USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1860-1869 > Part 8
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The teacher was obliged to leave, on account of sickness among her relatives, a week before the school should have closed, and there was no examination. According to appearances at other times there seemed to be a good interest in study with many of the scholars, and considerable improvement was made, but there was not that degree of thoroughness in the teaching of some branches which produces the best results.
WINTER TERM. Teacher -- Miss Esther M. Simmons, grad- uate of the Normal School.
The attendance was quite regular in the first part of the term, but it decreased much towards the last, especially among the boys. As a whole it averaged about the same as in summer. The school was not under very good discipline at the begin- ning, and an increased attendance of large, and some not very orderly scholars, made the school quite difficult to govern for a teacher commencing her first term. What we have said of deportment in summer would apply very well to the winter term ; but as the discipline was made much more difficult by an apparent neglect of real obedience in some of the scholars, in the same proportions some of the features were made worse. The teacher worked faithfully and secured as good order, under the circumstances which were against her, as could be expected. A more hearty co-operation of scholars and parents would have done much towards the promotion of discipline. Some of the larger girls made a very favorable progress in some of their studies, and with good discipline, under Miss Simmons's direc- tion, we should have looked for a very profitable school. Miss Simmons's qualification, manner, and thoroughness of teaching deserve a good rank among teachers, and with these and her severe experience here, we anticipate success for her in her next term. This school needs a well-experienced teacher and a good disciplinarian, for at least one year.
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UNION DISTRICT NOS. 4 AND 7. Prudential Committee-Those of Nos. 4 and 7.
Teachers-Mr. Simeon J. Dunbar, Principal ; Miss Mary D. Forbes, Assistant.
This school is still in session ; it has about six weeks more to keep. Attendance so far has been very good, second in town. The interest of scholars and parents in the school, so far as our observation has gone, has been very favorable to its success. All proposals of the teachers have been willingly met, and a good degree of respectfulness exists among the scholars.
The deportment and progress of the school are as good as the Principal and Assistant are able to make them. Without re- porting his own work, the Principal would invite the parents to come and see. The Assistant is working faithfully for the inter- est of her classes, and secures considerable improvement ; but owing to the size of her classes and their distance in recitation from the authority of the Principal, a firmer discipline would be much to the benefit of the school.
REMARKS UPON THE UNION SYSTEM.
There are strong objections to this system, and some of them will be hereafter referred to. The school is large and requires two teachers, and the compensation is not sufficient to secure such an assistant as is needed, whose qualifications for teaching and governing should be, so far as they are required, equal to the Principal, in order to insure the best results. The teacher, to promote the best interests of his scholars, should have them under his direction both in studying and reciting their lessons. By this system the Districts Nos. 4 and 7, receive none of the advantages of a Grammar School, for the age of scholars should be no test for their admission to such school ; the only sure test, to secure the best advantages of such school, is the qualification of the scholar. A much more efficient course, for the benefit of all the scholars, both young and old of Districts No. 4 and 7, would be for the parents to consolidate a part of the two dis-
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tricts and establish a graded school in the present Union house, which could be done by raising up the present building and putting a story underneath. By this there could be secured two good schools, - Grammar and Primary, -the year round, and many of the evils growing out of the present system would be removed. We earnestly recommend Districts No. 4 and 7, to call a school-meeting, at the Union to consider and act upon the proposition made to them in the last year's Report.
After giving a " detailed report" of the several schools, we propose to give a few general remarks which have suggested themselves during the year, by observation in the general superintendence of the working of our schools.
GENERAL STATUTE, CHAPTER 38.
SECT. 23. The School Committee, unless the town at its annual meeting determines that the duty may be performed by the Prudential Committee, shall select and contract with the teachers of the public schools ; shall require full and satisfactory evidence of the good moral character of all instructors who may be employed ; and shall ascertain, by personal examina- tion, their qualifications for teaching and capacity for the gov. ernment of schools.
SECT. 26. The School Committee, or some one or more of them, for the purpose of making a careful examination of the schools, and of ascertaining that the scholars are properly sup- plied with books, shall visit all the public schools in the town on some day during the first or second week after the opening of such schools respectively, and also on some day during the two weeks preceding the closing of the same; and shall also for the same purposes visit, without giving previous notice thereof to the instructors, all the public schools in the town once a month, and they shall, at such examinations, inquire into the regulation and discipline of the schools, and the habits and proficiency of the scholars therein.
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GENERAL STATUTE, CHAPTER 40.
SECT. 6. The School Committee shall annually make a detailed Report of the condition of the several public schools, which Report shall contain such statements and suggestions in relation to the schools as the Committee deem necessary or proper to promote the interests thereof. The Committee shall cause said Report to be printed for the use of the inhabitants, in octavo pamphlet form, of the size of the Annual Reports of the Board of Education, and transmit two copies thereof to the Sec- retary of said Board, on or before the last of April, and deposit one copy in the office of the clerk of the city or town.
