USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Merrimac > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Merrimac 1865 > Part 1
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ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOGETHER WITH THE
ANNUAL STATEMENT
OF THE
0
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 7, 1865.
.
AMESBURY : VILLAGER OFFICE PRINT. 1865.
SCHOOL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OF AMESBURY
For the Year 1864-5.
THE School Committee of Amesbury, for the school year 1864-5, respectfully submit the following REPORT :-
In a review of the condition and progress of the Public Schools for the past year, the Committee are reminded of the importance of the interests intrusted to their care. With the people of Massachu- setts, the education of the young has always occupied a prominent place in public affairs. In the language of the Constitution of Mas- sachusetts, "wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue, diffused gen- erally among the body of the people, are necessary for the preserva- . tion of their rights and liberties," and "these depend on spreading the advantages of education in the various parts of the country, and among the different orders of the people." In a republican govern- ment, education must ever claim a large share of attention ; but, in a country like our own, and in an age like the present, the value of its claims will hardly be overestimated. The rapid development of the vast resources of the country is giving rise to increased demands for labor and skill, to supply which a varied population is attracted to the centres of business, and genius is stimulated to the produc- tion of new and improved inventions. The 'principle of association finds a broad field for exercise, and is manifested in combinations of wealth and talent for the development of every enterprise.
"Westward the course of empire takes its way,"
and, in its onward march, gathering the accumulated wisdom of the past, it here finds a land where mind struggles to be free, and the emancipated sons of toil may at length reap the fruit of their labor, and enjoy the blessings of an enlightened and Christian home.
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Thus, in the working of the great problem of human destiny, the word is ever onward. Hence arises the important question, Do our schools meet the wants of the age ? Do they furnish the requisite facilities for educating the young, and qualifying them for the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in maturer years ? The subject commends itself to every mind, and may it receive that earnest thought and action which its importance seems to demand.
At the organization of the Board the several schools were as- signed to the different members of the Committee, as follows: Dis- tricts Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 10, to Y. G. HURD ; Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 12, to J. MERRILL ; Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 11, to G. W. NICHOLS.
The names of the Prudential Committees and Teachers, and the Statistics of the Summer and Winter Schools, will be found in the Tables appended to this Report.
District No. 1, --- Ferry.
There have been no remarkable features in the Primary School requiring special notice, except, perhaps, the number of instances of corporeal punishment. This number is not reported in the Reg- ister, but the Teacher informed the Committee that it is quite large, and that she found it necessary to secure good order when other means had failed.
If the parents would visit their Primary School more frequently, they would render valuable aid to the Teacher, in matters of disci- pline and interest in study. There were but eight visitors reported during the summer term, and not a single parent among them. In the winter term there were no visits by parents till the closing ex- amination, according to the Register. These facts account, to us, for the necessity of extra efforts on the part of the Teacher, to keep up the standard of the school. We hope that in the future the Teacher and scholars may not suffer from such inexcusable ne- glect.
The Grammar School commenced under the charge of Mr. George T. Wiggin, with unusually favorable auspices. He resigned the third week after commencing, to accept a more lucrative position in Portsmouth, N. H. The Prudential Committee was fortunate, in the emergency thus created, in procuring the services of Mr. Sav- age of Boxford, whose administration of this school was attended with less than the customary friction. It was gratifying to see each member of the school apparently making a voluntary effort in favor of discipline, instead of yielding unwilling obedience to forced re- straint. The increased facilities in this district which the hat facto- ries give for labor for the pupils, have taken out of this school a large proportion of the more advanced classes, so that the school does not present as high rank of scholarship as in some preceding years. While we do not desire to make this a subject of complaint at the present time, we hope that parents may not adopt the plan of re- moving their children from school for the purposes of labor, till they have had all the advantages of their Grammar School.
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District No. 2, --- Mills.
The Primary Schools have all been as large as the capacity of the several school-rooms would allow. It appears probable that it will be necessary, next year, to establish another Primary School. The new, elegant and spacious school-house nearly finished, in addition to their present one, will give ample accommodations for all the schools. The number of scholars in the First Primary was 80, few of whom knew the alphabet on entering the school. The number is too large for a single teacher, and will continually increase. These schools have been successfully managed by their several Teachers. In addition to their duties as instructors, the Teachers necessarily exercise a constant watchfulness over their little ones, from the time they leave their homes till they return. Without considering the general exercises which form a large part of the work of the Pri- mary Schools, and the daily opportunities of the Teacher for im- pressing the plastic minds of these little children with principles of morality, virtue and truth, Reading is the important daily exercise of these schools. Great care should be taken that the pupils do not acquire a drawling, listless manner of reading. An animated, nat- ural style is just as easily acquired early, without habits which it must be the work of future teachers to eradicate. In the simple manner of reading and reciting, the Second Primary is somewhat deficient.
