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Thomas Crane Public Library Quincy, Massachusetts
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https://archive.org/details/annualreportofto 1850quin
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF QUINCY,
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR 1850-51.
COMMITTEE:
WILLIAM W. DEAN,
WILLIAM S. MORTON,
WILLIAM B. DUGGAN.
GEORGE BAXTER, GEORGE WHITE, JAMES BRADFORD.
BOSTON : WHITE & POTTER, PRINTERS. 1851.
4
327357
g
Q.R 352 QUA
1850-1864 22
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF QUINCY,
FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, 1850-51.
-
COMMITTEE:
WILLIAM W. DEAN, WILLIAM S. MORTON,
WILLIAM B. DUGGAN.
GEORGE BAXTER, GEORGE WHITE, JAMES BRADFORD.
THE School Committee of the town of Quincy, having at- tended to the duties assigned them by their fellow-citizens, sub- init the following Report of their proceedings, and the condition of the schools, for the year ending the 1st of April, 1851 :-
The interesting nature of the charge entrusted to their hands, has secured the serious attention of the Committee to their various du- ties, which they have aimed to perform, with the care and fidelity that their importance demands. The several schools have been reg- ularly visited once a month, by some one of our number, to whom they were especially assigned, while they have been examined, quar- terly, in a more formal manner, by the Board. At each of these visitations we have directed our attention to the condition of the school property, houses, furniture, &c. ; to the character and la- bors of the teacher, to the order of the school, the manners and general deportment of the scholars, and to the progress that they were making in their respective studies. To this it may be added, that we have not been inattentive to the moral condition of the children, so far as that could be affected by our supervision. The result of these examinations, we have endeavored to embody in the following statement.
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PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
Of these, there are four in the town. That in the West trict was under the charge of Miss E. Vose, during the spring a part of the summer, since that time Miss Ada G. B. Beale been the teacher. The whole number belonging to the scho seventy-seven. The average attendance is fifty-one; whic equal to sixty-six per cent. Average age five and a half y The number present at the last examination was fifty-one. will be observed that all the children in this school are young, yet their reading was very good ; so also, was their s ing. They were good in arithmetic ; but with the exception having learned the tables well, they have not advanced very General questions in geography were correctly answered, their singing was very good. The condition of this school always been satisfactory to the Committee. Upon the chang teachers apprehension was felt that the improvement of the dren would be checked, but in this respect we have been ag bly disappointed ; while in none of our schools has the order more perfect, or the instruction more thorough, as far as it The condition of this school reflects great credit upon its tea
The South District Primary School has continued under charge of its experienced instructor, Mrs. Susanna Burrell. whole number belonging to the school is one hundred and e The average attandance is sixty-five, which is equal to sixty cent. Average age five and three-fourths years. Then ber present at the last visitation was sixty. In reading and s ing the examination was highly creditable. It was very in arithmetic, singing and speaking, and good in geogra This is the largest of the schools of this grade,-having s times as many as eighty-five present at once,-while it is in moded with the smallest room. The inconvenience of b obliged to use so small an apartment was felt last year, and not in the Report, but it has been more apparent this year, from increase of the population in this part of the town. Somet should be done to remedy the evil, or it will not only impede
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progress of the children, but their health will be seriously endan- gered. The crowded condition of the scholars interferes with the efforts of the teachers to preserve that orderly appearance which is such an attractive feature in schools of this character ; but in advancing her pupils, and fitting them to enter the inter- mediate department, at the proper age, this lady fully sustains the high reputation which she has always enjoyed.
The Centre District Primary School has been taught by Miss S. G. Parshley, who was also its successful instructor last year. The whole number belonging to the school is eighty. The aver- age attendance is sixty-two, which is equal to seventy-seven per cent. Average age five and three-fourths years. The number present at the last examination was sixty-seven. The reading, spelling, geography and arithmetic, in this school, were highly creditable. The speaking was good ; and the order and singing were very good. The faithful labors of this teacher are manifest- ed in the improvement of her scholars, and rewarded by the grate- ful appreciation of the parents. The condition of this school is highly satisfactory to the Committee.
