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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1855-1856 School Committee ReportREPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF LEXINGTON, FOR THE YEAR 1855-56. BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON, 22, SCHOOL STREET. 1856. REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF LEXINGTON, FOR THE YEAR 1855-56. BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON, 22, SCHOOL STREET. 1856. a yciP REPORT. THE School Committee, in submitting their Annual Report, congratulate the town on the general prosperous condition of all the schools. No school has done badly, but some have prospered excellently well ; and a more efficient or zealous corps of teachers, taken together, or more harmo- nious action between them and their pupils, seldom falls to the lot of any town. And we hope the time is not distant, when gross ignorance, and the false views and prejudices emanating therefrom, will give place to accurate learning, judicious intelligence, and unostentatious virtue. Instances of great merit, in particular classes in several of the schools, are not wanting ; and examples of marked and praiseworth accuracy and proficiency in individual scholars could be pointed out, if any good could be expected to re- sult from it : but as such a step, in our opinion, would be of more than questionable utility, we designedly refrain from it, while we pass in review the several schools. EAST VILLAGE. Grammar School.— This school, during the whole of the past year, has been under the tuition of Mr. HENRY L. CHASE, a gentleman of considerable experience in teaching, who brought with hirn, besides the legal qualifications, zeal, energy, and determination, which rarely fail of success. It 1 1 4 has for years been a large school, and a hard one to teach. His manner is kind, but earnest; his action prompt, but decisive : he is apt and patient at explanation and illustra- tion. We have been pleased with the condition of his school at our repeated visits, and not less so with the care manifested in the neatness and preservation of the room. Some listlessness and lack of studious zeal is yet manifest on the part of some of his scholars ; but, on the whole, we think the teacher has labored well and successfully, and we feel great confidence, that, under the same guidance, the school will soon rise to that state of moral excellence and intellectual acquirement, which will command the admira- tion of all ; and we predict this with more confidence, knowing as we do the material that underlies and feeds it, — we mean the Primary School. — This department has fortunately en- joyed the instruction of Miss Lucy A. DOWNING the past year, a teacher too well and favorably known in this town to require extended comment from us ; yet we cannot with- hold some expression of our admiration for her efforts so patient and well directed in resuscitating a school nearly extinct, in establishing the most perfect order, in awakening a lively interest, and securing a willing attendance, where before was apathy or truancy. In our visits to this school, which have invariably been so pleasant as to make us forget for a time all that is irksome in the discharge of our duties, we have been embarrassed to decide whether we most admired the general neatness and quietness of the room, the intelligent accuracy in recitation, the analytical strength and clearness in solving arithmetical problems, or the air of happiness and content radiant from every face. We think Miss Downing has never done better service than during the past year, nor been entitled to more credit. SOUTH DISTRICT. This district has but one school, which is therefore a mixed one. During the summer season, it was taught by 5 Miss LOUISA M. WELLINGTON, who was the teacher of the same school the previous summer. She is a young lady of good education and refined manners, zealous and faith- ful in her calling, kind and indulgent almost to a fault in the discharge of her duties, pleasing in her address ; and with discipline a little more stringent, and care for the pre- servation of the room a little more watchful, her services cannot fail to be appreciated wherever rendered. Her scholars were much attached to her; and their parents, so far as we know, were well satisfied. The Winter Term was taught by Mr. ARTHUR P. SMITH, a well-qualified and devoted teacher. Though yet young, Mr. Smith brought some experience and many of the requi- sites of a successful teacher with him. Full of enthusiasm, he infused a portion of it into his scholars ; thoroughly acquainted with the studies pursued, he has developed thoroughness on the part of his pupils ; and his affable manners and genial feelings made their impression on parents and scholars. The discipline and progress of the school have been good; and the Committee have been well satisfied with the result of his labors, and predict that a bright future is before him. WEST DISTRICT. This school, in the summer, was under the charge of Miss HARRIET E. RICE, a teacher of very ladylike manners, of amiable and even temperament. She entered upon her duties under very favorable circumstances. The school, with the exception of some recent accessions, had enjoyed for several years uninterruptedly the instruction of the best of teachers. During the summer, the number of scholars was small ; but the order was invariably good, the room quiet, and the application to study commendable. The school made fair progress, and the Committee and parents generally were satisfied. The school, in the winter, was under the tuition of Mr. GALEN ALLEN, a gentleman of good qualifications, and 1 6 earnestly