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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1872-1873 School Committee Report REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON. FOR THE YEAR 1872-1873. BOSTON: PRESS OF T. R. MARVIN & SON, 27 CORNHILL. 1873. li REPORT OF THE I SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE a.{ TOWN OF LEXINGTON. FOR THE YEAR 1872-1873. r BOST0N: PRESS OF T. R. MARVIN & SON, 27 CORNHILL. 1873. i 14, 5f IY� MOM REPORT. TxE School Committee of Lexington herewith submit their annual report. On account of the vote of the town by which the financial year was closed February 1, the committee have settled their accounts, and make their report for the year ending with that date. This vote necessitated'a change in the. terms of the school year, which is fully stated in the regulations hereto appended. The present system is not without its advantages,and may be "�. continued even if the town rescind its action. ••, APPROPRIATIONS. The town appropriated for support of schools,at its annual meeting in March, 1872 . $7,500.00 For repairs, school furniture, and incidentals 1,000.00 We have kept in view through the year that the people desire their servants not to exceed the appropriations, and al- . though some teachers have been paid more than before, we think we have not overrun the appropriation for the support of schools, the unexpended,balance being about sufficient to pay j for the five weeks' service which would finish- the school year under the old system. It is very difficult to estimate with exactness what the ex- pense of repairs and incidentals for an ensuing year will be, and although the town voted all We requested,we have been obliged to exceed that appropriation by about two hundred dollars. The committee have paid all school bills, have kept their ac- counts with great care, and classified them so accurately, that they are confident the most careful auditing committee can find no reason for criticism. L j 5 The plan of paying our own bills and keeping our own ac- counts was begun last year, only a half dozen bills being, by. HOWARD SCHOOL. accident, paid by the selectmen, and on settlement with that Instruction 350.00 board, not the slightest error in accounts or arrangement was Fuel and care of rooms 70.17 found, so that, without criticising the propriety of the long essay Repairs, &c. 101.91 on the subject in the last auditor's report, we cannot refrain from WARREN SCHOOL. saying we fail to see the force of his censure or suggestions. Instruction 350.00 The statement of the auditor in the same connection in regard Fuel and care of rooms 36.40 to the call for an appropriation for grading the High School lot Repairs, &c. 34.07' is a mistake, and is unjust to the committee. The fact is, the proposition was made by the board of selectmen, the appropria- Instruction in'Xusid 472.08 tion urged by them, and it was distinctly stated that it was not Not specified 103.97 asked f'or by the committee, had never been discussed by them, and that, as a board, they knew nothing about it. Total expense for the year68,086.60 n the Adams School house we have fitted u the room for- We have expended, for instruction, fuel,. and care of I � P rooms $6,838.59 merly used by the Reading Club for a primary school, and have For repairs and incidentals 1,248.01 also constructed ventilating flues on the outside of the building extending to each room. as follows: — In the Hancock School house we have also furnished the ADAMS scaooL. ' primary school-room with single desks, and have constructed a Instruction $1,497.25 4 single flue.for ventilation. The appropriation was made in part Repairs, &c. 87.74 Fuel and care of rooms 87. for these purposes, and, as will be seen, very little was left for , use elsewhere. BOwDITCH SCHOOL. We have, however, painted the Howard and Bowditch Instruction 342.00 School houses, and all the school-rooms have been made more Fuel and care of rooms 63.67 cheerful by careful whitening. We have labored hard to make Repairs, &c. 56.17 a little money cover much ground, often carrying our own tools and making small repairs ourselves to save the expense of send- FrtAxi�r.ix scxooL. ing a mechanic. We suspect this policy of economizing in re- Instruction 288.75 pairs has been followed too long,for notwithstanding our constant Fuel and care of rooms 41.50 care a thousand things need immediate attention and there is Repairs, &c. 29.94 � r g no denying the fact that the school buildings and furniture are HANCOCK SCHOOL. not in good condition, and we deem it ruinous ,to pursue this Instruction 1,277.50 policy further. Fuel and care of rooms 139.29 To specify: nearly every school-house in town needs skiing- Repairs, &c. , ` 362.49' ling, and the High and Hancock School houses must be shingled before another winter. Possibly we may risk the other build- ings until another year. Instruction . 1,610.00 With. the.exception of the new fence at the High School Fuel and care of rooms 167.48 Zn house and the partial fences around the Franklin and Adams Repairs, &c. 71.72 ' School lots, all the fdnees are in a shabby condition. We do and losing far more than we can afford to lose every term from not ask you to make an appropriation to put all the school lots want of a philosophical apparatus. You do not desire a com- into presentable condition at once, but we do ask you to enable parison with surrounding towns or an essay on the uses of such us to continue the good work begun at the High School lot. an apparatus. Suffice it to say, we have none, we need it and ought to have it. Two thousand dollars, at least, is needed All must admit that the money used there has been well spent, � for anything like a complete apparatus, but this amount we do and that it has greatly improved the appearance of the street. But, as often happens; the money gave out before the work con not expect, and only ask you to make a beginning by an ap- templated was finished,-and we need a small additional amount propriation of five hundred dollars. . with which to plant trees and shrubs, and to finish the grading. These t are the more important items of repairs and improve- We think something should be done to take off the bare and meats needed. Of course there will be the usual number of uninviting look of the Adams School house and lot. At slight small repairs and the usual incidentals, for which we must esti- expense this lot might be made very attractive and a great ad- mate in the aggregate. dition to the beauty of the Bast Village. We especially call your ` ' It may be appropriate here to call your attention to the attention to the Howard School lot. Situated at the crossing of article in the warrant for the March meeting relative to the two-travelled thoroughfares in a large open space,unrelieved by Hancock Primary school-room. Those parents who have ever a single tree, and with a dilapidated fence on two sides of the lot, entered that room need-no explanation. We know that were it presents a forlorn. appearance. In addition to this a large it not a necessity no parent would allow a child to remain there corner of the lot is entirely cut off by the road which is used an hour, and we cannot hesitate longer to protest against con- as a short cut from Woburn to Lowell streets. tinuing our most important grade of school in such a room. No school-house in the town is in so conspicuous a position,none When the house was built, a room in the rear on the lower so bare, and no lot is so easily improved. We think a new fence - floor was left unfinished. This apartment extended across the should be built entirely.around it, a small amount of grading building and was just fifteen feet wide. In 1861 or 1862 the done, and shade-trees planted along the sides and within the schools in the other rooms becoming crowded, this room was inclosure. plastered, and a few of the youngest scholars were placed in it We will not repeat the usual argument of benefit resulting in chairs,forming a small primary school as an experiment. No to our scholars from these outside attractions, but venture to longer an experiment,but a necessity,it is continued in the same again urge the pecuniary argument, and assert that the town contracted quarters. By placing the outer rows so that there is can make no better investment than in continuing these im- no passage on the sides of the room, we have crowded into this provements of its school property. We called your attention smalls ace thirty desks and chairs. During a part of the year p y g 1 y ; R in our last report to the condition of the floor and to the rickety there have been forty scholars, and for a while those who were school furniture at the. High School house.. The floor has act:- y unfortunately tardy had slight chances for seats. There is no ually been worn out, not worn thin but clear through, and the place for a stove, there is no place for a teachers desk, and , furniture is unfit for use by the young ladies and the young hardly