USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1857 > Part 4
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of application on the part of the scholars, as well as of labor by the teacher.
ELEVENTH DISTRICT .- There is but one school in this district, and as a consequence it is composed of pupils of all ages, requiring a multiplicity of classes. In the summer term it was placed in charge of one who had never before taught school. At the first and second visits nothing very uncommon in the appearance or management of the school was observed by the Committee, but on the third visit it was very apparent that the progress was alto- gether in the wrong direction. It was disorderly and idle, and the lessons were not learned as they should be. At the end of ten weeks the teacher resigned her charge. In about four weeks Miss Sarah H. Rugg took charge of the school and continued it for fourteen weeks. She also was young and inexperienced, yet in less than a week she showed herself skilful in governing a school. She brought order out of confusion, and substituted industry for idleness in the scholars, and continued in perfect control of the school to its close.
The progress was, under the circumstances, good, and at the closing examination the Committee were satisfied that a good work had been commenced, attended with good results.
The winter term was under the charge of an under graduate of Harvard University, Mr. Benjamin Wormell, who had never before taught school. During the entire term the order was commenda- ble, and the scholars seemed to be happy in their relations with the teacher. The progress was respectable, and some of the classes at the examination appeared well, while others were not so good ; we think that more energy and activity in the scholars would improve their appearance. On the whole the Committee say that the result is as good as could be reasonably expected.
HIGH SCHOOL .- The Committee were happy in being able to secure for this school the services of Mr. W. K. Fletcher, who had taught it with distinguished ability and success the preceding year. Having limited the number of pupils to fifty, they were obliged to refuse admission to thirty-five of the eighty-five who presented themselves for examination at the commencement of the summer term. Of these, some were better qualified to become members of the school than some who were admitted. But the
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vote of the town allowing each district its proportionate number, forbad their admission. The particular charge of the school was assigned to two of the Committee. They visited it from time to time and always found evidence of skill and fidelity on the part of the teacher, and of progress on the part of the pupils. The order of the school was every thing that could be desired. The scholars were studious. The instruction was thorough. The Committee saw but little that needed correction, except the want in many of the scholars of a clear and distinct articulation. This defect was noticed at the closing examination of the first term, but was less apparent at the last examination. The average attendance of the first term was forty-seven and a half. The examination at its close was one of very great excellence.
The whole number of scholars the second term was forty-three. The average attendance was forty-one. The school was conducted in the same satisfactory manner in this, as in the preceding term. The examination at its close was witnessed by a large number of people, and was highly creditable to the teacher and to the scholars. Special commendation was bestowed upon the Latin exercises, as evincing a critical and thorough knowledge of the principles of that language. The reading exercise, however, was somewhat defective in respect to distinct articulation and proper inflection.
The Committee can fully endorse what was said in the last year's Report respecting the superior qualifications of Mr. Fletcher to teach a school of this grade; and they feel confident that this school will succeed, even in its present unfavorable location, so long as he shall have charge of it.
But however great may be the advantages of this school to those who are able to attend it, it is, and can be, of no benefit to a very large number of our youth who need its advantages, on account of their distance from it; nor does it benefit our other schools. One important design of a High School is to take from the Gram- mar Schools the higher branches of study, that by diminishing the number of classes a better opportunity may be afforded for thorough instruction in the Elementary branches. This design the High School in its present location fails to accomplish.
There have probably been as many classes and as many studies in nearly or quite all of the other schools during the year as there would have been had there been no High School. Could all who
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desired to study the higher branches have enjoyed the advantages of the High School, the Committee would have regarded it as their duty to exclude such branches from the other schools. But because there was a High School whose advantages they could not enjoy, they did not feel justified in depriving them of privi- leges to which they would have been entitled if there had been no High School. By establishing three or more High Schools in different parts of the town, and employing to a greater extent female teachers in the other schools, the advantages now limited to a few would be extended to all, and with but little if any more expense to the town.
