USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1865-1869 > Part 3
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To secure regularity of attendance throughout the schools is always extremely difficult. There are many reasons for this irregularity which seem satisfactory to parents, but I fear that many deceive themselves as to the necessity of keeping their children from school; and it is very probable they do not fully appreciate the value to the young scholar of being present at every recitation of his class. Most of our teachers have as much as they can do in performing the regular daily duties of
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their schools, so that it is impossible for them to give any individual attention to those scholars who have been absent, and, consequently, have lost the instruction which has been given to the rest of the class some time before. The conse- quence is, that these scholars, if not very apt to learn, must fall back into the classes below, where they may find work suitable to their capacity ; but all know how discouraging to scholars and displeasing to parents this process is. During the last few years, the demand for the labor of children has increased very much in our town ; and this tells very seriously against regularity of attendance. It is not surprising that some who find it difficult to supply the daily wants of their families should take their children from school, when an opportunity occurs of getting half a dollar or a dollar a day for the labor of a boy of twelve or fourteen years of age ; but it is very evident that in many cases the necessity of putting boys to work is ·much overrated. It is no unusual thing to see scholars taken from the primary school, to drive a cart, when there is a great demand for labor ; and I observe, that in almost all such cases, the boys lose their interest in school, and learning is out of the question. In the manufactories of the town a small number of young boys have been employed, not, perhaps, contrary to the letter of the law, but certainly contrary to the best interests of the children. When the statute required the attendance in some school of all children between the ages of five and fifteen years, there were very few who could not show that they had complied with the law, but the legal requirement was only twelve weeks of attendance in a year, and that not consecutive, a term so brief that little or nothing could be accomplished. The new statute will be more effective. Instead of twelve, it requires twenty-four weeks.
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The means employed by teachers in enforcing discipline in their schools is always a subject of great interest to the com- munity ; and, at the present time, seems to occupy an unusual prominence in the discussions of questions pertaining to education. It is doubtless the desire of all right-minded persons that children should be controlled, at home and at school, by none but moral means; and the unmistakable tendency of public opinion at the present time is towards the law of using moral means in producing a moral effect in a human being. This being the ideal standard of excellence in discipline, it becomes the duty of all concerned in the manage- ment of a school, to strive to reach this point of excellence. I think I observe an effort on the part of all our teachers to reduce the amount of corporal punishment as much as possible ; and some have succeeded in controlling their schools for years without inflicting physical pain as a corrective of moral delin- quency. It must be confessed, however, that the number of those who are able to exert a moral influence sufficiently powerful to keep a school of fifty scholars in that state of discipline which successful teaching requires is very small. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary that the teacher should believe fully in the means he proposes to employ, and that he should know every passage to the human heart. If to these qualifications be added a moral character in all respects sound, we have a teacher whose mere presence in a school is a power. But until such men are less rare than they are at the present time, it would hardly do to require all teachers to dispense with corporal punishment, and rely on the power of speech alone for the accomplishment of those results in discipline which they have been accustomed to bring about by the rod.
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This, with other barbarisms of the school-room, is rapidly passing away, but a little more time must be allowed for its entire disappearance.
In reviewing the work of the past year, I think the progress made is quite considerable. We continue to employ nearly the same teachers as in former years. A few changes have occurred ; some inexperienced teachers have been employed, most of whom are doing well. All of these young teachers are taken from the graduates of our own schools ; and, indeed, no others have been employed for some years.
In addition to the $12,000 recommended by the Selectmen for the support of Public Schools, $800 will be required for making necessary repairs. As the salaries of some of the teachers will have to be increased, it will be impossible to carry on the schools the usual length of time, if the cost of these repairs should be met out of the general appropriation.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES BURTON.
PLYMOUTH, March 8, 1867.
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HIGH SCHOOL.
QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.
Arithmetical Problems.
1. A boy having been sent to the store with 5} doz. of eggs, was directed to purchase with them equal quantities of sugar, coffee, butter and tea ; he disposed of his eggs at the rate of 2 for 5 cents, and paid for the articles purchased 17, 28, 372 and 372 cents per pound respectively. What amount of each did he purchase ?
2. If the population of the world be as follows, viz .: Asia, 630,700,000 ; Europe, 265,494,300 ; Africa, 61,700,000; Amer- ica, 57,600,000 ; Oceanica, 23,400,000 ; and the average length of life be 33-3 years, what is the number of deaths each day ?
3. Three men cut 151 cords of wood in 22 days, for which they received $11.621. What were the average daily wages of each man ?