The subject of discipline in the Intermediate School has been a source of annoyance to the Committee for several years. We be- lieve that those who visited the school, during the past year, found a very decided and beneficial change in this respect. Thorough drill in fundamental principles should be the distinct object of the Teacher in this department. Reading, Writing, Geography, Men- tal Arithmetic, and Written Arithmetic only so far as can be thor- oughly mastered, should be the course of study. Grammar should be left entirely out of the course. We believe the drill of the classes. was such as to meet the approbation of the accomplished Teacher of the Grammar School, who is specially interested that these scholars. shall be properly fitted for his department.
The Grammar School is every way worthy the confidence and liberal support of the people. The methods of instruction are cal- culated to give the scholar more than a mere familiarity with text- books, -a thorough understanding and application of principles. We commend to the attention of Teachers a careful examination, in. detail, of Mr. Davis's method of teaching English Grammar. We. have found in this school, more than elsewhere, a thorough knowl- edge of this subject, and lively interest and prompt recitations in the classes.
The most serious difficulty in the way of the accomplishment of all that is desirable in this school, is the irregular attendance. We believe that the cause of this irregularity is not so much for want of interest in the school and an appreciation of its advantages, as
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from necessities caused by the exigencies of the times and the high cost of living. Children between the ages of twelve and fifteen cannot be employed in a manufacturing establishment unless they have attended school at least eleven weeks within twelve months, and children under twelve years of age are required to attend eight- een weeks annually before being so employed. The Salisbury Mills, through their Agent and Overseers, have, in all cases, strictly com- plied with the provisions of the statute. But the limited means of many families who depend upon their daily labor for their support, oblige them to send their children to work as soon as they have at- tended school the requisite number of weeks. Thus the classes in the Grammar School are continually broken up and their progress seriously retarded. From the same cause many scholars only reach the Intermediate department, and lose entirely the benefits of the Grammar School. The simple remedy for these difficulties would be reached, if the wealthy and prosperous corporations would in- crease the pay of their operatives in proportion to the present high prices, so that, beyond the bare necessaries of life, parents might send their children to the public schools during the entire session.
District No. 3, --- Lion's Mouth.
This school was taught by an experienced and competent Teacher. The improvement of the scholars was commendable, and the inter- est as much as could be expected, with so small a number. The Committee failed to receive notice of the close of the second term, and there was, consequently, no final examination.
District No. 4, --- Pleasant Valley.
Summer Term .- The Teacher entered upon the discharge of her duties with a good degree of energy and faithfulness. The disci- pline was good, and sustained without resort to severe measures. Especial attention was bestowed upon the pauses and distinct enun- ciation, thus preparing the scholars to become good readers. The school is small and composed mostly of small scholars, but none the less important on that account, and we prize the labors of the Teacher who can readily adapt herself to the wants and capacities of young scholars, quite as highly as any. Small scholars generally have but few lessons in the course of a day, and are apt to waste a portion of the time ; but in this instance they were kept busy with their slates, making figures and letters, thus avoiding a large amount of play, and improving their time to advantage. The great secret of suc- cess in teaching consists in keeping the school interested and busy, and we have endeavored to impress that fact upon the minds of Teachers whenever a necessity has existed for such a course. The number of visits to the school-room by parents and others, has nearly doubled over that of last year, and looks encouraging for the future. The general improvement was good, and the term quite successful.
Winter Term .- It was thought proper by the Prudential Com-
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mittee to employ a male Teacher during this term, and consequently it was a very short one. Something less than five months' schooling has been realized by the district the past year, and more than seven months left in which to forget what was learned in that time. It is seriously to be regretted that any portion of the money which the town appropriates should be wasted, simply because the amount is too small. Your Committee are of opinion, however, that so long a vacation is well calculated to impede the progress of education, to say nothing of the wrong which it inflicts upon the rising genera- tion. The Teacher was without experience in teaching, but was suc- cessful in gaining the confidence and good will of parents and pupils. No resort was had to corporal punishment to sustain order, and the school passed smoothly on to its close. The scholars were quite in- terested in their studies, and, considering the shortness of the term, made a fair degree of improvement. The closing examination was interesting, and gave general satisfaction, In closing this report we should consider ourselves as unfaithful to our trust, did we not again call the attention of the district to the fact that the school- room is destitute of suitable Outline Maps. Experience has taught us that more geography can be learned from a set of Outline Maps in one month, than from the Geography in three. The small outlay which would be required for this purpose would impose but a small tax on the district, and the benefit to be derived would most abundantly pay for the expense which might be incurred.
District No. 5,-Pond Hills.