standing room for the teacher or committee. The pas- men of that school. We are of the opinion that we must have sages from the front to the rear of the room are three in num- at once a hard floor, and new desks and chairs for the lower ber and eighteen inches wide. We make room for a stove by room. taking out desks, but it is in fearful proximity to the `heads of Many things are demanded to furnish our High School with the scholars in the. rear of the room. We have tried all the facilities for instruction enjoyed in other towns, but we shall expedients at our command to ventilate the room, but it is im- only ask an .appropriation for one additional necessity, leaving possible. No window or door can be opened so near the heads other demands until another year. The school is suffering of the pupils. There is no room for a class to stand in recita- p 8 9 tion, or for those physical exercises so essential in a school of are enabled to pay, or for any reasonable price,but not entirely this grade. In short, it is a close confined dismal dirt di g y, s- to this. The method of heating the building is defective, and graceful place, and decency demands a change without delay. the cost immense. Five fires constantly burning fail to make We wish every voter disposed to curtail on school expenditures the rooms comfortable, but do not fail to empty the cellar of would take a peep into that room before town meeting. Look fuel. We are confident the building cannot be well warmed in upon the school when it is in session and then in upon the by the present method, and think that hot water or steam ap-_ corresponding school at the Adams School house and vote paratus should be substituted. Even a furnace would be surer 64 no " if you can. In the latter district we have a room large and more economical. The first cost of such an apparatus is and ventilated, and healthier and happier children a;re rarely considerable, and we will leave the subject with these sugges- seen, while in the former everything has an unwholesome tions without urging an appropriation. aspect. Already, perhaps, we seem insatiable in our demands, but We have a plan to suggest to you, and can give you esti- the expense of instruction has not yet been referred to. Al- mates of cost so that you can act without delay. There is though we have not exceeded the amount appropriated for the sufficient room in the rear of the school lot for an extension of past year, that amount is far short of what is needed to con this school-room, making it just twice its present size, and sufli- tinue the schools another year under the same auspices, to ciently large for a number of years. The plan for which we say nothing of changes which we hope to be in a position to have specifleations contemplates an addition of one story fifteen make. feet wide, on a foundation of granite extending below frost,with It would not be a business-like ,proceeding to state publicly a slanting tinned roof, two additional windows and blinds, ad- exactly where the additional expense is expected. It is suffi- ditional outside and inside doors with the.eutries so partitioned #' 'cient to say that more is needed for each school in town, and as to make a small room for the teacher and an alcove for the I we doubt not that you will fully believe us when we say we do platform, a hard pine floor over the whole room and the inside not ask for a single cent more than we require to keep our . and outside finish to correspond with the rest of the building. schools even in their present condition. The timbers of the end and the chimney cut off are to be sup- The town has suffered so much from poor teachers and by ported by iron columns which will come in a row in the centre not retaining good ones, that we cannot believe you will so of the room. Such an addition is easily constructed, and with- cramp our means that we need let any successful teacher go on out injury to the rest of the building. The estimated cost of account of salary, so long as we do not exceed the amount paid this addition finished ready for furniture is twelve hundred and elsewhere for similar service. fifty dollars. The present furniture is new and nearly all we We cannot procure good teachers without paying them what require, and little additional expense would be necessary ex- they can command in other towns, and although we sometimes cept for blackboards. Outside it will be necessary to construct have some teachers who are receiving no more than half what a new out-house and screening fences. These, however, are they coeiId command elsewhere, we have at times others who demanded whether the change in the school-room is made or are paid more than they are worth, but are retained because not. no better material can be obtained with the means at our dis- We cannot neglect to refer to the complaint which has come posal. In short, whenever we have an unprofitable school it from the Hancock School, that the rooms have been uncom- is because we have not money enough to procure a suitable fortably cold. This complaint is not without foundation. We teacher. have labored constantly to prevent it, but have failed. This Perhaps few people have any knowledge of the difficulties failure is owing, in part, to the impossibility of getting any com- we encounter in procuring teachers. To illustrate from the petent person to take charge of the building for the price we experience of the past year: early in the year we advertised 10 . 11 for a principal for the High School, offering a salary of twelve hundred dollars, the largest amount we had ever paid. We know those towns are often a preparatory ground for some who had over forty applicants. The committee spent three full become our teachers, and pay probably less than we do, but we weeks in trying to fill the vacancy, hardly pretending to attend must compare our salaries with those paid in towns adjacent to any other business. We became discouraged, disheartened, �` and near to us on the other side, for we are not satisfied unless disgusted, with the material we had to select from. .There our schools are quite qs good, and we cannot compete with was not a man of the whole forty either of us dared to appoint. them unless we offer equal inducements., We pay our lady We rejected them all, jumped the traditional limit of twelve teachers from two hundred and eighty to four hundred dollars hundred dollars,and have reaped the profits of the investment. per annum. The cost of board is from four to seven dollars Later we needed a principal for the Hancock Grammar per week, and frequently outside assistance has to be resorted School. We found a man who accepted the position on a small to to meet the expenses of living. We are enabled to retain salary and who promised well, but one day's work exhausted from term to term only those teachers who can board with him. We travelled many miles in the attempt to make an ap- friends at a small price. pointment in a quiet way, found many competent teachers, but In Woburn,the salaries of female teachers of the same grades no one would accept the position for the salary offered. Ad- range from $350 to $700. vertising, we ;had a dozen applicants. We appointed the one In Watertown and Waltham, from $500 to $800. who appeared the best, and without discussing his success we In Arlington, from $550 to $800. will only say he left us at the end of the term for a larger salary In Somerville, Cambridge, Charlestown, and Boston, from elsewhere, and we were obliged to make another appointment. f600 to1,000. x, A few hundred dollars would have enabled us to fill the va- And in the latter city hundreds of teachers are employed on s cancy at once without risk; and the loss to the school on ac- salaries of $800, whom we would not appoint to our mixed count of the frequent change of teachers-cannot be covered by schools. as many thousands; indeed, the injury cannot be estimated in But,'it is asked,do we not stand the fifth town in the State dollars and cents, it is incalculable ! as to the amount of money appropriated for the education of Again, a vacancy occurred in the Franklin School during,the each pupil in town? Unfortunately, we did so stand in the g called to a more lucrative position in tables in the last report of the Board of Education, and that year, the teacher bein fact heralded in the newspapers, and discussed in town,we fear the High School at Hingham. We obtained the best teacher we could for the.salar paying even more than ever before to has done considerable injury. We will venture to explain that y, p y g remarkable position, and to cull some other facts from the same a new teacher'. She remained a few weeks, became unreliable tables. That table is based on the number of scholars in each in view of matrimony, and left us. We made especial effort to obtain,a teacher from our own or adjoining towns,.but there town., Unfortunately again, we have in Lexington a small number of children, and by some unaccountable error last year were few