4. What must I pay for U. S. 6 per cents. that the investment may yield 8 per cent. ?
5. A grocer bought 60 gallons of milk by beer measure at 4 cents a quart, and sold it by wine measure at 5 cents a quart. How much was his gain ?
6. Sold 2978 bushels of wheat at $2.00 per bushel ; invested the proceeds in sugar as per order, reserving my commission of 5 per cent. for selling and 1} per cent. for buying, and the expense of shipping $53.37. How much did I invest in sugar ?
7. A man, engaged in business with a capital of $25,000, is making 101 per cent. per annum on his capital; but on account of failing health, he was obliged to quit business, and loan his money at 7 per cent. How much does he lose in 2 yrs. 7 mos. 20 ds. ?
8. A and B can do a work in 1010 days; B and C in 13} days ; and A and C in 12 days. In what time would each do the work alone ? and how long would it take them, working all to- gether, to do it ?
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9. Invested $3432 in Government bonds at 106 per cent. pay- ing 12 per cent. brokerage, and afterwards sold the stock at 12 per cent. premium, brokerage 12 per cent. What was my gain ? 10. How much gold at 685 per cent. premium can be bought for $5396 currency ?
Average, 71 per cent.
Algebra.
1. A man had six sons, to whom he gave 120 dollars, giving to each one 4 dollars more than to his next younger brother ; how many dollars did he give to the youngest ?
2. A person said that he was in debt to four individuals, A, B, C, and D, to the amount of a dollars ; and that he was indebted to B n times as many dollars as to A ; and to C m times as many dollars as to A, and to D p times as many dollars as to A. What is his debt to A ?
3. A can do a piece of work in 12 days, and B can do the same in 24 days; how many days will be required, if they both work together ?
4. A person engaged to work a days on these conditions : for each day he worked he was to receive b cents, and for each day he was idle he was to forfeit c cents. At the end of a days he received d cents ; how many days was he idle ?
5. Given $ 12.x + 14y =26.2 3x - y= 2.3
Find the values of x and y.
6. Given 5 cx + my = 2a. 2 2 cx - my = 26. 5
Find the values of x and y.
7. A gentleman paid for 6 pairs of boots, and 4 pairs of shoes, $44; and afterward, for three pairs of boots, and 7 pairs of shoes, $32; what was the price of each per pair ?
8. Required, the values of the unknown quantities in the fol- lowing equations :
x+y+z=26. x -y = 4. = 6.
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9. A farmer has sheep in three pastures. The number in the first pasture, added to half the number in the second and third, will make 70. The number in the second pasture, added to one- third of the number in the first and third, will make 60. And the number in the pasture added to one-fifth of the number in the other two, will make 58. How many sheep in each pasture ?
10. A number is expressed by three figures ; the sum of these figures is nine ; the figures in the place of units is double that in the place of hundreds, and when 198 is added to this number, the sum obtained is expressed by the figures of this number reversed ; what is the number ?
Average, 79 per cent.
Geometry.
Book II, Prop. v.
« III, xi.
xviii.
IV, xiii.
xvii.
xxii.
V,
XXV.
66
66
XXXV.
VI,
V.
66
66
viii.
Average, 92 per cent.
Physiology.
1. What elements is the blood found to possess by chemical analysis ?
2. What is the frequency of the heart's contractions during the first year ? the seventh ? in middle life ? in old age ?
3. How is animal heat produced ?
4. What changes are tissues constantly undergoing ?
5. What are the principal layers of skin ?
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6. Of how many portions does the brain consist, and what are they called ?
7. Describe the structure of the ear. .
8. Describe the structure of the eye.
9. What proportions of the bones is animal matter in children ? in adults 2 in old age?
10. Of what is each muscle made up ?
Average, 71 per cent.
Mental Philosophy.
1. What is Mental Philosophy ?
2. What is consciousness ?
3. What is attention ?
4. Analyze the perceptive process.
5. State the difference of opinion as to the credibility of our sensations and perceptions.
6. What is the office of imagination ?
7. What is the intuition faculty ?
8. Is the idea of right natural or acquired ?
9. What is sleep ?
10. State what you know about dreams.
Average, 87 per cent.
Natural Philosophy.
1. Define gravitation.
2. How great a power will be required to balance a weight of 40 pounds (friction included), on an inclined plane, whose length is 8 times its height ?
3. What is specific gravity ?
4. What are some of the properties of air ?
5. Describe the lifting pump.
6. Explain the two theories in reference to the nature of light.
7. What is sound ?
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8. On what does the loudness of a musical sound depend ? on what its pitch ?
