The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-02

"Behind the scenes" incidents with true characters playing im- portant roles are pictured in series of articles prepared by a special committee of the Water bury Teachers association.
 The stories are not intended to glorify teachers personally, but to acuuaint the public with certain features of the teaching profes- sion that "experts" overlook in attempting to measure service efficiency by a financial yard stick. They will show the Thu human clement that is an inn portant, life-shaping factor in the daily contact between teachers and students.
 Sympathetic
 Persons sympathetic with the profession and knowing the prob lens that are part of the daily life of teachers, have suggested that members of the Griffenha- gen auditing firm read the se- ries. They might become more sympathetic and less mechanical in appraising services rendered, services that must be rendered if youth is receiving the proper guidance for future life.
 In these United States the boys and girls of today must have de- veloped to the fullest capacity not only the intellectual power, but the physical, emotional, social and spiritual forces. To do this task acceptably requires both time and opportunity for inves- tigating, consulting, and planning. But both time and opportunity are non-existant where principals and teachers face large classes, or ''doubled-up-grades" or the re- sponsibility of supervising more than one building.
 Today's article will acquaint you with one phase of what has been done and is being done in many of our schools, aside from the regular program to aid boys and girls cheated of their right full heritage by either nature or circumstances.
 Fine Characters
 Though no names are used in the following sketches the char acters are not fictitious and thGr records exist today in the office of the superintendent of schools. Perhaps, the simplest definition of health is Freedom from de- feet or disease" During the past ten years in the majority of our local schools we have had scores of children with diseased tonsils, defective speech, weak nervous system, failing vision. We have had scores of children suffering from lack of food and we have had an equal number garbed in clothing offering little or no pro- lection. In happier days, parents were able to care for their fam flies, but, sad to say, many of our present pupils have never known any but the depression period. With parents unemployed, churches and social service agen- cies glutted with appeals for aid, many of these boys and girls would have sunk to the lowest depths of misery had it not been for the vision, generosity, and sacrifice of teachers, often, them- selves, carrying staggering finan- cial burdens.
 Few Complaints
 Children do not mention much less complain about their physical or economic conditions. We do not know whether this is due to reserve, or pride. or to the feel- ing on their part that no one cares. But we do know that it takes hours of sympathetic ques- tioning and patient Investigating in order to discover existing con- ditions and to plan constructive measures which will not antagon- ize or embarrass a sensitive child. It requires time and ef- fort to obtain the help needed in furnishing the child with that which will contribute to his sense of well-being and which will aid him to realize his destiny wheth- 1 CT that destiny be brilliant or humble.
 This information is made pub