Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1865-1866 School Committee Report REPORT SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON. FOR THE YEAR 1865-6. BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SONS. 1866. j 1 �9 REPORT OF THE SCI100L COATATITTEE OF r, THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON. FOR THE YEAR 1865-6. BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SONS. 1866. f f a CommonWealtt of j9a55av jtt5rttz. MIDDLESEX, ss. At the Superior Court begun and holden at Concord, within and for the County of Middlesex,.on the first Monday of June, being the sixth day of said month, Anno Domini 1864, the Town of Lexing- ton present to this Court the following code of by-laws for approval,to wit: " rg.By-laws relating to Truancy, and other Offences against R E P 0 R 1 . the School Laws." 1st, It shall be the duty of the teachers in the public schools, whenever any pupil is absent, to ascertain promptly whVther it was for a sufficient reason, arid, if not, to, report the truancy to the parents or guardian of the offender. 2d,• If any such pupil, being between the ages of seven and six- ' THE FRANKLIN SCHOOL. —As for several years before, this teen years, shall, in the course of the same term, be guilty of a school remained through the year in the charge of Miss FRAN- second offence of truancy, the name of the pupil so offending shall be CES M. PARKER. Under these circumstances it is not to be ex- reported to the School Committee and to one of the truant-officers of petted that any special change would be noticed. At the fall the town; and thereupon the said officer shall arrest the said pupil, examination, the exercises averaged well, and the order and if found by him in any of the streets or public places of the town during school-hours, and shall return him to the school to which he general-appearance were satisfactory. At the closing exami- belongs; and the Committee shall confer with the parents or guar nation, the recitations were hardly as good as usual, and there dian, and obtain satisfactory assurances, if possible, that the offence � was too much -of a disposition to play and whisper. In one shall not be repeated. respect,—namely, writing,—we noted the signs of more 3d, Any pupil between the ages of seven and sixteen years, who _ than usual care, and efforts for improvement. The attend- shall commit truancy three or more times in one term, shall be con- ante-through the winter was very much broken by sickness and sidered an habitual truant. other causes; and this may in a measure account for the less 4th, Every habitual truant, and every child between the ages of " seven and sixteen years, wandering about the streets or public places favorable appearance of the school than that reported a year of the town, having no lawful occupation or business,'not attending ago. The facts are a reminder to all,— teacher, pupils, and school, and growing up in ignorance, shall be liable to prosecution, parents,—that unflagging efforts, diligent study, and regular under the provisions of sections 4 to 8 of chapter 42 of the General , ; attendance must unite to reach, and after reaching to main- Statutes, and chapter 207 of the Acts of 1862; and, on conviction, tain, a high standard of school life and character. A school is shall be punished by fine not less than five dollars. The foregoing by-laws, having been examined by the Court, are:, 00, 4. not a machine,that can be run by simple mechanical pressure; on this twent iseventh day of June instant approved. but thoughtfulness, earnestness, and unceasing endeavors are Y Y � pP In testimony that the foregoing is a true copy of record, necessary to its successful operation. L. S. I hereto set my hand, and affix the seal of said Court, on The WARREN SCHOOL passed from the experienced hands of this twenty-third day of July, Anno Domini 1864. Miss CUTLER to the care of Miss ALICE A. TUFTS, a member of the High-School class of 1864. -Though feeling confident of PY A true co JNO. J. SAWYER, Assistant' Clerk. Miss Tufts's ability,the Committee still remembered the uncer- Attest: ALBERT W. BRYANT,,'Town Clerk. tainty attending the first attempt to teach. This uncertainty, 4 � in this instance, has been happily removed by a year of suc- school as having done well. We observe in this school, as cessful labor on the part of the teacher, and of progress in in the Franklin School also, and in fact more or less in nearly the school; a result the more pleasing because of the previous all, a too close and mechanical adherence to the round of good condition of the school, and giving reason to expect fur- question and answer from the text-books. To this fault we Cher improvement from the continuance of Miss Tufts in this F shall allude again. F place. At both examinations there were good recitations, and The CENTRE SUB-PRIMARY, Miss SUSAN E. SIMONDS, has an appearance of general interest and docility very pleasing to seen great inequalities of numbers in the course of the year. see, and indicating the exercise by the teacher of a kind and ,, _;..._ , In the spring term, there were over fifty names on its roll, and sympathizing spirit in union with vigor and firmness. }, y' forty-five attending at once in a room adapted only for thirty- The BOwDITCH SCHOOL does