Summer Term .- This term was more particularly marked by its good discipline and thorough instruction, than by its rapid progress. The classes advanced but a small number of pages in their books, but well understood what they passed over. Our visits always found the scholars industrious, and earnestly engaged in their studies. Strict discipline, although not always agreeable to those under its re- straint, is not unfrequently beneficial in moulding their character for future usefulness, and we believe its influence upon the school, in this instance, has been most salutary. The closing examination found the school attentive, quiet, interested, and prepared to answer with promptness such questions as were asked.
Winter Term .- The Teacher was without previous experience in teaching, and in saying that her labors were very successful in this, her first effort, we are bestowing no small degree of praise. She quickly gained the love of her pupils, and her control over them was sustained by the gentle and affectionate treatment which she exercised towards them. Without resort to severe measures in a single instance, the school was of an average quietness, and the dis- cipline, if not strict, was commendable. The reading was not alto- gether such as we could wish, poetry being read with a sort of sing- song tone, which ought always to be carefully guarded against. In other respects the school appeared well. The classes were well
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drilled, and possessed a good understanding of what they had learned. The specimens of penmanship were very neat, and the improvement good. At the closing examination the classes appeared familiar with the subjects embraced in their studies, the questions were answered promptly and with earnestness, and the term was a profitable one to the district.
District No. 6,-River.
PRIMARY SCHOOL. A change of Teachers in this instance, was a change for the better. The school, at the beginning of the year,. was found to be in a very sad condition, so far as discipline and sub- ordination were concerned. We are sorry to report anything which may throw the least discredit on this school, but duty compels us to give the facts as they are, and this we shall endeavor to do. A portion of the scholars felt disposed to have their own way, regard- less of the requirements of the Teacher, and it became necessary to employ other means than moral suasion to enforce discipline and. obedience to the rules of the school. The firmness and good judg- ment of the Teacher overcame all difficulties of this kind, and the. school became obedient, industrious, and highly prosperous. In the words of another, the Teacher "brought order out of chaos, obedi- ence out of lawlessness, quiet out of confusion, and study out of play," and is entitled to much credit for the resolute and. commen- dable course which she pursued. The improvement for the year- has been good, and the school, with the exception of the first few weeks, such as to merit our entire approval. Quite an interest is: felt by the parents in the welfare of the school, and more than one. hundred visits were made in the course of the year. The closing examination was very interesting, the large number of questions: asked eliciting correct and prompt answers, showing conclusively that the school had been at work through the year. The singing was very fine, and we listened to those youthful voices joined in har- monious concert, with a good degree of pleasure and satisfaction. It would have done credit to older scholars.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL. This school has, for the last three years, annually experienced a change of Teachers, and yet it has steadily maintained its high standing during that time. The district has been fortunate in securing the services of Teachers who have devo- ted their whole energy to the welfare of the school, and the result . has been highly gratifying. We hope that no change of Teacher. will occur the ensuing year to disturb the harmony and good feeling which now exists between the Teacher, parents and pupils, or in any manner detract from the usefulness of the school. The winter term has not yet closed, and we are unable to give, in full, the details of the whole term, but can report it as being in fine condition, in every important particular. The order is good, and obedience on the part of the school, cheerfully given, thus rendering the work of the Teacher pleasant and agreeable. By the aid of private subscrip-
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tion the district has realized an additional term, which has been of great service to the school by enabling it to continue its studies to advantage. Gymnastic exercises have been introduced, to a limited extent, and have given additional interest, if they have not added to the usefulness of the school in other respects. A spelling school has also been instituted, which is very fully attended, and doing much to advance the interests of the pupils. The method of in- struction has been systematic and thorough, and the improvement for the year entirely satisfactory. Singing has been practised, and has had a good influence upon the school. In whatever pertains to the welfare of the school the parents have taken a deep interest, and have manifested their zeal by their works. Liberal contribu- tions have been made to prolong the school, and frequent visits made to it by parents and others. Nearly all of the absence has been in consequence of sickness, and but for this the percentage for the year would have ranked nearly perfect. We report fifty days of the winter term, leaving out ten days at its close.
District No. 7, --- Highlands.
The school in this district is the smallest in the west end of the town. The average attendance for the year was a little more than eleven,-about half as large as it was fifteen years ago. But al- though it was so small, it was, in several respects, quite an interest- ing school, and its condition would compare favorably with that of former years. The Teacher was, indeed, without experience, yet she exhibited good judgment in the management of the school, and. the advancement during the year was quite satisfactory. The schol- ars generally appeared cheerful, and interested in their studies. The recitations of the classes in Grammar and Mental Arithmetic deserve special notice. Those of the former were prompt and accu- rate, and those of the latter were remarkable for the full and exact methods of analysis.
District No. 8, --- Birch Meadow.