applicants,none of experience, and on examination all were rejected, until at last we appointed the present in- the assessors returned one hundred and four less scholars than eumbent. we actually had in our schools; and the year before, when the The difficulty has become a very serious matter, and many tables were prepared, they returned thirty less than last year; times we have felt that it would be better to let a school remain so that if the estimate had been made on the correct number closed than to appoint a teacher from the material offered. It of pupils, small even then, we should have fallen'to below is not that we require more of teachers than other towns, but twenty in the scale. other towns•pay larger salaries:. . We do not wish to be referred But this basis of comparison is of no value, for it would cost to towns north of us for a disproval of our statements. We. us little more if we had twice the number of pupils in our schools that we now have. 1 � i t7 ill � 1 I 12 13 There are, ho-,`fever,-other tables in the same report quite as as a whole, has been good and we are well pleased with the j interesting although not quite so pleasant for us to contemplate. success of the year. Much good seed sown is beginning to From one of these we find that in regard to the amount raised bring forth fruit, and although you may not be able to see the for schools in proportion to our valuation, Nve stand the one bun- results of the changes we have made,'and of the plans we have . dred and third town in the State, and the twenty-second in the adopted, we are sure they itre working well and that in good county. And as to the payment of teachers, which is the time you will be satisfied. strongest point in the argument, there are eighteen towns in Never before have our teachers labored so earnestly and sys- the county that pay their lady teachers less than we do, and tematically, and they have never appeared so cheerful in their thirty-eight that pay more. To compare further, there is not work. Our old teachers—those who have been with us longer a single town in the county where they pretend to have yearly than the year—have been continually improving,and we have schools, in which male teachers are }paid less than in ours. for them and their schools only commendation. 'I So long an argument was possibly not needed, but we ask But, success has not been confined to those schools where we for such an increase of appropriation that we felt you would have retained former teachers. Very radical changes were not understand the necessity without explanation. made at the beginning of the year in the Adams School. As To sum up : we need'for the current year; and ask you to mentioned elsewhere, a primary department was established and i appropriate,— a teacher without experience placed at the head of it. Another equally inexperienced was appointed to the intermediate grade For instruction, fuel and care of rooms $9,500.00 in place of one who had held the position, with the a roval of the extension and fitting up of the Hancock Primary p pp school-room 1,350.00 the people, many years. In spite of these changes, or rather out-house and screen fence 100.00 on account of them,the condition of things has improved many per cent. and the eo le should be proud of the three good shingling Hancock School house 2G-i.00 p p P shingling High School house 150.00 schools in that building. i floor at High School house l 75.00 The formation of the Primary School there was in part an ex- furniture at High School house 400.00 periment, and we are sure the parents would sooner vote to philosophical apparatus 500.00 abolish the High School, popular as it now is, than to lose the fencing and improving Howard School lot 175.00 Adams Primary. Those who were present at the recent annuaL fencing and improving Adams School lot 175.00 visitation could not fitly express their gratification. finishing High School lot 75.00 At the High School also, we have had two new teachers, but small repairs and incidentals 500.00 the change in the tone,of the school has been like magic. The people know well what has been accomplished there during the 13,365.00 year and no extended comments by us are needed. The school REVIEW OF THE YEAR, was never in better condition than now, and never more de- Some of our schools were delayed in beginning the first term servedly popular: See to it that it receives no harm. of the year on account of scarlet fever, and in most of them The Bowditch and Hancock Primary Schools have also been the numbers were small for some weeks. There was also much under the charge of new teachers and both schools have been sickness during the spring months among our teachers, and in4. gradually improving. We wish we could say the same of the latter part of the year progress has been interrupted by the Franklin and Hancock Grammar Schools, but we fear it will frequent excitement_on account of small-pox. There have also require many months of successful work to place the latter been more changes than usual in our corps of teachers. schools in th(5 condition they were in at the beginning of the I Notwithstanding these drawbacks the progress of our schools, year. Y j 14 1 In our last report we spoke of instruction in penmanship and, examination on the whole of it. The class in the Adams Inter- drawing. We early gave attention to these studies and for the h mediate School expecting to be admitted to the Grammar School benefit of our teachers we secured for them some instruction in not having completed the studies required, were not promoted, penmanship and a course of twelve lessons in drawing. In and remain in the Intermediate School until the close of the penmanship, the difficulty in most of the schools-had,been that present school year. The studies of the Grammar and High there were as many classes as there were scholars, but under Schools have also been carefully revised, and the whole system our present system there have been only two or three classes in is presented in detail in what we have called our Course of In- each school and in some schools but one. By this system far struction, which is appended to this report. This Course of more has been accomplished and we have been especially pleased Instruction has been prepared with great care and after many with the appearance of the books throughout the town. months of critical study of the necessities of our schools, and In drawing, also, we have accomplished much more than we comparison of the work of corresponding classes in the different dared.expect. It may seem a little thing to be able to draw a schools. We ask you not to pass judgment upon it without a straight line and one of a given length,but when this is accom- close study of all its bearings. '4Ve do not claim that it con- plished, we have the key to success. A careful examination of tains anything new, but that it marks out the work we expect the work at the end of the year has convinced us of the wisdom from year to year with such detail that it cannot fail to be of of'our requiring this study to be taught to every pupil in town, and we shall insist on its careful continuance Burin great assistance to the teacher. By this course, no more is g the coming required of pupils than has been required in theory for many year. . years ; but the work has been so divided and the steps from The success of the musical instruction is too well known in most of the families in the town to re topic to topic are so gradual that we claim the work will be ` require an extended notice. q better done "and without any undue crowding. We have in- We can hardly appreciate enough the services of our musical _ sisted on more instruction and less pretended study, and, to instructor, who has overcome many obstacles, and allowed some extent, have pointed out the way.. nothing to prevent the regularity of his weekly lessons.. We At the beginning of the present school year,after a somewhat think the town especially fortunate in this particular. careful examination, there were admittedto the High School We have done much, during the year, to improve the condi twenty-five applicants. We will not assert that they were the tion of our schools by a better classification. This was a difficult best scholars ever admitted to the High School,but we are con- matter to accomplish in the mixed schools,but by reducing the fident that, as a class,their attainments average quite as well as classes,in some cases to half the usual number,we have improved those of any other, and that they will quite as successfully pass the work done many per cent. In the graded schools the ten- through the course of study. The examination' for admission dency has always been to hasten from one grade to another; , was chiefly in writing,the questions given to each scholar being and thus to knock for admission at the doors of the High School, as follows:— with the work of the preceding grades for the most part care- lessly done. To remedy the difficulty,we have begun with the ARITHMETIC. primary grade, and insist that a certain amount of work shall be 1. Divide 9 by 450, multiply the quotient by .8, divide .003 by thoroughly done there before the scholar is admitted to theinter- that product, and add three thousand two, and three thousand three millionths to that quotient. mediate grade. The work for each year, of the intermediate grade,has also been carefully marked out, and no scholar can be 2. Give the rule for dividing a fraction.by a fraction, and explain the process. admitted to the grammar grade until he is able to pass a thorough 3. What is the amount of $300 for two years, six months,and twelve slays, at 5 per cent. compound interest? 