USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Town annual report of Quincy 1850-1864 > Part 3
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EAST DISTRICT.
TEACHER,
ALONZO ABBOT.
Summer.
Winter.
Whole number of scholars,
27
35
Average attendance, . .
.
18.3
21
Number under 5 years of age,
·
0
0
over 15
0
9
This is unavoidably a small school, and the different ages of the children render classification, to any degree sufficient to excite emulation, impossi- ble. The exercises were, however, respectable. The instructor has labored faithfully, the scholars appear docile, and the results of the year may be pronounced favorable. The best were in the department of geography, which is an exception to the common rule. The parents appear disposed to co-operate with the teacher, to which cause may be attributed, in part, the good discipline maintained there.
NORTH DISTRICT.
TEACHER,-From March to October, R. VOSE, JR. From October to January, . L. LEAVITT.
From January to March, ·
B. E. HOLLIS.
MISS MOTT, a Female Assistant, was also engaged during fourteen weeks of the summer.
Whole number of scholars, .
62 59
Average attendance, ·
·
·
50
41
Number over 15 years of age,
.
0 6
9
The condition of this school cannot be favorably spoken of. In the early part of the year, and quite down to the end of the summer term, the probability of improvement seemed fair, although, even then, the discipline was not such as the Committee are accustomed to find in the best of our schools. But, with the departure of Mr. Vose and of his Assistant, a de- cided change happened for the worse. A young and inexperienced teacher succeeded, who proved unequal to the task he had undertaken. A spirit of insubordination was roused, which for the time put an end to all hope of progress. Latterly, things have, however, been mending. It is believed that the present instructor will soon re-establish at least the cus- tomary degree of order, and a better system of teaching may yet grow out of the present misfortune. One great drawback to the success of instruc- tion here, grows out of the imperfect attendance. Many of the children live at such a distance from the school, as to make punctuality, especially in the winter season, scarcely practicable. Another obstacle is to be found in the want of co-operation on the part of at least a portion of the parents and friends. Without an active sympathy on their side, no school can greatly thrive. As this District now promises to become more populous, by immigration from other places, it is highly to be desired that a grade of instruction should be established which should further recommend it to the attention of strangers seeking a residence within its limits.
HIGH SCHOOL.
The increase of the population of the town to a number exceeding 4,000 souls, sometime ago placed it in that class from which the Statute of the Commonwealth requires a higher grade of instruction than that furnished in the Grammar Schools. At the commencement of their year of service, the Committee found themselves charged with the duty of organizing a new school to meet this requirement, in the spacious and convenient edifice that had been erected for the purpose. They set about the work immedi- ttely after the first visitations of the year. Similar schools established in other towns were visited, and information solicited from experienced teach- 'rs both in and out of the city of Boston. The whole amount appropriated 'or this object by the town being only $800, from which some deduction or incidental expenses was unavoidable, it became doubtful whether a ; ualified instructor could be obtained for the remainder. This difficulty was finally obviated by allowing to the person selected the amount which was left at the disposal of the Committee, as a compensation for his ser- vices during that portion of their year which might remain after the date
10
of the organization of the school. The preliminary steps required so much time that the school was not opened until the 12th of May, 1852. It was deemed most prudent not to undertake the experiment with a greater num- ber of scholars than could be thoroughly instructed by one person, and not to reduce the standard of qualification for admission so low as to impose a necessity of much classification. Accordingly the number was limited to , fifty, and their admission was made to depend upon an examination of their proficiency in the studies of the Grammar Schools. A series of eighty questions, twenty in Arithmetic, twenty in Geography, twenty in Grammar, and twenty in Spelling, was prepared and printed ; and this series, of which no scholar had any opportunity to be apprized beforehand, was submitted to each applicant at the same time, to be answered in writing in the presence of the Committee, and without leaving the room. Each copy of the ques- tions was numbered, but the Committee were not informed to which of the scholars the numbers of the answers respectively belonged, until after they had all been examined and decided upon, and the successful numbers were announced in the presence of all the candidates. These precautions were adopted in order to secure a rigid and infallible impartiality between them, and it is believed they were in this respect entirely successful.
