USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Municipal history of the town and city of Boston during two centuries : from September 17, 1630, to September 17, 1830 > Part 22
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The relation of master and usher is still more important and critical to these institutions. Their duties are, all of them, of a nature so simple and obvious, that to allnde to them would imply a possibility of ignorance, or deficiency, which ought not to be admitted, even by way of supposition.
There are duties, however, resulting from their relation to one another and to this Board, on which it may be useful to touch; and the rather, because difli- culties have heretofore arisen from misapprehensions on those subjects.
The relation, then, of the master and nsher, of the same school, ought to be understood to be, in the nature of things, a relation of subordination, and not of equality. It is one of the chief duties of him who is second, to support and strengthen the hands of him who is first; and, for this purpose, to study on all occasions to elevate his character, to extend his influence, to facilitate his labors, and promote his respectability, both in school and in the world. There is no surer mark of unworthiness for a higher station, than an unwillingness to submit to the requisitions, or to yield the deference, which is due from a lower. All espionage, all disputes of authority, all petty cavils, of the inferior in relation to the superior, are to be avoided ; being assured that sneh conduct can receive no countenance from this Board; with the certainty that, though its effect may be to injure lium whom it affects, that it cannot fail to disgrace hinmu who condescends to the practice.
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This principle, however, must not be understood to extend to the concealment of any notorious vice or fault in the masters, or to any open or habitual violation in him of the rules established for the government of the school by the School Committee. Failure openly to represent this to the proper authority, is a failure in duty, for which the usher is, and will be, considered responsible.
On the other hand, the duty of the master towards the nsher is not less plain and imperious. In the order of things, he is, indeed, superior ; but then, he should always remember that it is only superiority of station, which does not necessarily imply individual superiority. The relation in which masters and ushers stand to each other is that of gentlemen ; of men under joint obligations to promote the interests of the school, and the improvement of the scholars ; and the great study of both should be, so to cooperate in their labors, as mutually to aid each other in effecting this joint object.
From both instructors, the public have a right to expect, and it will be the endeavor of the present School Committee to enforce, punetnality, exclusive devotion to the interests of the school, and strict obedience to the rules established. for its government.
The habit of punctuality, instructors should consider as a primary and essen- tial duty. They should be, by system, as true to the fixed time of opening and closing their school as the shadow of the style is true to the sun dial.
So, also, with respect to an exclusive devotedness to the interests of the school. It may be questioned whether either, -and certainly, whether the principal instructor, - ought to be permitted to engage in any other business or employment, the object of which is pecuniary emolument. But it cannot be questioned, that neither of them ought to be permitted to carry any engagement or other pursuit into school hours. The whole of the prescribed time belongs to the public. During its continuance, instructors have no right to do any thing else, or think of any thing else. Whatever part of the time is not occupied in instruction, is sufficiently well employed in superintendence of order and de- corum.
Lastly, gentlemen of the School Committee, in this reference to the duties of others, which I have thus made, at your suggestion, you will permit me, also, to notice some which belong to ourselves. In the organization of this Commit- tee, distinguished men, drawn for the most part from the learned professions, are added to the higher branches of the city authorities. It must generally be ex- pected, that the Mayor and Aldermen will be men of business, rather than of science, and better acquainted with the rules and measures of active life, than with those of schools and seminaries of learning. This part of the Committee have, therefore, a natural right to look to the superadded members for advice, direc- tion, and for a vigilant and active superintendence, in this particular department. And while the Mayor and Aldermen will extend to this great concern all the protection which the extensive nature of their other duties will permit, it is to the members of the Committtee, who do not belong to this Board, that the city authorities have a right to look for a severe and scrutinizing investigation of the state of the schools, and of the manner in which masters and ushers, as well as parents and children, fulfil their respective obligations.
The great difficulty with which we have to contend is that disposition which is innate in all, to avoid painful responsibilities, when the exercise of authority
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affects particularly and directly the hopes and prospects of an individual, and only generally and remotely the interests of the community. But, gentlemen, in assuming this office, we have undertaken a doty for which we are responsible, not only to our country, but to Heaven. It men obviously weak, or inefficient, or inadequate, are maintained in office, merely through reluctance to exercise power which our station devolves upon us, and which, by accepting the trust, we have solemnly engaged to fulfil, I need not explain to wise, honorable, and thoughtful men the nature and consequences of such failure, to fulfil an important and voluntarily incurred obligation. This city has a right to have efficient and capable men in all its departments; especially in its schools. The worst of all charities is that which supports imbecility in official station, merely from reluct- ance at depriving it of official emoluments. And, however this may be pardon- able in relation to offices affecting only personal or local interests, it is, in rela- tion to such as are of the nature of public instructors, little less than criminal.