16 17 4. A note for500, drawn at 90 days, was discounted at the. 8. ghat is the highest latitude in the North Temperate Zone received on the- w much was Merchants' Bank at 7��per cent. How 9. Where are St. Louis, Montreal, Montevideo, g Na les, Hong. note? kong, Sniyrna? p 5. A man bought f of 52 acres of land.. He sold of it at eight 10. Name the waters.through`which a vessel must pass in going dollars and one quarter per rod, and the remainder at three cents from Chicago to Pekin. per foot, and thereby gained twenty-five per cent. What did the 11. Send a vessel from Boston to New Orleans, thence to Liver- land cost him? pool, thence to Buenos Ayres, thence to Boston. Through what 6. Sold a lot of cotton for $1080,which was 10 per cent.less than waters would she pass?.and what cargoes would she take? what I asked. If I had received my asking price I should have 12. What places have no latitude? made 25 per cent. Did I gain or lose? and if either, how much? 7. If a pile of wood, 12 ft. long, 4 ft. wide, and 6 ft. high, cost $13.40, how much will a pile 20 ft. long, 4 ft. wide, and 1 ft. high cost? and how much is that per cord? 8. How much carpeting, I of a yard wide,will cover a room 20 ft. GRAMMAR. 4 in. long and 12 ft. 6 in. wide? 1. Write a complex sentence, and name its elements. 9. If 4 men, in 22 days, mow 63 acres of grass by working 84 2. Write a synopsis of know" in the third person,singular num- ber a day,how many acres will 15 men mow in 3�days by working ber of the indicative mood. p gu 9 hours a day? 3. Write a sentence containing a verb in the passive voice,in- 10. Find the square root of 6561. Explain the process, using, dicative mood, past.perfect tense. the figure. 4. Correct if needed the followin sentences an give the rules 11. How many rods of fence will be required to enclose 10 acres � � g � d b of land in the form of a square? and how long is the diagonal of by which you correct them the lot? a. It is me. 12. A'cubical box contains 474,552 inches. What is the area of b. If any one asks for me, tell them That I am out. one of its sides? c. The tree looks beautifully. d. The bird sings sweet. e. They done the best they could. f. He, and not I, am responsible. g. W hq did you see. GEOGRAPHY. h. I don't want no money. i. Glee me them books. 1. Which of the United States have sea coast? and which border He had ought to stu dy his on the Great Lakes? � g y lesson. 5. Give the principal parts of the following, verbs: Begin, �. 2. Mention five cities of the United States which rank first in choose, come, fly,.lie (to repose); lie (to speak f ilsely), lay, set, sit, commercial importance; five also in Europe. fall,fell. 3. What river systems of North America are included in the 6. Analyze the following sentences, and parse the words in italics. United States? 4. In what.river basin is Chicago? The quality of mercy is not strained; 5. Draw an outline of South America, and locate its principal It droppeth as the aentle dew Irom Heaven mountains,its five-'largest cities and five largest rivers, and indicate Upon the place beneath. n itude of the capital of its largest division. He was studying the lesson which had been assigned him b th he latitude and to g e t g g P Y teacher. fa. What circumstances affect climate?. 7. How far from:the equator are the tropics? and why are they 2 so placed? i ` i T 1 19 difficult than this, but we do expect a larger per cent.. of cor- GEOMETRY. rent answers than we have ever required, and think no scholar 1. Define "Similarity"and"Isoperimetry." should be admitted who does not reach as high as seventy-five 2. Show how to find the height of a house by means of similar r ' per cent. The rank of a scholar during the last year in the triangles. ;' Grammar School will, however,have an equal weight in decid- 3. How large is each angle of an equilateral triangle? and of an ing on his admission to the High School. isosceles right triangle? and why? We dwelt somewhat at length in our last report on the evils 4. What is the Pythagorean proposition? and for what is it used? of irregular attendance. We regret that we cannot speak 5. When two chords do not touch each other, how is the angle more favorably this year in regard to this matter although pos- measured? Draw the figure. sibly had it not been for the increased sickness we could report 6. What is the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a 1? ? abetter average. We are pleased,however, to be able to state circle. that the evil of ear] dismissals is almost entire] removed. 7. What is a parabola? � y y 8. Draw a figure representing a cycloid. We desire to say in this connection that the rule that no 9. How large is the space between the arch of a cycloid and the scholar shall be dismissed before the close of the session is of line on which it stands? long standing; having been in existence upwards of ten years. 10. How is the surface of.a sphere found? and why? and how is The present committee believe the rule to be a good one and the solid measure of a sphere found? that it should be enforced, and we are confident no parent who will give the matter his careful attention will think otherwise. Last year the progress of the schools in the centre of the town was much impeded by the very frequent early dismissals of pupils for the purpose of taking music lessons. At that time AMERICAN HISTORY. the parents were readily convinced of its injurious effect upon 1. Give the early history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. the schools, and without exception cheerfully assented to our 2. Mention the date, causes, and results of the French and Indian request that music lessons should not interfere with school War. hours. Recently the same difficulty has again occurred and 3. When was George Washington born, and when did he die? for the most part with pupils who could ill afford the absence 4. Mention five of the most important battles of the Revolutionary y of a single hour from the school-room. We are confident if the War' parents understood the matter in all its hearings the would 5. What were some of the principal events'of the year.1781? g y 6. Whyis Madison's administration especially prominent in our cease to censure the committee for their action. P y P history? The G°roll of honor" including those scholars who have not been absent or tardy during' the year or a single term is as fol- 7. When did the Mexican War close, and what were the terms of l y b y a the treaty of peace? lows: le GRAMMAR SCHOOL. 8. Give an account of the Battle of Gettysburg. 9. Describe Sherman's memorable march. For the year: Nellie Holbrook, Harry Pierce, Eddie Butter- field. For the first term Effie Sanderson,Hattie Adams, Ernestine 10. What.were some of the principal services rendered by the White, Charles Underwood, Bigelow Winship. � For the second United States Navy during the War of the Rebellion ? p term: Wendell Pierce. An examination was also required in Reading, Spelling, and ADAMS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL. Music. We do not expect the.. examination for admission to For the year: Alonzo E.Locke,William Locke,Etta Smith. For the High,School, at the close of the present year, will be more the first term: Maria Chisholm, Hattie Jarvis, Amy Holbrook, Wil- lie Barnes, John Keefe, Willie Bass, William Chase. 