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<br />In regard to these Tabular views, your committee would
<br />remark that they must be considered as only approxima-
<br />tions to perfect accuracy. There has been some want of
<br />care on the part of some of the teachers in filling out their
<br />registers. And consequently there has been some difficulty
<br />in ascertaining the precise state of the schools. It is de-
<br />sirable that hereafter these Registers may be more carefully
<br />filled out, in all the minute, as well as in the more impor-
<br />tant particulars embraced in them. To prevent neglect in
<br />this matter, the committee would state that " no teacher is
<br />entitled" by law " to receive any payment for his or her ser-
<br />vices, until the Register for his or her school, properly fill-
<br />ed up and completed, shall be deposited with the school
<br />committee, or with such person as they may have appointed
<br />to receive it."
<br />In regard to the maintenance of order in the several
<br />schools, the committee have inculcated the importance of
<br />prompt and cheerful obedience to all the rules and requisi-
<br />tions of the teacher, as absolutely essential to the best suc-
<br />cess of the school. But they have preferred to have this
<br />obedience secured, if possible, by mild measures ; by enlist-
<br />ing the affections of the pupils, furnishing thein with full
<br />employment for their time and their thoughts, and by lead-
<br />ing them to act from the highest principles of moral recti-
<br />tude. They have supposed that good order in school, re-
<br />sulting from the self-government of the pupils, based upon
<br />their affectionate regard for their teachers, their interest in
<br />their studies, and their conscientious devotion to all that is
<br />true and honorable and right, would be far more valuable
<br />in its permanent influence upon the characters of the pupils
<br />themselves, than the same order secured by the mere dread
<br />of physical suffering. But your committee have stated to
<br />the teachers, in the presence of their pupils, whenever it
<br />seemed necessary, that they would be sustained in the use
<br />ti
<br />of all justifiable measures to secure obedience and preserve
<br />order. The committee have reason to believe that most of
<br />the teachers, employed during the year, have endeavored to
<br />govern upon the principles which have now been stated.
<br />And in most of the schools there has been a very commend-
<br />able degree of order among the pupils. There have how-
<br />ever been some violations of order, in the West school and
<br />in the grammar department of the South East school, to
<br />which the attention of the committee was directed, and of
<br />which they therefore feel themselves called upon to speak.
<br />In the West school, during the winter term, one lad thir-
<br />teen years of age, seemed disposed to disregard the authori-
<br />ty of a female. The Committee, having been called upon,
<br />remonstrated with the lad kindly and affectionately. But,
<br />when they had done this, they assured him that he must
<br />obey or leave the school. He preferred the ]atter course,
<br />and took himself off, relieving the school of his evil influ-
<br />ence and example, but depriving himself of most of his
<br />winter's schooling. Afterwards two other lads, of about
<br />the same age, were temporarily suspended by the teacher,
<br />and the committee weie called upon to decide as to what
<br />should be done in regard to them. Before the arrival of the
<br />committee at the school, one of the lads had returned, ap-
<br />parently humbled, and the other, who was forbidden to re-
<br />turn without making proper acknowledgements, soon left the
<br />district.
<br />In. the Grammar department of the South East school, or
<br />the school in the East Village, during the winter term, sev-
<br />eral of the largest scholars in school, young men in age
<br />and stature, and who, it was hoped, might have shown them-
<br />selves young men in conduct and character, acting upon
<br />high and manly principles, and manifesting their just appre-
<br />ciation of the privileges they enjoyed by their faithful im-
<br />provemen t of them, exhibited, from the first, a spirit of in-
<br />AIL
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