During both terms the school was under the care of the same Teacher. The Committee had full confidence in her capacity to govern, in her ability to teach, and in her fidelity and devotion to the greatest good of those committed to her charge. Not content to follow a beaten path with moderate, or even good success, she en- deavored to attain a high degree of excellence, and was not only ever ready to take advantage of any suggestions that might be of- fered, but solicited criticism, that she might be the better enabled to improve the character of her school. By the return of families that had previously lived in the district, the number of scholars was so much increased that the average attendance was twice as large as it was last year. But, notwithstanding this comparatively large increase, the school was small ; yet the diversity in their atteinments rendered it very difficult to make a satisfactory classification, and, on account of the multiplicity of classes, the Teacher was under the
necessity of spending much time in listening to the recitations of scholars, which, under other circumstances, she would have devoted to illustration and explanation. During the summer the attendance was very good,-there being but three and one half days of absence during the term. The school was under good discipline, and the progress in the various studies pursued was highly satisfactory.
District No. 9,-Bear Hill.
This is the largest of the districts which have but one school. During the past year the school contained a large proportion of young scholars, with but few far advanced in their studies. On this account, while a better opportunity was afforded for appropriate classification, the condition of the school seemed also to require that a large part of the Teacher's time should be devoted to the Pri- mary studies. Under these circumstances, also, were manifest the propriety and wisdom of the action of the district in voting to em- ploy a female Teacher for the winter term. With few exceptions, the same scholars were present both terms, and the school appeared, in no respect, more difficult to govern or instruct during one term than the other. Besides, by this arrangement, if a good Teacher should be secured for the first term, that great evil, a change of Teachers, could be avoided. What the character of a school shall be, depends very much upon the Teacher. In the words of another, "as is the Teacher, so is the school." If, therefore, a Teacher has been employed in a school one term, she is able to commence the second with a knowledge of the dispositions, capacities and attain- ments of her pupils, which it required much of the former term to obtain, and which may be productive of great benefit to them in their future progress. In addition to this, with the same amount of money the length of the term would be increased, and, consequent- ly, the advantages of the school. The foregoing observations con- cerning the employment of female Teachers, may be, in some de- gree, applicable to the schools in some of the other districts ; yet they are made in this place because of the size of this school, and with a view of calling the attention of parents to a subject which is intimately connected with the prosperity of this school. If our present system of gradation is to be continued, if the arrangement by which the more advanced scholars are sent to the Grammar Schools in the large districts, is to remain, this district may be af- fected by it more than any of the smaller ones, because, with one exception, it has more than twice the number of scholars that any one of the others contains. How important it is, then, to the cit- izens of this district, that they secure the services of a competent Teacher ! In regard to order, during the past year the school gen- erally appeared well. There was, as the Tables of Statistics show, a large amount of tardiness and absence, especially during the win- ter term. Much of the absence, however, is to be attributed to sickness of different kinds. In most other respects, the past has
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been a year of much prosperity to this school, and the prospect for the future is, indeed, quite encouraging.
District No. 10,-Pond.
This is, except No. 3, the smallest school in town. The school has been generally prosperous through the year. There was some friction in a single case in the summer term, owing to a want of sympathy and co-operation between the parents and Teacher. The winter school, under another Teacher, gave general satisfaction. This district is contiguous to No. 3. That part of district No. 3, west of the town farm, could be united to No. 10, and the scholars could attend that school nearly as easily as their present one. While the rest of the district could, without difficulty and with greatly increased school privileges, attend the schools in district No. 2. In fact, a portion of the scholars of the district on the White- hall road, so called, cannot reach their school-house by the public road without passing through district No. 2. These facts are suffi- cient to warrant the discontinuance of district No. 3, were there no other considerations. But the economical expenditure of the school money seems to require the proposed change. The average attend- ance of scholars for the the year in district No. 10 was 7.7, in district No. 3, 7, making an average of 14.7 in both schools. This average of 14 scholars required two Teachers, at an expense of $33 per month. The school in No. 10 was kept 5 1-2 months, and the one in No. 3, 4 1-2 months, at an expense, for instruction only, of $163.50 for both schools, or $11.12 per scholar for these short terms. This does not include the amount expended for fuel, repairs of school-houses, &c. We submit that this is not judicious man- agement, and that it would be every way better for the town to dis- continue district No. 3.
District No. 11,-Corner.
PRIMARY SCHOOL. This school was represented in the Report of last year as enjoying a high degree of prosperity. The same Teacher that taught the school last year was employed this year during the summer term. She labored earnestly and perseveringly in order that the school might retain its former high standing, and her efforts were attended with good success. The examination at the close of the term indicated that the progress of the scholars had been thorough, notwithstanding it was accomplished at great disad- vantage, arising from irregularity of attendance, caused, in a great measure, by the prevalence of measles. Reading deservedly re- ceived a large share of attention, and the improvement in this branch was decidedly good.
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