are not all in yet,
he details of the picture are not
AVE been collected to show plain
ly this: the great majority of the
schools in Vermont score from
80 to 60 points. A small proper
lion, probably not over ten per
,ent. have neat, attractive, we'll
Kept buildings, with adequate
light, ventilation, grounds, toilets
md equipment, where the teach
RS are competent, pupils studlous
md welldisposed, the community
!elpfully interested, and the
whole condition satisfactory to
he extent that will entitle them
% be ranked as Standard schools.
This is the type of school we
)ught to have everywhere in the
tate. and many of our school d.
rcctors and superintendent are
working to increase the number
which is at present much to small.
MANY schools are lacking in the
things a school should have,
here the teacher struggles val
antly against circumstances, and
ONE fine Vermont children arc
LONG their level best under the
disadvantages we have allowed to
accumulate to hinder their educa-
lion.
Look at this report from one
chool, which can be given only
wcntv four counts out Of stan
lard of a hundred, and note that
,nder the heading, building and
rounds" it receives no credits {;
here is nothing that can be call
ID satisfactory, not an item:
Under the heading equipment
textbooks, black boards, etc. 1t
has nothing, not anaitems But
when YOU come to the heading,
teacher" you draw a breath of
relief, for she is counted eleven
out of a possible eighteen, the
children are eight out of pos
sible twelve, and the community
cunts for five out of a possible
seventeen. That report shows you
- plainly as though you saw 1T, a
rood teacher, and potentially flnc
students, with building, surround
ing.', equipment so poor as to
hamper good work. How can
re expect to keep good teachers
in the rural districts under such
liscouraging conditions?
And here is another school that
has only twenty-onc points out
If a possible hundred. Under the
heading, buildings and Grounds
The only point that can be credit
ed is four for cleanliness-do you
see the teacher doing her best
with a poor, worn splinter
1oor, and the plaster cracking on
'hc walls? Under "equlpment'
his school actually has not
enough modern text books for
every child, and only half tho
maps and supplementary text
books they should have. The
credits here for the "toolS of the
school" are only four out of a
possible 27. This means no SUIT
,ble table or chairs in good con
dition for the teacher, poor desks
not suited to the children, bad
,lackboards, insanitary drinking
arrangements, no flag, nothino t"'
thc children's playhours, no clock,
thermometer, soap, wash-baSln'
door-mat, scrapcr, etc. The re-
port goes on to show that the
teacher, though without proper
training, does her best and at
taios 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
IF credit for the school, 1t is