The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-11
TEACHERS OPPOSE LONGER SCHOOL DAY
 IN LOCAL SCHOOLS
Local Association, Through President Margaret V. Kiely Declared Pupils Would Not Benefit.

longer school day and year, as pro- posed to be installed in the public schools of the city by the Board of Education, were presented to mem bers of the board by Miss Margaret V. Kiely, president of the Bridgeport Teachers association, at the regular monthly meeting held last night. Questionnaires on the subject were sent to 32 recognized educators of the | opinion on the advisabiity of the | longer school day. Answers from the heads of 32 larger school systems | showed that eight favored a school i pressed themselves as definitely op- posed to longer than a five hour day | and 15 favored five hours or lower, Miss Kiely said.
 | Of Is cities, with populations com | parable to Bridgeport, Miss Kiely | said that five cities are operating on | on a five hour schedule and three | longer than five hours. Miss Kiely read opinions from various educators | who voiced their opinions against the proposal, stating that the child's health may be impaired and that the | child needs recreation.
 Salary No Attraction. 1 Miss Kiely, on behalf of the as 1 sOciation, endorsed the longer high school day and not half time. She said that the salary of teachers here | was no attraction and that if the proposed ''staggered'' system was
 
 | fields more attractive.
 | The Teachers association, Miss | Kiely' said, asks that the five hour | day and 40 week year for the high | school be deferred until a new high school is built.
 From their investigation of the pro- l posed lengthening of the school day and year the association submitted the | following recommendations and find | ings:
 | GO That the longer day as a pro- | ject is still an experiment and in view of the congestion in the Bridge | port schools, there is doubt as to the effect the extra half hour would have on the health and happiness | of the pupils and teachers. CD That the five-hour day is the i standard length in 92 per cent. of | the public schools in the country. (3) That only about per cent. of the schools of the country have a | school year of more than 190 days; | the number of days in Bridgeport for many years ranging from 1SO to 190, the summer last year being 1S4 days.
 | (D That the association can find no practical benefits to pupils result | ing from the longer day. | Longer Year Dangerous | (5) That educators agree that an | unbr oken session from Christmas un- | til the closing of the schools in June, as proposed by the Board of Educa- | tion as a means of lengthening the | school year, is danNerous to- the health of the pupils and teachers. (6) That the wisdom of introducing l the staggered" system in the high
 school under the present unwieldly arrangement, is not free from doubt.
 Copies for Committee.
 Upon request of Commlssioner % | would ask her committee to send copies of their report to every mem
 Der of the board No action was taken
 on the matter. It was voted to meet in r1jo fi-
 nite action will be taken. Acting
 Superintendent E. Everett Cortright
 said that it was necessary to have
 immediate action on the matter of
 the "staggered'' system in order that
 programs may be completed before
 fall, and vacancies filled.
 Miss Grace Wright of Castletown,
 Vermont, was appointed teacher of
 home economics at the Hign school
 at a salary of s1,6OO yearly
 Catherine Lemon. 9S Washington
 Terrace, this city. was appointed den
 tai hygienist for one year. The resig-
 nation of Miss Hilda Mercy as a den-
 tai hygienist was read and accepted. | The resolution to amend the rules
 of the board for the creation of de- fective pupil classes was laid on the , table. A request to the Board of Ap-
 portionent for the transfer of $50,-
 900 from the contingent fund of $6S,-
 SIS set aside for scnool use. was for
 warded to that board.
 Leave Granted. l. A leave of absence for one year
 was granted B. Myril Wilcox, teacher in the grade schools Reasons of health were given for the leave of
 absence.
 Marion R. Cole. teacher at the High school, rendered her resignation which , was accepted. She has taken a posi- l ton at Orange, New JisrSey.
 Marion S. Cleveland resigned her position as teacher at the High school to accept a better position at Mount | vernon. was accepted. The resignation of Hazel P. Leer as teacher at the High school was accepted. She is to take
 a position at Newton, Mass
 The City Ice & Coal Co., and the >arm Terminal Co, were awarded = bids to furnish coal and coke for the schools for next winter. RidS For Coal } The City Ice X Coal company bid
 on S,35O tons of coal at $12.75 per ) ton delivered. Immediate delivery is s pany bid S7.50 dumped and 50 cents extra per ton shoveled into bins. Tc ? insure delivery a bond of s1O,0OO will be posted. One other bid on coal was s received from the Frank J. Kisco Goa s company. They bid on 1000 tons ot l egg coal at $12.S5 delivered.
 The Karm Terminal company's bic on 1,700 tons of coke was S11.75 de , livered. The board agrsed to accep e their bid for not less than 1000 ton: ,. and not more than 1.7OO tons de = pending on the quantity needed. r Commissioner Challenger reported e progress on several school sites Tht e board ratified the purchase of two I lots at Sylvan Crest for the Edward r Hallen school to be erected there il e the very near future. OEe lot 100x11 .. o was purchased from William J. Moi 5 fit 3rd for $70O. The second lot wa purchased from Mary Zak for $1,600
 At the nsxt meeting sites for thu
 proposed new east side High schoo will be considered.
 .SREPDv Drr,JxEDS,, ru<D