At the day of examination, seventy-three candidates presented them- selves. Fifty-one, being those who had returned the most correct answers, were admitted. One of this number, and the person who answered the most perfectly, did not come in to claim her place. The amount of correct answers varied from 79 in 80, which was the best, down to 563 in 80, which was the lowest that secured admission. Thus it was that the school was organized.
HIGH SCHOOL.
TEACHER,
A. WELLINGTON.
First Term. Second Term. Third Term.
Whole number of scholars, . 50 48 .
47
Average attendance-per cent., · .984
.963 .97
The branches of instruction attended to during the year, have been the most difficult parts of Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and the higher Mathematics, Geography, History, a careful review of the Grammar School studies, embracing the analysis of language and the practice of written composition, as required exercises. It was not deemed best absolutely to require the study of languages, either ancient or modern; but in cases where the parents or friends expressed a wish that it should be pursued, authority to do so was given. Large classes, both in Latin and French, were the consequence. One scholar has advanced into Greek and Spanish, and he is also a proficient in the higher mathematics. The teacher Mr.
11
Wellington, has labored assiduously and successfully in his vocation. The public exhibition which has just taken place, and all the private examina- tions on the part of the Committee through the year, have convinced them of the value of this new addition to the public institutions of the town. Indeed, how can it be otherwise, when we observe the average of attend- ance, the singularly high scale of the deportment, and the earnest interest manifested by the parents ?
Yet it ought to be kept in mind that thus far the High School has been conducted rather as an experiment than as productive of results. It is de- signed to show what it may be made, if the citizens feel so inclined, rather than what it is. A large share of the time during the past year has been passed in correcting, as far as possible, many deficiencies in the Grammar School studies. This is found necessary in Boston, even though the requisites to admission there from the lower schools have been so long known. But should the town approve of the plan still further to open the system of in- struction to their children, it will be perfectly easy to enlarge the number of scholars and to multiply the avenues to useful knowledge. An ac- quaintance with the theory and practice of the government of the United States and of the several States, as well as those of other nations, natural and moral philosophy, rhetoric and elocution, belles letters, historical biog- raphy, ethnography, and even astronomy, the highest of all the sciences, may be added to the objects of pursuit, in proportion as a sense of the want of such knowledge may arise among us. The main point is to secure this basis for such future development, whenever it may be desired. It may be done at no great present cost. But a reasonable appropriation of money, in order to command the services of competent teachers, is indis- pensable to attain the end. In these days of honorable emulation among towns, a good instructor commands a good compensation. Any other than a good instructor is dear at the lowest price ; a town is better off to be without him.
2
-
12
RECAPITULATION.
Whole number of schools,
Summer.
Winter.
Teachers,
19
17
Scholars,
1,210
1,150
Average attendance,
858
830
Number over 15 years of age,
13
50
Number under 5 "
59
18
[These calculations can only be considered as an approximation to the truth.]
Whole number of children between the ages of 5 and 15, on the first day of May last,
1,109
Amount of money raised by the town, for the support of schools,
$5,800 00
Amount per scholar,
.
5 23
Amount received from the State, .
.
250 00
Income of the Coddington Fund, .
·
. 75 00
[As the money was distributed by a vote of the town, the Committee have had no care of that kind during the year.]
16
·
·
REMARKS.
THE indirect benefits resulting from the establishment of the High School, are deserving of particular notice in this Report. Independ- ently of the new motives to exertion presented to both instructors and scholars in the Grammar Schools, another advantage is gained in the opportunity furnished to the Committee by the examination of pupils for admission, to notice the deficiencies in the lower schools. This was immediately perceived, and the action of the present Committee very much regulated by it. Earnestly desirous to give to their efforts to raise the standard of instruction a true di- rection, they sought, in the defective answers of the scholars, for the objects to which to apply themselves.
