Vermont High School - Comet Yearbook (Vermont, IL)

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TH li COM ET 1910 BARTON E. XVITCHELL. Honors. Athletic: Foot llall Team, CD. C-O. liase liall 'l'eam, tlb, Captain till, Manager liil, H7- 'llrack Team, Captain. HH. Dramatic: Regular Fix. Midnight lntruderf' Little Savage. Oak Farm. Girl lfrom Porto Rico, Oroanization : D V. ll. S, l1'md, l'resident, Solo Cornet 143. Class Secretary 143. lllini Literary Society. Publication : liditor-in-chief t l'he Comet. School Union ln ITST Congress passed an ordinance for the government of the Northwest Territory. 'l he third article refers to education in this mannerL Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good goyernment and happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. Thus we see that in that early date our torefathers recognized the advantages of an education. and started the movement which resulted in the ultimate estahlislunent of our present public sehool system. :X comparatively short time ago, an education was looked upon by most people as a luxury suited only to those who had plenty of money and were not obliged to earn their way in the world by dint of hard labor. Now that condition has entirely changed, and men, in general, recognize the fact that an education is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. tor-it is fast coming to he the case that a man without the essentials of an education stands very little chance in life's struggle for existence. True it is that there are many positions open to unlearned men, but as a rule these are not very profitable and are hlled mostly by men whose laek of education makes them uulit for positions requiring a broad Knowledge. .Xn argument in defense of education, however. is not needed, for everyone will admit that the advantages which it offers are so many and valuable that it should he sought by everyone, The very foundation of education is the public sehool so let us turn our attention to the public schools of Vermont and ascertain how firm is the founda- tion of education here. For many years prior to 1905, Vermont was divided into two school districts, the North and the South, and a separate school was maintained in each district. The popula- tion of the two districts was formerly so small that the funds of each school were very limited and a graded school was impossible, so that our two districts were little in ad! 'canee of the country schools. ln the Stfs the North district had the largest population, and consequently had a better equipped school than the South. As time rolled on, the South district grew in population faster than the North, and its school became better equipped. At this time the South school was made up of three rooms containing three grades each in addition to the High school, which offered a four-year course, while the North school was composed of a primary and intermediate room each containing three THIRTEEN 7 ,

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'ruta const My gg gg 19191, grades, and a High school offering a two-year course, besides doing the work of the seventh and eighth grades. Conditions remained the same until in 1905 the two districts were united into one by a concurrent vote. This was done to save expense and promote the educational advan- tages of the town. The people did not feel able to build a new centrally-located building, so the grades had to be distributed between the two buildings. A primary room was left in each district, as it was thought that it might be too far for the smaller children to walk from one extreme end of town to the other. The High school, together with the third and fourth grades, was placed in the South building. ln the North were put the tifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth. Since then our schools have continued under this airangement and many advantages have been enjoyed which had been impossible under the old system. Formerly, when there were three grades in each of the grade rooms, only about fifteen minutes could be given to each recitation, This time was altogether too short for the proper teaching of an ordinary lesson, and classes were oftentimes compelled to be slighted, Now. since there are only two grades in each room, hfty percent more time can be given to each class. Of course, there are more pupils in each of the grades than formerly, but that is immaterial, for, unless the number is exceptionally large, just as good, if not better, work can be accomplished in a large class than in a small one. This is not only true of one room but it applies equally well to each of the other tive rooms. Let us now turn our attention to the High school where the last educational ad- vantages are offered to about nine-tenths of the pupils, for not more than one out of ten attends a higher institution of learning than this. This. then, is the most important part of the school work, and the htness of a young man or woman to enter upon a successful business and social life is largely determined by the quality of the training received in High school. There are many essential subjects which must be taught here as well as several of a distinctly cultural nature. Under the former management, one principal taught all the subjects in the South High school. This meant one of two things, either fewer studies were taught than now, or less time was given to each. A few years before the schools were united, an assistant teacher was employed and this added greatly -to the strength of the school. XVhen the two Iligh schools were united the work was done by a principal and an assistant. Since the money which was' formerly used separately by each district was now given over to the use of one, many advantages which formerly could not be afforded by either were brought within the reach of both. Take, for ex- ample, the laboratory. Formerly very little apparatus was owned by either district, but new instruments were added, a few at a time, until now we have an equipment which is as complete as that of most high schools of this size. At the beginning of this school year a third teacher was employed for the High school and this has been a great beneht. ln the tirst place, the work required of each teacher when there were only two employed was entirely too heavy. The day was divided into eight periods and the course of study. as then outlined gave the teachers recitations every period of the day except one, This did not give them time to properly prepare their lessons for presentation to the class, and, consequently, the quality was not so good as if they had had the time to thoroughly plan the work for each class. It may appear to some, at hrst thought, that the average teacher should be able to properly teach a subject without daily preparation, but this opinion is wrong. This is often! accomplished in the grades but High school subjects are of so much wider scope and complex in their nature that a thorough preparation is absolutely necessary. If very much written work is given, the teacher should have the time to properly correct it, and this cannot be done by one whose time is taken up with recitations. Under this plan is found another advantage, namely, the superintendent is 11ot com- FOURTEEN