The Primary School at Quincy Point is under the care of Miss R. Gannett. The whole number belonging to the school is sixty-six. The average attendance is fifty-two, which is equal to seventy-eight per cent. Average age five and a half years. The number present at the examination was fifty-four. The reading, spelling, geography and arithmetic, were all good. The disor- derly and backward condition of this school was very unpromis- ing, when it psssed into the hands of its present teacher, but we are happy to state that it now ranks among the best governed in town, and the improvement of the children has been such as to do honor to their instructor, and greatly gratify the Committee. The parents, also, have expressed their sense of the value of her services, by coming forward, after the public money was exhaust- ed, and generously contributing a considerable sum to continue the school to the end of the year.
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INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
There are but three of this grade. That in the West Distri was taught till the middle of August by Miss Wealthy Holme but for the last seven months it has been under the charge Miss Mary E. Vose, who was transferred from the primary scho to this department. The whole number belonging to the scho is seventy-five. The average attendance is fifty-five, which equal to seventy-three per cent. Average age eight and sever twelfths years. The number present at the last examination wa fifty seven. The reading was good, spirited, and distinct. Th spelling, geography, speaking, and order, were all very good while the examination in arithmetic was highly creditable. Th school was in a prosperous condition when the former teacher le it, and there has been no falling off since, but the pupils hav continued to improve in their studies in a manner which show that they are now under the care of a patient, industrious, an thorough instructor.
The Intermediate School in the South District is taught b Miss Emily A. Adams. The whole number belonging to th school is eighty-four. The average attendance is sixty-nine, which is equal to eighty-two per cent. Average age eight and two-third years. The number present at the last examination was seventy eight. In reading, spelling, arithmetic, geography, speaking singing and exercises in elocution, and spelling by the consonan elements, this school is highly creditable to its teacher, who ha been quite successful throughout the year, and her services ar duly appreciated by the district. Such, also, are the amicable re lations between the instructor and pupils that it has been an easy task to secure a steady attendance of the latter, and to preserv their strict, though willing obedience in the school-room.
The Intermediate School in the Centre District has been unde the care of Miss E. J. Gerry. The whole number of scholars i seventy-six. The average attendance is fifty-eight, which i equal to seventy-six per cent. Average age eight and eleven twelfths years. The number present at the last visitation was
5
sixty-five. In arithmetic, geography, singing, order and exer cises in elocution, and spelling by the consonant elements, the examination was highly creditable. In reading and spelling, it was very good. With the exception of an opening and closing address, the examination was confined to the branches required to be taught in schools of this grade. The limits of a single afternoon are insufficient to admit of that display in dialogues and declamation, which so much ornament and embellish a school. At the suggestion of the Special Committee for this district, they were omitted in order that the improvement and attainments of the scholars might be better ascertained. The instruction in this school has been very thorough, the attendance of the pupils regular, and their improvement highly satisfactory.
The schools of this grade are more perfect, in many respects, than those of any other class. The rooms are less crowded, the scholars are fewer in number and more equal in their attainments, while they are of the age to have their attendance less interrupt- ed by the inclemency of the weather than is the case with those who are younger, or the occasional necessity of staying at home to labor, as it frequently happens with the older. These are the schools, also, in which the children must learn to read and spell correctly, if anywhere. It is true, an elementary knowledge of letters, and proper habits of attention and study, should be re- quired in the primary department ; but if this foundation has not been laid there, and the children are so unfortunate as to leave the intermediate school without being able to read and spell well, we can rarely expect any great proficiency in their future course. It is on this account that the higher branches, which can be pur- sued to a better advantage elsewhere, and after the scholar has thoroughly mastered the first principles of learning, should be ex- cluded from the intermediate school, and the attention of both teacher and pupil be confined to the common and more important branches. We now pass to a consideration of the
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.