not yet permit us to make a six. One class was removed to the primary room at the be- wholly favorable report. Miss E.A.FILLEBROwN was appointed ginning of the fall term. At the same time, several pupils its teacher at the beginning of the year. That she endeavored., were withdrawn by their parents for reasons not fully known, with earnestness and conscientious fidelity of purpose,to do her but not supposed to imply any censure or unfavorable feelings work well, we cheerfully bear witness. But the results we to the teacher. Since that time,the number in attendance has hoped for did not follow. At the end of the fall term, Miss been considerably less than the room could accommodate. At Fillebrown left. Mrs. F. B. DEWEY was appointed in her the end of the year, the little school appeared improved in the place. Since that time, we think there has been an evident style of exercises, and in the animation and attentiveness of change for the better in the manners and spirit of the school. k# the pupils. We do not look for much book-work here, but for z A firm and kind discipline has been maintained without the all-the little things that belong to school-manners,and for such use of corporal punishment; and we believe there is a gen- - easy mental training as is specially suited to'the very first oral feeling of cordiality and good-will from pupils and parents years of school-life. towards the teacher. But we do not see an equal improve- The CENTRE PRIMARY, during the early part of the year,was ment in scholarship. Perhaps it ought not to be expected in not doing well. Towards the end of the first term, especially, so short a time. We are sure that neither Committee,teacher, there was a great prevalence of idle and disorderly habits in pupils, nor parents will be satisfied till there is a considerable the schoolroom. The evil was recognized by the teacher, as change for the better in this respect. _ well as by the Committee and the parents of the pupils. The The HOWARD SCHOOL, under the continued care of Miss teacher's health had been impaired by severe illness in the EMILY A. PEIR•CE. has repeated substantially the history of.pre- ', , spring vacation; and her work was resumed before her strength ceding years in a generally quiet and orderly attention to the was sufficiently restored. This caused her to work at a disad duties of the school. During the last term, there were, at " vantage. In the fall, Miss PARKER had regained her usual times, signs of a somewhat relaxed discipline in the school- health, and entered. on her labors with increased vigor and room, shown by a want of stillness and attention to study. _ hope. .Some improvement was soon evident; but only during At the closing examination, however, the whole appearance the last term can we consider the school to have approached a was good, the recitations very ready and correct, demeanor satisfactory.condition. We do not hold it up as all that is to quiet; and we feel justified in commending the teacher and be desired yet, and look for further improvement. The GRAMMAR department remained in charge of Miss STET- It should be kept in mind,in justice to the teachers,that the SON till the end of the fall term. It continued to show the great change wrought within a few years, in the material of traits before recorded of it,—thoroughness in instruction, and - which this and some of the other schools are largely composed, a very creditable style of scholarship, with general good order renders it impracticable to attain so neat and orderly a style in the room. At the close of the fall term, Miss Stetson ' of school performances as might be had otherwise. On the resigned her place. other hand,it is equally true that the real value of the schools For more than a year, as was indicated in our last Annual to the whole community is perhaps. greater than ever before, Report, there had been a deficiency in what may be called out- M inasmuch as they meet a more entire need in the children of door discipline,extending through the whole school,—.a defect foreign birth or parentage. For obvious reasons, there is a manifested in rude and disrespectful manners to passers-by; much more irregular attendance among children of this class in an inclination to trespass on the premises of those living than others, which alone would seriously impair the results in near the schoolhouse; as well as in acts and words of impro- scholarship. No great improvement in this respect is to be priety and incivility among the pupils themselves, and in rela- looked for at once; 'but we earnestly urge on all parents the tion to the school premises. The feeling induced by this evil importance of regular attendance at school,and the consequent had taken form in a petition addressed to the Committee improvement of the opportunities offered their children for a shortly before the end of the fall term, setting forth the evils respectable education, as of more value finally than any tem- complained of, including some faults of inside discipline; and porary gain from the use of their time in labor. requesting their attention to them, and to the best means of Of the schools in the East Village, we need to say but few cure. The Committee were holding the subject in serious con- words. They have both been in admirable condition through