Such have been the character and condition of our schools the past year, and we rejoice to witness the many evidences of a desire to excel in the acquisition of knowledge. We are happy to observe that greater attention has been paid to deliberation and distinct articulation in reading, spelling and recitation, by many of the schools, while in others, we regret to say, there is abundant room for improvement in these respects. We have found more good readers and spellers than formerly ; but we think that a greater proportion of time should be spent, and more critical instruction given in these branches, than they have generally received. They lie at the foundation of education, and any deficiency here will be readily observed in the superstructure. The recitations in the classes pursuing advanced studies have been uniformly good, in many instances, excellent ; but we think that in many cases these studies have been prematurely assumed, and that greater pro- ficiency and accuracy would have been made by a more thorough acquaintance with the primary studies. Some of our schools have been eminent for their success, while in others the improvement has been slow and uncertain. And why is this difference? One very prominent reason is found by an inspection of the register. In some of these nothing could be more repulsive than the evi- dence they contain of a want of interest in the school, and of a negligence in improving its advantages. The numerous instances of tardiness and absence in some districts, together with the desire to leave school before its close, are lamentable evils, which have been frequently brought to your notice, and which still call loudly for reform. They are not only an injury to the delinquent, but they prove a serious hinderance to those who may be desirous of improvement.
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Another reason which may be assigned is the frequent change of teachers. In those districts, which have secured the services of GOOD teachers for several years in succession, the scholars have uniformly advanced in learning with greater rapidity than in those where the teachers have been frequently changed. And your Committee can see no good reason why a female teacher, who has been successful in a grammar school during the summer term, should not be continued during the winter in the same school. We believe that such a practice would result in a saving of time and money, and that it should be more frequently adopted. Female teachers of any grade which may be desired, can soon be had if there is a demand for them. The demand will always secure the supply within a reasonable time ; and we believe that, should this arrangement be carried out, our teachers,-all of whom we can raise at home,-will not suffer in comparison with those from abroad, even from our colleges, who spend a brief portion of their time as teachers, merely to replenish their purses. This change, however, from a long established usage, can hardly be expected, so long as the teachers are selected and engaged by the prudential committees, who are frequently taken by rotation, and are generally changed every year ; they certainly have no better opportunities for selecting good teachers than the School Committee, nor are they generally better judges of their success. They frequently ask assistance from the School Committee, or if they undertake to decide for themselves, they have, in years past, not unfrequently presented for examination those whom the School Committee would not have selected, either on account of some deficiency in their education, or of their want of aptness to teach, but whom the Committee could not reject, without disappointment to the District, and without the risk of a second failure, as good teach- ers are generally engaged at an early day. And in doubtful cases
there is always a strong temptation to try the experiment, which has frequently proved unsuccessful. We speak not for ourselves, but for our successors, when we say, that the Examining Commit- tee should select the teachers, since the law has imposed on them the duty of examination, and intrusted to them the dismission of a teacher, whenever they shall think proper. We are aware that such a change would increase the duties and responsibilities of the School Committee, which are not to be coveted ; but we see no better way to raise the literary character of our teachers. This
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can be done with more ease and with greater certainty by a body of men acting together, than by eleven men acting independently of each other. The one can fix a uniform standard of education for the teachers, the others may each have a standard of his own, and each adopt one different from the others. We believe that the standard of education should be constantly rising ; otherwise it will certainly fall.
The Committee feel fortified in their opinion, in relation to the selection of teachers, by the following testimony published by the Secretary of the Board of Education, in 1853, that "in all the annual reports of the School Committees throughout the State for the past two years, only two of them have recommended the selec- tion of teachers by prudential committees, and those only in a qualified sense." Such a unanimity of opinion on this subject is entitled to consideration, and should have its due weight.
A statistical table is annexed, in reference to which it should be stated, that, by direction of the Secretary of the Board of Educa- tion, the length of the schools, and the wages of the teachers, are computed in months of twenty days each, and not by months and wages as set down in the Registers.
All which is respectfully submitted.
JOHN W. LOUD, APPLETON HOWE, NOAH VINING, JR., ATHERTON N. HUNT, E. S. POTTER, JAMES HUMPHREY, JAMES P. TERRY,
School Committee of Weymouth.
4
50
School Statistics.
No. of District.
NAMES OF TEACHERS.
No. of Persons in the District bet. 5 & 15.
No. of Scholars at-
Average Attendance.
No. under 5 Years
No. over 15 Years
of Age.
Mo. Dy.
Wages of Teachers per Month.