9. What are the principal parts of a steam engine ?
10. What are the principal sources of electricity ?
Average, 81 per cent.
Physical Geography.
1. Name the most important diversities in the surface of the land affecting climate.
2. Describe the vegetation of tropical countries.
3. What are the principal food-plants of the torrid and hot zones ?
4. State what you know about the principal narcotics.
5. Name the different animals of the cat tribe found wild in America, Europe, Asia, Africa.
6. Where is the horse found wild ?
7. What are the principal physical differences observable among mankind ?
8. State the extent of the Mississippi valley.
9. State some of the uses of rivers, and their effect upon the prosperity of a country.
10. Describe the Missouri river.
Average, 84 per cent.
Chemistry.
1. What is solution ?
2. What is analysis ? synthesis ?
3. What is phosphorescence ?
4. What are the chemical properties of oxygen ?
5. What are the general properties of water ?
6. Describe the process of making illuminating gas.
7. What are the properties of sulphurous acid ?
8. Describe the process of smelting ores.
9. Explain the chemistry of bread baking.
10. In what does dyeing consist ? Average, 82 per cent.
2
PLYMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Rhetoric.
1. Punctuate the following :
Prominent among the philosophers of antiquity is Socrates Socrates who looked beyond the absurd fables of his country's mythology Socrates who lifted his voice in behalf of truth and died a martyr in its cause Socrates who advanced as far in moral enlightenment as it was possible for the human intellect to do un- aided by a revelation from on high.
2. Correct the grammatical errors in the following sentences :
Perfect submission to the rules of the school are required. The column of murders, robberies, fires, and accidents, are more attractive to many readers than any other department of a news- paper. Glad tidings of great joy is brought to the poor. He writes and can read. By laying abed late in the morning, you lose the tenth part of your life. Few men have friends, who, under all circumstances, they can trust.
3. Show the difference between taste and genius.
4. Name the senses which contribute most to the pleasures of imagination.
5. Describe the emotion produced by sublimity.
6. On what does the beauty of the human countenance depend ?
7. How is the emotion which beauty produces distinguished from that of sublimity ?
8. What is style, and how is the term derived ?
9. What is harmony, as applied to style ?
10. Give, in detail, the method of acquiring a good style. Average, 100 per cent.
English Literature.
Milton.
1. Where and when was Milton born ?
2. Give some account of his learning and development of poet- ical genius in early life.
3. State what you know of his married life.
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4. Which side did he take in the political troubles of his coun- try ?
5. State, as briefly as you can, the purpose of the first book of Paradise Lost.
6. Transpose into good prose, Book I, 271-282.
7. Scan the first two lines of the above, and parse the second two.
8. Mention the prose writings of Milton.
9. What is the rank of Milton as a poet ?
10. How does Milton's Satan differ from the common conception. of that spirit ?
Average, 98 per cent.
General History.
1st Class.
1. State the cause of the thirty years' war.
2. Delineate the character of James I. of England.
3. Who was Charles II., and under what circumstances did he ascend the English throne ?
4. Give the character of Louis XIV.
5. State the circumstances of the expulsion of the Moors from Spain.
6. For what was the Duke of Marlborough distinguished ?
8. State the principal events in the life of Charles XII. of Sweden.
8. Give an account of Peter the Great of Russia.
9. Describe the siege of Gibraltar by the French and Spaniards.
10. State the principal events in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Average, 85 per cent.
General History.
2d Class.
1. What do you mean by the " Middle Ages."" ?.
2. State what you know of Theodoric.
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3. What was the state of society at the beginning of the tenth «century ?
4. Who were the Guelphs and Ghibellines ?
5. State what you know of the origin of chivalry.
6. Who was Saladin ?
7. State what you know of Charles V.
8. Give an account of the death of Darnley.
9. State what you know of Cromwell.
10. Give an account of the siege of Vienna by the Turks. Average, 64 per cent.
1st French.
1. Translate "Poudre Aux Yeux," Act I, Scene VI, from "Il est inutile " to "Quelle folie."
2. Give principal parts of "veux," "obeis," and "souviens."
3. Write in French, " I have enabled him to study medicine if hè wishes to do so."
4. Translate the same play, Act II, Scene x, as far as "Du faux."
5. When sizes are compared, what preposition precedes the word expressing excess ?
Ex. " You are taller than I by two feet."
6. Translate from "Bataille De Dames," Act I, Scene XII, para- graph beginning "Non pas de me saurer."
7. What distinction must be made in rendering the English "will " into French ?
Ex. "He will take his son to church."