sideration; when Miss Stetson's resignation brought it before the year. As to good order in the schoolroom and diligent them in a new form. It was decided, either to seek for a. attention to study and thoroughness in the instruction, we female teacher of ample experience,_and of such abilities as think that these schools can, each in its kind, be considered at would make it probable she would be able to act firmly upon - present very near the ideal standard. In the Grammar de- the whole school, or to employ a man. Public notice was partment we note with gratification the nearest approach to given in accordance with these views; and,from the candidates a that freedom from text-book routine which we desire to see in who offered, Mr. FRANK G. STAPLES, of Saco,Me.,was selected. ! all the schools, and especially in the higher grades and classes. He was advised fully of the points to which it was desired he In some appearances in entries, and outside of and about should give particular attention. In the general moral state of the schoolhouse, there are indications that a'higher standard the school, we believe a favorable change .took place. The of neatness and propriety may be still sought for with advan- results of Mr. Staples's work in his own department were fair, tage even here. A perfectly good school shows its quality to —not altogether such as were hoped for,,but perhaps as good the outmost limits of the school premises. as under the circumstances could be reasonably expected. We - The HIGH SCHOOL, at the close of the spring term, lost its look for further improvement; and shall not feel satisfied till valued teacher,whose efforts had sustained and improved it for this school, as a whole and.in its several departments, is more five years. Our estimate of the character and value of Mr. nearly what all wise friends of the young must desire to see SCOTT's work has appeared in the successive Reports of the last in such an institution. f i five years. Mr. J. I. HANSON, who was appointed as soon as school of this grade, as they are unseasonable, for the most possible after Mr. Scott's resignation, was a graduate of the part, in those less advanced. As the young approach matu- last class in Harvard College,-and brought testimonials of good rity, a true culture seeks all available methods of calling their standing as a scholar and a man, and of success in teaching in faculties into exercise, and particularly to create at least the the place of his residence (Winchester). Under his charge,the beginnings of-independent thought and reasoning. Composi- studies of the school have been pursued with a commendable Lions, declamations, memorized recitations of select passages diligence, though, there is reason to think, without the cordial of poetry, abstract-writing, and the keeping of diaries, and interest and kindly spirit which are very conducive to the full other exercises of the kind, are therefore suitable appendages success of a school. At the end of the year, Mr. Hanson signi- to the more regular studies of a High School; and their entire fied his purpose not to be considered a candidate for re-appoint- omission is at least a thing to be regretted. These remarks ment. We believe him to be a gentleman well qualified by sufficiently indicate our judgment in respect to what has been scholarship and high moral principles for the place of teacher; well, and-what deficient,in the recent management of the High that he devoted himself with conscientious zeal to his work, School. They are not intended to cast any censure on the and was successful in. a Very honorable degree in keeping the teacher, who labored under peculiar difficulties in the way of standard of scholarship in this school from falling away from introducing such miscellaneous exercises. its former high point. At the two examinations, the general Miss DAMON was compelled by sickness to leave her place as style of recitation was very good, marked by ease and prompt- assistant, at the beginning of the fall term. After some weeks, ness of expression, and giving evidence of a thorough under- she resumed her share in the musical exercises, but was again standing of the subjects treated of; at the same time, showing obliged to leave by ill health. For these services, which had so a habit of kind and forbearing treatment on the part of the long contributed to the pleasure and profit of the school, no teachers. That there might have been still better results, if substitute has been found. Miss CLARA M. SIMONDS, having jthe pupils had generally cherished an equally kind and con- taken Miss Damon's place.in the classes, has been of great ser- siderate temper towards the teacher, we have little doubt. In vice, and_shown high qualifications as an instructor. respect to the regular studies of the course,the school has con- Though our report of the High School is less entirely favor- tinued to do well to the end of the year;.some allowance being able than for some years before, we still regard it as a school due on account of the loss of two weeks of the usual school- of genuine excellence, and confidently look for the renewal of year by the interruption of changing teachers. But the pleas- its entire usefulness. That this may be so, there must be a ant exercises, which have for some time past