1863-1864 School Committee Report

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r 6 Miss ABBY C. STETSON, not without feeling some doubt whether one so little tried in the duties and difficulties of the schoolroom would succeed in making good, even mode- rately, the place of so capable a teacher as Miss HOYTT. We are glad to say, that we think Miss STETSON has suc- ceeded well. It was to be expected that the effects of the change would be felt and seen in some respects disadvan- tageously ; but Miss STETSON has so earnestly and courage- ously met the difficulties of her position this first year, as to warrant the highest expectations of her future success. At the fall examination, the school appeared well: at the end of the year, it appeared very well. The first class, of twelve, have been examined for admission to the High School, and were found in a good state of preparation. One, detained from the examination by illness, will make the whole number going from this to the High School, this year, thirteen. ADAMS PRIMARY. — This school suffered interruption twice by the illness of the teacher in the winter term. Though its sessions were continued during the longer interruption by a substitute, there could hardly help being a loss in the amount of progress. At the closing examina- tion, the order was exceedingly good; and all the exercises showed thoroughness in what had been accomplished. ADAMS GRAMMAR. — Under Mr. MARSTON, this school con- tinued in the good ways established the year before, with every prospect of a happy and successful year's study. This was suddenly destroyed by Mr. MARSTON'S acceptance of an appointment to a school in West Cambridge, when the fall term had just begun. The Committee received only one day's notice of Mr. MARSTON'S intention to leave. As soon as possible, they procured another teacher,— one who brought perfectly satisfactory testimonials of his quali- fications and success for years as a teacher. Unfortunately, 7 Mr. CUMMINGS did not obtain either the good -will of his pu- pils, or a general approval and sympathy from the people. Consequently, though evidently well qualified to teach under more favorable circumstances, the relation was unsatisfactory on both sides ; and, at his own request, he was released at the end of the term. Mr. WILLIAM P. BENNETT was appointed for the winter term. Under his care, the school rapidly regained the ground it had lost. The admirable influence which Mr. BENNETT exerted, and the universal affection inspired in his pupils by his kind, firm, and conscientious treatment, render it a cause of exceeding regret that he is not to remain ; while the best wishes of all follow him to a new and more remunerative field of labor. The HIGH SCHOOL. — As we have said before, there is no need to praise this school. The people have so fully shown their interest and approval by attendance at its examina- tions, as well as in other and more substantial ways, that we may consider it already as much admired as we could wish. The school has not been resting on its laurels ; but, in various ways, the accomplished principal has labored to add to its apparatus and methods of exciting the praise- worthy ambition of its pupils, and an eager love of learning. At the end of the spring term, when no formal examination has been customary, a set of written questions was pre- pared by the Committee, and given to the school in such a way as to subject all to an equal and searching test of their thoroughness in the studies of the term. The answers were also in writing ; and the papers containing them were carefully and with much labor reviewed by the Committee, and marked according to the correctness, fulness, and neat- ness of the work ; and these marks were made a part of the basis for determining the rank of the pupils. These papers were highly creditable, as a whole, to the scholarship of