LA UC-NRLF $B bb DDb O 00 o LO LO O GIFT OF Connecticut bulletin 32 GIFT AUG Id 1919 EDUCATIONAL ENQUIRY North Stonington May 1916 h\ c. Digitized by tine Internet Arcinive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation littp://www.archive.org/details/educationalenquiOOconnrich 2 — Village or Center 3— Closed 4— Boom Bridge 5 — Shunoe 6— Bloody Sixth 7— Ashwillett 8-1 9— > Closed 10- J 11— Pendleton Hill 12— Closed 13— Laurel Glen 14-Clark's Falls 15— North West Corner or West Ashwillett NORTH STONINGTON This report was written by Mr G C Swift an agent of the state board of education. It is based on many visits to the schools conferences with the committee and reports of the school conimit- tee to the state board of education The inspector read chapter v of this report to two of the three members of the North Stoningt,on town school committee in March 1916 A summary of the necessary repairs was submitted to the com- mitee in June State supervision was withdrawn in August. A typewritten copy of the whole report was mailed to each member of the com- mittee on September 20th The last of September the following postal was sent to each voter in the town Postal card No 1 9-16-400 Public schools State board of education Room 42 Capitol Hartford North Stonington The state board of education has withdrawn supervision from North Stonington because the town failed to do its share for the children It failed 1 to pay wages sufficient to secure good teachers 2 to provide good textbooks 3 to purchase good reading matter 4 to equip its schools 5 to buy necessary apparatus 6 to maintain its schoolhouses and privies in good repair Correspondence invited Chas D Hine Secretary G C Swift Inspector The inspector attended the town meeting the following week and by request explained to the voters the meaning of the post- card The town meeting voted an increase in the tax for schools from four to six mills and elected a new school committee. The voice of the people was unmistakably for better schools and for the restoration of supervision Upon application of the town school committee supervision was restored in October The town is improving its buildings and equipment. Apparently it is setting about the solution of its educational problems with the purpose to succeed Every aid which the state board of education can furnish will be furnished 404092 NORTH STONINGTON CHAPTER i Explanation of the survey The survey of the educational conditions of the town of North Stonington was undertaken by the state supervising agent in re- sponse to an invitation from the secretary of the state board of education The value of a school system supported by the state must be measured in terms of service to the state. The state is interested in service to the community and through service to the community in service to the state. Opinions among men differ when their judgments are based upon different facts or too few or a dififerent arrangement of the same facts concerning the matter in question. Difference of opinion disappears when all men look at all the facts bearing upon the subject The first object of this survey is to so state the basic and signifi- cant facts concerning educational conditions in the town that agreement as to proper educational policies may be derived Bearing these facts in mind, the second object of this survey is to suggest possibilities for improving the opportunities of the children in the town The surveyor has visited the schools on an average twice a month during the past year and has worked with the teachers at their schools and at monthly teachers' meetings until he has be- come familiar with their problems and the conditions under which they work All figures used in this survey have beea obtained from official documents or reports which are open to inspection. All descrip- tions of school property and equipment were written after per- sonal inspection by the surveyor The recommendations are made after a careful study of facts mentioned. They cover the most salient needs of the schools at the present time and suggest a constructive program for the future development and improvement of the system by training and se- lecting teachers. It is not perhaps to be expected that the town will carry out all recommendations at once but there is no reason why they should not do so in two or three years. If they make no advancement it will be evident that the town does not desire to furnish its children necessary and rightful school accommodations CHAPTER 11 The town North Stonington situated in the southeastern corner of Con- necticut is surrounded by other similar agricultural towns. It is bounded on the east by the state of Rhode Island. The town of Stonington is between it and the Sound. Several streams, too small for purposes of transportation, flow south through it and furnish some power but too little to be of much commercial value. While the surface is in general hilly and much of it is rocky there are many good farms 6 There are few improved public roads and no steam road passes through. A trolley line, connecting Norwich and Westerly, runs through the southern section, carrying passengers, freight an4 ex- press. Telephone service is common in most sections of the town The principal and almost only industry is farming. There was a time when small factories flourished at the Center but that is now past. There is a sawmill near the Center and at Clark's Falls there is a felt mill, also a birch extracting mill. Several small grocery stores are scattered about the town CHAPTER in The administration of the schools The schools of North Stonington are organized in accordance with the general statutes of the state of Connecticut. There were originally fifteen districts but in accordance with the public acts of 1909, chapter 146, all school districts were abolished and the entire control of the schools placed in the hands of one town school committee This committee consists of three members elected annually for the term of one year. It, therefore, is not a continuing board and has all the weaknesses of such bodies. Its term of office is too short to start and complete an important work and therefore a shifting of responsibility from one group of men to another group with its consequent inefficiency is permitted As long as the school committee has confidence in the ability and good judgment of its supervising agent it should support