" Will you give me that book ?"
8. When there are in a French sentence two regimens, which shall precede ?
Ex. " Have you given the child the pencils ?"
" Have you given the child the pencils which you promised him ?"
9. What is the rule for the number of the verb following the demonstrative pronoun " ce', ?
Ex. " It is I, it is he, it is they."
" It is they who speak."
" It is they whom we seek."
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10. What are equivalent to the English pronouns " he who," " she who," " they who " - " he whom," " she whom," " they whom " ?
Average, 86 per cent.
2d French.
1. Translate "Telemaque," Book II, the paragraph commencing; "Heureux, disait."
2. Give principal parts of vit, font, craindre.
3. Translate Book V, p. 91, "Quand mon range," &c.
4. Write in full the tenses of peut, 4th line, in the indicative' mode.
5. What are the conditions of the use of the past definite - tense ?
Ex. I was going hunting yesterday morning when you. met me.
6. With what auxiliary are reflective verbs conjugated ? Ex. I have made a mistake in my exercise.
7. Translate " When you see that gentleman, will you speak to. him ? "
8. What is the rule for the position of the pronouns in connec- tion with the imperative ?
9. Give in French " I have a head-ache, but that does not con --- cern you."
10. Write " It is vain for you to speak, he will not come."
Average, 69 per cent.
3d French.
1. Translate "Vie De Washington," p. 47, "La surprise," &c.
2. Write a synopsis of avoir, third person, singular number.
3. Give in French " Who intends to go to school this morn- ing ?" " Nobody intends to go there."
4. What is the rule for the position of the adverb in French ?
5. Translate first prragraph p. 103, "La situation de Washing- ton," &c.
6. Give the principal parts of purent, recut, cunvrait and mourir.
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7. What are the compound tenses of the verb and how formed ?
8. Give the rules for the agreement of the past participle.
9. Render into French " Have you bought the fine engravings which you saw at the book-sellers ?" " I have not seen them."
10. Translate "Our daughter arrived this morning, but our brothers are not yet come."
Average, 90 per cent. 4th French.
1. What is the rule for the material of which an object is com- posed ?
Ex. A brick house.
2. When is a noun used in the partitive sense and what must then precede the noun in French ?
Ex. Have you paper and ink ?
3. Where do you place the name of the possessor in a French sentence ?
Ex. The lady's hat.
4. Write the present tense of "avoir " and "etre " affirmatively and interrogatively.
5. In the interrogative sentence what is the place of the sub- ject, if a noun ?
Ex. Has the lady a horse ?
6. Into how many conjugations are verbs divided, and how are they distinguished ?
7. Give all the forms of the French adjective for beautiful, and tell where each is used.
Ex. A beautiful dress, tree, garden.
8. In conversation the French use what before the first person of a verb when asking a question ?
Ex. Am I looking for my book ?
9. If two pronouns are used as objects of the same verb, how are they arranged ?
10. Write in French " To whom are you giving the pencil ?" " I am giving it to you. I am not giving it to him."
Average, 87 per cent.
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Latin Reader.
1. Translate the first sentence under Apposition.
2. Parse homines, giving the rule.
3. Translate the second sentence under Accusative after Prep- ositions.
4. Parse Romanos, giving the rule.
5. Give the principal parts of cremabantur.
6. Translate the second sentence under Ablative after Preposi- .tions.
7. Parse urbes and Romanis.
8. Give the mood, tense and principal parts of eversue sunt.
9. Give the rule for verbs signifying to abound.
10. Give the rule for utor, &c.
Virgil.
1. Translate Book I, 159- 165.
2. Parse locus and objectu, and give the rules.
3. Scan the 161st line.
4. Translate Book I, 208-215.
5. Voce, vultu and corde, and give the rules.
6. Give the principal parts of refert, disipiunt and accingunt.
7. Translate Book I, 530 - 535.
8. Parse terra, armis and ubere, and give the rules.
9. Translate Book II, 195-199.
10. Parse insidiis, arte, quos, and give the rules.
Average, 88 per cent.
Cæsar.
1. Translate Book I, cap. 11, from 10th to 15th line.
2. Parse Cupiditate in 12th line, and give rule.
. 3. Give the principal parts of persuasit, exirent and praestarent.
4. Translate Book 1, cap. 36, first four lines.
5. Parse jus, iis and victis. and give the rules.
6. Translate Book I, cap. 25, first four lines.
7. Parse spem, equis, giving the rules.
8. Give the principal parts of tolleret, commiset and perfregerunt.
9. Translate Book I, cap. 31, last three lines.
10. Parse Rhenum, Cæsarem and auctoritate.
Average, 91 per cent.