These three sections lay out the principal and most responsi- ble duties of the School Committee ; yet there are made collat- eral points connected with our system of public schools which demand the most careful contideration and the earnest and prompt action of the Committee. As the town determined that the duty of the first clause of Section 23, should be transferred to the Prudential Committee, the Committee had only to fulfil the duties of the first. We would suggest to the town the con- sideration of the expediency of leaving the duty of the first clause with the School Committee, and thereby preserve more unity, and equality in the length and condition of the schools, and carry out more fully the intention of the statutes. With the district system, as long as there is such a difference in the size of the districts, almost any definite plan of dividing the school money will necessarily result in some injustice either to the large or small districts. A division among the scholars would be a great injustice to the small districts, as a district of ten scholars is entitled to six months school as much as a large district ; on the other hand a division equally among the dis- tricts, would do injustice to the large districts ; therefore there must be some compromise between the large and small districts, by dividing part among the scholars and part among the dis- tricts. At the present, by dividing a part among the districts,
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the school in District No. 1, is shortened more than the other large districts, because they have to support two schools, - Primary and Grammar, -and only draw for one district, while District No. 7, drawing $17.38 less, and having seven scholars less, support but one school. This is owing to the internal management of the districts.
The Committee have granted certificates to all who have applied, although in some cases a better qualification and more experience would have secured a better school, yet there was nothing which seemed to justify a refusal of a certificate. We would urge upon the agents the importance of selecting good teachers, and the only sure way is to make previous experience and character the basis of selection. And we would also encour- age the continuance of a good teacher, when once employed, as the disposition and wants of the scholars can be better complied with, by a person who knows the attainments of each scholar, than by one who does not. The age of the teacher, -when the character and qualifications are good, or the fact of his begin- ning ought not to be a great objection ; but in the employment of such the character of the school should be considered, with a few exceptions, the qualifications of the teachers in town, as adapted both to governing and teaching have been excellent for the schools of our grade, and have secured to us many good schools.
We cannot refrain from stating, from what we have seen that we think, other things being equal, that those who have best educated themselves for teaching, or who have successfully completed a course of study in a Normal School, are better fitted for teachers than those who have never studied or consid- ered their profession. The lawyer and doctor have their pro- fessional schools, -why should n't the teacher have his? and why is not the previous study of the profession as necessary to the teacher as to the lawyer or doctor? and why will it not secure as good results ? We think observation proves that it does.
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The Normal schools act to a certain extent as substitutes for experience and they do not fail in some degree to secure this result. Every subject taken up is investigated thoroughly as far as they proceed, and considered in regard to teaching. We know that we have failings among Normal graduates, especially in their first terms of teaching. We think that some fail in trying to put into practice, at the wrong time or place, too many of the theories which they have learned ; there is great danger of this. In carrying a theory into practice, both the doing and what is to be done should be considered. If the theory is bad the practice will not fail to be much different, but if the theory is good and well adapted to the case, then the practice well conducted must also be good. "The better the theory the better the practice," or " The more perfect the statue in the sculptor's mind the more perfect the image in marble." We have had five teachers in town the past year who were grad- uates of the State Normal School, at Bridgewater; and we think we shall find that their art of teaching has been better adapted to secure discipline and thoroughness than the other varieties of the art we have had in town, although some of them have been very good.
Thoroughness is the principal characteristic of a Normal teacher. We are glad to learn that there are several young ladies, from our common schools, who have the intention of attending the Normal School, at Bridgewater; we wish them success, and anticipate a useful reaction of their minds upon our common schools.
The labors of Section 26, Chapter 38, and of the first clause of Section 6, Chapter 40, are delegated to the Superintendent by the following statute : -
GENERAL STATUTE, CHAPTER 38.
SECT. 35. Any town, annually, by legal vote, and any city, by an ordinance of the City Council, may require the School Committee annually to appoint a superintendent of
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public schools, who, under the direction and control of said Committee, shall have the care and supervision of the schools, with such salary as the city government or town may deter- mine ; and in every city in which such ordinance is in force, and in every town in which such superintendent is appointed, the School Committee shall receive no compensation, unless otherwise provided by such city government or town.
The town authorized the Committee to appoint a superintend- ent, last ycar for the first time, and it seems by the repetition of their authority that it has proved an expedient plan. The reason which led to this appointment was the refusal of a suffi- cient number of persons to act conjointly in the care of the schools ; and it has proved to be less expense to the town.
It will be seen by this statute that the superintendent is invested with no arbitrary and a very little discretionary power.
