HomeMy WebLinkAbout2355 Annual report of the School Committee, no date but presumed 1859In their recent Annual Report the School Committee
alluded to the small attendance of pupils in the Howard
School, and the desirableness of making some change by which
the number of pupils in this school should be more nearly equal
to that in the other schools. Taking into view the crowded state of
the Centre Primary School, the Committee judged it expedient
to transfer the pupils denying to a part of the families which have been hitherto
included in the Centre district to the Howard Woburn Street
in the valley between the houses of Darius Fillebrown on the West
and Mrs Chloe Fisk on the East. This valley is very nearly equi-
distant from the respective schools. By virtue of this change
ten pupils are now members of the Howard School, who otherwise
would belong to the Primary department of the Hancock School.
The Howard School with them, numbers thirty pupils; the Centre
Primary without them, about fifty. The Committee were strengthened
in their views of the propriety of this measure by the opinion
of gentlemen of judgement and through acquaintance write
the facts. They prefer however to lay it before the town, asking to have
their action approved. if it pleases the town so to do.
The Committee learns that it has been the practice in
some of the districts to furnish a supply of the text books required to be
used in the schools for the teachers desk. In other districts, the
teachers have been obliged to furnish their own text books.
There are some obvious considerations that commend the
former practice as but reasonably liberal to teachers, who,
coming from other towns where different books are in use,
find themselves obliged perhaps for one term or one year to buy
a set of new books. The Committee feel a doubt their
authority to establish a rule involving a new mode of ex
penditure, not clearly within the limits of their prescribed duties.
They ask to be instructed in this matter, believing that the
town will act in harmony with its uniformly liberal course
in matters relating to the schools.
All which is respectfully submitted,
L.J Livermore, for the
School Committee
Submitted to the
Town and accepted
May 9, 1859.
A W Bryant Town Clk.
2355