Richford High School - Searchlight Yearbook (Richford, VT)

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26 R. H. S. SEARCHLIGHT L Ti RICHFORD JUNIORPSENIOR HIGH SCHOOL HISTORIAL SKETCH The town of Richford has been giving free secondary-school instruction, sutlicient to prepare its pupils for col'ege for about 35 years. For a good many years, like most schools of its kind, the only-really definite purpose of the RICHFORD HIGH SCHOOL was college preparation. In 191l, a pratical commercial course was introduced. This course has been uni- formly successful. Conscientious and intelli- gent graduates have always been able to secure good positions. In fact, the local demand has been greater than the supply of commercial graduates whom the school authorities could unreservedly recommend. In the next few years, the growth of the school was so rapid as to require an in- crease in the teaching force and in the space devoted to high school work. By 1915, the congestion had become so acute and the un- suitable character of the school building so clearly seen that a movement was set on foot to erect a modern building. In 1916 the town appropriated the amount necessary for this purpose and in May of the same year ground was broken for the new struc- ture. In September 1917, the school was moved. The new building is a sutstantial, at- tractive brick structure, about 80 by 128 ft. It is conspicuously located on excellent grounds of about seven acres. The lighting, heating, ventilation and sanitary arrangements throughout are of the most modern type and the arrangement is excellent. It is doubtful if there can be found anywhere in New England a school building better adapted to the local require- ments. The basement contains playrooms, toilets, boilers and coal rooms, an agr'cul- ture laboratory and shop, a science labora- tory, a cooking laboratory, stock room and several storage closets. The main floor contains a large study hall, four class rooms, a ttachers' room and library and an administration office. On the second floor are three class rooms, a sewing room, a double commercial room and a large study hall measuring 45 by 65 feet.

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CATALOGUE R ICHF ORD J UN IOR-SEN IOR HIGH SCHOOL RICHFORD, VERMONT PROSPECTUS 1926-1927 JUNE 1926

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. R. H. S. SEARCHLIGHT 21 JUNIOR STUDY HALL On the third or attic floor is a gym- nasium with one of the largest and best basket-ball fioors in the state and a large amount of storage space. At the same time that the school was moved to the new building, the curriculum was thoroughly reorganized. It became a junior-senior high school-a type which is rapidly becoming popular all over the United States, and which, thus far, has proved remarkably successful in Richford. The old courses and individual studies were closely scrutinized and so reorganized as to square with modern requirements and mod- ern educational ideas. Work in practical agriculture and shop work was introduced for the boys, cooking, sewing and household arts for the girls. These studies, like commerical work, have proved very successful. Nevertheless, col- lege preparatory work has not been neg- lectedg in fact, this depart nent is stronger than ever before. Provision is made for every type of pupil. The Richford school system now con- sists of six elementary grades followed by six years in the junior-senior high school. The first four of these six years are spent in the junior high school, the last two in the senior high school. This brings the change from grades to high school-from one- teacher conditions to departmental teach. ing-two years earlier than heretofore, and therefore at a time when the mental and physical development of the child are at such a stage as to make the change less vio- lent. The new organization also greatly re- duces the tendency of pupils to drop their work at the end of the eighth year. Modern industrial conditions are rapidly increasing the necessity of a complete high school education. The avowed aim of this school is to do all it can to prepare its pupils to be upright, useful members of society, to follow the line of activity for which they are best suited and to realize the best values in life. COURSES OF STUDY No attempt is made to divide the curri- culum into tight compartments, calling one the Latin course, another the Agricultural course, and so on. On the contrary, it is our purpose to leave the pupil as unhampered as possible throughout the entire junior high school. But, by the time he enters the senior high school, he should have decided definitely on the line of work he wishes to follow for the rest of his high school course.