him in his efforts to improve and advance the interests of the schools. When it has not this confidence it should take such steps as are necessary to have him replaced by some one in whose ability and good judgment it has confidence. The state of Connecticut pays out annually money for the supervision of schools in the small towns of the state, requesting such supervision. These towns should not request the state to make such expenditures of public funds unless they are willing to use the supervision thus given. It is a waste to pay for a superintendent's services and then to dis- regard his advice and judgment The large problems for which a school committee is elected are the final decision as to proposed expansion and developments of the system; the presentation of the needs of the schools before the people interested and paying the bills; the larger problems of finance and the approval of expenses incurred; the final election of teachers examined and recommended by the superintendent and the fixing of their salaries; the selection of school sites and the erection and care of school buildings; and the adoption of all school policies, including transportation of scholars and consolida- tion of small schools. Book and supply agents, applicants for teacher's positions, disgruntled teachers and all others seeking favors in the schools should be referred to the supervisor. In such matters as outlining courses of study, selecting texts and supple- mentary books, passing on the competency of instruction or the efficiency of service of teachers, action should be based only on the recommendation of the superintendent whom the committee has asked to attend to such matters. This leaves the committee 7 free to attend to the main business and frees them from the per- sonal pulls and influences which beset any lay school committee attempting to exercise expert functions for the execution of which it has a duly appointed officer. The school business of North Stonington is an important business and the purpose for which the schools are created and maintained is the proper education of the school population of the town. They do not exist to aflford positions for teachers or for the employment of other individuals. Positions and employment of individuals should be kept purely in- cidental so that the best possible education of the children for whom the schools exist may be carried on under the best possible conditions The voters and taxpayers of the town of North Stonington at their town meetings have not expressed a desire for liberal treat- ment of the schools and have not encouraged the school committee to accept the full services of their supervisors. For this reason though the committee nominally has permitted the state super- visors to assume many of the responsibilities rightfully belonging to that office, it has in most cases turned a deaf ear to reports of conditions and needs of the schools the improvement and satisfac- tion of which were necessary for their successful and efficient management and development The committee has retained the policy of examining and elect- ing teachers usually calling upon the supervisor when it is neces- sary to secure a teacher not residing within the town. If the committee wish to make any division of this duty no doubt they could better select out of town teachers than those residing within the town when they are subject to personal influences and personal and party pulls. The responsibility, however, of examining and recommending for election all teachers should always be with the supervisor Usually the best of personal relations have existed between the several members of the committee and the supervisor which under favorable conditions should tend to most efficient work. However, the lack of a common purpose and the committee's inability to accept reports and to act on recommendations has tended to greatly reduce the eflfectiveness of the supervision for which the state has been paying since 1909 Classification and progress of pupils POPULATION OF NORTH STONINGTON Like similar neighboring towns the population of the town of North Stonington has decreased since its incorporation Table i shows the population of North Stonington and four neighboring agricultural towns since 1810. The increase of popu- lation in manufacturing towns has accompanied the decrease in agricultural towns TABLE i 1810 1860 1910 No Stonington 2524 1913 1100 Preston 3284 2092 1917 Ledyard 1871 (1840) 1615 1079 Lisbon 1128 1252 824 Voluntown 1016 1055 779 8 DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION North Stonington is large in area but not in population (Table ii). Such thinly populated towns must necessarily expend more money per pupil for their schools to properly equip them than towns with a more dense population unless they can solve the prob- lem of transportation and maintain only a few^ large schools in central districts TABLE ii area m acres ] population acres per 1910 citizen No Stonington 36316 1100 37.01 Voluntown 25640 779- 32.9 Ledyard 25952 ^. 1079 26.5 Sterling 17504 1283 13.6 Lisbon 10966 824 13.3 Preston 20325 1917 10.6 PROPORTION OF CHILDREN TO POPULATION The proportion of children to total population of this town is large TABLE iii population enumeration Oct 1914 per cent census 1910 4-16 years No Stonington 1100 271 24.6 Lisbon 824 -218 26.4 Ledyard 1079 259 24.0 Sterling 1283 281 21.9 Voluntown 779 170 21.8 Preston 1917 241 12.5 Naturally this would lead one to believe that the burden of edu- cating the children of North Stonington is greater than in other towns where the proportion of children to population is less-. The fact is that none of the schools of the town are overcrowded and the only way that this can be a factor in the expense is in the purchase of supplies. This has not been large in North Stonington PROPORTION OF ENUMERATED CHILDREN REGISTERED IN THE SCHOOLS A comparison between school registration and" school census will show to what extent the public schools are reaching all chil- dren of school age. Table iv shows that 80.4% of North Stoning- ton's enumerated children registered in schools in 1914-1915. This is a very poor showing when compared with neighboring towns. It would indicate that the system is not giving the public service intended by law and for which the state has been annually pay- ing out money TABLE iv PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT VERSUS SCHOOL CENSUS enumerated October 1914 school registration percent 4-16 years old 1914-1915 No Stonington 271 218 80.4 Voluntown • 170 161 96.7 Ledyard 259 212 81.8 Sterling 281 244 86.8 Lisbon 218 178 81.6 Preston 234 186 79.4 9 This is brought out more clearly in a comparison of attendance (Table v). The population has been shifting in one district of the town of Ledyard but otherwise the population of these towns can- not be called such. These figures, therefore, are not misleading and clearly show that the schools are not serving a large propor- tion of the people The causes of poor attendance will not be taken up here but it may be well to note in passing that the problem is not a matter concerning the attendance officers only and that attendance is an indication of school efficiency or rather in this case inefficiency. It would indicate that parents feel that the schools are not giving to the children enough to make it worth while to send them longer. This is an inevitable result of low salaries and lack of equipment TABLE V PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN REGISTERED IN SCHOOLS IN AVERAGE ATTEN- DANCE registered in schools average attendance per cent of 1914-1915 1914-1915 registration NoStonington 218 140.2 64.3 Lisbon 178 140.9 79.1 Sterling 244 191.68 78.5 Voluntown 161 122.54 76.1 Ledyard 212 135.42 73.3 Preston 186 134.18 72.1 HOLDING -POWER OF NORTH STONINGTON SCHOOLS An efficient system of public schools will not only reach all chil- dren of school age in the town but it will also hold them until either they have completed the full course or have reached the age limits of compulsory attendance. Table vi shows a regular de- crease in registration in the several grades up to the sixth grade. At this grade many backward children who have reached the age limit of compulsory attendance drop out. Normally each grade should have an equal registration. The tendency of the variation to differ in the same direction would seem to indicate that the schools are not holding all the pupils until they attain a legal leaving age TABLE vi age and grade distribution of pupils per cent of pupils September 1915 in grades ige 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 total i 12 .9 6 4 1 32 18.8 ii 4 9 8 3 1 1 27 15.8 iii 1 3 6 10 6 1 27 15.8 iv 3 6 2 1 25 14.6 V 2 3 3 4 3 19 11.1 vi 4 6 2 1 14 8.2 vii n'n 1 8 1 5 1 3 3 21 6 12.2 3.5 total 12 14 18 23 22 21 23 18 12 8 171 100. PROGRESS THROUGH THE GRADES It is commonly agreed that the normal age for entering the first grade is 6 years and that the normal age for completing the eighth is 14 years. Children completing school before 14 years of 10 age are called below normal age while those completing the eighth grade older than this are called over age or behind in the grade. Pupils are over age either because they begin their schooling later than the normal age or fail to be promoted regularly. In order to complete the elementary school at the normal age it is necessary, considering that promotion^ are made in September, for pupils progressing regularly to enter the several grades within the fol- lowing age limits i 6 to 7 not including 7 ii 7 to 8 " 8 iii 8 to 9 " 9 iv 9 to 10 " 10 V 10 to 11 " 11 vi 11 to 12 « 12 vii 12 to 13* " 13 viii 13 to 14 RETARDATION Septembei TABLE ^ r 1915 k'ii 14 grade below norma il normal over age total per cent over age i 12 9 11 32 34.3 ii 4 9 14 27 51.8 iii 4 6 17 27 62. iv 3 6 16 25 64. v 5 3 11 19 57.7 vi 4 6 4 14 28.4 vii 5 8 8 21 31.1 viii 2 1 3 6 50. total 39 48 84 171 percentage normal or under age 50.9 " over age 49.1 There will always be over age pupils in our schools but nearly 50% over age is not a normal condition. It is much too high Table vii shows that children entering late are not responsible for the high over age percentage. Only two grades, 6th and 7th, have a lower over age percentage than the first grade. These grades are the dropping-out grades as noted on another page. The backward children usually are the children who drop out so that 28.4% or 31.1% in the sixth or seventh grades is far more serious than 34.3% in the first grade TABLE viii DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS AS SHOWN BY REGISTRATION OF PUPILS IN SCHOOLS MARCH 1916 school grade i ii iii iv v vi vii viii center 10 2 8 13 7 12 52 no 4 1 2 12 2 8 no 5 3 11 3 19 no 6 3 2 5 3 3 16 no 7 3 2 11 7 no 11 15 3 3 1 13 no 13 2 2 3 4 11 no 14 2 3 3 8 no 15 13 3 2 1 10 total 26 13 23 21 16 12 17 6 134 11 At presert (table viii) there is a total registration of 134 in the ten school buildings of North Stonington. The median attend- ance is only 10. In other words there are four schools with only nine or less than nine pupils. Needless to say the town is running too many school plants. This is partly due to the great area of the town but that is not the only cause. The town will never get the maximum of efficiency from its schools until local pride and narroAy thinking are replaced by town spirit and complete co- operation resulting in a workable plan for consolidation. Trans- portation has been tried and many believe it has failed. Many who believe this undoubtedly desired to reopen their own district schools and looked for the plan to fail. If all concerned would undertake to make the plan succeed it would succeed CHAPTER v School buildings and equipment SITES The town has been generous in providing ample play ground for every school except one. The site of the number 15 school was not well chosen. The building is placed on a cross-road so near that a driver going by can easily touch it with his whip. There is a stone fence enclosing a small yard just large enough to contain double privies and a pile of wood. There is no play ground. The chil- dren must play in the road or on private property if they play at all. The 'danger of playing in the road should not be overlooked. Due to its situation the approach to this building is usually through mud or dust BUILDINGS The buildings are constructed of wood and though they vary in size each has a seating capacity which will accommodate all who attend at the present time. Many of the buildings are much larger than necessary. None are well kept and in good repair. Number 6 needs a new floor in the school and entry. Recently a new floor was laid in number 5. The floors in the entries of number 4 and number 11 need repairing. Other floors are worn and old but