Vermont High School - Comet Yearbook (Vermont, IL)

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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

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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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Tim comer t 1910 pelled to give up all his time to class work. This makes it possible for him to systematize the work of the school and keep the different departments working in harmony.. The question has arisen as to whether or not a superintendent is needed in a school of this size. Upon careful consideration, the answer must undoubtedly be given in the affirmative. Al- though each teacher may, and should be, competent to manage the work of her, own pupils. the best results cannot be obtained unless the work of each teacher is arranged to take up the development of the pupils where the last one left off. Also, there must be someone whose duty it is to investigate and settle all questions of school policy that are continu- ally arising. Another advantage, and perhaps the greatest of all, is the fact that when there are three teachers, one of them can have charge of the assembly room while two recitations are being carried on in the other rooms. The advantage of this is obvious, for it not only permits the pupils who are preparing their lessons to do so without being interrupted by a class reciting in the same room, but it also benelits those who are reciting. for when a recitation is being carried on in the front part of the assembly room, the teacher is usually compelled to give a certain amount of his or her attention to the conduct and wants of those seated in the rear. This naturally hinders the proper presentation of a subject by the teacher and the students are the ones who are losers thereby. The course of study here is so arranged that it can be very conveniently divided into three general departments, This makes it possible for each teacher to have charge of a de- partment in which he or she has specialized. The advantage of this can scarcely be over estimated. Viewing the question from the standpoint of economy, we tind that there is the same number of teachers now as there formerly was under the separate-district plan: so the cost for instructors is practically the same as it was. Vifhen we try to think of any reason why the schools should be changed back into two districts as they formerly were, we are obliged to give it np. The only argument advanced for their separation is the fact that some of the smaller children who live in one wart of the town are com Jelled to I I - . ' l l go to the school building situated in the opposite part. As stated before there are two primary rooms, one m each district. NVhcn the children have passed the primary depart- ment it seems that they should be old enough to walk to and from school even if it is clear across our not-overly-large town. The climate m tlus part of the country is of such a nature that there are onlv a few davs in each 'ear when the weather is too had for .- - 3 . . them to undertake the trip 3-and when the weather is good, the walk gives them the best ot exercise. Almost every year since the schools were united, some efforts have been made to have our school placed upon the accredited list of the University of Illinois. The move- ment was begun by Mr. Dyer in 19116 and after several years of effort on the part of the different superintendents acting under the direction of the Board of liducation. it has been accomplished. In May, 1910, Mr. llollister. the State School lixanuner visited our school, and great was our joy on lmding that he had recommended that it be placed upon the accredited list, This is the crowning success of the Union of the schools. for without this muon we could not have hoped to reach the standard set by the State of Illinois. lu view of the fact that there are so many advantages to be derived from the union of schools in comparison with the disadvantages, it is hard to see why men will deliberate- ly try to put us back in the old rut and try to curb the advantages which are so evident. Surely, if they would stop to consider the question. they would be broad--minded enough to see that the present union is far better than the old rivalry between the North and South, and would act. accordingly. VVe should like to have a new school house, but if the people consider this impractical just now we will do the best we can in the present build- ings, trusting that the voters will see the folly of separating the schools. and at least continue the system which has brought about such excellent results. ln the foregoing article, I have not been recommending any school svstem which would be suitable for a city several times as large as Vermont. and would call for the expenditure of large sums of money. Init I am in favor of making the schools of our town just as good as the finances will permit, and we are asking the assistance of those who are in favor of better education. FIFTEEN