USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1877-1878 > Part 4
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A teacher may be so perfect as a disciplinarian as to secure the most studious application on the part of the pupil, simply as a matter of obedience. A class taught on this principle may pass a creditable exam-
54
ination, but if it leaves the school-room as the laborer leaves his task at close of day, with.but a sense of relief, with no desire for more knowledge, and no ca- pacity for self-improvement developed in the minds of its members, then that teacher fails to attain to the full measure of a teacher's duty.
The attendance in the several schools has varied, as usual, with the location, and also from various ac- cidental causes which are unavoidable, as sickness, etc. Several schools have been troubled by the prev- alence of some of those disorders which afflict the juvenile population. Some teachers, either by their own tact and management, or by the more efficient co-operation of the parents, show better records than others. We wish the parents would more generally co- operate with the teachers in this matter of regular and punctual attendance. In no way can they render more effectual aid. Too many manifest an indiffer- ence, positively, if not technically, criminal.
If all would consider the amount of evil that is done the child, and to the school with which it is connected, by the weak indulgence of the indolent whim which causes it to ask to stay from school, - if all would consider that time once lost can never be regained, that bad habits formed in youth are seldom reformed, there would be fewer marks of absence and tardiness on our teachers' registers, and more prompt acting and prompt paying men and women in the world.
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THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The committee have just had the pleasure of giving diplomas to the largest class that ever graduated from this school. We take this as an evidence of the grow- ing appreciation in the minds of our citizens, not only of the value of this school in a general way, but of the importance of giving their children the benefit of the full course. Too many make great exertion to effect an entrance for their children, who seem to care but little about the length of time they may continue there, or what they accomplish while within its walls. The examination by the committee in the morning was creditable to school and teachers, and the after- noon exhibition realized the expectations of the crowd of friendly witnesses.
The capability and faithfulness of the teachers of this school are unquestionable, and the appearance of the school during the occasional visits of the com- mittee has ever been satisfactory; but the fact that some of the studies, arranged for a term or year, have not been completed in the allotted time, would seem to indicate a lack of diligence and a want of appreciation on the part of several classes, of the advantages they are enjoying, which is the reverse of commendable. As much of the time of the short daily session of this school must be occupied in reci- tations, of course, in order to make good progress, much of the preparatory study must be done at home. Parents should interest themselves sufficiently to see
56
that this is faithfully performed, and by thus co-oper- ating with the teachers much more will be accom- plished.
At the examination of candidates for admission last summer, the papers presented afforded consider- able evidence of the improvement which we claim is being made in our schools. It sometimes happens that a candidate blessed with a ready memory, at- tains the requisite percentage by excellence in spell- ing, history, and geography, while in arithmetic and grammar, which seem to require more exercise of the reasoning faculties, he may be lamentably deficient. Admission under such circumstances is an unmiti- gated evil to scholar and school; and it is the opinion of the present board that at least fifty per cent should be required in those branches, whatever may be the attainments in the others.
We are glad to be able to report that more atten- tion is being paid to the art of composition and to reading and declamation, than formerly, the benefits of which we hope to see illustrated at future exhibitions by a larger proportion of original essays.
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.
The schools of this grade, three in number, have been the objects and recipients of much solicitude and a large amount of attention, on the part of your commit- tee, during the past year. Several changes of teachers have been deemed expedient, and we think that the
57
present organization of the schools is as nearly satis- factory as we may expect to attain with the means at our disposal.
The North or Union School, which, from various causes, has been, relatively speaking, losing ground for several years, is now in the care of a teacher well known and honored in our town, a veteran of thirty years' experience, who we believe is rapidly bringing it up to a position which will give occasion for its compeers to look well to their laurels. We wish more of the parents could have been present at the closing examination, for we hardly believe that their minds could have remained proof against the contagious spirit of returning life and interested attention which now pervades the school.
The presence of interested visitors, not only on ex- amination days, but at all times during the year, would be equally useful in all the other schools, and if at any point there exists a lack of animation or in- terest, nothing better can be devised for promoting a healthier condition.
While we look to the High School for the highest individual results, it is from the Grammar Schools that we expect the largest aggregate of returns for the money and labor expended by the town for schooling. Such being the case, while we cheerfully express much satisfaction with the present condition of these schools, we shall relax no attention, but ever urge teachers and scholars to the improvement of every means of progress, and to an untiring diligence
58
which will redound to the credit of all concerned, make profitable the town's expenditures, and educate a generation in whose intelligent care we may safely intrust the welfare of the future schools of Braintree.
THE MIXED OR UNGRADED SCHOOLS.
These schools have been in the care of their present teachers for several years, and from this permanency has grown an adaptation of the person to the place and of the school to the teacher, which insures har- mony, if not the greatest possible efficiency. Several of them are getting to be among the largest in town, and two have already outgrown their accommodations.
The teachers labor earnestly, and often a feverish anxiety to have their higher classes equal in attain- ments those of the Grammar Schools, is apparent. In this they often succeed.
Absentism is the especial curse of these schools; much of it is probably unavoidable, but we are con- vinced that, had we made as faithful use of the powers . the law places in our hands as we might have done, the registers would have looked better. We hope to show by our works another year that our repentance is sincere.
INTERMEDIATE AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
No changes have occurred among the teachers of these grades. All are doing very good work, though a variety of methods is pursued and different degrees
59
of success are attained. Another year's observation has further confirmed us in the opinion that the method of teaching the young to read by word, instead of by the alphabet, is an improvement, and should be adopted by those teachers having charge of such classes.
