The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-10-02
LETTERS TOTHE EDITOR
How Much Is Book knowledge wortha

4
Editor, Barre Times: ! have been
much interested in the contributions
concerning the school question, and
am moved to offer my bit
| am the mother Of seven children,
the oldest being freshman at the
| University of Vermont. having en-
tered without examinations from the
| junior senior high school OF Williams
town.
To my shame be 1t said that have
never visited the high school and very
seldom that in my own district, as be-
ing without hired help my family has
filled my time, so perhaps | am not
qualified to Judge Alright But | have
listened closely to what the young
people have said about My principal
says this, and my teacher does that"
also | have kept rather close watch
of their progress.
As remember Mr. Stones article,
he stated that the old system was
not turning out the class Of students
which the times demand. Is ii not
rather early to know whether the jun
Tor senior high school system fails or
notg
Now please do not think that be-
little schooling. for | believe that ey-
erv young person who values an edu-
cation enough to study and behave
in school should have high school
course, and il possible a college course.
but-How much is book knowledge
worths had a good high school ed
ucation about % years ago. To-day
my sixth grade pupils come home and
ask any number of questions that |
cannot answer, but know what to
do if baby has collie, or if an injured
finger threatens 10 develop blood pois-
on.
My reading, spelling, arithmetic,
little history and geography are about
all have left in good working order
from the schooling which filled nv
time until was TO- cannot see that
much of the knowledge obtained dur
ing those years is Of value to me
now, but the training received while
getting the knowledge has always
been valuable
< As regards the taking up in the
school of the subjects under discus
sion, would like to ask IL the moth |
ers, as a rule, are teaching their
daughters to cook, serve, sew and
keephouse; and if the fathers are
teach sensing
teaching their sons the use Of tools,
and showing them how 20 do the many |
things that even a professional or
business man need to know.
In my school days the majority Of |
the village girls and boys seemed to
do little but play. Only few OF the
high school girls could make bread OF
cook the substantial foods which give
health and strength, but they could
make fudge and cake. And judging
by the amount of time many OF the
boys spent on the streets, do not
see when they could have learned
much that was worth while out of
school
As regards the length Of the school
year, ! would say that/fny sister
teaches a rural school and that she
needed nearly all the month of Au-
gust to map out and plan her years
work, so as to get the most possible
iue % htf Dupii- anu give the mort
possible to them.
Also. for two or three years the
principal of our high school has spent
! large part of his time during the
hummer vacations working for the
chool in one way OF another and in
'etter preparing himself for his work
One thing has come 10 my mind as
partial cause for the lowering Of
he standard Of scholarship since the
lays before compulsory attendance. In
hose days children did not attend
chool unless they wished to. and
hose who did wish 70 20 usually we're
he ones who were willing u work in
chool. Now many are in school who
eem 10 20 only 70 see how much mis-
hief they can do without getting
sught. and Of course their scholarship
} poor.
But to the best Of ny Judgment.
rhen we have hooked a. the matter
rom all sides. = per cent Of the trou-
ie lies not in the school system. bat
n the people There Seems 10 he
irong tendency everywhere to-day 70