Of these we have four. That in the West District is taught
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by Stephen Morse, Jr. The whole number of scholars is eigh five. The average attendance is sixty-nine, which is equal eighty-four per cent. Average age twelve and a half years. T number present at the last examination was eighty. In readi writing, arithmetic, grammar and drawing, this school should marked highly creditable. In spelling and geography the schol were very good. In addition to the branches which are requi in the common schools, physiology, algebra, and geometry pursued by a number of pupils, in all of which they have be thorough, and made very good progress. The teacher has be in this school two years, and has proved himself a very effici and successful instructor. The order in the school is excelle and the improvement has been steady and very uniform amo all the scholars, and throughout the various studies that have be taught.
The South District Grammar School is taught by Caleb M dock. The whole number of scholars is ninety-five. The av age attendance is sixty, which is equal to sixty-three per ce Average age eleven and three-fourths years. The number pr ent at the last examination was seventy-six. In reading, sp ing, grammar, history, and improvement, the standing of t school is highly creditable. In arithmetic, geography and w ing, it is very good. The order, also, is very good. The av age age of the pupils, it will be observed, is less than in any of other grammar schools, which should be taken into the acco in estimating its progress and present standing. The condit of this school is highly satisfactory, and the advancement of pupils in their studies may be attributed not only to the dilige of the scholars, but to the attention, industry and fidelity of teacher, who, with untiring assiduity has devoted his time his talents to their interest and advantage.
The Centre District Grammar School is taught by B. Brown. The whole number belonging to the school is one h dred and twelve. The average attendance is seventy-nine, wh is equal to seventy per cent. Average age thirteen and one twel years. There were ninety-eight present at the last visitati
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In reading, writing, history and arithmetic, this school is highly creditable. In spelling and grammar, the scholars are very good. In singing, they are excellent. In geography, they have not gone over much ground, but in locating towns, rivers, &c., they are very ready. Besides these studies, there is a small class in algebra and geometry, whose promptness and proficiency give evidence of close attention and studious habits. The order in this school is good, but would be marked higher if it were not for the great number which are present, being frequently as high as one hundred-quite too many for one teacher to have under his charge without an assistant. Notwithstanding this disadvan- tage, the school is enjoying a high degree of prosperity. The Committee of last year, recommended to the inhabitants of this district, to "take a friendly interest in the school, and to support the influence of the teacher; " a compliance with this advice, joined with the industry, attention, and easy address of the teacher, has contributed to raise this school to its present flourishing condition.
The Grammar School at Quincy Point is under the charge of George Newcomb. The whole number belonging to the school is ninety-three. The average attendance is eighty-four, which is equal to eighty per cent. Average age, twelve and two-nineteenths years. The number present at the last examina- tion was eighty-eight. In grammar, this school should be marked highly creditable ; while in composition, map-drawing, and geo- graphy, the scholars are very good. They are also good in read- ing, writing, arithmetic and history. But in spelling and order, the standing of this school might be improved. As there is no intermediate department in this district, the children are admitted to the grammar school two years younger than they are in the other parts of the town. Although this does not appear in the average age of the pupils, as noticed above, it has doubtless af- fected their scholarship. The teacher has an established reputa- tion, and has used great exertions, but from the want of an inter- mediate department, or some other cause, the scholars are not as quiet in the school-room, and in some branches of study not as
8
forward as we should be glad to see them. In others, however, their progress and present proficiency is commendable.
The school in the East District is taught by H. M. Woods. The whole number of scholars is thirty-nine. The average at- tendance for the winter is thirty-four, which is equal to eighty- seven per cent. ; but the average number for the year is twenty- seven. There were thirty-three present at the last examination. The spelling in this school is highly creditable ; the same was the case with respect to arithmetic, as far as two or three boys of the first class were concerned; but in this branch the scholars, generally were very good; the same should be said of their geo- graphy and composition. The teacher has labored successfully in this school, which exhibits a quiet and orderly appearance, and the scholars in their various studies have made very uniform and satisfactory progress.