The design of the Grammar School contemplated by the present legislation of the Commonwealth, is to supply elementary knowl- edge only. In this term is embraced, Ist. The mastery of com- mon Arithmetic, including a perfect familiarity with calculations of money, and the tables of weights and measurements, with the appli- cations to which they may be put in common life. 2d. An accu- rate use of the English Language, both for writing, reading and speaking correctly. 3d. Chirography or hand writing. 4th. A. familiarity with the character, divisions and products, of the earth's surface, known as Geography. The objects being thus limited, the greater or less degree of thoroughness with which they are attained is the only point for the consideration of the Committee. It is obvious, that between a very rude and superficial acquaintance with these things, and a perfect mastery of them, both in the cause and the ef- fect, there can be almost an infinite variety of proficiency. In Quincy, and as the committee presume in most other towns, there is a difference, not only between the schools, but also between the degrees of attainment in the respective branches in the same school. As a general rule, Arithmetic is better taught and more thoroughly learned than anything else. The reason is plain. Belonging to an exact science, the teacher's task is simple, and the results arrived at by the scholar are clearly defined. There is no
14
vagueness in the mind and no latitude for error. In regard to the other pursuits, the degree of proficiency may be arranged in the following order. 1st. Handwriting. 2d. Geography. 3d. Read- ing. 4th. Spelling. 5th. Grammar. And inasmuch as a correct knowledge of Grammar is the only sure foundation for accurate Reading and Spelling, it follows that the efforts of the Committee should be turned to the advancement of that particular branch of instruction, in order to improve the rest.
To arrive at this, the Committee have, first of all, labored to establish some uniformity of text-books, and through them, of the mode of teaching. In this they have done no more than follow up the policy recommended by their predecessors. They have not sought to change the books already adopted, even though they might think some of them by no means the best of their kind. Fre- quent changes are both inconvenient and expensive, and the degree of advantage derived from them is seldom a compensation. In one instance only have they recommended a new book as a substitute, ultimately, for the present one. It was very apparent to them that the English Grammars already adopted, however good they might be in certain cases, were ill adapted to meet the difficulties of begin- ners. The consequence had been that this science, the most of all calculated to give accuracy and precision to the thoughts of a people as well as to refine their language, was either not studied at all, or if studied, it was done through other text-books than those directed by the Committee. In each school was a different book, and a dif- ferent mode of teaching ; a result forced upon the teacher by the practical difficulties of the established book. In order to remove this difficulty, the Committee determined to adopt a small, rudiment- al and cheap work, lately published by Dr. Bullions, of New York, which has been received with general favor in Boston and elsewhere, as meeting the peculiar wants of young beginners. This little book, fortified by the skill and patience of good teachers, is believed to be all that will be necessary to be taught of the principles of Grammar to scholars under twelve years of age. But it should not only be taught, but thoroughly mastered by that time, not only by the direct but the suggestive method. It should be taught as the Latin Gram- mar is taught in the best schools, until every part of it is equally familiar to the pupil's mind. Thoroughness is the great deficiency of the times. The reason of this is that it takes a great deal of
15
time, and the results arrived at appear to be quite small, though they are not so in fact. The very natural desire of both teacher and scholar to get out of simple rudiments, is an obstacle to true progress. No edifice can ever be firm and steady, the foundations of which are constantly liable to crumble at every touch. So no reading, or writing, or speaking, can ever be made correct or clear which does not spring from a thorough acquaintance with the nature and meaning and uses of words. The same may be said of Arith- metic and Geography, and indeed of all intellectual acquirements. Many candidates for the High School failed in enumeration, when they might by chance have succeeded if asked a tolerably hard question from the very last lesson learned at school. The true aim would then seem to be to go backwards a little rather than forward, and look at the beginnings of all teaching. We should cut off all attempts of the Grammar Schools to stretch forth into higher branch- es than those which are provided to be taught there, branches which are to be studied in the High School, and direct the efforts of the teachers to the perfecting the foundations of those which properly belong to them. In this connection the Committee cannot be too urgent in recommending increased attention to the Primary Schools. The seed of all good reading, spelling and ciphering, is laid there. Errors once indulged, or bad habits once contracted there, are cor- rected with great labor and difficulty afterwards. One school like the model school in the South District, is a great economy of time and money through all the subsequent stages of instruction.