they are not so much in need of attention. All should be oiled For economy's sake if for no other the exteriors of the buildings need paint and repairing. The roofs are in good condition though number 4 and number 2 will soon need attention With one exception the interior walls and ceilings are black with the dirt and smoke of ages. The woodwork needs paint and the plaster needs repair and whitewash or tinting. The one exception is the Ashwillet or number 7 school. The interior of this building is neat and clean mostly due to the teacher who has at his own ex- pense cleaned up and painted the woodwork. Especially are the •entries most uninviting in these schools. Plaster is_ broken and woodwork scarred and hooks broken, scattered or entirely missing Three schools have woodsheds, that of number 5 being new and in good condition, those of number 2 and number 14 being old and in poor condition. At other schools the wood is thrown in the entry or in piles in the yard where it is unprotected. 12 PRIVIES For sanitary and moral reasons no closet should be allowed to remain neglected. Where unwholesome conditions exist in the physical side of the school plant one may hope for very little from the spiritual side. Poor equipment and unsuitable buildings use up the energy of the teachers which might be employed otherwise. They are an unnecessary load. The teachers as a rule have tried to do their part but the town in the past years has not done its share. Happily not all privies are in bad condition. The two at number 5 are new and in good condition. Those at number 4, number 7, number 13 and the girls' at number 14 need repairs, whitewash or paint. Those at number 2, number 6, number 11, number 15 and the boys' privy at number 14 are in a deplorable condition and cannot be approved. That they are worth repairing is doubtful HEATING AND VENTILATING All buildings are heated by wood-burning stoves. The one at number 5 has only three legs, a stone serving for the .fourth leg. The stoves at number 7 and the primary room of number 2 are not good. In most cases the pipe is poor and too small and there- fore often smokes. Some teachers report that the chimneys are never cleaned. None of the stoves have shields surrounding them to protect pupils sitting near and to cause a circulation of air and hence an even temperature throughout the entire room. Ventila- tioa is in every case by means of windows and doors. Few ven- tilating window boards are furnished to protect children from draughts DESKS AND SEATS There are no modern adjustable seats and desks in the schools though most of those used are serviceable. The seats at number 2 are very uncomfortable as they lean back too far. Two are broken. Those in number 6, number 7 and number 11 are all double seats. Most of those in number 15 are double and in num- ber 13 there are a few old wooden double seats. Seating condi- tions are poorest in number 2 grammar number 6 and number 15. Very poor teachers' desks are supplied at number 5 number 7 number 11 and number 15 and the grammar room at center There should be at least two good chairs in each room. Number 15 has not even one good chair. Few of the others have more than one CUPBOARDS FOR BOOKS AND SUPPLIES There is one good cupboard in the primary room at number 2. Other buildings are not so well furnished. Every teacher needs a large cupboard and if there is room a table besides her desk WINDOW SHADES These are old and in poor condition in number 4 number 5 number 11 number 13 and number 15 13 WALL PICTURES In no case have suitable framed pictures been supplied for the walls In many of the buildings the old platforms once used in schools are still retained. These should be removed at the first oppor- tunity BLACKBOARDS Recently a small wood pulp board, was put in number 11 but it has, not proved satisfactory. The board put in number 5 though not as satisfactory as slate is better and will do for this school for some time. It is well established that slate is the best and in the long run the cheapest blackboard. By careful tests it has been found that slate blackboards will more than pay for the added cost of installing in seven years by saving chalk repairs and paper. Once put in they are good for all time. They have educational ad- vantages in neatness, in teaching writing to beginners and in cor- recting pupil's work and they are better for the pupils' eyes. With the exception of number 5 there is need for new boards in every schoolroom in town. In each school half of this board should be placed as low as 26 inches from the floor to permit the young children to use it. Thirty inches is high enough for any board BOOKS AND SUPPLIES Books are supplied free to children but not in sufficient quantity. Many of the regular textbooks are old and in poor condition. Practically speaking no supplementary reading material has been furnished. Two kinds of paper, one for writing and one for arith- metic are furnished as needed MAPS No maps have been' supplied to number 4 number 15 or number 1 DICTIONARIES Two schools number 11 and number 14 have no satisfactory dictionaries. Those at other schools are small. Every school should have a dictionary of at least medium size NEEDED REPAIRS AND IIMPROVEMENTS School number 1 1 slate blackboard School number 2 1 exterior paint grading around entrance or additional step roof repaired 2 interior plaster repaired and tinted or whitewashed floor scrubbed and oiled woodwork painted windows repaired more hooks placed in entries 14 3 privies boys' new building or repairs new seat and window frames new boards replacing old or broken ones building straightened paint or whitewash inside, paint outside building screened girls' window panes new partition between woodshed and other breaks repaired paint or whitewash inside paint outside buildings screened 4 woodshed repair new privy for girls 5 heating and ventilating new stovepipe where needed new stove in the primary room each stove removed from the center of room and jacketed window boards for windows 6 desks and seats grammar room new seats for those broken 7 cupboards large cupboards for books and supplies in gi'ammar room 8 blackboards primary room all slate 4 ft high, 26 inches from floor front 17 ft 3 in and 10 ft 5 in sides two 6 ft 6 in grammar room two 6 ft 3i in by 6 ft 9 apparatus globe door mats thermometers wall pictures School number 4 1 exterior paint roof