The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-10-12

First-Knowledge of Conditions.
Second-The determination of
clear and definite purposes or ends
to achieve.
Third-A definite plan for the
accomplishment of the concrete
purposes asserted.
Mr. Dempsey's address in full
follows:
BETTER SCHOOLS FOR YER
MONT AND HOW TO Sc
CURE THEM
c. H. Dempsey
The dominant purpose of this
convention is unquestionably to
discover how we, the school people
of the State, can improve our
work, and so bring about better
schools for the boys and girls of
the State
The addresses to which you will
listen, the conferences in which
you engage will deal either with
some general or some special
phase of this large topic.
1t will not be inappropriate,
therefore, for US. to discuss this
topic for few minutes in a
broad, yet | hope practical way, to
see if we can fix upon some things
to which we can hold fast, some
methods of procedure which we
may know are sound.
If so, we can be assured that we
are headed in the right direction,
and that our progress is really
toward the achievement of better
schools, not merely toward differ
cnt activities.
| wish them to suggest, as
clearly as | may, four things that
are essential, and | believe ade-
quate, for the actual and perman-
cnt betterment of education in
Vermont
First of all l would place knowl-
edge of conditions.
Whether it be the treatment of
any of our bodily ills, the reor-
ganization of some business, the
solution of any local or interna-
tional political complication, or
the improvement of the schools of
your town, no worth while work
can be done without a clear dag
nosis of the case, leading to a full
and accurate knowledge of facts.
This means a study or survey of
your field of labor, so conducted
that the findings shall be put down
in black and white in a definite
form. The causes, moreover, of
conditions, good and bad, should
be stated or known with equal
clearness. The factors entering
into the situation that must be
eliminated, or that can be develop
ed for remedial purposes must be
known.
How shall this be done?
Let me take two Illustrations
for the sake of clearness, first
the method to be adopted by a
superintendent, second, by teach
Ell.
The superintendent has group
OF schools in one or more towns.
His study of conditions will nat
urally resolve itself into some such
order as the following:
A. Buildings and equipment.
1. Number and location.
2. Condition as to repairs.
3. Condition as to capacity,
light, heat, ventilation, compe-
tcnce, cleanliness, etc.
4. Adequacy of books, supplies,
appliances.
5. Grounds, outbuildings, play
apparatus, etc.
6. Needed changes (of 1 to -
with probable costs.
B. The work and workers.
/. Principals and teachers.
a. Education, training and
experience.
b. Eficiency-strength and
weakness.
c. Needs and means of i'm
provement.
2. Pupils.
a. Kind and environment
b. Standing and capacity
determined by tests, observation,
etc; grading, etc.
c. Spirit, industry, ambition,
vocational needs, etc
d. Needs for adjustment Of
work, reorganization, guidance,
etc.
3. School directors, patrons
and taxpayers
a. Interest and cooperation.
b. Needed work.
4. Nature and content of work.
a. Determination of and
administration of course of study
and school program.
b. Accomplishments of as
signed work.
c. Needed adjustments.
c. Finances.
/. Appropriations and expcn-
diturcs.
=. Re-adjustments for economy.
3. Need and provision of in
creased CO revenues.
ID. Personal account of stock.
/. Education, training, expert
cnce
2. Methods and system.
3. Accomplishments during
term of office in respect to A. b.
G. and =.
/. Working under definite