I repeat it, this city has a right to have, in every department of this great concern, none but adequate men. The liberality for which the inhabitants of Boston have been distinguished towards publie instructors, in all times, has afforded this Committee the means and the power of selecting the best, and of excluding the bad or the indifferent from those offices. If, through our weak- ness, carelessness, or fear, the rising generation in any school district be dealt by unfairly, and do not reap its equal share of the advantages which this city, by the liberality of its public provisions, endeavors to secure to all its citizens, the fault and the shame will he upon those who, being intrusted with the power, and having accepted of it, shrink from their duty, under the infhience of a false and mischievous sympathy. .
Early in the year 1825, the School Committee accepted a report of one of their sub-committees, recommending an esta- blishment of a high school for girls, and an application to the City Council for an appropriation for that object. The plan pro- posed was, that girls who were qualified should be admitted when eleven, and not more than fifteen years of age; and that the course of studies should occupy three years, and embrace all the branches of education usually taught in colleges, except Greek and Latin. There being at that time a very general desire in the School Committee to test the usefulness of monitorial or mutual instruction, it was proposed that the school should be conducted upon that system; and, in respect of expense, the report supposed that one large room would be sufficient, at least for the first year.
The adoption of the report was pressed with great earnestness by several members of the School Committee, and the success of the High School for Boys, was urged as conclusive in favor of a similar school for girls. The High School for Boys had been
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in operation five years, and no additional school for them was required or anticipated. The applicants for admission to it had never exceeded NINETY ; the greatest number ever admitted to it in one year was EIGHTY-FOUR; and, at that time, the number was only ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX. The number, also, in the High School for Boys regularly diminished every successive year, as parents found places for their sons, as apprentices and in count- ing-houses; so that the greatest number of those who continued through their whole course was seventeen; and they belonged to a class consisting originally of seventy members. Those members of the Committee, however, who considered the differ- ence between the occupation and preparation for active life, of girls and boys, between the ages of eleven and fifteen years, doubted if the result of the High School for Boys was a criterion to be relied upon for a high school for girls. It was certain that the inevitable effect of this school would be to attract from the common schools all the most ambitious and intellectual scholars, and of consequence deprive those schools of the girls best quali- fied by attainment and example to excite the spirit of emulation, to raise their standard, and to take, in them, the place of moni- tors. Apprehensions of this kind added force to the doubts con- cerning the expedieney of establishing it.
There existed, at this time, a general opinion in favor of ex- tending and enlarging the advantages enjoyed by females in the public schools. The project was therefore in unison with this prevailing desire, and popular with parents whose daughters were of an age to take advantage of it, and the appropriation of two thousand dollars, recommended by the School Commit- tee, was granted by the City Council with great unanimity. The anticipations of difficulty were, however, so strong and plausible, that it was adopted expressly "as an experiment;" "if favorable, to be continued, if adverse, to be dropped of course." With this understanding, the project being sanctioned by the City Council, the twenty-second of February, 1826, was ap- pointed by the School Committee for the examination of candi- dates for admission into the High School for Girls; the largest and most commodious room owned by the city having been assigned for it, and fitted up, at a considerable expense, to the. satisfaction of the Committee.
But before this examination occurred, it became apparent that.
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the result of a High School for Girls would be very different from that of the High School for Boys; and that, if continued upon the scale of time and studies the original project embraced, the expense would be insupportable, and the effect upon the Granmar or Common Schools positively injurious.
Instead of ninety candidates, -the highest number that had ever offered in one year for the school for boys, - it was ascer- tained that nearly three hundred would be presented for the High School for Girls. The spacious room provided for the school would not accommodate more than one hundred and twenty; and it was evident that, either two high schools for girls must be established the first year, or that more than one half of the candidates must be rejected, to the great disappointment of their parents and instructors.
In this dilemma, a special meeting of the School Committee was called, on the twenty-first of February, the day previous to that appointed for the examination ; and, after inch deliberation on the course to be pursued, they resolved to keep the number to be admitted under their own control; and for this purpose passed a vote, that the Sub-Committee, appointed as examiners, should report to the School Committee "the names, ages, and standing of all the candidates they should find qualified for admis- sion, that THIS COMMITTEE MAY DETERMINE WHAT CLASSES OF THEM SHALL BE ADMITTED."