20 21 During the term just passed the committee received a peti- ADAMS PRIMARY SCHOOL. tion signed by eleven parents of children in our schools, and For the second term: Mary Chisholm, James Cosgrove. others, requesting us to close the schools. As the position of - the committee has been somewhat misrepresented, we desire to HANCOCK GRAMMAR SCHOOL. state in this report that we are ever ready to regard the wishes For the year: William W. Reed. For the first term: Mary M. of parents, whenever we are convinced what they really are. Collins, Addie F. Kneeland, George H. Reed, Fred. G. Davis, We cannot help feeling, however, that petitions which are Edward R. Hodgman, J. Herbert Davis, Charles B. Davis, William sometimes signed without consideration, do not always repre- E. Butters, James F. Russell. sent the best judgment of the parents. The petition to which HANCOCK INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL. we refer was as follows: — For the year :Frederick Butters, Everett Emery. For the first " To the School Committee of.the Town of Lexington term : George Hodgman, Andrew Adair, Alfred Adams. For the � � Gl';NTLLMEN;—Whereas the small-pox,or its modified form the second term: Willie Manley, George Conant,.Lizzie Manley;Maggie varioloid, is scattered about within the limits -of the town, causing UN il, Hattie Lunt. WARREN SCHOOL. anxiety and alarm; " Therefore, in order to check the further spread of this fearful For the year: Laura M. Kendr ick. For the second term o y disease, we,the undersigned, citizens of Lexington, respectfully re- Lottie Kendrick, Lucy G. Porter. nest you to immediate) close the several schools throughout the q y g FRANKLIN SCHOOL. town for a brief period,until this just cause of alarm is abated." For the year: gate J. Cashman. For the first term: Ida W. To this petition there were twenty-nine signatures. Cutler, Mary E. Fletcher, Sarah E. Thwing, Alice H. Thwing. We had already given the matter our careful attention,but _ we immediately visited every school-room in town, and again HOWARD SCHOOL. considered the matter in all its bearings,and without delay sent For the first term : Elmina Munroe. For the second term : a reply to the petition, embodying in substance our views. As Emily Ferguson, Edward Bailey. few of the signers seem to be aware that any action was taken BOwDITCH SCHOOL. by us, we append our reply in full. For the first term: Addie Farmer,Emma B. Flint,Eva P.Flint, To Messrs. I. N. DAMON,B. C. WHITCHER, and others Sylvia B. Reed. GENTLEMEN,—Your petition of the 17th inst. requesting the HIGH SCHOOL. School Committee of Lexington, {E immediately to close the several For the year: Annie E. Bryant, Florence M. Damon, Edith schools throughout the town," has been duly receivecl, and carefully J. Robinson, Abby P. Holbrook, Leah Nunn, Amelia M. .'Mulliken. considered. For the first term: Sarah L. Adams, Carrie A. Underwood, Carrie ' In reply, we beg leave to say: A. Bacon, Grace H. Plumer, Sarah E. Holmes, Ottie Alderman, I. That, as a Board, acting for the interests of the Town, we have Hattie E. Blinn, S. Augusta Adams, J. E. A. Mulliken, W. H. no other object than to carry out the wishes of our citizens, so far Mulliken, E. M. Mulliken, Fred, P. Kendrick, Nathaniel Nunn, as we may understand them. Frank S. Davis, Frank Sumner, Alfred Pierce, C. A. Adams, E. II. We can only respect the humane feeling that prompted you to W.Russell. For the second term : Lillie F. Choate, Clara Dennett. make this request; and we would cheerfully comply with it, if we felt it to be consistent with our official duty. Not absent or tardy for two successive years: Annie E. Bryant, III. We are unanimously of the opinion that circumstances, as Florence M. Damon, Amelia M. Mulliken, Leah Nunn, Alonzo E. j they now exist, do not warrant us to take such a decisive step. Locke, Frederick Butters, Kate J. Cashman. Your request is based upon the supposition that, by closing the schools,we should check the further spread of this fearful disease." i 22 23 Upon this wef would remark: such difficulty occurs we must adopt one of the following 1. That so far as the small-pox has already gone in our town, courses—either close the school until some one will offer to there is no evidence that it has been communicated through our. give the teacher a shelter, or procure a boarding lace in One schools. g p" g P 2. We have obeyed the statute requiring certificates of vaccina- of the villages and pay for a regular conveyance of the teacher tion from all our scholars; we have forbidden any scholar to attend to and from the school-house. This expense would be a part of school from an infectgd house; and we have instructed our teachers the cost of such school, and shorten the length of its school to pay strict attention to the important sanitary laws that should year a corresponding amount. We append' the usual tabular always regulate every school building. view, and the rules and regulations to which we have referred. 3. Statistics show that when such precautions are taken, the pub- Respectfully submitted, lic health is better preserved by the continuance of the regular school EDWARD G. PORTER, exercises" CHARLEs TIDD, 4. The best authorities in our State, both'civil and medical, are A. E. SCOTT, i; not in favor of closing schools,under such circumstances. In illus- School Committee-for 1872-73. tration of this, we refer you to the various boards of government LExINGToN, February, 1873. and health in our principal cities and towns, where the disease has been most serious. 5. Many of our own parents, and mostif not all, of our teachers, prefer to have the schools continue. 6. You can readily see the dangers to which the children would TABULAR VIEW. be exposed, if,their usual studies were suspended. p They would frequent public places; ride, more, or less, in public ` o a z g z z 00 p conveyances ; become irregular in their habits; and, very likely, by SCHOOLS. TEACHERS. w y w� � �� m0 A o their imprudence at this inclement season, lay the foundation of " some disease which attendance at school might have helped them to z z — �w P4— 3 avoid. A.E.White . $1500 High . . . . . Ellen W.Stetson 42 37 39.9 36.2 38 .943 400 7. We shall always be ready to consider any local or exceptional Louisa M.Thurston 400 reasons why a particular school should be for a time suspended. Adams Grammar Silas Peabody . 32 32 29.44 28.88 29.161.961 1100 ( 750 E.H.Tower . 1 1000 8. The regular term will close now in a very few days. Hancock Grammar A. H.Blood . 40 50 34.7 37.9 36.3 .811 750 C.E.Washburn Hoping that these views will commend themselves to your good Ma B.Howe . Adams Intermediate { ry 29 28 26+ 22' 24+ .891 40 judgment, Gertrude Pierce. . 0 Hancock Intermediate Ellen B.Lane . . . 34 41 27 31+ 34+ .90 400 We,remain, gentlemen, faithfully yours, Howard . . . . Mary E.Russell . . 24 22 I8+ 17+ 17.5 .81 400 [Si ed] E. G. POI T> It Bowditch . . . . Sarah E.Sturtevant 38 48 30i� 291 2911 .861 400 ., a I Ella J. Corthell. 400 A. E. SCOTT, ` i Franklin . . . . F.E.Sanderson 30 26 26 20 s 233 83s 400 Mar yy E. Thompson 3i 13 3 350 CHARLES TIDD. Warren . Ellen M.I7nderwood. 43 41 30 27 28 .79 400 LEXINGTON,January 21, 1873. Adams Primary' Carrie F.Fiske. 28 28 223 21+ 21t .86 280 Hancock Primary Frances A.Hutchinson 38 39 26 231 24ql� .79 280 Music Teacher for all We cannot close this-review of the year without referring to the schools. Horace Bird 550 a difficulty which we have frequently encountered and which is .becoming of serious import. We refer to the difficulty of t' Whole number of different pupils registered, 450. Average attendance for all the 4 procuring boarding places for the teachers of the outer schools. schools for the year is 86+per cent. We will not presume to express an opinion as to the duty of any family in those districts, but will merely state that where ` 25 5. Each session shall close punctually at the time designated. Scholars may be detained for sufficient reasons after the close of the session, but not longer than fifteen minutes after the close of the morning session. ' 6. No pupil shall be dismissed from school before the, close of the daily sessions, except in case of sickness, or pressing REGULATIONS OF THE. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. emergency. (It is to be understood that in the mixed schools, pupils of the primary grade shall have the same. length of sessions as the Primary Schools.), Teachers shall keep a record of all cases of dismission from 1. ALL the teachers in the Public Schools are required to the daily sessions, with the causes in each case. make themselves familiar with these regulations, and see that T. Every school-room shall be opened, and teachers be pres- they are carefully observed in their respective grades. ent, before the beginning of each session,—at least ten min- 2. The school year shall consist of forty weeks; divided into utes in the forenoon, and five minutes in the afternoon. two terms of twenty weeks each, as nearly as circumstances will allow. The first term shall begin on the•first Monday of September, and shall continue. until the last Friday in January, with a recess during the week of the Annual Thanksgiving. PRIMARY. The second term shall begin one week from the Monday fol- lowing the last Friday in January, and shall continue until the 1. Children five years of age shall be admitted to the schools last Friday in June, with a recess during the week of the An- v of this grade, and to the lowest classes of the mixed schools. nual Fast. An alphabet class will be formed in. September of each year, 3, There shall be no sessions of the schools on Saturdays, and it is recommended that children enter this grade only at and the'following holidays: Christmas, Washington's Birth- that time, unless they are sufficiently advanced to enter an ex- day, Nineteenth of April, and Memorial Day. isting class. Teachers may leave their schools one day in each term, for 2. There shall be three classes in