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<br />FRANKLIN SCHOOL. — This, too, has remained under the
<br />care of an experienced and well-known teacher. We think
<br />it has done all that could well be expected. The number of
<br />pupils is too small for a school of the highest interest and effi-
<br />ciency ; but there appears to have been a more than usually
<br />regular attendance of so many as have belonged to it.
<br />HANCOCK PRIMARY.—Miss E. S. PARKER succeeded at the
<br />beginning of the year to the esteemed and deeply lamented
<br />teacher of the preceding four years. Under circumstances in
<br />some respects quite unfavorable, Miss PARKER has toiled with
<br />signal fidelity to do the best thing possible for the swarm com-
<br />mitted to her ; and has succeeded, in our opinion, to the utmost
<br />reasonable expectation.
<br />HANCOCK GRAMMAR SCHOOL.—Miss HOYTT'S health, which
<br />had been more or less impaired for a long time, at last failed
<br />to such a degree as to compel her to relinquish the school,
<br />about six weeks before the end of the first term, with the hope
<br />that a long rest Would enable her to resume her place in the
<br />fall. For the remainder of the spring term, the school was
<br />taught by Mr. GALEN ALLEN, a graduate of Dartmouth Col-
<br />lege ; and fared as well as could be expected under his tem-
<br />porary charge. Miss HOYTT returned as expected, but not so
<br />entirely restored in health as was hoped. By great efforts,
<br />and with almost constant suffering, she has carried the school
<br />through the year, and left it in the admirable state of disci-
<br />pline and scholarship which it has exhibited throughout the
<br />four years of her connection with it. We think it never
<br />appeared better than at the closing examination ; and we could
<br />not but deeply regret that unfavorable circumstances compel
<br />the retirement of a teacher so able and accomplished.
<br />ADAMS PRIMARY. — Miss HOWE has maintained her posi-
<br />tion through the year with fair success. The fall examina-
<br />tion was very pleasant : that at the close of the year was less
<br />so ; in considerable part, owing to the absence of nearly half
<br />of the pupils on account of very unfavorable weather.
<br />ADAMS GRAMMAR SCHOOL. — In this school we are pleased
<br />to testify to a very great change for the better, under the firm
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<br />and vigorous management of Mr. JOHN D. MARSTON. It
<br />compares well now, in deportment and recitations, with any
<br />school in town. We consider it very desirable to retain Mr.
<br />MARSTON, who has labored the past year for a compensation
<br />much below the real value of his services. We trust the town
<br />will enable the Committee to offer such terms as will induce
<br />him to renew his engagement. The improvement in the
<br />school extends to all essential points, — studiousness, thorough-
<br />ness, good manners, and, by no means least, to regularity of
<br />attendance ; in which last respect, it is second only to the High
<br />School.
<br />ATTENDANCE. — Laments for the great number of absences
<br />may be said to form one of the staple elements in reports of
<br />this kind ; and there is abundant reason. We prefer, however,
<br />to confine our remarks under this heading to a few instances
<br />of the exemplary constancy of a portion of our pupils. The
<br />average attendance in each school will be found in the tabular
<br />statement appended. In addition to this, we give some notes
<br />taken from the records of the last term. In the High School,
<br />thirty-six were neither absent nor tardy, about sixty-four per
<br />cent ; in the ADAMS GRAMMAR, twenty-two, or about fifty-
<br />five per cent ; ADAMS PRIMARY, nine, or eighteen per cent ;
<br />HANCOCK GRAMMAR, seven, or fifteen per cent ; HANCOCK
<br />PRIMARY, eight, or twelve per cent ; HOWARD, five, or se.v-
<br />enteen per cent ; FRANKLIN, four, or seventeen per cent ;
<br />BOwDITCH, one, or three per cent ; and in the WARREN,
<br />none. All things considered, we cannot doubt that the several
<br />schools may be made much more nearly equal in this respect,
<br />and that the standard of the whole can be carried nearly up
<br />to that of the best at present.
<br />DIVISION OF THE HANCOCK SCHOOL. — In the notice of the
<br />HANCOCK PRIMARY SCHOOL, we alluded to the excessive num-
<br />ber of its pupils. At one time during the past year, the
<br />aggregate attendance on the two schools was over one hun-
<br />dred and thirty ; of which about fifty-five were in the Grammar,
<br />and the rest (seventy-six) in the Primary School. In order
<br />to puc as many as above stated in the Grammar School, it had
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