Something also remains to be done in the way of improving the reading. The general defects are too great rapidity, inattention to pauses, and imperfect articulation of the connecting words. More attention is paid to the forms than the meaning. To be sure, chil- dren cannot be expected fully to master the sense of books written for the minds of men ; of their own motion, they certainly cannot, but they can do it, if the sense be once pointed out distinctly to them, much more than is generally supposed. Whilst the Committee would make every allowance necessary, they must, nevertheless, insist that something should be done to counteract an opposite evil growing out of the habit of reading without attempting to follow the meaning. Children should be encouraged to read with animation and spirit, even though they may sometimes run to a little excess.
16
That excess may afterwards be pruned away ; whereas the defects of monotony and dullness once fixed, will always remain, and grow worse with time and negligence. The Committee have labored much in this department, and they trust not without a little gain. It is proper to add that they have found the teachers earnest and active in co-operating with them in the right direction. If the scholars do not make great advances, the fault will lie entirely with themselves or with their parents.
Before closing this Report, it seems to be the duty of the Com- mittee to call the attention of the town to the condition of the Centre School. The increasing prosperity of the community brings its burdens with it, and among these is the crowding of the old school- rooms. This difficulty has been already experienced in the South District to a high degree. But a remedy has been found in the subdivision of the Primary School, and the establishment of one portion in a commodious room in the new High School building, which happens to be within the limits of that District. No such relief has been found practicable in the Centre.
The Primary School had last season 123 scholars, according to the register, and the room provided for them is ill-adapted to ac- commodate half the number. A condition of things so dangerous to the physical well being of young children, and so subversive of all efforts at discipline or instruction, called for immediate atten- tion. But there being no money provided to hire another room and secure a second teacher, the alternative was to obtain something in the way of private subscription to attain the object. With the aid of this money, and of the offer made by the Selectmen of the use of a room in the Town Hall, a temporary school was estab- lished during the summer, when the attendance is the largest. But the evil is not temporary. It must recur again in the spring. In- deed it has been felt to a degree all the winter. The Grammar School likewise had 130 names on the register during the summer, and 120 during the winter, and the actual attendance was about 100, fully testing the capacity of the room it occupies.
Without recommending any one of the modes which have sug- gested themselves, to particular favor, the Committee beg leave to state them all for the consideration of the town.
1. The enlargement of the present school building, by extend-
17
ing it twenty or thirty feet in the rear. This may be done at a moderate expense, and it will furnish the requisite space both above and below.
2. The erection of a new edifice of much larger dimensions somewhere else, and the sale of the old one. This would be more in keeping with the school-houses of the times, but it would be more expensive.
3. The union of the two School Districts, the Centre and the South, into one Union District, according to the Statute of 1839, Chapter 56. This would enable the Committee at once to make use of the other school-room in the High School building, now vacant, for the benefit of the children of the Centre living nearest to it, and it might facilitate a more thorough grading and equaliza- tion of all the schools in both Districts. Such a measure, however, cannot be adopted without the assent of two-thirds of the legal voters of each of the Districts.
4. The abolition of the District System altogether, and vesting the Committee with the power of organizing the schools in the man- ner deemed by them most to the advantage of the children and the town.
The Committee do not undertake to express any opinion of their own. Their duty is performed in simply calling the attention of the voters of the town, to the absolute necessity of soon doing some- thing. The children are not properly taken care of, if crowded in a stifling room, ill-ventilated, and worse heated. Neither can the trouble be diminished by delay. On the contrary, if put off for another year, it will force itself more and more upon their notice, through the deficiencies in the discipline and teaching, and the dan- gers to the health of their children.
We must bear in mind the fact that Quincy can no longer be classed among the small communities in the Commonwealth ; and, that with its increasing numbers comes a prospect of greater addi- tions hereafter. New responsibilities grow out of this, and more urgent duties to look to the future, and gradually expand the means of instruction. There must be provided, not only ample room for all the children, but a greater extent of the degrees of education. In every civilized society, strong minds will from time to time appear, which, with suitable opportunities for development, become instru- ments of good to their own and perhaps even later generations.