varied the ex- generous and considerate spirit in the parents, in order that aminations and relieved the monotony of book-recitations, were the same kind of spirit may be prevalent among the pupils. absent; and the want was much felt. These things are not No teacher can be expected to succeed while the pupils are absolutely essential to the work of the school; but we consider hostile, or even indifferent. We desire to see in the school a them valuable adjuncts, and as tending to kindle the mental spirit of courtesy,of kindness,of respect for others,of conscien- faculties to a freer action by-promoting health and cheerful- tiousness in conduct as well as in study. Fine scholarship ness, and so increasing the zeal and spirit of the scholars. alone will not exalt a school, or make it deserve its title of Composition and declamation we account also as suitable in a High, so long as the prevalent spirit in its members prompts 2 s �k 10 l "a 11 to words or ,actions of rude and supercilious discourtesy to the attendance is largest and most constant. This subject the others, especially those older than themselves; whether it be Committee have under consideration. persons officially connected with them, or those who are Ares- It will be also,seen that the average attendance for the year ent, in the exercise of the right belonging to. all citizens, to in all the schools is but about seventy-five per cent, showing a see for themselves the.state of things in the schools, which are loss of one-fourth by non-attendance. at once the interest and the charge of the whole community. In last year's Report,we urged, with some stress,the duty of Not only because it is his express duty by the laws of the State, the teacher to enter into the work of the school heartily, with but of his own sense of the right and becoming, every teacher a warm interest in the welfare and improvement of the pupils. is expected to discourage discourtesy, coarseness, rudeness, In one sense,it may be said truly,that the teacher is not work- and profanity of speech, and all unbecoming displays of -tem- ing for pay. He is paid that he may live ; but his work, if per and feeling; to inculcate pure moral principles, and the rightly conceived and truly performed,is beyond all pay, ex- sentiments of a just, generous, and self-respecting courtesy, cept the reward of a good conscience, and the delight of lead- as the very noblest attributes of a good citizen and a well- ing young minds onward in knowledge and virtue. Such, educated man. Parents are equally bound to abstain from indeed, is the case with all callings that have to do directly saying or doing what tends to counteract such teaching by with the lives, minds, or hearts of one's fellow-beings. No encouraging the young in a precocious self-confidence,—in true physician, minister of religion, teacher, or even member habits of reckless and contemptuous comment on the actions � ,. , of a school committee, is or can be paid for the best part of his of others. The same reasons make it the duty of pupils them- work. There is no way to measure such work in money value. selves, if they are beyond the stage of unreflecting childhood, The true teacher cherishes a personal tie between himself and to airn at such a habit and temper as what is in them most j each pupil ; looks on each as a living soul, for the time com- honorable and adorning. witted to him, to be aided, directed, and instructed in its men- tal and moral development. Not the pupil for the school, but the school for the pupil, is his motto; and not for bright and GENERAL REVIEW. interesting and industrious pupils alone, but for all, that all may be benefited to the utmost of the power of each. The By examining the tabular statement which is appended, it growth of the living soul,both mind and heart,is the one great will be seen that the average attendance in most of the schools object of the good teacher's work. is at a lower percentage in the summer than in the winter. ',f,, In no one point is the difference between a right and living Taking all the schools together, it is about ten per cent lower. idea of the teacher's office, and a'wrong, dead, and deaden- This is not a feature peculiar to this year. It represents a ing idea of it,more often seen than in the difference previously regular course of things, by which the schools are very much alluded to between a close and mechanical adherence to the reduced in numbers during the concluding weeks of the spring routine of question and answer as found in the text-book, and term. This and other considerations seem to indicate .the a habit of leading the pupil's mind to act for itself by free advantage of lengthening still further the usual summer vaca- questioning and explanation. To a teacher just beginning the tion, and adding the time so lost to the winter term, when work of the profession, the wrong _method is the easier, and 12 A, 13 therefore likely to be,for.a time,preferred. But one mark of a probably no instruction in special methods can do so much for progressive and intelligent teacher is a speedy escape from this the end in view as the teacher's own just conception of his thraldom of the GG letter that killeth." The indolent, the me.