He is only expected to exert, in his monthly visits what influ- ence he can towards promoting the best interests of the schools, and to report their conditions ? and " is not, under the law, entrusted with the care and supervision of the schools in his own right, but always as the agent or servant of the School Committee, with whom remains every power given to them by the statutes." The present superintendent has acted according to this principle, and has exercised no power whatever granted the School Committee, without their consultation. The Com- mittee are of the opinion, that when the services of a competent and interested person can be secured for a reasonable com- pensation this plan is as beneficial to the schools as the other.
A careful and observing mind, under the direction of a good Committee, is more likely to improve and give unity to the sys- tem than three more or less disinterested persons.
GENERAL STATUTES, CHAPTER 38.
SECT. 24. Every instructor of a town or District School shall, before he opens such school, obtain from the School Committee a certificate and duplicate of his qualifications, one
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of which shall be deposited with the selectmen before any pay- ment is made to such instructor on account of his services ; and upon so filing such certificate the teacher of any public school shall be entitled to receive, on demand, his wages due at the expiration of any quarter, or term longer or shorter than a quarter, or upon the close of any single term of service, subject to the condition specified in section thirteen of chapter forty.
GENERAL STATUTES, CHAPTER 40.
SECT. 13. The several school teachers shall faithfully keep the registers furnished to them, and make due return thereof to the School Committee, or such person as they may designate, and no teacher shall be entitled to receive payment for services until the register, properly filled up and completed, shall be so returned.
We insert these sections to give a clearer understanding in regard to the legal method of the teacher's getting his pay. It seems as if the custom in town of authorizing the Prudential Committee to draw the pay of teachers from the treasury, is " a questionable proceeding," conflicting with the law. We think a more legal, and perhaps a better method, would be for the teacher, upon fulfilling the duties of these two sections, to get an order from the Selectmen and then draw his pay from the treasury.
GENERAL STATUTE, CHAPTER 38.
SECT. 28. The School Committee shall direct what books shall be used in the public schools, and no change shall be made in said books except by the unanimous consent of the whole Board, unless the Committee consists of more than nine, and questions relating to schoolbooks are intrusted to a sub-com- mittee. In that case, the consent of two-thirds of the whole number of said sub-committee, with the concurrent vote of three-fourths of the whole Board, shall be requisite for such
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change. If any change is made, each pupil then belonging to the public schools, and requiring a substituted book, shall be furnished with the same, by the School Committee, at the ex- pense of said town.
SECT. 29. The School Committee shall procure, at the expense of the city or town, a sufficient supply of text-books for the public schools, and give notice of the place where they may be obtained. Said books shall be furnished to the pupils at such prices as merely to reimburse the expense of the same. The School Committee may also procure at the expense of the city or town, such apparatus, books of reference, and other means of illustration as they deem necessary for the schools under their supervision, in accordance with appropriations there- for previously made.
SECT. 30. If any scholar is not furnished by his parent, mas- ter, or guardian, with the requisite books, he shall be supplied therewith by the School Committee at the expense of the town.
SECT. 31. The School Committee shall give notice in writing to the assessors of the town of the names of the scholars sup- plied with books under the provisions of the preceding section, of the books so furnished, the prices thereof, and the names of the parents, masters, or guardians who ought to have supplied the same. The assessors shall add the price of the books to the next annual tax of such parents, masters, or guardians ; and the amount so added shall be levied, collected, and paid into the town treasury, in the same manner as the town taxes.
SECT. 32. If the assessors are of opinion that any parent, master, or guardian is unable to pay the whole expense of the books so supplied on his account, they shall omit to add the price of such books, or shall add only a part thereof to his annual tax, according to their opinion of his ability to pay.
The above sections define the duties of the Committee in relation to text-books. One of the benefits of the provisions of section 28 is to preserve a uniformity of books which is necessary in a certain extent to good success ; and another is the
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advantage which the schools may receive in the exchange of old books for better ones, which, when exercised with discretion, exerts a permanent influence upon the scholars, though it may be imperceivable at the time. This power was exercised by the Committee of last year by the substitution of Eaton's Primary and Common School Arithmetics for Dana P. Colburn's, at an expense of $28.80 to the town. It will be seen by the statute that the expense falls upon the town and not upon the scholars as some have supposed. Eaton's arithmetics are becoming quite popular, although their use at first did not meet the approval of the Superintendent and some of the teachers ; but as we have become more acquainted with them we have arrived at the fol- lowing conclusion, - that they are better adapted to most of the scholars for commencing, than Colburn's ; yet we think after a scholar has mastered the first two principles and the ground rules of Arithmetic, that Colburn's applications, especially when a teacher follows closely the book, is better calculated to develop the reasoning faculty, and secure practical information and arithmetical accuracy than Eaton's Common School. It is a duty of the community to take advantage of section 28, when it will promote the cause for which the schools are established ; but they should act through a careful examination of the best books in use. We would call the attention of the districts, especially Nos. 2, 3, and 8, to Sect. 29, and state that text-books, legally authorized, are kept by Baker & Williams, near the centre, and Dunbar at Cochesett. Some inconsistency has arisen from scholars in the above-named districts bringing unauthorized books into school. We hope that this will be discontinued ; the practice is illegal.