devoted to his calling. Although some of his scholars were just budding into manhood, their deportment was courteous and respectful towards all. The attend- ance of the scholars was more irregular than could be wished ; but their improvement was good, and considerable interest was awakened, and progress made, in elocutionary exercises. There was a large attendance of the friends of the school at the closing examination, and much satisfac- tion seemed to be felt with the progress and condition of the school. The Committee have invariably found the order of the school good ; and they think the teacher has been thorough in his instruction, earnest and unremitting in his endeavors to advance his scholars, and successful in his achievements. He will never shine as a teacher, except in the opinion of those who regard true modesty as one of the shining qualities in any character. With larger ex- perience, however, he may yet learn to assume much of the power, and discharge many of the duties, which School Committees imagine exclusively their own ; that is, to ap- point the time for beginning a school, the day and hour for closing the same, the manner and order of examining it, and to take into his own hands the business of asking the scholars the questions, of summing up the result, and of making particular or general remarks at the close, &c. NORTH SCHOOL. This school, during the summer, was taught by Miss ISABELLA CUTLER, who devoted her energies unsparingly and successfully for its interests. Many of the scholars were apathetic and desultory in their application ; and the school generally needed to be aroused into activity. Miss Cutler's force of character and untiring zeal peculiarly fitted her for this office. She quickened the flagging spirits of the doubtful or discouraged ; she concentrated and fixed the divided and fitful attention of those unskilled in applica- tion, and directed the strength of the studious. Her school was always orderly, and the room cleanly. The district w 7 seemed highly to appreciate her Services, as did also the Committee, who rank her in the first class of teachers. The Winter Term was taught by Mr. GEORGE D. ROBIN - SON, who taught the same school the previous winter. Mr. Robinson is an excellent scholar, and his bearing in school and out is that of a gentleman. The first week of his term was somewhat interrupted in consequence of the an- nual festival, — Thanksgiving. We think it would be judicious for schools of this class to defer commencing till after that banquet. We think the teacher labored faith- fully and with considerable success; and the district and Committee were satisfied with the result of his labors. NORTH-EAST SCHOOL. This school was under the tuition, during the summer, of Miss MARTHA F. WINNING, the same who taught it the previous year. She succeeded in securing the affection of her scholars and the confidence of their parents the first season of her teaching, and has justly retained them since. She has made considerable effort in preparing herself for the business of teaching; and she is constantly on the alert for all improvements in the modes of teaching and in the matter taught. The order and progress of her school were very good, her efforts earnest and well directed, and they received the approbation of all. The Winter Term was taught by one of our own num- ber, Mr. CHARLES TIDD, whose services have been monopo- lized by this district for several winters past. It devolves upon his two colleagues to speak of the value of his labors; which, perhaps, they cannot do more justly or briefly than by saying that he is a veteran teacher, and has taught many schools well, yet never one more acceptably than during the past winter. A thorough scholar, and critically exact himself, superficiality and vagueness are no ele- ments in his school: cherishing a tender regard for the feelings of others, with true politeness and extreme modesty, his pupils insensibly become so imbued with these traits of I L 8 character, that they never, with inflated self-assurance and bold demeanor, cause the Committee to feel ill at ease while in the discharge of their duties. CENTRE DISTRICT. The Primary School in this district has had three teachers. It commenced under the guidance of Miss MARY T. BARNES, its former teacher, who was, after a few weeks, called away by the severe sickness of her mother. Her pupils were warmly attached to her, and their separation from her was to them a great grief. Miss CATHARINE WHITMAN was ap- pointed as a temporary substitute in her absence, who remained in charge of the school a few weeks, till it was evident that Miss Barnes would not be able to resume her labors. Miss EMILY C. CRAFTS was then appointed teacher, under whose tuition it has been the remainder and most of the year. Miss Crafts is a young lady of varied acquire- ments, of refined manners, of great patience and persever- ance, and every way well qualified for the business in which she is engaged ; she has also had considerable experience in teaching. The school was very large when she took charge of it ; and the discipline, which at that time was not very faulty, has improved, as the pupil's interest in his studies increased, and as he felt, with increased certainty, that lessons assigned were lessons to be learned. The school was diminished in the winter season, on account of the severity of the weather and the obstructed condition of the roads. The Committee have been well pleased with her correct and thorough teaching, and with the progress of the school ; and if the number of parents and friends pre- sent at the closing examination of the school may be taken as an indication of the successful