Term.
I.
Miss Emily Bicknell, .
141
73
58
119100
1
6
12
21 80
Sum.
Miss Sarah E. Loud, .
51
41
13 121
Win.
Miss Nancy A. Tirrell,
46
41
4
21
16 40
Win.
Miss J. Frances Vining,
45
40
10
4
2]
27 20
Win
II.
Miss Eliza French, Mr. C. H. Brown, .
65
60
38
3 1 00
1
7
3
21 61
Sum. Win.
III.
Miss Mary C. Cowing,
244
98
54
11
5
41
16 40
Sum.
Miss Lucy M. Richards,
64
48
4
51
20 00
Sum.
Miss Margaret Vining,
62
36
1
5
41
24 60
Sum.
Miss Mary C. Cowing,
92
55
10
6
6
63
19 75
Win.
Mr. James O. Scripture,
70
49
1
5
6
6%
45 40
Win.
IV.
Miss Angeline M. Webster, Miss L. A. Harlow,
104
70
55
6
6
17
20 00
Sum.
6
1
24 00
Sum.
Miss Angeline M. Webster,
64
40
1
3
6
21 80
Win.
Miss L. A. Harlow,
28
25
1
3
6
24 00
Win.
V.
Miss Mary R. Parrot,
113
61
49
13
6
12
19 70
Sum.
Miss Lucinda F. Reed,
45
35
1
6
10
21 80
Sum.
Miss Ellen G. Parrot,
62
48
1
2
4
20 00
Win.
Miss Maria A. Hatch,
60
45
8
3
2
29 40
Win.
VI.
Miss Elizabeth White,
107
63
46
7
7
81
18 20
Sum.
Miss Susan M. Magoun, .
37
25
1
7
3
20 00
Sum.
Miss Elizabeth White,
58
47
3
6
18 20
Win.
Mr. Elbridge Torrey, .
48
41
6
3
6
45 00
Win.
VII.
Miss Bethiah M. Holbrook, Miss Josephinc Lane,
113
63
45
1
6
12
18 20
Sum.
Miss Bethiah M. Holbrook,
67
54
3
6
19 00
Win.
Mr. Henry F. Woodman,
40
34
8
3
6
41 00
Win.
VIII.
Miss H. A. Fuller,
140
48
34
5
5
41
17 50
Sum.
Miss Harriet Cloud,
74
65
9
5
10
20 00
Sum.
Miss Susan M. Torrey,
33
30
2
5
10
19 80
Sum.
Miss Lydia A. Paddock,
58
51
4
8
20 00
Win.
Miss Susan M. Torrey,
43
32
2
4
4
8
21 80
Win.
Mr. Lewis E. Noyes,
45
39
12
4
-
46 00
Win.
IX.
Miss Mary A. Rugg,
232
101
62
10
7
81
16 40
Sum.
Miss Lydia C. Trufant
7
14
20 00
Sum.
Mr. Theodore C. Pratt,
62
42
11
7
14
47 60
Sum.
Miss Sarah H. Rugg, .
81
67
-
3
11%
16 40
Win.
Miss Lydia C. Trufant,
56
48
Win.
Mr. Theodore C. Pratt,
55
46
16
3
17
47 60
Win.
X.
Miss Ellen G. Parrot,
75
64
48
1
1
6
12 20 00
Sum.
Miss Lydia A. Tirrell,
40
32
3
3
14 60
Win.
Mr. J. II. Clark,
32
27
-
5
3
6
43 20
Win.
XI.
Sarah II. Rugg, Benj. Wormell, .
53
48
37
6
12
20 00
Sum.
54
42
5
3
6
32 00
Win.
W. K. Fletcher,
50
471
34
5
10
81 82
Sum.
W. K. Fletcher,*
43
41
-
19
5
10
81 82
| Win.
1
42
37
5
3
113
41 80
61 18 20
Win.
Miss Susan J. F. Pratt,
86
61
-
1
6
12
18 20
Sum.
44
32
8 3 1818
6
12
$18 20
Sum.
Miss J. Frances Vining,
53
37
4
-
* High School.
-
-
Length
of
Term.
of Age.
1 00
-
-
61
46
2
20 00
38
30
5
3
-
tending School.
الو
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