We would also request the teachers to see that the scholars get writing-books with copies in them. It is plain that the phrase " to reimburse the expense of the same" includes the commission on selling. The benefits of the last clause of this section are a great advantage to the schools when received. The " appropriations previously made " referred to, are one-
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fourth of the income of the school fund, which by law the Committee can expend " as they deem necessary," in accordance with the above statute ; but it has always been customary in this town to use this in support of schools. Some of the schools are not well furnished with maps, blackboards, and other means of illustration, which every teacher will affirm is so necessary to success. What is geography without a map or globe? arith- ยท metic without a blackboard? or orthoepy, orthography, and etymology without a dictionary? Some of the schools are fortunate in having these things furnished by subscription. If they are not supplied in this way, they should be as the law directs. Sections 30, 31, and 32 above, provide that every scholar of whatever circumstances shall be supplied with the requisite books necessary for his use in school. The duty of the Committee on this point is imperative, and whether the par- ent shall bear the expense in his tax or not remains entirely with the discretion of the Selectmen. This duty has been exercised only in one district, at an expense of less than one dollar.
GENERAL STATUTES, CHAPTER 39.
SECT. 7. Every town divided into school districts shall at its annual meeting choose one person, resident in each school dis- trict, to be a Committee for that district, and to be called the Prudential Committee, who shall keep the schoolhouse in good order at the expense of the district ; and if there is no school- house, shall provide a suitable place for the school of the dis- trict at the expense thereof; shall provide fuel and all things necessary for the comfort of the scholars therein ; give informa- mation and assistance to the School Committee of the town to aid them in the discharge of the duties required of them ; and when the town so determines, shall select and contract with an instructor for each school in the district.
In regard to the duties of this section we would impress upon the voters of the districts the importance of the choice of a good
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agent, as we believe, under our district system, there is no other person except the teacher who is able to exert so much influence upon the school's good. And the way in which this influence is to be exerted is in the encouragement of the teacher whom he has employed, and in taking an interest and proper care of the district's property. And let it be remembered that a person commits a greater wrong by the neglect of his duty than he would in the refusal of an office. It seems to be the practice in some districts, if we are not misinformed, to use part of the money appropriated by the town for the schools, in repairing the schoolhouses and furnishing them with the necessary appa- ratus and furniture. The statutes expressly imply that any expenditure from the school appropriations, except for " wages and board of teachers, fuel for the schools, and care of the fires and schoolrooms," is not according to their design. Mr. Bout- well, ex-secretary of the Board of Education, upon this point, says : " It is a custom in various towns to use the money raised for the support of schools to defray the expenses ,of repairing and furnishing schoolhouses. This course is illegal, and defeats the object sought by the State."
In speaking of the duties of a Prudential Committee, he says : " He would also be personally liable for an excess of expendi- ture over the appropriation to his district." And again he quotes the following : "if a town deposits money in the hands of a Prudential Committee for the purpose of paying a teacher the risk is with the town. If the Prudential Committee fails to apply the money legitimately, the town is still liable to the teacher. (11 Pick. 260, 7 Cush. 478.) " The adoption of the plan of the teacher's drawing his pay which has been given would avoid the risk herein stated. The duties defined in the last clause of the section under consideration, as already stated, was granted by the town, to school agents ; but the agent of District No. 1, -on account of the deficiency of appropriation allotted to that district, owing to previous arrangements or
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mismanagement, - neglected or refused to employ teachers for the summer schools.
GENERAL STATUTES, CHAPTER 39.
SECT. 12. If a School District neglects or refuses to estab- ish a school and employ such teacher for the same, the School Committee may establish such school and employ a teacher therefor, as the Prudential Committee might have done.
By authority granted in this section, the Town Committee employed the teachers for the summer term in District No. 1.
It will be seen that the duty of this section is not imperative, but simply says that the Committee " may " perform the duty of the agent if he neglects or refuses.
GENERAL STATUTES, CHAPTER 38.
SECT. 1. In every town there shall be kept, for at least six months in each year, at the expense of said town, by a teacher or teachers of competent ability and good morals, a sufficient number of schools for the instruction of all the children, who may legally attend public school therein, in orthography, read- ing, writing, English Grammar, geography, arithmetic, the History of the United States, and good behavior. Algebra, vocal music, drawing, physiology, and hygiene shall be taught by lectures or otherwise, in all the public schools in which the School Committee deem it expedient.
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