this grade; and the re5. the purpose of visiting other schools, and may also attend the ular promotions from class to class, and from this grade to the meetings of the State and County Teachers' Associations; it Intermediate, shall take place in September of each year. In beiga distinctly understood that the time taken is for the a y pur- special cases, promotions may be .made, at other trues. pose named, and notice of any intended absence being first 3. No child shall be admitted to this grade unless lie brings a given to the committee., certificate of vaccination. Teachers must seasonably inform the committee when they 4. The daily sessions shall begin at the same hour with the are required to be absent from their schools on account of sick- other grades, and continue two and one half hours in the fore- ness or otherwise, and no substitute shall be employed in any noon, and two hours in the afternoon. school for more than one day at a time, without the approba- 5. There shall be two recesses in the forenoon, and one in tion of the committee, and not even for one day if it is possible the afternoon, of ten minutes each; during which every scholar to inform the committee in season. ;rust leave the room, and the windows be thrown open for i 4. No scholar shall be deprived of recess.of the prescribed ventilation. The windows should not remain open when the length; but for .purposes of discipline a scholar may take his scholars are quiet in the school-room, if there be any possibility r recess alone. of draft. g 26 E 27 6. The time before and between the recesses in the fore- when not to wear bats: proper manner of addressing elders, noon, and before and after the recess in the afternoon, shall be etc., etc. J equally divided by some general exercise; this may be physi- Teach morals by example, incidents, maxims., etc. cal exercise, —calisthenics, or marching; or vocal exercise,— r ' This is, emphatically, a grade for education and instruction,,- singing, or practising the elementary sounds,—to continue ' little or no.study should be required, four or five minutes. Ventilate at these times, .if needed. In addition to the oral instruction given to each class, There 7. No exercise shall continue longer than fifteen or twenty should be some general exercise each session, in which oral in- minutes; and no scholar should be obliged to sit in his seat struction is given upon common objects, incidents, important longer than one half hour without a change.. events, etc. etc. , 8. The following books shall be used, and the course of in- Teachers should be prompt, careful, and full of life. Even struction carefully carried out. for ordinary success, thorough preparation for each day's work is necessary. No scholar should be allowed to sit still with nothing to do: TEXT-BOOKS. during the recitation of a class, the other scholars should be CLASS 3.—The National Readino�b Charts and the National engaged in some definite work; nothing should be done with- Primer. - out an object in view; the slates and blackboards should not CLASS 2.—.The National First Reader and Worcester's Pri- 1 be used except for a given purpose. mary Spelling Book. CLASS 1. —The National Second Reader, Worcester's Pri- V Mary Spelling Book, Eaton's Primary School Arithmetic. T THIRD CLASS. The National Music Charts and First Music Reader; Barr (Age, s-s.) tholomew's Drawing Cards. READING AND SPELLING.—Lessons from the charts. The teachers should have constant access to other books Teach words, the sounds of the letters, and the names of the for illustration. Sheldon's Manual of Elementary Instruction l letters, at the same time. should be carefully studied. Teach the spelling of the words in each reading lesson. The National Primer may be used alternately with the charts the INSTRUCTION. last term. NUMBERS.—Develop the idea of number as far as ten. Begin at once to require distinct articulation and correct ex- Teach counting as far as one hundred. pressions. Second Term.—Teach Addition, Subtraction, Multiplica- 4 Do not allow a question to be asked, or an answer given in- tion, and Division, —the numbers used, and the results, not distinctly or carelessly; and do not allow the slightest error of to exceed ten. Use common objects,—corn, beans, marbles, expression to pass uncorrected. books, straws; also use the numeral frame. [See Sheldon's When scholars are standing,insist on upright and fixed posi- Manual, p. 146,-- Through First Step.] zn tions,—with the shoulders thrown back and heads erect,_ WRITING AND PRINTING.— Carefully point out the forms and be watchful of bad positions when they are sitting. ;� of the letters, and teach the printing of each letter as it is Teach habits of neatness; do not allow the least litter or learned, gradually leading to words .and short 'sentences in the dirt in or about the desks; encourage neatness of dress and reading lessons. person. Teach good behavior; how to open and shut doors; Do not allow* a short, blunt pencil to be used. Insist that how to hold and hand books, and turn the leaves properly; the pencil shall be held like a pen. f, 2'S 29 Music.—Instruction from the charts, ten minutes each dad- on the lesson of the week. Songs, two or three times each FIRST CLASS. session. DRAWING.—On the slates and blackboard. Combinations (Age, 7-8.) of dots and straight lines, gradually using the drawing cards. READING' First Reader finished; Second Reader to pago ORAL INSTRUCTION. i 78. Attend to the meaning of words, punctuation, capitals, abbreviations, etc. Special attention given to articulation. SPELLING.—By sounds and by letters. Primary Spelling . SECOND CLASS. Book completed. Oral and written sentences containing the • (Age, 6-7.) words in the lesson required. READING AND SPELLING.—First Reader; use of charts con- WRITING.—Script letters, including capitals from the slate tinued; drill on the sounds of the vowels and consonants. and drawing cards. Simple sentences written from dictation, Spell the words in each reading lesson; also those .in the ` and from the reading book. columns in the Reader; names of books ; towns about Lex- NUMBERS.—Writing and reading numbers to one thousand. ington, and noted places; names of commoi objects, in and Teach Roman characters and Notation, to one hundred. Pri- about the school-room; days of the week names of the•months, many Arithmetic completed. Multiplication and Division Tables etc. through 12's. Let the pupils write the tables from memory on Second Term.—Use Worcester's Primary Spelling Book,— the blackboards. Written and mental exercises from dictation.- forty pages. [See Manual, p. 186,—Third Step.] WRITING.—Teach the forms of the small letters on the slates, , DRAWING.—Cards continued. Simple Imps,—beginning gradually leading to words and short sentences in the reading with a map of the school-room, book. - Music.—As before. DRAWING.—Continue with the cards, and with figures on ORAL INSTRUCTION.—Teach the idea of distance, direction, i the frame of the slates. form,and color. Lessons on the town,county,and state. Names Music.—As first year. of the natural divisions, etc. [See Manual.] NUMBERS.—Continue the exercises in number as far as fifty, Have the pupils learn and recite verses,maxims, etc. counting by two's to fifty, Teach Notation by Arabic characters. Let the pupils make Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division tables as far as six. [See Manual, p. 176,—Through Second Step.] Second Term. —Eaton's Primary Arthmetic may be begun. , ORAL LEssoNs,—Encourage pupils to bring specimens of INTERMEDIATE . flowers,minerals,and common objects. Interest them in these; 1. Pupils maybe admitted to this mrade on assinm thoroubhlyteach them their common names and character. Teach the zn through the course prescribed for the primary grade, or on ex" parts of a flower. Lessons about animals. [See Manual.] amination on the whole of that course. 2. There shall be three classes in this grade ; and the regular Gram- promotions from class to class,and from this grade to the Gram- mar, shall be made in September of each year ; but pupils may _ enter either class at other times in the year, if fully qualified. 3. The daily sessions shall begin at 9 A. M., and 1.30 P. M., and close at 12 M., and 4.15 P.m. STUDIES. There shall be one recess of fifteen minutes, during each ses- THIRD CLASS, sion, beginning one hour and a half after the opening of the session. (Age, 8-9.) The time before and after each recess shall be divided equally by some general exercise, physical or vocal, to continue from READING.—Second Reader finished. Continue the exercises three to five minutes. At which times, and at the recesses, the in vowels and consonants. Require distinct articulation and school-rooms shall be ventilated by opening the windows. correct pronunciation. Attend to punctuation. 4., There shall be given by the music teacher one lesson in SPELLING AND DEFINING.