Putnam patriot., 1924-02-01
Hartford. Jan. 29

they have heretofore done. In hart ford this is particularly noticeable. The vice chairman of the Republican state central committee, Mrs. Samuel 0. Prentice. wife of the former chief justice. Is showing her abilities as a uolitical organizer and, in a measure, it is to her practical planning that the effectiveness of the general actlvi- ties is due. It must be said that po- litical activity this year among the women is not confined to those who are in sympathy with the Republican party. The women of Democratic po- litical faith are bestirring themselves too. Republican leaders in every po- litical jurisdiction in the state should keep that fact in mind. Political activity is not the exclusive duty of Republican women. 1t appeals 10 Democratic women too. It Is to be feared that in some places the vot- ing strength of women Is not suffi- ciently appreciated. Practically the two sexes are about equally divided on voting lists. The Republican or ganization of Hartford is relying on the assistance of the women voters to achieve victory at the coming municipal election. The reliance will, it is hoped, be justified by the re- suits of the election. It is hoped that in the make up of the city ticket the Republican convention will give the women q representation on it and that in the incoming board of alder men there will be women members. It is well known that the Democrats intend to recognize the women. The Republicans would court the resent ment of women voters by negleeting to recognize them and they cannot afford to do that The vote of a wo- man counts as much as that of a man at the polls and neither party can afford to disregard it. By the way, t has not escaped notice that the wo- men have shown their fitness for pub lie office by the admirable manner in which those who hold positions in the public service do their work and at tend to their tasks. Really. in many positions in the service of the state they show greater ability and a great CT aptitude for the official work than men. They show degree of accuracy to which men do not always attain. and their minds are not taken up by talking on matters which have no relation to their official duties. Many heads of department find the women more capable and more reliable than men. This is reminder of the sug- gestion. which is often heard, that women should be appointed to exc eutive positions in departments. In many of the state departments which have quarters in Hartford there is not a women at the head of single one. Some have superior clerkships which they we'll fill but they all hold suber- dinate positions.
 Politics In Education
 The people of Hartford were sur prised, and it is not an exaggeration te say that many were shocked, at the revelations of the condition of the public high school made by Pro lessor Edward F. Humphrey, the chairman of the high school commit tee. Professor Humphrey is mem ber of the faculty of Trinity college and he has scholars devotion to facts and horror of assumptions His statements and those of his colleagues, Mrs Lewis Rose, show that the city's system of high school education in Hartford has been subjected to politi- cal influences to such an extent as to be detrimental to high school eduea- tion and, too certain extent, dis asterous. According to the state ments of Professor Humphrey and Mrs. Rose teachers have been em- ployed to teach who were not intel leetually qualified and who were kept in their positions when their defi- ciency as teachers had become un- mistakably manifest, and positions, that were not necessary for the edu- cational purposes of the school, were created for others for the sole pur- pose of giving them positions. lt was more advantageous to an aspirant to have influential political backing than to be adequately trained for the pesi- tion to which she aspired. Hartford has been very generous in the provis- ions which it has made for high school education. It has now two high schools, physically separated, in op- eration and a third is in course of construction. During the past few years it has spent millions in build ings for high school extension. Last year the appropriations for high oIDOoi HdH 1D8osVNU anu for the coming year the enormous sum of $6S7 ,250 is asked At this rate of increase Hartford will spend in q few years, when the third school is in operation, one million dollars a year for high school education. When to this is added what the different school districts spend for primary and grammar school education 1t will be seen that Hartford has been remark ably generous in it's provisions for education. Even though this expendi- ture is almost staggering in it's amount no fault is found with it. The com plaint of the public is against the con ditions which have been exposed by Professor Humphrey and Mrs Rose. These conditions have made it im- possible for the people of Hartford to get an adequate return for the money which has been spent on high school education.
 Hartford and West Hartford
 The interest which Is taken in the proposition to annex West Hartford tO Hartford Is not confined to the