repaired 2 interior ceiling tinted floor in entry repaired floor oiled 3 privies interior whitewashed or painted 4 heating and ventilating stove removed from center of room and jacketed stovepipe and chimney cleaned window boards furnished 15 5 cupboard one large cupboard 6 window shades new 7 blackboards front 5 ft 7i in and 5 ft both 4 ft high 2 to 4 boards each 4 ft 10 in by 4 ft 8 apparatus door mat thermometer wall pictures map clock School number 5 1 exterior paint 2 interior walls and ceiling tinted wainscoting painted floors oiled 3 heating and ventilating a new stove or parts for the old one stove removed from center of room and jacketed window boards 4 desks new teacher's desk 5 cupboard large cupboard 6 window shades six new ones 7 chair one new chair 8 apparatus wall pictures globe door mat thermometer clock School number 6 1 exterior paint 2 interior woodwork painted walls and ceiling repaired and tinted entry plaster repaired and painted more hooks outside door repaired or new one and new locks new floors platform removed 3 privies two new buildings buildings screened 16 heating and ventilating stove removed from center of room and jacketed ventilating window boards furnished desks and seats bfoken seat repaired one new chair cupboard large cupboard blackboards front two 4 ft 8 in and one 5 ft 9 in both 4 ft high left side two 3 ft 8 in 4 ft high apparatus globe door mats •■ thermometer wall pictures clock School number 7 1 exterior paint interior new floors privies interior painted or whitewashed heating and ventilating stove jacketed and new parts ventilating window boards desks new teacher's desk cupboard large cupboard blackboards front 7 ft 3 in and 2 ft by 4 feet high side two each 3 ft 10 in by 4 feet high apparatus door mat thermometer wall pictures clock School number 11 1 exterior painted interior floors repaired, and oiled walls and ceiling repaired and tinted privies new- heating and ventilating stove removed from center and jacketed chimney cleaned and new stovepipe ventilating window boards furnished 17 5 blackboards front 6 ft 6 in side two 6 ft 5 in and two 5 ft 6 in all 4 feet high 6 window shade new shades furnished 7 apparatus door mats thermometer clock wall pictures teacher's desk School number 13 1 exterior paint 2 interior . plaster repaired and tinted floor oiled new entry floor and walls repaired and painted outer front door repaired or replaced platform removed 3 privies sides battened interior painted or whitewashed 4 heating and ventilating , stove removed from center and jacketed new stove ventilating window boards 5 window shades new shades furnished 6 blackboards front 9 ft 6 in and 4 ft 8 in each 4 feet high sides two 5 ft 6 in each 4 feet high 7 apparatus door mat thermometer clock wall pictures School number 14 1 exterior painted 2 interior walls and ceiling tinted floor oiled broken windows repaired ' platforms removed 3 privies * boys* new girls' repaired and interior painted or whitewashed 4 heating and ventilating new pipe chimney repaired so as not to leak stove removed from center of room and jacketed ventilating window boards 18 cupboard large cupboard chairs one new blackboards slate front 6 ft 6 in and 6 ft 2 in each 4 feet high sides 3 ft 3 in and 3 ft 6 in and 4 ft and 3 ft 8 in 4 ft high 8 flag rope new rope 9 apparatus door mat clock wall pictures thermometer chool number 15 1 exterior painted 2 interior woodwork painted and ceiling repaired and tinted or whitewashed floor oiled front door repaired or replaced 3 privies double one repaired and made into single one new one constructed 4 heating and ventilating new stovepipe stove removed from center of room and jacketed ventilating window boards 5 desks new teacher's desk 6 chairs new chairs 7 cupboard large cupboard 8 blackboards front 8 ft 2 in side 5 ft 6 in and two 5 ft all 4 feet high 9 apparatus door mats maps clock wall pictures thermometer CHAPTER vi Teaching force There are eleven regular teachers now in the schools of North Stonington. Of these two are in a two room school at the center and nine are in one room schools in different parts of the town 19 EXPERIENCE The length of teaching service ranges from zero to seventeen years and is distributed as follows 3 teachers have had no experience 3 . " u u J year's experience 2 " " " 3 " 1 teacher has had 8 " 1 " " " 9 " 1 " " " 17 " w TRAINING No teacher in North Stonington has had a complete normal school training. Five have attended summer normal courses in the state. Of those with no experience before this year only one has attended a summer normal school. Ten are high school grad- uates, one is not. The town has established no definite require- ments as to qualifications which a teacher must have before her application will be considered. Only one teacher in the town has secured a state certificate SALARIES Salaries range" from $7 to $12 per week 1 teacher receives $7 per week 5 teachers receive $8 per week 1 teacher receives $8.50 per week 2 teachers receive $9 per week 1 teacher receives $11 per week 1 teacher receives $12 per week It should be noted that over fifty per cent of the teachers receive only $8 or less per week and that over eighty per cent receive $9 or less. The usual and most common salary for teachers is ^S. The state average for women teachers in elementary schools is $62.08 per month It is worth while to note the most common salaries paid teachers in surrounding and similar towns .. 1 North Stonington $ 8.00 2 Preston 9.00 3 Ledyard 9.00 4 Sterling 11.00 5 Voluntown 12.00 6 Lisbon 12.50 The difference in salaries is given above. As a rule the town paying the highest salaries will get the most efficient teachers It is not the purpose of this report to make a criticism of any individual teacher. It is rather to picture the general conditions. North Stonington has a better teaching force than the figures given above would indicate. This is true because many of the teachers live at home where their expenses are low and because in spite of poor equipment and low salaries the teachers in general have entered into their work with one desire — to teach well and to increase their efficiency The normal schools of the state do not supply the demand of the state for trained teachers. Towns like North Stonington must either pay a high price for normal trained graduates or train their 20 own teachers. They may train teachers in service as is