Kent School - Kent Yearbook (Kent, CT)

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tEfje Council In the last days of April and on the first of May the main topic of conversation i- the Council, which i perhaps the most important of our school organisations. It is the guardian of the self-government system at Kent, a system which has been examined, and in some instances imitated by other schools. Representatives have been sent from various schools to study the methods employed by the Council, and to see just wliat branches ..f school activities come under its jurisdiction. The Council is composed of the three prefects chosen from the Sixth Form bv the Headmaster, two members from the Fifth Form, and two members from the Fourth Form. The Fourth and Fifth Forms mcml crs are elected by the school on the night of May 1st of each year, on the basis of their ability to serve the school along those lines which the Council governs. Their principal duty is to safeguard the carrying on of the study periods without any supervision by the Faculty. The method of election is a simple one. Sometime Indore the first of May. the Third and Fourth Forms meet and nominate four candidates. There must be four from each of the two Forms so as t« give the school a choice as to who it shall elect. On the night of May 1st there is a school meeting at which two candidates from each Form who receive a majority arc elected members of the Council. The prefect system is, however, different, and may l»cst be understood from the following article, reprinted from the first issue of the Quarterly”. It is one of the customs of our school that, on May first of each year, three fellows are selected from the Fifth Form to be prefects for the next school year. In selecting the prefects, to use the words of the Headmaster. ‘Everything is taken into consideration: standing in studies, past record, ability as leaders, faithfulness to school principles and traditions, general deportment, and popularity.’ 24

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 JT E3 C2 e ci o The duties of the prefects are many. They preside at all school meetings, are ex officio members of the Council, ins| eet the housework, rojwrt on the same take the roll call twice each day, and in general are the leading spirits of the school. “The prefect system is one of which we have every right to be proud. The prefects are a great help to the faculty on account of the large amount of work they save them. They do much good to the fellows by the splendid example which they set Iwfore them. They gain much for themselves by the cx| cricncc they receive in leading others and hearing the weight of many responsible duties. In general, the purpose of the Council, so clearly set forth in its constitution, is to consider all complaints, petitions or other matters that arc submitted by any student or master, provided they arc pertinent to the welfare of the school, as a whole, or any considerable group thereof; to recommend to the Headmaster any mens, ures that seem to be to the best interest of the school, and for the maintenance and furtherance i»f a thorough understanding between the faculty and the student body; to censure ami advise any student, whose conduct is in direct violation of the spirit and tradition of the school. $3rebtous Councils 1907-ISOS Osgood Perry '08, Chairman Alfred II. Sweet 'OS Donald S. McNulty ‘00 26 Randolph 1 . Titus '09, See’y Anson B. Gardner '08 H. Hrinton Hill '10 Douglas ( . Crawford ’10