News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-12-06

to furnish us with new desks. These
nav be obtained from shifts in larger
buildings (old desks, but new to US
and modern to the degree that each
child would have an individual desk).
In the intervening time between
Thanksgiving and Christmas we will
hold an entertainment at the SHOOT
house with a twofold purpose: to
promote community spirit and to
raise small sum of money $50 or
$l5) to make an initial payment on
a S25 victrola and to purchase a few
records.
In the next two months social
affairs will be held at the school
house and at the homes for good
times and for paying for the vic
trola.
Spring comes. With the stirring
Of plant and animal life, our spirits
wax little bolder We purpose to
change the lighting system by NOV
ing the north window to the south
side and possibly putting in an extra
one, practically converting that side
into window space. This might be
done by local labor alone, anyway
Will di SApeLSe iOI W eXCeeu CnS
$3.50 plan.
The window boxes will be reflIed
with bright colored geraniums and
our" years work is done. To the next
year belongs the exterior and the I'M
provement of the grounds, and per-
haps a new playroom.
Three years should standardize a
school Of this type
No chain is stronger than its weak
est link and | am aware that my
weak link is the unwillingness of the
average teacher to act the part [
have delegated to her.
The business man does not meas
ure the time he puts into his bust
ness-his object is to make it sue
cess. His stenographer has regular
hours of labor, outside of that her
time is her own. Who is at the head
of the school but the teacher and yet
she claims the hours of the stenog-
rapher Can she build up a success
full business with the clerks attitude
toward it? There is one great draw
back to the teachers putting her life
blood into this work-tenure of serv-
ice. Next year she may be in an
entirely different environment (pos-
sibly like that she found in 1922,
possibly better); her many Saturdays
Of hard labor; in fact, her whole
year absorbed by her school project
has availed her nothing and harder
yet the work she had undertaken is
ignored by her uccessor-purpose
and effort are apparently wasted
Will she try again? The work of
rejuvenating rural schoolhouses re-
quires more initiative, courage and
endurance than the strictly pre-
scribed teaching. Teachers are
trained for that.
Is it not possible that some sys-
tenn of credits granted by the state
whereby the teacher would be bene-
fitted, wherever her field of operation
might be an incentive for her to
enter this interesting and important
field of service? This, too, might in
vest the scheme with continuity Of
purpose, the new teacher taking up
the work where her predecessor left
it and pushing with renewed vigor,
aided by fresh personality.
Literature, with plans and devices ,
for forwarding the states outline of
standardization, examples of success
full undertakings might stimulate
the teaching force.
My theory is this: On general
principles, the labor should be per-
formed by teachers, parents and
pupils, old material should be-
solicited and new material should be
supplied by the town, thus improving
town property at a minimum ex-
pense. The gain to parents and pupils
is improved conditions recognition
by the state, if earned, and heretofore
destructive agencies changed into
ones. Through credits
or prizes the teacher received recog-
milton Commensurate with the work
done and results accomplished.
MYRTLE B. SEAVER.