con- tinually being done in all towns in the state system or they may require all who have had no training or experience and who wish a position to serve as apprentices before their application will be considered. They should do both. The present procedure is very costly. The salary oflfered is as low as they can get any teacher to accept. Teachers accept these positions with no inten- tion of remaining in the town after their training and experience enable them to secure another position. Practically the only ex- ceptions to this are where teachers living at home wish to remain there regardless of professional advancement. The prevailing policy of securing and paying teachers in North Stonington results in making North Stonington schools training schools for teachers of other towns. The teachers' expenses are paid and the children of the towns are used for practice purposes. Children, who are re- quired every year or so to break in new teachers are not being used rightly unless the new teacher is training at all times under the watchful eye of a model teacher. This condition should not be continued and can be done away with by properly adjusting the salary schedule and by requiring better qualifications of new teachers. With this in view the following suggestions are offered Salaries should be paid that will permit no good teacher to leave for another town unless she can be replaced by another teacher equally as good at the same price Salaries should be so adjusted that the following qualifications may be required of new teachers 1 normal training or 2 one year's experience under good supervision or 3 six months apprenticeship under model teacher 4 in every case the holding of a state certificate The center school- should be equipped and made a real model school where anyone wishing to teach may serve as an apprentice under the following or similar regulations adopted by the state 1 The number of apprentice teachers in any one model school shall not exceed two at any one time 2 No person shall be appointed as apprentice teacher un- til she has the equivalent of a high school education and is sixteen years old 3 An apprentice teacher must be approved by the super- visor 4 Apprentice teachers shall be at the school every day during the hours school is in session unless excused by the supervisor. In an emergency when the super- visor cannot be consulted the model school teacher may excuse the apprentice for one day 5 The teacher shall make detailed plans for the first week while the apprentice teacher observes 6 Apprentice teachers shall a make charts — programs — fill out supervision form 12 — make attendance reports b prepare and supervise some occupational work each day 21 c teach not less than twenty minutes a day after the first week and may teach half and whole days during the year and the aggregate teach- ing hours for the year shall not be less than fifty d keep a register duplicate with the teachers e keep a plan book of her own lessons f attend teacher's meetings g take charge of model school w'hen teacher is ab- sent h become fully acquainted with the school law on. attendance — employment — school diseases and teachers' certificates and shall be particularly informed as to the nature of the teacher's con- tract i assist in supervision of playgrounds j correct papers — give special and individual in- struction to children designated by the teacher and perform such services in care of room,, making charts and preparing occupational work as the supervisor or teacher may assign — placing lessons on the board k read carefully at least one book of professional nature prescribed by the supervisor 1 at the end of the year take the state teachers'" examinations CHAPTER vu The Wheeler school and accommodations for upper grade students The privately endowed Wheeler school receives free of charge to the town and students of North Stonington all high school students and pupils of the eighth grade who are in good standing, and wish to attend providing they pay for their own transporta- tion if such is necessary In his talk to those gathered at the centennial celebration of North Stonington in 1907 Judge Samuel O Prentice said concern- ing the school which had been recently established "Mr Dwight Wheeler has done that for this people which I doubt not they highly appreciate but are there not some who have not fathomed the full depth of its significance — have not dis- covered the far reaching possibilities which lie within it? It is a great thing for such a community as this or any community that the means of providing its children with the best of education are at hand. It is a great thing that there should come into a com- munity like this such a means of intellectual stimulus and uplift as the Wheeler school and library should furnish. It is a great thing that a community like this should have at command the possibility of spreading abroad among, its farms and homes the latest knowledge as to how their life work may be best and most profitably conducted. All this the school and library upon the Wheeler foundation may well do and more. It will mark this town as one to which families may come with the assurance that their children will enjoy the best educational advantages and in which a refined and cultivated environment may be found. It will 22 as the years roll on enter into the life of this community in in- numerable ways to uplift and elevate it." At this same meeting Hon Amos A Browning said "The Wheeler school and library has but just begun what we are permitted to hope may be a great and beneficent work as a teaching and edu- cating force — an institution that may bring an exceptional distinc- tion to this town" Since this time this school has been constantly increasing its equipment and capacity and therefore its efficiency yet its sphere of influence does not reach all in the town. After nearly nine years Professor E H Cameron, state inspector of high schools in his re- port to the state board of education says "It is unfortunate that the "^school does not reach and hold a larger number of pupils of its own town who finish the grammar grades. The reason for this is rather difficult to determine. Un- der like circumstances one usually finds that the school is not offering training suitable to the needs of its constituency. This does not seem to be true here "Besides the usual college preparatory courses the school