1859-1860 School Committee Report

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4 The WARREN SCHOOL has been taught throughout the year by Miss ISABELLA CUTLER, already well known among us as a teacher of fine qualities and scholarship. She has won the general good -will of the people of the district ; and with their judgment the Committee cordially agree. The teacher selected for the BOWDITCH SCHOOL (Miss VIC- TORIA G. WHEAT) brought full testimonials to her ability and previous success ; and the result has shown that the credit given her was deserved. She has maintained a high stan- dard of order, and shown very good power of communicating knowledge, and stimulating the industry of her pupils. The HOWARD SCHOOL remained in charge of Miss ZELINDA D. JOHNSON. It has made steady improvement ; the order has been very good, secured, it is believed, almost wholly by gentle firmness ; and the mental exercises, by the strongly individualized traits of the teacher's mind, have been at once made highly useful, yet relieved of the tameness of routine. It was the desire and expectation of the Committee, that all of the foregoing schools should have a school -year of forty weeks. It was thought practicable to secure this by the employment of female teachers through the year. At the present rates, the salary of the teachers is two hundred and forty dollars for that time. The amount allowed by the town is two hundred and seventy-five dollars ; to which is added between ten and fifteen dollars from the State. This gives between forty-five and fifty dollars for those minor expenses which are properly chargeable to the School Fund. These expenses vary in the different districts from a little over forty to more than sixty dollars. The consequence has been, that, while two of the schools have been extended to the length designated, one was shortened a week, and one two weeks ; in the latter instance, notwithstanding the re- duction of time, the expense exceeding the amount to which the school was entitled by a few dollars. These mis- cellaneous expenses are not under the control of the General 5 Committee; but they think it right to bring the subject to the attention of the town, as bearing directly on the interests of the schools. The Primary Department of the ADAMS SCHOOL suffered during the Summer Term from hinderances connected with the change from the old to the new house, but still more from the prevalence of whooping -cough among the pupils. These things made the task of the teacher peculiarly wear- ing ; and, at the fall examination, the adverse effects were somewhat apparent. Happier auspices during the winter enabled Miss NASH to recover the tone of her own mind, and to replace the school on its usual footing, — an object of cordial admiration as a model school of its class. Mr. ROGERS, the teacher of the preceding year, was re- appointed to the charge of the GRAMMAR SCHOOL by the unanimous vote of the Committee; but he declined. The Committee availed themselves of the opportunity thus af- forded, to try the experiment of a female teacher in this school. Miss COLLAMORE has sustained the school in a highly creditable condition of discipline and studiousness. She unites firmness, self-possession, and suavity of manners, in a remarkable degree. A courteous spirit seems to have been gradually awakened in the pupils,— a sentiment of decorum in a good degree exerting the influence sometimes secured by severer means ; so that the quality of the discipline has im- proved, perhaps, more than its degree. If properly supported, the Committee are of opinion that either a male or a female teacher can discharge the duties of this place successfully. It seems proper to say, however, that, if pupils frequently hear remarks to the effect that their teacher cannot maintain good order, it is a virtual invitation to them to be insubor- dinate. The predictions may be themselves the cause of the evil they foretell. The new schoolhouse erected during the past year meets with general approval and admiration. It is an acquisition