- work, and his.endeavor, accordingly,to stimulate the minds of chanical, the unenterprising one, never gets out of it. Some his pupils so that they shall really comprehend the subjects on seem to think that the object of a school is to get certain books i which they are engaged. Let the teacher keep constantly in studied, and lessons learned and recited, especially recited ; his thought the truth, that not lessons, but minds, constitute and that pupils are simply the apparatus .provided with which , 17 the great object of liis calling. to effect this work. The real teacher knows that the books are only a part of the apparatus, and the learning and reciting L, of lessons only special methods, to help him in calling into Boox AGENCY. action,and instructing,the minds of the pupils. Besides these, , and giving to these the most of their value, are his own state- By the Report of the Book Agent, which is appended, it will meats, explanations, illustrations, and questions, and methods, be seen that a considerably larger sum has been expended for constantly varying,to elicit the thought and perfect the knowl- books furnished.to indigent children,during the past year,than edge of the.pupil. i`j has been usual. This is partly due to the increased cost of In our schools, the circumstances do not enable us to select It books, but more to the larger number who have claimed this from the great body of teachers those of greatest skill and ex- help; some on account of the loss of the husband and father in perience; but we are compelled, for the most part, to employ the army,and some on account simply of the increased diffi- beginners, with whom the work is of course an experiment. culty of supporting their families under the present ruling of Many of these experiments must prove more or less unsuccess- high prices. We have thought it right to allow all claims that ful ; for, while almost any well-disposed and well-educated seemed to be reasonable; a list of the persons so aided being person can keep school respectably,not more than one in three ; returned to the assessors, that, if they judged any of them able or four has the traits which make the good teacher. Atten- I� to pay, the sum charged to them could be added to their tax- tion to the point we are considering is especially important to ` bills. The law makes it our duty to see that all school-chil- such teachers, who are, in fact, educating themselves to their . �' - dren are provided with needful books. calling at the cost of the public. If we were now addressing only our teachers, we should say that in no one point do we oftener find cause for discontent with what we see and hear in APPROPRIATIONS. our schools, than in the Cant of.the freedom and intelligence which ought to characterize the work of instruction, and re- At the Annual Town Meetin the sum of forty-five hundred g� Y deem it from a mechanical round of lessons learned and dollars was appropriated for the schools the ensuing year. recited. One of the chief uses of our State Normal Schools This is an increase of three hundred dollars over the amended is to bring *o the attention of those who intend to teach, the appropriation of last year; being barely what is necessary to best methods which have been devised of securing the interest, enable the Committee to continue a male teacher in the Han- and so g romotin g the development, of childish minds. But 1. p p , �� � cock Grammar School at the smallest compensation that can 'I 1 15 4 be expected to secure the services of a competent teacher; and it will hardly suffice for this, except on the assumption of a diminution in the price of fuel from that paid last year. The attention of parents, teachers, and pupils is called to ?' the appended copy of by-laws relating to truancy, adopted by the town, and approved according to law by the Superior Court. Respectfully submitted. REPORT OF BOOK—AGENCY. L. J. LIVERMORE, JONAS GAMMELL, LUKE C. CHILDS, Committee. Book=Agency to Town of Lexington, Dr. To amount of books on hand, March 31, 1865 $34.68 $34.68 Cr. By balance due Agency April 1, 1865 . . . . . $27.33 „ books furnished indigent children, 1865-6 . . . 22.86 teachers' desks, „ _7.50 amount of books on hand March 17, 1866 38.41 $96.10 Balance due Agency . . . . . . . $61.42 H. HOLMES, Agent. LEXINGTON, March 17, 1866. i � F • I � SCHOOLS. TEACHERS. H z w' A.E. Scott 48 46 95+ 40 37.8 94 $100.00*` $325.00 HIGH. J.I. Hanson. 80.00 508.00 L. P.Damon 10.00 52.50 Clara M. Simonds 11.00 55.50 Abby C. Stetson 28.00 1-89.00 HANCOCK GRAMMAR 27 13 40 51 42.5 83+ 48 43.25' 90 I Frank G. Staples 50.00 162.50 „ PRIMARY Lizzie S. Parker . 27 13 40 53 37.5 71- 46 39.5 86- 24.00 240.00 It SUB-PRIMARY S.E. Simonds 27 13 40 49 31 63+ 30 17.+ 60- 18.00 180.00 * ADAMS GRAMMAR E. 0. Grover 27 13 40 49 36 73+ 49 45 92- 70.00 700.00 � PRIMARY. M.B. Howe . . . 27 13 40 57 45 80- 56 45 80 26.00 260.00 HOWARD . . . . E. A. Peirce. 26.6 13.4 40 32 19.5 61 38 27 71 24.00 240.00 L.N. Fillebrown :t BOWDITCH S 26.6 13.4 40 36 25 70 38 32 84 20.04 200.00 F. B. Dewey. WARREN . . . . Alice A.Tufts 26.4 13.6 40 43 31.5 70+ 34 29.8 90- 20.00 200.00 FRANKLIN . . . . F. M.Parker 26.4 13.6 40 28 20.5 73+ 29 23.4 80 24.00 240.00 By private subscriptions,Mr.Scott's salary was to have been made twelve hundred dollars a year,had he remained; and he was paid at that rate for the time he was in the school.