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<br />subordination, caused their teacher much trouble, and pre-
<br />vented, in some degree, the best success of the school. The
<br />teacher pursued towards these young nen a course of mild
<br />forbearance united with great firmness and decision, hoping
<br />to awaken within them some proper feelings, and secure
<br />their cheerful and affectionate obedience, without resort to
<br />severe measures. But it was in vain. During nearly the
<br />whole term they continued to occasion the teacher much
<br />trouble, and to exert a deleterious influence upon the school.
<br />At length, near the close of the school, the door of the
<br />school -room was fastened during the recess, to prevent the
<br />teacher leaving the room, while the smaller pupils were dis-
<br />couraged from unfastening the door and entering. Thus the
<br />teacher was openly insulted, and an example of insubordi-
<br />nation was set before the whole school. The teacher sus-
<br />pended four of the largest scholars, as participators in this
<br />offence, and the committee were called upon to consider
<br />what should be done in regard to them. After due delib-
<br />eration, the committee gave to those of the suspended schol-
<br />ars, who desired to be restored to the school, the liberty of
<br />returning upon the condition of their making a suitable ac-
<br />knowledgement before the school," for the insult which had
<br />been so publicly given. They declined making an acknow-
<br />ledgement, and the suspension of the teacher was confirmed
<br />by the committee, or rather changed to an expulsion from
<br />the school. Another scholar, afterwards suspended by the
<br />teacher, was permitted to return to the school upon his mak-
<br />ing an acknowledgement of his own participation in the of-
<br />fence, It is always unpleasant to cut offany from the priv-
<br />ileges of our schools. And the more especially because, in
<br />so doing, it is more often than otherwise the case, that those
<br />are removed, who stand most in need of the discipline and
<br />instructions of the school. And perhaps if these disobedi-
<br />ent and troublesome pupils had been taken in hand earlier
<br />in the winter, it might have been well to have reduced them
<br />to subjection by the infliction of severe punishment. But
<br />the committee fully approve of the course of the teacher,
<br />acting as he did in accordance with the views of the pru-
<br />dential committee man, by whom he was ernployed, in his
<br />attempt to secure the obedience of these large scholars up-
<br />on some honorable and manly principles, and in his long-
<br />suffering forbearance with them. And, as the school had so
<br />nearly reached its close, they fully approve also of his re-
<br />sorting at last to suspension rather than to flogging. The
<br />scholars could not complain that they were, by this mea-
<br />sure, deprived of much of their winter's schooling. And if
<br />they had not improved the privileges they had enjoyed, dur-
<br />ing a large portion of the winter, it was their own fault.
<br />Notwithstanding this disturbance, Mr. Putnam's school ap-
<br />peared very well at the closing examination, indicating by
<br />its appearance faithfulness on the part of the teacher, and
<br />diligence on the part of the pupils, with the exception of
<br />those noticed.
<br />The propriety of employing female teachers in our dis-
<br />trict schools, during the winter season, has been seriously
<br />questioned by some, and much urged by others. It is a
<br />question to be determined rather by experiment than discus-
<br />sion. It is important therefore to record the result of every
<br />experiment that is made. In three of our schools has this
<br />experiment been tried during the past winter, in the North,
<br />South, and West schools. In the first two of these the ex-
<br />periment has been entirely successful, and in the third nearly
<br />so. In the North school there has been manifested, on the
<br />part of the pupils, a delicate and respectful regard for the
<br />teacher's wishes and feelings, and a cheerful, ready obedi-
<br />ence to the rules and orders of the school. There are not,
<br />in this school, at the present time, as many large scholars
<br />and advanced studies as there are in some other schools in
<br />town, nor as there have been in this, in some past years.
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