We believe that more rapid progress is made where this plan is being tried, that the style of reading is more natural, and that the disagreeable monotone, which is so difficult for teachers with the old method to break up, is less likely to be contracted.
TEXT BOOKS.
In addition to the Readers already in use in the lower grades, we decided, at the beginning of the last term, to introduce, in the new classes then being formed, the first three of the Franklin Series of Readers. This has proven of advantage to those who have used them, and also economy, pecuniarily, as, at introduction prices, the new books cost less than the others. Encouraged by our experience with these, we think it probable that we may, in the com- ing year, proceed further and introduce the fourth of the same or another series in the more advanced classes.
In putting these books into the schools, it is not intended to throw out, at once, those already in use, but by placing them in new classes in competition with the others, we can judge fairly of their merits,
€0
and, if they prove better, no new books of the old series will be purchased, and thus they will gradually wear out and disappear; while if they fail to prove satisfactory, we can fall back on the old.
This question of text-books is a vexatious one. None of them seem exactly adapted to the wants of our schools, and until our teachers become entirely eman- cipated from a servile adherence to text-book forms and verbatim recitations, the question will recur with various degrees of aggravation.
Let us illustrate our meaning, that we may not be misunderstood. A class having made some prog- ress in mental arithmetic, the teacher sets them at work on the black-board, or places examples on the board for them to do on their slates. In this way, with oral instruction, most of our young classes ac- quire a knowledge of the fundamental rules of arith- metic. Now, if this work is well done, when the written arithmetic is taken up, we don't believe it is necessary to spend months laboring over similar examples, simply because they are in the book, and in which a single mistake may cause a day's delay of a whole class; but, after a searching examination in regard to principles, and the solving of a few test problems, we would keep the class awake by moving ahead to something new.
The text-book is necessary to preserve accuracy on the part of teacher and class; but the teacher can tell, better than any author or publisher, the amount of drill each particular class may require.
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SCHOOLHOUSES AND YARDS.
The houses are generally in good repair, and prob- ably no large appropriations will be required on their account the coming year.
The cupola on the Union house, on account of some defect in the construction, admits the storms to such an extent as to seriously damage the plastering of the room immediately under it. The expenditure of fifty dollars would probably remedy the trouble.
The yards of the southeast, southwest, and west need, for the comfort of the schools and the preserva- tion of the buildings, a small expenditure for grading, say twenty-five dollars at each.
One of the owners of the land adjoining the lot of the Middle Street School enters complaint against the fence which separates the yard from his land. As the fence is much decayed and broken down, there appears to be reasonable cause for complaint. About seventy-five dollars would be necessary to rebuild it.
We recommend the appropriation of $200 for the above-named purposes.
N. L. WHITE, NOAH TORREY, S. W. HOLLIS, School FISKE BARRETT, J. M. CUTTING, G. H. ARNOLD,
Committee.
Graduates of the High School, of the Class of 1878.
LIZZIE W. ARNOLD,
MARY E. BRADFORD,
NETTIE L. BURT,
MINNIE C. DANA,
SARAH S. DOCKENDORFF,
HELEN M. FARRAR,
FANNIE A. FINNEGAN,
ELLA FRENCH,
GEORGE A. HOBART,
LAURA C. HOLLIS,
MARION B. POTTER,
HELEN M. PRATT,
W. AUSTIN TORREY,
GEORGE M. WOODMAN,
ADELA FRENCH.
No. of Scholars.
Average Attendance
No. over 15 Years.
No. under Length of 5 Years. Terms.
Wages per Month.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
Summer.
Winter.
High . .
Martha Reed.
52
54
44
43
4
1
0
0
5
5
42
42
Pond Grammar .
66
Intermediate
Elizabeth M. Thompson . .
44
41
373
323
0
0
0
0
5
5
32
32
54
49
37
343
0
0
0
0
5
5
32
32
66 Primary . .
Rachel A. Faxon
37
50
32
42
5
3
0
0
5
5
42
42
Union Grammar. .
S. Lizzie Burnham.
41
33
33
28
0
0
0
0
5
5
32
32
60
48
48}
41
0
0
0
0
5
5
32
32
66
Primary .
42
37
35
30
0
0
0
0
5
5
42
42
Iron Works Grammar
40
36
37
34
0
0
0
0
5
5
32
32
66
66
Intermediate ...
.
.
Victoria P. Wild .
49
48
40
39
2
1
1
0
5
5
42
42
East
Lottie E. Allen .
48
47
34
35
0
0
0
0
5
5
32
32
Middle
A. M. T. Cushing
17
18
14
11
0
0
2
1
5
5
32
32
Southeast
Margaretta E. C. Bannon ..
35
34
24
26
2
2
2
1
5
5
32
32
South .
Helen A. Williams .
19
20
14
17
0
0
1
5
5
32
32
Southwest .
19
20
12
15
3
2
0
3
5
5
32
32
West. .
Avis A. Thayer ...
52
59
50
543
35
37
0
0
5
5
[$140
$140
Charles E. Stetson
..?
2
45
45
Mary Fennessy
S. M. Graham.
Joanna W. Penniman
Alice M. Mason. ..
68
58
54
52
0
0
1
0
5
5
32
32
66
Primary .
TEACHERS.
SCHOOLS.
Mos.
Mos.
63
S. Ella Torrey . . .
Intermediate.
Inez M. Rogers
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