Under the influence of this vote, the examination was accord- ingly conducted. Two hundred and eighty-sic candidates pre- sented themselves for examination. And, on the twenty-eighth of February, the Sub-Committee of Examiners, from motives of prudence, did not report to the School Committee the names of those they found duly qualified, but only the ages of cach candidate, with a table of the marks, from one to twenty, put opposite each, under each head of examination, and the general result; and, to bring the admission of applicants within the extent of the ac- commodations which had been provided, they recommended that the School Committee " should strike from the list of applicants all between eleven and twelve years of age ; and that, of the remainder, all who had received the numbers of thirteen and a half and up- wards, should be admitted as members of the school?"
The School Committee adopted the course suggested by the Sub-Committee of Examiners, and regulated their admission
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of candidates by the principles they recommended. The conse- quence was that, of the two hundred aud eighty-six candidates, about one hundred and thirty were admitted, and one hundred and fifty rejected. Parents, friends, and instructors of these unsuc- cessful candidates regarded these proceedings as unjust, and the rule of selection as arbitrary. Complaints of favoritism were not uncommon, - the natural consequence of extreme disap- pointment. The course, however, pursued by the School Com- mittee was unquestionably the best the circumstances in which they found themselves placed permitted. This feeling of dis- content was not, however, generally allayed, although, from par- ticular considerations, the vote for striking out all between eleven and twelve years of age from the list of applicants was subse- quently rescinded, and seven candidates between those years were admitted.
Notwithstanding the number of candidates offered far exceeded all anticipation, the High School for Girls was put into opera- tion under very favorable auspices. The master was talented, earnest, and assiduous; and members of the Committee, some of whom had daughters enjoying its advantages, superintended its course with marked and critical interest. The girls who were admitted were the elite of the Grammar Schools, and were among the most ambitious and highly educated of them and of private schools, from which a majority of those admitted were derived. It was impossible that a school thus conducted, super- intended, and composed, should not be highly advantageous to the few individuals who enjoyed its benefits; and its success was a subject of congratulation among their parents.
In August, 1826, a report was made to the School Commit- tee, setting forth the necessity of a further provision for its sup- port, enlargement, and accommodation ; and stating, by way of information, the following facts :- " That the present number of the school was one hundred and thirty ; that few, if any, could be excluded the present year ; that, according to the best calculations that could be made, the number of the candidates for admission at the then next ensuing examination, would be four hundred and twenty-seven, who, if they were all admitted, and those now in the school retained, it would be necessary that five hundred and fifty- seven members of it should be provided for." The Sub-Commit- tee, however, suggested that, probably, not more than two hun-
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dred would be found qualified; a suggestion unsupported by any data.
This report unavoidably brought under the consideration pro- bably of every member of the School Committee, and of the city government, the practicability of a system of schools, in- cluding such an extent of time and course of studies as the plan of this school originally embraced. It was obvious that the result of the High School for Boys was no criterion by which to estimate that for girls, who were not compelled to prepare for active life between the ages of eleven and sixteen, and to whom a high classical education was extremely attractive; and, being confined to the best scholars in all the schools, private as well as public, by its select and necessarily exclusive character, obviated the objections of many parents to public schools. The effect of this circuinstance was apparent in this " experiment." Of the number admitted into it, sixty-two were from private schools, and only fifty-nine from the public. And it was ascertained, that if the school should be maintained upon the extensive plan of time and studies embraced in the original project, that there would be a far greater influx into it from the private schools. Those, therefore, whose property enabled them to educate their children at private schools, would oceupy the greatest proportion and receive the chief benefit from the High School for Girls. No circumstance could show more effectually that the school was chiefly for the advantage of the few, and not of the many ; and those, also, the prosperous few. 'Again, this first experiment showed, in another respect, the entire difference in result of the school for girls and of that for boys. In the latter school, as has been already stated,1 the number of scholars regularly diminished every year, so that the far greater proportion of those who entered it quitted before the expiration of the three years; whereas, of all those who entered this High School for Girls, not one, during the eighteen months it was in operation, voluntarily quit- ted it ; and there was no reason for believing that any one ad- mitted to the school would voluntarily quit it for the whole three years, except in case of marriage. It was ascertained that the whole number of girls, between eleven and fifteen years of age, then in the Grammar and High Schools was about seven hun-