operation of it, or the general satisfaction given, it is all we can wish. The Grammar School has continued to enjoy the instruc- tion of Mr. THOMAS H. BARNES, its able instructor for several years past. The school has considerably increased in num- bers since he first had charge of it, notwithstanding the IMF 9 establishment of one of a higher grade in the mean time, which draws a part of its support from his school. Mr. Barnes has always been a very acceptable teacher, and it is sufficient to say that his present popularity equals that of any preceding period. The condition of the school has always been satisfactory to the Committee. HIGH SCHOOL. This school, which was established about the middle of last year, was continued, at the commencement of this, under its former teacher, Mr. GEORGE W. Dow. The first term in the present year commenced with thirty-four scholars, and closed with seventeen. The most noticeable event during the term was the sudden abdication, and subsequent resto- ration, of the principal, whose final resignation the Com- mittee were pleased to accept at the close of the first term. Mr. HORACE 0. WHITTEMORE was appointed teacher for the remainder of the year, who has proved himself to the Committee an efficient and accomplished teacher, a good disciplinarian, and possessed of zeal and energy always fruitful, when rightly directed, in good results. We have been well pleased, whenever we have visited his school, with his good order and manner of teaching ; and the semi-annual examinations gave evidence of varied and ac- curate instruction. The school has fully recovered from its state of anamia, and took a new lease of life at the last March meeting. LIBRARY AND APPARATUS. It may be proper here to remark, that there is a collection of valuable books and apparatus, procured by the proceeds of a subscription of our citizens, for the benefit and use of the High School while it exists; but should the school be discontinued by vote of the town, or become extinct from any cause, the books and apparatus, according to the con- ditions affixed, will again become the private property of 2 10 the donors. The question presented to the town is, whether these valuable aids to such a school shall be forthwith pro- vided with suitable cases and closets at the town's expense, or whether they shall continue to be deposited on chairs, settees, tables, and the floor, as they now are, till the school becomes a fixed fact, or till the town provides for it a new and spacious building, embracing recitation -rooms, library, laboratory, &c. Should these contributors provide, that, in case the High School should be discontinued, this collec- tion should go to the town, as a nucleus for a public library, the town could with propriety and gratitude make provision for it, without incurring the risk and expense of procuring a casket, with the uncertainty of a jewel to put in it. TEXT—BOOKS. The Committee, mindful of the great expense and incon- venience of a frequent change of text -books, have, they think, exercised great toleration, and have only substituted Dr. Cartee's " Physical Geography" in place of Mrs. Somer- ville's, not as a better work in itself, but a better book to teach from, and for the class of schools for which it appears to be designed. The grammars and geographies now in use in our Grammar Schools we think too voluminous, and too copious in detail, not to mention some lesser objections. It is said of an illustrious Athenian general, that he was able to call all his soldiers by name; but where is the scholar that can recall all, or even one-half, of the unimportant names or circumstances mentioned in common school geographies ? We regret, too, that the reading -books should give the text of authors in a garbled form. We think there is about as much beauty, accuracy, or force, in the expression, — I'll speak to it, though earth itself should gape," &c., as there would be in another author, where we read, " The rich man also died, and was buried ; and in earth he lifted up his eyes," &c. We have no sympathy with this and similar liberties. 11 We rejoice at the general interest parents take in our schools, and the increased frequency in their visits to them ; and we hope that the result of each successive year will encourage and strengthen it, till every facility for moral, intellectual, and social improvement is freely enjoyed and fully appreciated. One marked instance of a parent's not only hearing the advance and review lessons of his own children by the evening fireside at home, to evince his sym- pathy and interest in their to -morrow's success, but also of his encouraging other youth, and enlisting the co-operation of their parents, separate from his personal liberality in the same direction, has excited our particular admiration. We hope that provision will soon be made for instruc- tion, by a competent teacher, in vocal music, at least once a week in every school : it could be had at a small expense. And evening schools for adults, for the purposes of general education, have been established in many places with good success, during the long winter evenings. They would do a positive and a negative good here. We earnestly hope, also, that teachers of every grade will spend a just propor- tion of their time in the moral culture of their scholars, and that the duty of teaching " good behavior" will receive all the prominence which the laws of our Commonwealth designed it to have. Lexington is an agricultural town, and was incorporated in 1712-13. It was the field of the first battle for Ameri- can Independence, April 19, 1775. It is about six miles in length and four in breadth,* and contains 10,390 square acres, or about sixteen and one-fourth square miles. In 1850, its population amounted to 1,894 ; and in 1855, its population was found to be 2,549 ; of whom 608, or one-fourth, were foreigners. In May, 1855, it contained 393 children between the ages of five and fifteen years. Its share of the income from the State School Fund, for 1855, was $89.91, and for the preceding year, $92,40; which, by a standing vote of the town, is annually divided equally * The mean. breadth is less than three miles. 