Norwich bulletin., 1922-11-17
DISCUSS WHAT TOWN SHALL
 DO FOR HIGH SCHOOL PUPIL

Whether the town of Norwich will be called upon to erect a new high school building at once or make some arrange ment with the Norwich Free Academy to provide for its expansion to take care of the children of high school age in Nor wich were points under discussion by the chamber of commerce directors at sthetr meeting at noon Thursday at the Wau- regan House to which they had invited the town school board and the trustees of the Academy. The purpose was to discuss the present overcrowded condi- tions at the Academy.
 The following report of the meeting was made by the chamber of commerce officials:
 '"The time has arrived when the town of Norwich must either build a new high school for itself or meet the increased expenses to the trustees of the Norwich Academy, if they are to increase the fa- cilities for higher education in this com munity. If the Academy is to expand, it will mean new buildings, more teachers and increased cost of maintenance. This increased cost of maintenance must of necessity fall upon the town of Norwich Should the town make use of the facili- ties of the Academy, as at present for higher education, or on the other hand should the people of Norwich have the al- formative of building and maintaining it's own school. It goes without saying that the town of Norwich can buy it's educa- tion much cheaper than it can provide it. Over $600,000 in private bequests have already been made to the Academy which does not include the buildings. The Academy can reasonably take care of about 250 pupils through these bequests, but as the number of pupils has increased fO 4Iok creased cost of maintenance and expenses have assumed such large proportions, the town must bear it's portion of the main tenance cost.
 "The situation resolves itself into the necessity for selecting the number of pu- pills who can attend the Academy with it's present facilities, thus compelling a large number of our children to seek higher education elsewhere or receive none at all, or reasonable assurance given to the trustees of the Academy that the town will cooperate with them to provide the necessary buildings and equipment 1 and teachers to take care of the ever in- .creasing number of pupils.
 The cost per capita of high school edu. cation in other cities throughout Connec- ticut ranges from $120 per year per pupil to $160 per year per pupil which does not include the investments on the buildings Norwich at the present time pays $50 per year per pupil.
 "The Academy is governed by a board of trustees and the funds donation to the Academy through private beQuests are expended by the trustees Norwich has been and is particularly fortunate in hav- ing higher education provided at cost ! through these bequests. The trustees of the Academy do not want to build ad- ditional building unless the town of Nor wich intends to pursue it's present policy. Otherwise 1t would be waste of money l to have the Academy erect new buildings, and the town to do likewise if the town should decide to erect and maintain a 1 high school of its own The question is whether the town will vote increase appro- priations to the Academy or build a high school which will be under the direct control of the town. Something must be done Immediately to take care of the increasing number of high school pupils "The issue as 1t stands today IS that
 if the Academy is to expand arrange ments must be made with the town and if the Academy is not to expand then il 1 is up to the town school board to take i immediate steps to erect high school | building to take care of the children oi Norwich. It was brought out that the
 out of town pupils numbering about 15C l of the TOO and over enrolled at present | form a very small number compared with
 our local pupils so that even If the out
 of town pupils were eliminated the prob. lem still faces Norwich to provide ade fquate facilities for high school edu- cation. Naturally the increased number
 of pupils means increased expenses and i increased expenses must be met by the people of Norwich. Some definite aetior must be taken in the very near future tC
 Norwich today"
 Thames River Channel Rearing
 Other matters discussed by the direc. tors were reported as follow:
 A report of progress was made on the Industrial and Mercantile Exposition tc be held in the state armory the frs Iweek in December. Plans for this expo
 sition are progressing favorably anC i Norwich will have it's first exposition p thls kind in seventeen years.
 Through the efforts of the chamber o commerce a public hearing will be helt 1 in the council chamber, Nov. 24th al I 1.30 p m, to discuss and to show tht treason why the Thames river from Al tlyn's Point to Norwich should be nor,
 fully developed. This hearing will b, Eheld by Maj. V. L. Peterson of the war de
 pertinent and is brought to the attention tof the people of Norwich urging their as I sfstance through their attendance al
 much as possible at this hearing. Thi
 is a matter of prime importance to thii sl lcommunity inasmuch as it effects ever,
 household through the freight rates Norwich now has seaport freight rate
 and should she become chased as an In land city the favorable frslsht rates q