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Greek. 1st Class. Xenophon.
1. Translate Book I, C. 11, 10-14.
2. Give the principal parts of exelaunei, emeinen and opheileto.
3. Parse emeras, treis, menon and basileos.
4. Decline chremata, stathmous, and parasaggas.
5. Translate Book 1, C. v, 7-9.
6. Parse strathmon, ous and udor.
7. Give the principal parts of sunexbibazein, etaxe, sunepis- peusai and etuchen.
8. Parse tis, stratou and eutaxias.
9. Decline chitonas, amaxas and anaxuridas.
10. Give inflection phileo, in the present tense of all the moods, passive voice, uncontracted and contracted forms.
Average, 80 per cent. Greek.
2d Class.
1. Decline Kuros.
2. Give the present tense of lego in all the moods.
3. Translate En te ge archousi Lake damonioi Kai enite tha- latte ton nun chronon.
4. Translate into Greek "They march through Phrygia, a friendly country."
5. Decline philios in the singular number.
6. Decline stratistes.
7. Give the principal parts of erchomai.
8. What is augment ? Inflect cimi in the present and imperfect # indicative.
9. Decline the article.
10. Translate " Tessaphernes diaballei ton Kuron pros ton adelphon, os epiboulenoi anto.
Average, 92 per cent.
Spelling.
Synecdoche, Chirurgeon, Synonymous, Victualler, Reminiscence, Esthetics, Archaeology, Witticism, Polytechnic, Indubitable.
Average, 87 per cent.
25 GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.
QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.
Arithmetic.
1. What is the interest of $35.40 for 2 yr. 6 m. 9 d. ?
2. What is the discount on $456.25, due in 9 m. 12 d. ?
3. I buy a house for $8000, and get it insured for § of its value at 3 of 1 per cent. ; the house being burned, what is my loss ? What is the loss of the insurers ?
4. How many shares of the Exchange Bank Stock, at 25 per cent. premium, can be bought for $1000 ?
5. Bought 50 lb. of wool for $20 and sold it at 34c. per lb .; did I gain or lose ? What per cent. ?
6. What per cent. do I gain if I buy boots at $3 per pair and sell them at 3.372 ?
7. If 15 bush. of wheat make 3 bbls. of flour, how many bush- els of wheat will be required to make 7 bbls. of flour ?
8. If a man travel 280 miles in 7 days, travelling 10 hours each day, how many miles will he go in 12 days, travelling at the same rate, only 9 hours each day ?
9. A general has 9801 men; if he places them in a square, how many will there be in rank and file ?
10. How many gallons of wine at 6, 10, 15, and 20s per gal. may be taken to form a mixture of 95 gals., worth 12s per gal. ?
Algebra.
1. A farmer being asked how many cows and sheep he had, replied, " Two-fifths of my cows and two-thirds of my sheep would be ten ; but one-third of my sheep and the whole of my cows would be thirteen." How many had he of each ?
2. Two boys bought a dog for six dollars. John says " I will give one-half of my money, and you can give one-third of yours, and that will just pay for him, but I shall own the greater part of him." "No," says Henry, " I will give two-thirds of my money, and you shall give only one-fourth of yours, that will pay for
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him, and I shall own more than you." How much money had
each ?
3. To what is the expression 16a2 equal ?
4. One number is two-thirds of another, and their product is three times the less. What are the numbers ?
5. If one-fourth of a number be added to the square of the number, the sum will be three-fourths. What is the number ?
6. If from some number four be subtracted, and then one-half of the remainder be multiplied by itself, the product will be only
one. What is the number ?
7. If from four times the square of a fraction, one-half of the fraction be subtracted, the remainder will be &. What is the fraction ?
8. Two men started, at 6 o'clock in the morning, one from Philadelphia, and the other from New York, 90 miles apart, to meet each other. A travelled 4, and B 5 miles an hour. At what time did they meet ?
9. If from the cube of some number the square be subtracted, the remainder will be 6 times the number. What is the number?
IO. Two numbers are to each other as 4 to 7. If the less be subtracted from the greater, the remainder will be 6. What are the numbers ?
Physical Geography.
1. What are the lowlands in the north-western part of the Great Central Plain of N. America called ?
2. What name is given to the broad highlands stretching from the Gulf of California to the Arctic Ocean ?
3. What immense mountain system traverses the entire western portion of North America ?
4. What is the chief river system of N. America ?
5. What are the principal productions of the West Indies ?
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