1857-1858 School Committee Report

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6 writing -books, and the good scholarship displayed, especially in Grammar. The WEST SCHOOL was taught in the summer by Miss ABBY H. BROWN. At the different visits of the Committee during the term, the school appeared orderly, and the pupils attentive to their studies. At the closing examination, it presented a highly satisfactory appearance. The Winter Term was under the instruction of Miss ABBY B. TUFTS, and, both at the opening and closing examination, presented pleasing evidence of diligence and general inte- rest, both in teacher and pupils. Miss Tufts is a teacher of good abilities and great energy. If the Committee were to qualify their praise of the school, it would be by suggesting that there was a tendency to that which is striking and attractive, rather than to thoroughness in the common branches. There appeared in Arithmetic some want of clearness and accuracy both of statement and operation, while yet there was abundant evidence of diligent and inte- rested study. Considerable attention had been given to declamations and compositions ; perhaps too much. We think, however, that this school, as compared with the South and North-east Schools, illustrated the advantage of employ- ing female rather than male teachers in the winter terms of our district schools. EAST VILLAGE. — The PRIMARY SCHOOL remained for the first part of the year in the charge of its former accomplished teacher, Miss DOWNING, and fully maintained its previous standing. At the end of the first term, Miss Downing left, and the school was put into the charge of Miss ELLEN L. NASH. It suffered no harm in the change. Miss Nash pos- sesses just the qualifications which are required for complete success in this important department of common -school 7 education. All the exercises at the closing examination of the year . were good ; most of them excellent. The oral lessons in Grammar seem to indicate the possibility of so presenting this science to quite youthful minds as to make it both interesting and intelligible. Miss Nash unites firmness and gentleness so perfectly as to secure at once the love and obedience of her pupils. This school affords a striking proof of the advantage of a graduated system ; the pupils receiving a drill in the elements far more thorough and complete than would be possible in a school where their exercises were in- terrupted and narrowed by the recitations of older classes in more advanced stages and studies. The GRAMMAR SCHOOL remained throughout the year in charge of Mr. ARTHUR T. SMITH. It is a school devolving on the teacher a great amount of labor both in discipline and instruction. The number of pupils is but little under sixty ; and of a considerable portion it is no injustice to say, that they do not readily submit to good discipline. The number of classes is quite large ; not less than twenty. It is almost impossible to keep so many classes in a high state of effi- ciency ; and it is only moderate justice to the teacher to say, that his success was quite up to all reasonable anticipations. He labored faithfully and indefatigably. The deportment of the school was fair, and the recitations generally good. The CENTRE PRIMARY was taught through the year by Miss ISABELLA J. CUTLER. To a considerable portion of the pa- rents the school was satisfactory ; to others, not entirely so. Miss Cutler's taste and culture indicate that a higher class of studies and more advanced pupils would afford a field of labor better suited to her. The Committee estimate very highly the general influence exerted by her on the minds and hearts of her pupils. They regret that she was not entirely successful in securing their diligence and orderly