The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-09-13
Give the Child a
Chance Robbing
the Little One Who
Can't Go to High
School The Chill
dren Who Fall Be
hind in One or Two
Studies Politicians
and Teachers Dick
ering for Votes.


Teachers Association, impressing
upon them the mistake they are
making in objecting to doing
fair days work in the schools, he
used this language:
''But I am thinking of the
plant and also of the economic
necessity on the part of some
pupils to leave school too soon"
That Is to say, Commissioner
Meredith wants the boys and
girls who can't go to High school
to get an education. He wants
them to have a. fair show. AS the
Bridgeport schools were operated
before the new rules went into
effect, thousands of young people
were being robbed of the education
that was due them. That a Few
persons might have short hours,
ease, time for travel and almost
complete leisure, these little
lives. were robbed.
How many mothers and fathers
in Bridgeport have this ex-
perience. Boy or girl brings
home a poor report, in one. two,
or three subjects. Once behind.
always behind. It's hard to
catch up. That short day. that
short year, is about right for the
fastest child. It's too little for
the child who is not so fast.
You parents know what the at
titude has been. Pay tuition
fees. Pay the private charges of
a tutor, for something the public
schools ought to do. This helps
the child whose parents have the
money, but it puts an awful
handicap on the other children.
These same children who come in
with poor reports can mostly do
good work, and have good re-
ports If they have a little more
time.
Mental work obeys the laws of
physical work. Not all can run
the same race. Some run, some
jump. No sportsman makes all
run the same race. He gives
handicap to the slow, just as they
do in golf. Differences in mental
strength are far greater than diff
ferences In physical strength.
One child reads easily. and
does arithmetic slowly and pain
fully. In the schools this child is
Inundated, unless both things
are accomplished. The child slow
In arithmetic needs more time
for that. The man who cannot
run a hundred yards in ten
seconds. The child who is
behind in one or two studies in a.
swift race. may readily catch up,
IL It has a little more time.
This In the meaning Of the
struggle between the Board of
Education and the political
teachers, Of the little group
known as Bridgeport Teachers
Association, which has appealed
to the politicians. They offer to
the politicians teachers votes, If
the politicians will promise them
less work. Robbing the children
to pay the politicians. Robbing
the children of whom Mr., Mere
dfth says, They are under
economic necessity to leave
school all too soon"
-
This is a very important mat
ter which parents. especially
mothers must think over care
fully. Teachers are asked to
work HOO hours a year. They
are willing to work but 900
hours a year, which, according to
the large number of experts,
whom they consulted, is not
enough.
-
Most of US work 800 days a
year, eight hours a day. Many
of us work more than that. Is
100 a year so much7 Do the
teachers of the Association, with
their wailing against so short a
working life, really represent the
thoughtful, conscientious, dig
niffed element of the teaching
profession, or do they represent
merely a few individuals who re-
gard the political route as a
shorter road to promotion?
The world exists for the child.
To do less for the child than the
most that can be done is the
greatest error the world can
commit. Politicians and teachers
are useful. Each has place,
but that place is not in cons