The North District School has been under the care of Robert Vose, Jr. The whole number of scholars is fifty-seven. The average attendance is forty, which is equal to seventy per cent. The number present at the last visitation was fifty-four. In grammar and history the examination was very good. In read- ing and arithmetic it was good; the former, however, was not sufficiently loud and spirited, but was much improved since our visit in the fall. The scholars are rather backward in spelling. The teacher, who has been two years in this district, has labored zealously in the discharge of his duties, and his assiduity is evi- dent in the order of his school, and the general improvement of his pupils, especially during the last quarter. A new impulse has been given to the cause of education in this part of the town, by the erection of a new school-house, which is every way more commodious, and better suited to its object than the building that was formerly occupied.
GENERAL STATISTICS.
The whole number of our public schools of all grades, is thir- teen. These have all been kept through the year, with the ex- ception of six weeks allotted to vacations, and the accustomed
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holidays, for five days each week. The whole number of chil- dren that have been taught during the past year, is one thousand and forty-four. In this number are included forty-two who are over fifteen years of age, and sixty-eight who are under five, making in all one hundred and ten ;- if these are deducted from all that have belonged to the several schools, it will leave nine hundred and thirty-four as the whole number of children between the ages referred to, who have been connected with the public schools at any one time. Again, if this sum be taken from one thousand and seventy-nine, the number between five and fifteen, on the first day of May, there will remain one hundred and forty- five, or thirteen per cent. of those between these ages, who, at all times are entirely unconnected with our common schools, and are receiving no instruction in them.
The average number daily present in our schools, in the win- ter, when they are the fullest, is seven hundred and seventy-five ; which is equal to seventy-four per cent. of the whole number be- longing to them. The average attendance last year, for the same period was but sixty-five per cent. In attendance, therefore, there has been a gain of nine per cent. But still, our children are not as regular in this particular as they should be. The aver- age attendance for the winter in Milton, is seventy per cent. ; in Randolph, it is seventy-three ; but in Dorchester it is eighty-one ; in Roxbury, eighty-three ; while in the whole county, it is seventy- nine ; and in the State, it is seventy-six. To say nothing of a portion of those, who are over fifteen and under five, that are in- cluded in this average attendance, when it is deducted from the whole number of school children belonging to the town, there will remain three hundred and four, or thirty per cent. of those who are between five and fifteen, that are daily absent from the schools.
REMARKS.
For the support of our schools the public money appropriated to this purpose has been sufficient, except in the case of the pri- mary school at Quincy Point, which has been continued for sev- eral weeks, by private subscription. But we should be unfaithful
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to the interests of the town, were we to omit to state that had the distribution of the public money been referred to the genera School Committee, some districts would not have had a surplus while others could afford but an inadequate compensation to their teacher, or were driven to the necessity of raising an additiona sum by subscription.
There is an opinion prevalent among some, that children who are under five, or over fifteen, have no right to the benefit of the common school. It is true, such are not counted in the distribu tion of the public money ; but that they should be deprived, or that account, of the privilege of receiving such aid as our common schools furnish, agrees neither with the statute, nor the libera spirit of our institutions. Accordingly, it is with pleasure tha the Committee have observed an unusual number of older and more forward scholars, in the grammar schools this year, who have remained to advance their education, as far as possible, by the use of all the means that the town at present affords. But a commendable as this is on their part, and as pleasing as it is, in this light to us, it should be remarked that their presence in our grammar schools as they are at present organized, and crowded with scholars, cannot be otherwise than injurious to a large num- ber who, consequently, need more of the personal attention of the teacher than it is now possible for them to receive.
