The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-02-03

in the rural school system The State is trying to
remedy this and at the time to improve the
quality of teaching by giving State rebates per grade
of certificates to teachers in the rural schools these
rebates are denied grade teachers. Hence the rural
school is in much stronger position than formerly
without added expense to the town. The town should
teachers of high standing and efficiency and them
the maximum salaries that it can afford.
Repairs.
During the period of the Worlds War the prices of
labor and material raised to such an extent that
extensive repairs were not considered and IN many
cases even the ordinary and necessary repairs were
either postponed omitted. With the return to
normal conditions necessary repairs should no longer
be delayed and in some cases more extensive repairs
should be undertaken. The State is willing to aid IN
bringing the school plants to high standard The cost
to standardze at once all the school houses in your
town would doubtless be prohibtive; it would SEEM
however good business and great stimulus to better
schools to standardize each year or more of your
buildings and to continue this policy till all have been
brought to the same standard If this policy is adopt
ed no decrease in the cost OF repairs and equipment
can be expected for some time.
Fuel and Supplies.
During the past year the cost of fuel and supplies
has materially decreased and this reduction will doubt
less continue next year that considerable saving IN
school expenses ought to be e1ected as lar DIS 'ese
two items concerned.
Transportation.
The TRANSFORMATION problem is largely the result OF
school consolidation as consolidation the result Oh
decreased school population With the decrease during
the last two or three decades in the number OF school
children in your town many school houses have been
closed or sold In most it would be very unwlse
to trv to reopen these schools AS result many chill
dren are forced to walk be conveyed to schools
siderable distance from their homes The cost OF trans
portation has steadily increased throughout the state
so that in some towns from one-fourth to oneha1 OF
all the school moneys annually expended IN Trans
portaton of pupils On account of this excessive cost
the State has recently modified its transportation laws
and now REQUIRES towns to transport school chlldre
onlv when feasible" This change in law should
greatly reduce the expense of transportation At the
same time the town should always be willing to CO.
operate with parents living at considerable distance
from school in providing suitable transportation and
parents must realize that they likewise have obhga
tions in this matter I am not able at this time &c
make a complete report of the cost and number OF
children transported but will in the near future ME
such report With the limited funds at the disposal OF
the School Committee it is absolutely necessary that al
school expenditures should be watched and guarded
with the same care that good business man woule
exercise in the transaction of his own affairs and tha
every dollar of school money expended should show
! full dollars worth in return.
Il ..i General Remarks.
The schools in this Supervision district are IN ta
condition. some are doing excellent work; the teacher
are earnest and faithful and striving to secure tn
hest results The teaching force however, has suffer