1 See page 217.
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dred; and that in the private schools the number was greater. Of consequence, there would be a great total, of at least, four- teen hundred girls every year; the number, also, increasing with the population, to whom the benefit of this collegiate course was annually to be proffered; and, considering the uncommon and desirable privileges thus offered, it was probable that at least one third would qualify themselves for the benefit, and that not one of those, once admitted, would quit the school for three years. It was evident, therefore, that at least two High Schools for Girls must at once be established; and that, if the whole num- ber of anticipated applicants should be admitted, that three such schools would be required, with a prospective certainty of the increase of this number every year. It was apparent to all who contemplated the subject disinterestedly, that the continuance of this school would involve an amount of expenses unprecedented and unnecessary ; since the same course of instruction could be introduced into the Grammar Schools, to the far greater benefit of the greater number of females, and those, too, of a class for whom it was the chief duty and interest of the city to provide a high education. The opinion, therefore, became general, if not universal, that, if the school was continued, some change in its principles nist be adopted. Two schemes only were suggested, by those who wished to continue the course three years : - 1. That the High School should be confined to girls educated in the Grammar Schools. This could not be sustained for one mo- ment. For, in addition to the common right, which would be inherent in all parents, to send their children to schools sup- ported at the publie expense, the tendency would be to bring back to the Grammar Schools a class of children, from the edu- cation of whom the city was now relieved, by the predilection or pecuniary ability of parents. 2. That the qualifications for admission should be raised, and the course of three years be con- tinned. This last was the favorite scheme of those most desi- rous of continuing the school for the term of three years, accord- ing to the original project. A single objection seemed, however, conclusive against this scheme. In proportion as the qualifica- tions for admission are raised, the school becomes exclusive. Although nominally open to all, it will be open only to the few, and shut to the many.
Actuated by these general views, a sub-committee was ap-
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pointed by the School Committee, to whom the report made in the August preceding1 was referred, to consider the expediency of making further provision for the High Schools for Girls, on the same basis of extent, of time, and of studies as the original project embraced. This Committee, after long deliberation, and inquiring of the several masters of the Grammar Schools, as to the effect upon the character and prospects in those schools pro- duced by the High School for Girls, found there was a diver- sity of opinion. Some of the masters regarded the effects as beneficial; others thought them prejudicial. Removing the best and most exemplary scholars damped the ardor of the girls who remained, and took away the materials from which moni- tors were selected, and reduced the standard of the Common Schools from the highest to a secondary grade. The Commit- tee, therefore, on the seventeenth of November ensuing, made a report, stating those facts, and that new principles ought to be adopted in relation to the qualification for admission and time of remaining in the High School for Girls; and unani- mously recommended the following modifications of the system of that school. These were immediately adopted by the School Committee, namely, - that the age of admission should be four- teen, instead of eleven; that continuance in the school should be only for one year, instead of three; and that the requisitions for admission should be raised, so as to include all branches taught in the public Grammar and Writing Schools; and that no female should be admitted after the age of sixteen.
These modifications, in which the School Committee and City Council generally concurred, so greatly diminished the ad- vantages the original plan of the school proposed, that much of the interest which its creation excited was also diminished. It became apparent, that a school thus limited, of which the advan- tages could be enjoyed only for one year, would not be, as the original scheme professed, for the benefit of the many; but, in fact, for the exclusive advantage of the few, and, for the most part, of those whose private resources were fully adequate for the education of their own daughters. The higher the qualifica- tions required, the more exclusive the school. The daughters of educated men, of lawyers, clergymen, and physicians, who had
1 See page 219.
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leisure themselves, or those who had fortunes sufficient to give their daughters the high preparatory education, would, unavoid- ably, be preferred on examination. To them, the advantages of the school would principally result, and not to the daughters of the mass of the citizens.
The school, however, was permitted to continue, subject to this modification, until November, 1827, when a committee was raised to consider the expediency of continuing it; which, on the eleventh of December following, reported that, in their opinion, "it was expedient to continue it." This report was the occasion of much debate; and several modifications were proposed, on which the Committee was equally divided, when a motion was made for the postponement of the question to the next School Committee, which, in the course of that month, was to be elected. On this question, the votes being equal, -" six and six," -- the Mayor, after declaring, that his opinion was so decidedly adverse to the continuance of the school, that he could not vote in its favor; yet, regarding the question of great importance, and that the continuance of it was a subject of much public and popular animadversion, and that the School Committee then about to be elected, coming immediately from the citizens, would be better qualified, from their acquaintance with the general feeling and sentiments of the people, to decide the question most satisfac- torily, postponed the subject to the next city year by his casting vote.
This decision having been made the subject of much popular animadversion, the Mayor did not deem his official duty fulfilled without presenting his views distinctly to his fellow-citizens; and, accordingly, in his inaugural address to the city govern- ment, in January, 1828,1 expressed, in a direct and unequivocal manner, his opinion, that the standard of public education ought to be raised to the greatest practicable height in our Common Schools; that the effect of the High School for Girls was, in his judgment, far different from that which popular opinion enter- tained ; that, instead of being for the benefit of the children of the whole community, it was, in fact, comparatively for the benefit of those of a very few, and that, too, a class who were best qualified, by intelligence, education, and wealth, to provide for the high instruction of their own children.
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