Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-05-27
MRS. RYDER JOINS
SCHOOL CRITICISM

The revival Of the old time interest
in music and debating and the ap-
pointment of a principal in the grades
school are some of the improvements
suggested by Mrs, E. c. Ryder in a
letter to The Register, the second in a
series of similar critical reviews of the
school situation in Mddlebury Mrs.
Ryder has taught successfully for
many years and is one of the members
of the educational department of the
Womans Club, d which organiza-
ton she is the president, who several
months ago made a close study of
conditions affecting the schools here.
In the present issue there is also
reply by Ira H. LaFleur, chairman
of the Prudential Committee of the
School Board, to the criticism by Mrs
E. D. Collins of the methods of fire
drill as published in the last issue of
The Register Mr.. LaFleur has OBJ
jected to The Registers quoting him
as having suggested to the Board that
the minutes of its meetings be given
to the press He said that he "had
suggested that the vote of the Pru-
dental Committee regarding the pay
ment of bills be reported in the var
ious papers, and without very much
discussion it was decided that such
was very unnecessary because all was
duly published in time" The meet
ings of the Board are held in privacy,
as are the sessions of the Village Trus-
tees who have even gone so far as to
exclude the press and public by special
resolution. This custom of public Off
GERS meeting for the transaction of the
business of the community in secrecy
is peculiar to Middlebury. In most
other towns all such meetings are held
in such a manner as to permit not only
the presence of the public but even
the convenience of the press.
Mrs. Ryder's Letter
At the first meeting of the Educa
tional Department of the Woman's
Club last October the discussion was
based on Existing conditions that
might be bettered" Most of those
present had in mind some facts about
our own school that had not yet reach
ed the stae of perfection. Middle
bury surely would like the school that
her boys and girls attend to rank as
near 100 per cent efficient as possible
At that time some things were men
toned and a committee of investiga-
ton appointed to see in what way
some of our shortcomings could be
remedied. This was brought to the
School Board and discussed, and for
the most part dropped
Now it has been my privilege, and |
deem it pleasure, always to visit our
schools once or twice each year, and
desire to express the opinion of one
who has observed from a distance for
20 years some problems that for sew
eral years previous were her own, Ex
perlenCe is said to be a dear school
but as l received most Of my educa
tion by that method | know whereof
| speak
l have been interested in Sunday
School work since coming to live in
and it is a disappointment
that the boys and girls of various
ages care so little about the singing
Upon investigating | found ours was
not the only Sunday School that was
lacking young voices. Then l inquired
about the daily singing in school and
| find that the lesson given by the
special teacher is not supposed to be
used save when she is there 1t seems
to me that the lesson prepared by hero
should be taught each day. They sure
ly could gain much in this way and
the fact that two or more rooms use
the same books need not be any great
hindrance The music lesson that is
taught in school is all the majority of
boys and girls get in that line, Let's
See to it we do it as thoroughly as we
do the three RS.
There are so many things done so
admirably that perhaps we ought not
Continued on page six