18
Such minds should not be suffered to rust or decay from the want of means at hand to improve them. This town owes it to her former character to keep up with the progress of the age. She is bound to advance as fast in mental improvement as she does in the strength of numbers, to increase in intellectual and moral as well as in pecuniary resources. Mindful of these obligations, it is to be hoped that, in the course of a few more years, she will lay open to all of her sons and daughters, every degree of instruction, from the lowest to the highest, which they may desire. In this direction something has been already done. The steady advance of the grammar schools must render all private schools for the same ob- jects, superfluous. The High School is designed to take those pupils who are desirous to reach to something more than a common education. It will soon furnish to the Commonwealth persons fit themselves to become teachers, if they will. And should it so happen, in course of time, that a want be felt for a still higher grade of education, embracing what may be strictly denominated classical and profound scholarship, the probability is, that from the funds now steadily accumulating under the provisions of former grants to the town, an academy may be established, which will complete all the grades of free instruction that can be needed by any person in the town. This, and nothing short of this, was the original aim of our ancestors, when they, in their weakness, laid the foundations of their grand system of universal education. This, and nothing short of this, should be the limit of our desires to attain, if we mean to perpetuate, as well as to perfect, the happy govern- ment under which we live.
C. F. ADAMS. WM. B. DUGGAN. JAMES BRADFORD. ADAM CURTIS. N. CUMMINGS.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
.
FOR THE
TOWN OF QUINCY.
MARCH 6, 1854.
1
QUINCY PATRIOT OF 1854.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
FOR
THE
TOWN OF QUINCY.
MARCH 6, 1854.
1
QUINCY PATRIOT OFFICE.
184.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
In conformity with the law, the School Committee of Quincy beg to submit their report of the result of their observations during the past year.
The whole number of schools kept throughout the year has been seventeen, to wit :-
WEST DISTRICT.
(1)
PRIMARY SCHOOL.
TEACHERS, - -
MISS A. G. B. BEAL, MISS L. C. RICHARDS.
Summer. Winter.
Whole number of scholars, - -
105 89
Average attendance, - - - -
65 50 (2) INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
TEACHER,
MISS M. E. VOSE.
Summer. Winter.
Whole number of scholars, -
-
SO 78
Average attendance, - - - -
52 54 (3) GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
- S. DEWING, Jr.
Whole number of scholars,
-
-
70 76
Average attendance, -
- .
56 68
-
TEACHER,
Summer. Winter.
4
The teachers have remained the same throughout the year with the exception of Miss Beal, in the place of whom the ser vices of Miss Richards, who had been a pupil of the High School ever since its establishment, have been obtained.
SOUTH DISTRICT.
(4)
PRIMARY SCHOOL, NO. 1.
TEACHER, - - - -
MRS. S. BURRELL.
Summer.
Winter.
Whole number of scholars, -
68
65
Average attendance, - -
-
-
55
40
Under five years, -
-
-
5
1
PRIMARY SCHOOL, NO. 2. (5)
TEACHER, -
MISS MARY T. W. BEAL. -
Summer.
Winter.
Whole number of scholars,
86
70
Average attendance, -
-
-
-
69
54
Under five years, -
- 12
5
(6)
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
TEACHER,
MISS SARAH M. VOSE.
Summer.
Winter.
Whole number of scholars,
71
65
Average attendance. - -
-
-
54 60
(7)
GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
TEACHER, - - - -
- S. MORSE, JE. Summer. Winter.
Whole number of scholars,
-
74
87
Average attendance, -
- -
67 84
-
-
-
-
-
-
5
CENTRE DISTRICT.
PRIMARY SCHOOL, NO. 1.
(8) TEACHER,
-
Miss L. A. NIGHTINGALE.
Summer. Winter.
Whole number of scholars, -
-
75
62
Average attendance, - -
-
-
49
43
Under five years, -
-
- -
9
0 (9) PRIMARY SCHOOL, NO. 2.
TEACHER, -
MISS HI. A. F. ALEXANDER.
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