— Pronouncing Spelling Book music per week, to continue one hour, and the pupils shall be (omitting dictation exercises), to Consonant Sounds, page 53. drilled by the teacher daily, at least ten minutes, on the lesson Spell the words in the reading lesson,and explain their meaning. of the week. r Spell orally and by writing. Analysis of words. Spelling by 5. Instruction in morals and manners should be continued; sound. also oral and object instruction. [See;Sheldon's Manual.] The words in the spelling lesson should always be pronounced The teacher shall also read to the whole school, at least once by the teacher, and then by the scholar,before they are studied.. each week, from the Manual of Commerce,or other instructive Insist on the pronunciation of each word before and after it is book, fifteen minutes. Conversations and questions on the sub- spelled, and of each syllable as it is spelled. jects read. WRITING.'—Books Nos. 1 and 2, with pencil. Analysis of 6. One half hour each day, at a fixed time, shall be devoted cert practice in part.each letter. Elements shown. Keep the class together. Con- either to writing or drawing; and nothing shall be allowed to S shorten this time. _ DRAWING— Cards, and Book No. 1. 7. There shall be a review, once each week, of the whole GRAMMAR.— Oral instruction entirely. Teach the noun and ground gone over during the week. verb. Teach the three kinds of sentences,—those in which assertions or statements are made, commands are given, and questions are asked. Write lists of nouns and verbs,and require TEXT-BOOKS. short sentences to be made with them, containing only subject National Second and Third Readers,Worcester's Pronouncing and predicate. Point out the nouns and verbs in the reading Spelling Book, LG Our World," Warren's Common School Geog- lessons. raphy, Colburn's Arithmetic, Eaton's Common School Arith- Punctuation,—use of the period,interrogation,and exclama- metic, Kerl's First Lessons in English Grammar (for teacher's tion points explained. use), Hooker's Child's Book of Nature,National Music Charts, ARITHMETIC.—Colburn's, through three sections. Writ- and First and Second Music Readers, Bartholomew's Drawing ten arithmetic taught orally and from the blackboard, —same Cards, and Books Nos. 1 and 2, Payson, Dunton and Scribner's topics as in mental. Notation and Numeration,as far as 10,000. Writing Books, Manual of Commerce, Sheldon's Manual of Addition and Subtraction,—no result to be greater than 10,000. Elementary Instruction. m Multiplication and Division,—with multipliers and divisors less than ten. Notation and Numeration by Roman characters, using all of them. GEOGRAPHY. —" Our World," used as a reading book each day. Conversations about each lesson. Develop ideas of direc- 32 33 tion and distance.. Teach the form, magnitude, and motion of DRAWING.—Book No. 1 completed. the earth.. Continue map-drawing,—maps in outline of each ARITHMETIC. — Colburn's, to Section 7. Notation and of the New England States. Require them drawn on the black- Numeration of all numbers. Written arithmetic taught orally, board from memory. Teach the symbols used on maps. and from the blackboard, through Division. (Eaton's Com- mon School- Arithmetic put into the pupils' hands the last term.) Review the ground rules, and advance to Article 100, SECOND CLASS. —omitting for the present, Articles 66, 67, 68, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85. (Age,9-10.) GEOGRAPHY.—"Our World" reviewed, studied, and re- READING.—Third Reader begun. Attend carefully to artic- cited, by topic. Map questions attended to. Map drawing ulation, analysis of words, pronunciation, accent, empliasis and continued; outlines and important features o4'each required. j inflection. Drill thoroughly on the exercises given in Part 1. pp. 13-36. Hooker's Child's Book of Nature, Part II. used as FIRST CLASS. an additional reading book. SPELLING AND DEFINING. The words in the reading les- (Age, 10-11.) son to be spelled, and their meaning illustrated. Pronouncing READING. —Third Reader finished. Carefully review the Spelling Book, to Silent Letters, p. 76, orally and in writing. directions of the preceding grade. Hooker's Child's Book of Use a part of the dictation exercises. Nature, Parts I. and III. WRITING.—Books Nos. 1 and 2, with pen. Teach the ele- SPELLING AND DEFINING.—Pronouncing Spelling Book, ments. Deep the class together, and drill a part of the time to page 109. Written and oral sentences continued. Exer- by counting. Go slowly and carefully. Use practice paper. cises in equivalent words. Difficult words in each reading Insist on the proper position of the pen. Much depends on lesson explained. the work done in this grade.. WRITING.—Books Nos. 3 and 4. Previous directions fol- GRAMMAR.— Oral instruction continued. Explain the dif- lowed. ference between subject and object. Write sentences contain- DRAWING.—Book No. 2. No 1 reviewed. ing subject, predicate,and object: Show that some words limit ARITHMETIC. ' Colburn's,to Section 12. Eaton's Common the meaning of nouns,and that other words limit verbs. Write School Arithmetic, to Decimals, omitting Articles 121, 122, lists of limiting words, and have them applied to nouns and 123, and 128. verbs. Write lists of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, GEOGRAPHY.—Warren's Common School Geography, to be and require sentences made from them. Short descriptions of used as a text-book, but to be taught by topic. Teach orally familiar objects to be written. Letter-writing taught,—one the form of the earth and its motions; and from maps, and the exercise every week on the slates. Punctuation continued. globe, latitude, longitude, zones, and circles. Map of the world Teach abbreviations and contractions ; write sentences con- and globe. General features of land and water,—continents taining each;. Show the use of the apostrophe in contractions, and oceans. Natural divisions of land and water,—mountains, and of the period after abbreviations: Show that the comma plains, seas, rivers, gulfs, etc. North America, United States is used in a sentence when something is omitted. See that and British Possessions in North America taught by topic ; every sentence written is correct, — beginning with a capital e.g.,the natural divisions may be first taken up and described, letter and ending with a period. Teach the further use of —relative size and position ; climate, soil, and productions ; capitals I and O. Write incorrect sentences on the black- inhabitants, form of government,civilization, language,history; board, and have them corrected. important cities, situation, and commercial advantages. Then 3 q., I 34 ' 35 the islands around a continent may be taken up in much the papers critically examined and corrected by the teacher, and same manner, beginning at some fixed point; and so on from marked on a scale of one hundred,—proficiency in the studies, cal divisions,—on topic to topic. Map drawing continued, —outlines and politi- grammatical correctness, orthography and style being consid- paper, and on blackboards, from memory. Maps of each of- the United States; and of the United States eyed. .A record of rank on the monthly examinations, shall be as a whole. kept through the course, and have an equal weight with the The text-book should only be used as a help, and the pupils examination by the committee, at the end of the course, in should be encouraged to get information from other sources as deciding on admission to the High School. well as from the text-book. In no case be confined to the text- book for question and answer, or require it to be memorized; TEXT-BOOKS. and require only the important map questions. The teacher should prepare a list of topics each day for the next lesson, National Fourth and Fifth Readers, Worcester's Compre- and should study each map with the pupil,calling attention to, hensive Dictionary, Worcester's Pronouncing Spelling Book, and talking about; the topics to be discussed the next day. Kerl's First Lessons in English Grammar, Colburn's Mental GRAMMAR.—Write sentences. Difference between phrases, _Arithmetic, Eaton's Common School Arithmetic, Warren's clauses, and propositions. Phrases as modifiers. Relation of Common School Geography, Barnes' History of the United subject to predicate.. Parsing of simple sentences. Correction States, Hill's Geometry,Intermediate Music Reader,Bartholo- of errors in sentences dictated. Continue letter-writing, and mew's Drawing Books,Payson,Dunton and Scribner's Writing short descriptions. Books. — STUDIES. THIRD CLASS. GRAMMAR. (Age, 11-12.) 1. Pupils shall be regularly admitted to the Grammar Schools READING.—Fourth Reader begun. Review, carefully ob- ,in September of each year, on passing a satisfactory examina- serving the directions of the preceding grades. Go very tion in the studies of the preceding grades; or at any other thoroughly through part I. time during the year, if qualified to enter either class. SPELLING. —Pronouncing Spelling Book,to Rules for Spell- 2'. There shall be three classes in this grade ; and the course ing, p. 137. Spelling Exercises to be both oral and written. of study regularly occupies three years. Begin a review of the book, with particular reference to the 3. The sessions and recesses of this grade are the same as 1 "Exercises in Writing." those of the Intermediate Schools; and the same regulations WRITING.