By a resolve of the Legislature of this State at their last session the Secretary of the Board of Education was directed to furnish each school in the Commonwealth, except the primary schools with a copy of Webster's Unabridged Quarto Dictionary, or Wor cester's Octavo Dictionary, at the option of the School Commit tee. We decided to take the former, of which, in August, a copy was received and placed in each of our schools, where we trus they will be carefully preserved, and frequently consulted by those for whose benefit they were so generously designed.
We are happy to be able to state that the morals and manner of the children have been duly attended to, by the teachers of the several schools ; and we have the assurance of those who live
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near them-those best qualified to judge-that they are improv- ing in this very important particular.
It has been gratifying to the friends of education to witness the interest which the community generally have taken in the schools this year. This favorable sign was mentioned in the last report, but the anxiety to be present at the usual examinations has been more and more apparent this year,-a circumstance en- couraging to the children, flattering to the teachers, and gratify- ing to all.
SUGGESTIONS.
The statute makes it our duty to submit such suggestions, as from our experience and acquaintance with the condition of the schools, we shall deem proper, or necessary, to promote their in- terests. Without any desire, on the one hand, to be too forward in a matter of this kind-and unwilling, on the other, to shrink from anything that is plainly within the line of our duty-we wish to present one or two of the most prominent defects in our school system, and point out such remedies as appear to us best calculated to remove them. We have evidently arrived at a pe- riod when something more must be done for our schools than simply to keep the houses in repair, hire qualified teachers, and watch over their labors, if we would have them accomplish the end for which they were established. The want of larger rooms than the houses afford, has been a standing difficulty in the case of two or three schools, for some time, but it has now increased with the number of the scholars, until it is sensibly felt in all the districts but two. This, however, is not our greatest difficulty ; we are more in want of additional teachers, than room, for our scholars. The proportion to each teacher, if all who have be- longed to our schools the past year were equally divided among them, would be eighty. But if all who are of the legal age to share in the apportionment of the public money, and who ought to be in schools, were equally distributed, together with those over five and under fifteen, who are actually in school, the num- ber for each would be ninety-one ;- altogether too many, in either case, for one teacher. 'This single defect is sufficient to defeat,
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in a material degree, the object for which our educational system is maintained. This evil has been constantly growing upon us from year to year, with the increase of our population, until it has reached a point that demands our earnest consideration. Peo- ple who have not had their attention particularly directed to this subject, are not aware how far we are behind our neighbors in this respect. The average number of scholars to a teacher in Dorchester is forty-three ; in Milton it is fifty-four ; in Randolph sixty-four ; in Roxbury forty-four ; taking the whole County of Norfolk it is forty-eight ; and for the entire State the proportion is forty-five. From this it will be perceived that each child in Quincy, on an average, cannot receive but little more than one- half of the time and attention of the teacher that he would en- joy in the surrounding towns. And it is to be attributed to the extraordinary diligence of our teachers, some of whom have been accustomed to hear recitations, early and late, and with very lit- tle regard to the usual school hours, that the ill effects of this superabundance of scholars has not been more manifest. As our schools are at present graded, forty or fifty children are as many as it is profitable to place under the care of one person for in- struction. This is not an evil that will cure itself; but with the increase of population, every year will augment it. There is nothing to be gained, therefore, by delay ; true policy dictates that a remedy should be sought and applied immediately. What is the remedy ?
In the first place, the evil might, in some small degree, be miti- gated by grading the schools upon the principle of qualification instead of age. As every child is now obliged to enter the inter- mediate school at the age of seven, and the grammar school at ten, without regard to scholarship, it permits a great inequality among the members in those two departments. Hence, there must be a greater number of classes in each, than if the pupils were nearer alike in their attainments. The more classes there are, the less time has the teacher to bestow upon a particular branch or scholars. So far, then, as the aggravation of the difficulty oc- casioned by too many classes, is concerned, the remedy is plain,
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