12 between the several districts for the support of schools. The sum raised by taxation, for the support of schools dur- ing the past year, was $3,700 ; and, by adding the $89.91, we have a total of $3,789.91, which does not include the expense of making fires and care of schoolrooms, nor the larger item of making and repairing schoolhouses or their furniture. Of the town's appropriation, $1,000 was to be set apart to meet the expenses of the High School; and, of the re- maining $2,700, the two village districts were to have each $800 ; leaving $1,100 to be divided equally between the four remaining districts, which would give them each $275, exclusive of their share ($15 each) of the State School Fund. Of the $1,000 designed for the High School, only about X860 was actually expended. The salary for the teacher was fixed at $800 per annum ; but, as there was a suspen- sion of the school for nearly two weeks, $770.90 was the sum really paid for instruction. GRADES OF SCHOOLS. We now have three grades of schools in this town ; and this number is supposed to be as many as the place, with its sparse population, will profitably admit of. It matters little by what names we designate these grades, whether we call them Alphabet, Primary, and Grammar Schools, or High Schools, Colleges, and Universities : the name would not necessarily alter the character of the school, nor advance or retard the attainments of any scholar. We wish, how- ever, that schools, as well as other things, to avoid confu- sion, were designated by their just titles. Girard College, in Philadelphia, is devoted to a grade of scholars hardly so much advanced as those generally found in grammar schools in this State. But a college with us is very properly sug- gestive of attainments above those ordinarily connected with a High School. And should one be established in this place, carrying with it some pretension to intellectual or 41, 13 social cast, the regents could not fail to fill it immediately to overflowing with the material now in our schools, unless they were deaf to importunity, or required all candidates for admission to be able to parse correctly simple sentences in prose. The scholars, moreover, it will readily be conceded, should create the demand for the school, and not the school the demand for the scholars ; but if the school must necessarily be fed by scholars of slender qualifications, even for an or- dinary Grammar School, in order to keep up a numerical respectability, we confess our inability to see the wisdom of such a course. The only rational way which presents itself to us for putting a High School on a sure foundation is to commence with thoroughly grading all the schools, and then causing those grades to be rigidly observed. Now, this power of classifying the schools, and assigning the particular books, or parts of books, that the several grades shall be instructed in, and of affixing the particular amount of acquirement scholars shall possess to enter either grade, rests, as you are aware, entirely with the School Committee. But as such a step on their part might by some be considered an extraor- dinary exercise of their power, we have little hope that they will ever undertake it, unless they are first assured of the general co-operation of the inhabitants. Those scholars who have completed the course of study prescribed in the Grammar Schools should not only be permitted but required to attend the High School, if they attend any; otherwise there would necessarily be two classes of the same grade in schools of different grades, in consequence of a part entering the High School when qualified, and others, of the same proficiency, by preference remaining in the Gram- mar Schools. In such a state of things, it would be diffi- cult to perceive the real benefit of a High School, and especially if a scholar is allowed to vacillate at will between it and another grade. Of such a scholar it may be said, as of Hamlet's ghost, — "'Tis here ! 'tis here ! 'Tis gone ! " r 14 The laws of the State require that every town contain- ing five hundred families or householders shall cause instruc- tion to be given by a competent master, to such as are qualified to receive it, " in the history of the United States, book-keeping, surveying, geometry, and algebra;" all of which have been taught in many of our districts for several years. And, finally, in offering these suggestions with con- siderable diffidence for the consideration of the town, we wish to be distinctly understood. We would not have the town hold back, and wait to be pushed by State require- ments, to make ample provision for the thorough education of all its youth. We trust that Lexington will always pursue that liberal policy, whether in the cause of freedom or of education, which is, in her past history, her brightest page. She has not waited for any vis a tergo, but has often taken the initial. She struck the first blow for American Liberty. She nursed into vigorous maturity the first State Normal School. Let her be true to her antecedents, to herself, and we have nothing to fear. For the Committee, ELIPHALET P. CRAFTS, CHARLES TIDD, Committee. HOWLAND HOLMES, H. HOLMES. VI ids