—Books Nos.4 and 5. Analysis of letters. Class relative to oral instruction, morals,and manners, physical exer- to be kept together, and drilled in concert. cise, ventilation, weekly and daily music lessons, are made for DRAWING.-Lines, angles, and plane geometrical figures. this grade. Book No. 2 reviewed. ill 4. There .shall be an oral review and examination every ARITHMETIC. Colburn's, to Section 15. Written Arith- I week, on the lessons of the week, and an examination at the metic, to Percentage, omitting Duodecimals. The topics in close of each month on the subjects passed over during the Written Arithmetic should be taught mentally at the same time. month. The monthly examination shall be in writing, the GRAMMAR.—Kerl's First Lessons. Teach.the properties of I� 36 37 the parts of speech, and definitions, Part I.; and Inflections, Part II. Illustrate continually by sentence making. Correc- _ FIRST CLASS. expressions. Capitals and Punctuation (Age, 13-14.) tlon of incorrectp p , — Sections 240 and 247 of the Appendix ; applying the same to. READING.—Fourth Reader completed. Fifth Reader begun the reading lessons. Continue letter-writing and short descrip- if required. Review the whole course. tions. SPELLING.—All the difficult words that occur in the various GEOGRAPHY.—South America and Europe,by topics. [See studies spelled and defined. An exercise in writing from previous instructions.] - dictation, at ,least once each week. Two or more pages from HISTORY.—Barnes' History of the United States, as an the reading book, history, or geography, may be studied, and additional reading book, to be read half through during the passages'dictated by the teacher. year. A few important dates and events are to be learned. WRITING.—Books 6 and 7. GRAMMAR.—The text-book reviewed and completed,—in- S E C o N D CLASS. cluding the appendix. All parts omitted to be taken up. (Age, 12-13.) Analysis and parsing from the reading book, and correction of ' false syntax. READING.—Fourth Reader. General Review. Continue COMPOSITIONS, Or DECLAMATIONS, or RECITATIONS, required the Exercises in Part I. once each month. SPELLING.— Pronouncing Spelling Book finished. Con- ARITHMETIC.—Written arithmetic finished to mensuration. tinue the Exercises in writing. The principal rules for spelling General review of the whole,—including all the articles omit- learned and applied. ted during previous years. The demonstration of each princi- WRITING.—Books Nos. 5 and 6. [See previous instruc- ple to be carefully explained and learned by the pupil. Mental tions.] Practice in three positions,—either side to the desk, arithmetic reviewed. and facing the desk. GEOGRAPHY.—General review the last half of the year. DRAWING.—Lines, angles, and plane figures continued. Teach from the globe the latitude and longitude of places, ..Outlines of simple objects, distance between places, and difference of time. ARITHMETIC.—Colburn's completed. Mental arithmetic DRAWING.—Same as previous years. Book No. 3, or 4, in connection with written,—same topics. Written arithme- may be used. tic as far as cube root, omitting alligation and exchange. HISTORY.—Barnes' History of the United States completed GEOGRAPHY.—Africa and Australia by topics as in previ- and reviewed. ous grades. �i GEOMETRY. — Hill's Geometry begun and completed ; GRAMMAR.—Construction,—Part II. Analysis and.pars- 0 Chapters xxix. to xxxvi. may be omitted. Require only very ing. Do not insist on long formulas for analysis and parsing. simple illustrations. Require all the figures to be carefully Attend carefully to false syntax. Letter-writing continued; drawn. business letters and notes common in,every-day life. Require abstracts written of.topics in studies, or of subjects read by the teacher. HISTORY.—Barnes' History of the United States finished as a reading book; begun as a study last term. li i JO 4. The regulations for the preceding grades as to oral and MIXED SCHOOLS. moral instruction, music, ventilation, etc., apply to this grade, The foregoing regulations and course of instruction for the and careful attention to those regulations is required. three preceding grades, apply to the mixed schools and shall , 5. Those scholars who honorably pass through the entire be carried out as far as it is practicable. Classes in the mixed course of study, are entitled to the diploma of the school. schools are to pursue the same studies, and advance as rapidly TEXT-BOOKS. as the corresponding classes in the graded schools. Those scholars who have advanced as far as the last year of Kerl's English Grammar, Worcester's Dictionary, Gray's the course in the Grammar grade, may be admitted to the Botany, How Plants Grow and How Plants Behave, Davies' nearest Grammar school for the completion of the course. Algebra, Eaton's High School Arithmetic, Guy ot's Physical ' Geography, Tenney's Geology, Brook's Geometry and Trigo- nometry, Bryant & Stratton's and Mahew's Book-keeping, Steele's Philosophy, Harkness' Latin Series, Steele's Chemis- try, Worcester's History, Searing's Virgil,Steele's Astronomy, HIGH SCHOOL. Cutter's Physiology, Ploetzs French Method. 1. Pupils who have passed thoroughly through the course COURSE OF STUDY. prescribed for the lower schools, shall be admitted to the High The regular course of study continues four years. Pupils School. The examination for admission shall take place at the desirous of fitting for college, may take such part of the regular close of the school year in June. The examination shall be in course and pursue such extended classical course as may be writing, covering the full'course in the lower schools. The required. papers shall be examined by the committee, and ranked by Penmanship should be attended to throughout the course in them on the scale adopted in the Grammar Schools for the the careful copying of extracts or abstracts of school exercises. monthly examinations. The rank of the applicants in the There shall be an exercise in Analysis of Plants once each Grammar Schools shall be averaged with the rank on exam- week during the season. Declamations, themes,and recitations ination, in deciding on their admission. through the course. Seventy-five per cent., at least, should be obtained to insure Orthography and syntax should be carefully watched.through admission. the course. Pupils may be admitted at any time to either class,on passing English Language and Literature should be given a place in a satisfactory examination in all the studies in the course up to some form throughout the course. Selections made and authors the time of admission. read. 2. The daily sessions shall begin at eight A. M., and close The studies to be pursued each term during the four years, at one P. M., from September until the Thanksgiving recess, are presented in the following table :and from the Spring recess until the close of the year; and at nine A. M. and two P. M., during the remainder of the year. 3. There shall be two recesses, of ten minutes each, in each session. It is recommended that the time before and between - the recesses be divided by some general exercise, physical or vocal. Y I 4: COURSE OF STUDY IN THE LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL. C. MATHEMATICS AND HIS- SCIENCE. LANGUAGES. LITERATURE. 94 V. TORY. W Algebra,Commercial Arith- _ English Grammar, Orthographical j Scott. 1 metic and Book-keeping. Physiology. Forms, and LesSOnS in Composition j 1 English Grammar, Classification and 2 Algebra, Commercial Arith- Botany. . . . . . . . Inflection of Words, and Lessons Goldsmith. metic and Book-keeping. y in Composition . . . . . 1 Geometry. Physical Geography. Latin: English Forms . .Grammar, Rhetorical and, , . . trying. 2 2 Trigonometry. Geology. Latin. English Grammar,Poetical Forms . Longfellow. _ O 1 . . . . . . . . Natural Philosophy. Latin and French. Relations of Language, Classification Milton. and Development of Language 3 Character of Language, Choice of) 2 . , . . . . . . . Chemistry. Latin and French. Words and Constructions; History,)} Milton. Poetry and Morality in Words History and Explanation of Disused 1 Ancient History. Mental Philosophy. Latin and French. Constructions; Mechanism and Shakespeare. Prosody of the Plays . . . 4 Alternate with' Re- Personal History and Works; Old and 2 Modern History. Astronomy. views in Common Modern Texts; Selections learned Shakespeare. English Branches. and represented . . . . . GENERAL EXERCISES IN DECLAMATIONS,COMPOSITIONS, LECTURES IN ENGLISH CLASSICS,PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY,BOTANY,PHYSIOLOGY,RIGHTS AND DUTIEs or VOCAL ESEROIsm,DRAWING,CALISTHENICS. CITIZENSHIP,CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.