offers a general course including work in science, agriculture, household arts and printing. The teachers of the academic and vocational sides are well-trained and enthusiastic and are doing good work "The reason given by the principal to account for the small num- ber reached is the inaccessibility of the school. If this is the real reason it would appear that the town of North Stonington is de- priving many of its pupils of the privilege of a good high school training by not providing transportation facilities" Although the Wheeler school is efficiently operated by com- petent teachers it is not serving the town as Judge Prentice and Mr Browning eloquently predicted in 1907 for the town has ap- parently not realized its great opportunity and has not accepted in full the offering of this school to its school population and to the town in general As it is now there are two school systems in the town offering eighth grade courses and neither is running to its full capacity. The town would be better off financially if they kept all their eighth grade pupils in their own schools for as the town takes no part in the running and upkeep of the Wheeler school it receives no aid from the state for the schooling of the pupils who go there. But this would be neglecting to take advantage of the well equip- ped plant of the Wheeler school The town furnishes no transportation to pupils residing at a distance from the school. The state assists in transportation to out of town high schools in towns having no such schools of their own. Thus pupils of North Stonington living at a distance from the Wheeler school have not the school accomrhodations of pupils in towns with no high school The trustees of the Wheeler school and the town of North Ston- ington should come to some agreement whereby the school could be controlled jointly by the town school committee and the board of trustees to the extent that the seventh and eighth grade and high school pupils- could be accommodated by one system only, 23 that transportation from all parts of the town could be furnished and that such aid from the state could be received as is usual for town school systems CHAPTER viii The, course of study and achievement of children The first test of the usefulness of any school system is in the achievement of the pupils. This involves the selection of subject matter and the quality and quantity mastered The state course of study is a development of many years. It is not a copy of one course of study nor a copy of parts of many courses of study but a result of experience in which practical use- fulness has determined whether subject matter should stay or go. Though it is not a copy, those who have been in charge have been mindful of what has been going on in other systems, hopeful of finding something to meet the requirements of conditions in Con- necticut For the convenience of teachers it has been laid out in standards and stages, not to tie any teacher but to make the work more definite. The quality of school work improves as the teacher's knowledge of just what she intends to teach and when she has taught it becomes more definite and clear. Random in- struction or dependence on the inspiration of the moment is as wasteful of time and energy as such a procedure would be in any other business. The regulation, guidance and inspiration of the work of all the teachers is a part of the duty of any supervisor or superintendent. The testing and determining of results is an- other part of his duty. That the children of North Stonington are of intelligence equal to the average is shown by the results of the Trabue language test. (See appendix) This is a test of gen- eral language ability and requires some general experience. North Stonington children stand high in this Trabue language test results. Median score given with 20 possi- ble points standards iv V vi vii North Stonington 10.1 10.4 11.0 12.0 Ledyard 9. 11. 13.0 Preston 10.2 10.1 10.2 12.2 Voluntown 10.1 10.5 10.5 11.0 Lisbon 9.0 10.5 9.4 12.8 Sterling 8.4 8.9 9.8 12.2 The results of an English dictation test (see appendix) were not so good 24 TABLE X English dictation test results. Possible points lOO 9 year children 11 year children 13 year children Preston Lisbon Ledyard N Stonington Saybrook Voluntown Sterling 82.6 79.8 79.4 74.0 71.9 69.3 67.5 Lisbon Saybrook Preston Ledyard Sterling Voluntown N Stonington 91.4 85.9 84.6 83.6 81.3 80.3 77.5 Saybrook Ledyard Lisbon Sterling Voluntown Preston N Stonington 98.9 90.9 90.8 90.1 88.7 87.4 83.1 The arithmetic results were not good though in both progress is shown from age to age TABLE XI Arithmetic test results. Possible points 30 11 year children Saybrook 24.0 Lisbon 21.5 Ledyard 21.3 (state average) 18.6 Sterling 18.6 Preston 17.5 Voluntown 13.2 North Stonington 12.6 13 year children Lisbon Sterling Saybrook (state average) Ledyard North Stonington Preston Voluntown 26.6 25.8 23.5 23.1 23.1 21.6 20.2 18.8 CHAPTER IX Cost and financial records The business of running schools being one o-f the largest, if not the largest undertaking of any community, brings the question of costs to the attention of all taxpayers. Owing to the lack of a common system of accounting it is difficult to make an accurate comparison of the costs of North Stonington schools with the costs of schools in other towns. The only figures available are those found in state board of education reports TABLE Xll cost per child town enumera- average enumerated in average attendance per ce tion attendance 1914-1915 1905-1906 increa Litchfield 697 420 $30.50 $50.62 $30.41 66.4 Voluntown 170 122.54 30.31 42.06 21.32 97. Sterling 281 191.68 26.95 39.56 15.20 160. Sharon 370 283 29.80 38.97 27.16 43.4 Salisbury 731 377 19.25 37.33 25.46 46.6 Newtown 528 403 27.62 36.18 22.80 58.6 Lisbon 218 140.98 22.23 34.38 24.41 40. Ledyard 259 155.42 20.60 34.33 23.26 47. No Stonington 271 140.29 17.54 33.88 24.87 36. Glastonbury 1115 875 22.35 28.48 20.23 40.7 Preston 234 134.18 15.22 26.54 19.92 33. New Milford 1208 918 18.08 23.79 16.37 45.3 25 It may be noted (Table xii) that in comparison with other towns North Stonington is not expending a great amount for the education of its children only three towns among those in the list paying less per pupil in average attendance In common with other things the cost of education is increasing. The increase in cost per pupil in average attendance in 1915 over the cost per pupil in average attendance in 1906 ranges from 33% to 160% in the towns listed above. The cost has not increased in North Stonington as in other towns It is recommended that a new form of bookkeeping be used so that each item of expenditure may be classified in its proper place and be properly proportioned among the different schools. A form recommended by the state board of education will be sent upon request With such a system of bookkeeping it would be possible to de- termine the per pupil cost of instruction the cost of any form of service or supply and to check wastes wherever they might be found CHAPTER X State aid Not all the expense of schools is borne directly by the tax- payers. Through the enumeration and average attendance grants the towns having proper qualifications in size, grand list, instruc- tion and equipment receive each year support from the state. The purpose of these grants is not to relieve the towns of the burden of educating their children but to assist them in having better schools. Few towns have a greater percentage of their school ex- penses paid by the state than the town of North Stonington TABLE xni town per cent of school expenditure paid by state Sharon 7.5 Glastonbury 10.0 Litchfield 11.1 Salisbury 11.3 New Milford 12.6 Say brook 35.8 Preston 39.8 North Stonington 41.3 Voluntown 47.3 Sterling 49.7 Ledyard 61.9 Lisbon 65.6 The average attendance grant is based on average attendance in the schools. The state pays $25.00 for every child in average at- tendance over and above a certain number, determined by the grand list of the town. In other words, if the schools are in ses- sion one hundred eighty days a year the state pays over thirteen cents for each day's attendance over and above the required num- ber. As noted on another page the possible attendance in the North Stonington schools for the year 1914-1915 was 167.2 or 27 more than the actual attendance. This means that the town might 26 have received $675.00 more from the state had its attendance been perfect. It is unreasonable to expect perfect attendance but it is not unreasonable to expect better attendance than that in the schools of North Stonington and any reasonable step of the town" toward better equipment, more cheerful and sanitary buildings, consolidation of schools and transportation of pupils with this end in view should be of financial benefit CHAPTER XI Conclusions and recommendations In conclusion it may be said that the town of North Stonington is unprogressive in matters coru:erning its children and schools Its school buildings are poor and inadequately equipped Textbooks are usually scarce and practically no supplementary reading material is furnished Many of the teachers have had insufficient professional training. Otherwise they would not remain in the town for the general policy has been to pay the lowest possible price for teachers There are too many small costly schools in the town because the question of consolidation has not been solved Comparatively speaking not much money is spent on the schools It is difficult to check up wastes under the present system of cost accounting The attendance of the children ought to be improved. Their progress through the grades has been slow. Their achievement as shown by tests is not of first rank It is possible for North Stonington to have good schools with very little increase in cost. After the needed repairs are made and equipment furnished the running expenses need not be much higher under proper management. A few good schools can be maintained with about the same money that the town is now pay- ing for many fair or poor schools. With this in view the follow- • ing recommendations are respectfully submitted a^^ 1 That the system of electing the town school com- mittee be changed so that it may be possible to change only a part of its membership each year 2 That all buildings be thoroughly cleaned and repaired as specified on another page 3 That all buildings be equipped with adequate slate blackboards 4 That where possible small schools be closed. There is no need of more than one school in the northwest- ern part of the town nor in the Laurel Glen and Clark's Falls districts. Number 5 can be closed and ^ children easily sent to the center and to number 6. It is possible to close number 4. The present, when extensive repairing is needed, is a good time to close these schools 27 5 That wall maps and dictionaries be supplied in schools not already supplied 6 That sets of supplementary reading books be purchased 7 That a change be made in the policy of training, hiring and paying teachers 8 That a new system of cost accounting be adopted In conclusion it should be emphasized that before passing judg- ment on these recommendations the full report should be studied carefully by all interested. All figures can be verified and in- vestigation of the school property of the town will show the need of the repairs recommended 28 APPENDIX EXHIBIT A Trabue language scale B Write only one word on each blank Time limit seven minutes name 1 We like good boys girls 6 The is barking at the cat 8 The stars and the will shine tonight 22 Time often more valuable money 23 The poor baby as if it were sick 31 She if she will 35 Brothers and sisters t-: always to help other and should quarrel 38 weather usually a good effect one's spirits 48 It is very annoying to tooth-ache, often comes at the most time imaginable 54 To friends is always the it takes EXHIBIT B . Arithmetic test Test for eleven and thirteen year old children i Arrange and add 20.12 3.276 580.9 .7643 5478 .09763 ii Multiply 7.096 by 20.8 iii 83.7 divided into 426.033 iv 19 2/7 — 8 5/9 v 31 divided by I Test in English composition (Give pupils 12 minutes) Dictation for pupils 9, 11 and 13 years of age on February 8 Pass sheet I to the respective pupils and dictate the following sentences Pronounce each sentence very clearly and but once Sentences Values 1 Does John know which pencil to use? 16 2 No, he is writing with Mary's pencil 18 3 The fourth day of the week is Wednesday 18 4 You and I wear shoes 12 5 Whose knife is this? 10 6 The scholars all said, "Two and two are four" 26 100 Two per cent has been Assigned to each word and punctuation mark in these sentences. Deduct, therefore, two per cent for each mistake, or omission, or addition 29 4:j4092 a UNIVERSlTif OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY