USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1871 > Part 4
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These are no holiday pastimes, but labors which call for earn- est, honest effort. Having taken upon ourselves the most solemn obligations faithfully to perform the duties of our respective posi- tions according to the best of our abilities, let us assume these responsibilities, determined to perform them openly, frankly, honestly and faithfully, remembering that " except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
In conclusion, I desire, in this public manner, to express my thanks to Mr. Mayor Earle, the other officers of the government, and to the heads of the departments for the uniform kindness and courtesy with which they have aided me thus far in the pros- ecution of my labors.
Report of the School Committee.
ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
CITY OF WORCESTER, FOR THE YEAR 1871.
EDWARD EARLE, President. ALBERT P. MARBLE, Superintendent. SAMUEL V. STONE, Secretary.
Members whose term expires January, 1874.
Members whose term expires January, 1873.
Members whose term expires January, 1872.
HARTLEY WILLIAMS.
EDWARD H. HALL.
CALEB B. METCALF.
G. HENRY WHITCOMB.
JAMES DRAPER.
THOS. GRIFFIN.
JOHN F. MURRAY.
HENRY Y. SIMPSON.
M. J. MCCAFFERTY.
SAMUEL V. STONE.
JOHN C. NEWTON.
0. 0. WHEELER.
GEORGE JAQUES.
P. EMORY ALDRICH.
SUB-COMMITTEES.
ON SCHOOL HOUSES-Mayor, Messrs. Stone, Newton, Woodward, Goddard and Gale. ON BOOKS AND APPARATUS-Messrs. Woodward, Stoddard, Williams, Jaques and Ann B. Earle.
ON EXAMINATION OF TEACHERS-Superintendent, and Messrs. Warner, Jaques, Stod- dard, Hall and Metcalf.
ON FINANCE-Mayor, Superintendent, and Messrs. Metcalf, McCafferty, Aldrich, Staples and Warner.
ON ASSIGNING VISITING COMMITTEES-Superintendent, and Messrs. Stone, Griffin, Newton, Gow and Ballard.
GEORGE B. GOW.
EMERSON WARNER.
E. B. STODDARD.
D. S. GODDARD. CHARLES BALLARD. RUFUS WOODWARD.
GEORGE W. GALE.
ANN B. EARLE.
GEORGE THRALL.
SAMUEL E. STAPLES.
44
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
VISITING COMMITTEES.
CLASSICAL AND ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL.
PRINCIPAL.
COMMITTEE.
A. H. Davis. Messrs. Jaques, Hall, Aldrich, Metcalf, Newton, Stoddard and Williams.
THOMAS STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Aldrich, Stoddard, Staples, Gale and Ann B. Earle. GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
1st GRAMMAR,
E. I. Comins,
Aldrich.
2d
H. G. Waite,
Aldrich.
3d 66
Mary Warren,
Stoddard.
4th
Mary A. Harrington,
Staples.
66
Sarah L. Phillips,
Gale.
1st SECONDARY,
E. H. Coe,
Stoddard.
2d
Abbie F. Knowles,
Gale.
PRIMARY.
Mary T. Gale,
Ann B. Earle.
INT. PRIMARY.
1
Susie G. Gale,
Staples.
SUB.
A. M. Phillips,
Ann B. Earle.
DIX STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Metcalf, Williams, Warner, Whitcomb, Aldrich, Woodward, Hall and Ann B. Earle.
GRADE. 1st GRAMMAR,
PRINCIPALS.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
2d 66
V. E. Hapgood,
Williams.
3d 66
E. M. Aldrich,
Williams.
4th
Ellen Merrick,
Warner.
1st SECONDARY.
Kate A. Meade,
Metcalf.
2d
A. H. Barnes, Warner.
TRAINING SCHOOL.
Miss Rebecca Jones, Principal. Committee .- Messrs. Metcalf, Aldrich, Woodward, Hall, Whitcomb, and Ann B. Earle.
WOODLAND STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Ballard, Williams, McCafferty, Wheeler, Gow.
GRADE. PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
1st GRAMMAR,
A. A. Hunt,
Ballard.
2d
Mary F. Wentworth,
Williams.
3d 66 Mary M. Lawton,
McCafferty.
Ist SECONDARY,
Jennie E. Howard,
Wheeler.
2d 66
L. M. Allen,
Williams.
PRIMARY,
L. C. Goodwin
McCafferty.
SUB. PRIMARY.
M. I. Melanefy,
Gow.
SYCAMORE STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Ballard, Griffin, Stoddard, Warner, Wheeler and Thrall.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
2d GRAMMAR, 3d
A. S. Dunton,
Ballard.
Carrie A. George,
Griffin.
4th 66
Lizzie Graham,
Stoddard.
1st SECONDARY, 2d
Jennie A. Greene,
Wheeler.
PRIMARY,
Sarah W. Clements,
Warner.
Emma F. Marsh,
Wheeler,
Nellie C. Thomas,
Thrall.
Carrie R. Clements,
Warner.
INT. PRIMARY, SUB, «
Samuel E. Fitz,
Metcalf.
45
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
LAMARTINE "STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Newton, Stone, Wheeler, Simpson and Draper.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
Ist GRAMMAR,
C. C. Foster,
Newton.
2d
Mary E. Eastman,
Newton.
3d
Mary A. Smith,
Stone.
1st SECONDARY,
Nellie M. Moore,
Stone.
2d 66
M. Parker,
Wheeler.
PRIMARY,
L. A. Dawson,
Wheeler.
INT. PRIMARY,
M. E. Kavanagh,
Simpson.
SUB.
E. A. Cook,
Simpson.
E. B. Smith,
Draper.
LEDGE STREET SCHOOL HOUSE.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Griffin, Goddard, Gow, Warner, Stone and Murray.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
Ist GRAMMAR,
H. M. Harrington,
Griffin.
2d
Mary F. Reed,
Goddard.
4th 66
Maria P. Cole,
Gow.
1st SECONDARY,
H. M. Harlow,
Warner.
2d
M. M. Geary,
Griffin.
PRIMARY,
E. F. Prentice,
Stone.
INT. PRIMARY,
E. M. Rice,
Stone.
SUB. 66
M. E. D. King,
Murray.
PROVIDENCE STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. McCafferty, Goddard, Earle and Gow.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
3d GRAMMAR,
J. F. Smith,
McCafferty.
Ist SECONDARY,
L. L. King,
Gow.
PRIMARY,
M. J. Morse,
Mc Cafferty.
INT.
S. J. Newton,
Gow.
SUB. 66
M. L. Norcross,
Goddard.
Evelyn Towne,
Gow.
EAST WORCESTER SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Whitcomb, Staples, McCafferty and Thrall.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
1st GRAMMAR,
A. E. McCambridge,
Whitcomb.
2d
Laura L. Newton, Whitcomb.
1st SECONDARY,
Harriet Hathaway,
Staples.
2d
Annie Brown,
Staples.
1st PRIMARY,
T. S. Darling,
McCafferty.
2d 66
E. L. McFarland,
McCafferty.
INT.
C. E. Putnam,
Thrall.
SUB.
Mattie A. Collins,
Thrall.
PLEASANT STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Woodward, Warner, Williams, and Stoddard.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
1st SECONDARY,
Carrie E. Gilbert,
Woodward.
2nd 60
M. E. Bothwell,
Warner.
PRIMARY,
J. A. Hunt,
Williams.
INT. 66
S. A. Harrington.
Woodward.
SUB. 66
E. M. Halstead,
Stoddard.
MASON STREET SCHOOLS.
GRADE.
PRIMARY. SUB. "
PRINCIPAL. Julia M. Martin, Mary E. Pease,
COMMITTEES.
Warner. Warner.
7
46
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
GRADE. GRAMMAR.
ELM STREET SCHOOLS. PRINCIPAL.
COMMITTEE.
Woodward.
Emma Brown, ASH STREET SCHOOLS. GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Hall, Murray, and Griffin. GRADE.
PRINCIP ALS.
SPECIAL COMMITEES.
SECONDARY,
Mary A. E. Adams,
Hall.
SECONDARY,
Charlotte N. Follet,
Griffin.
PRIMARY,
Mary J. Mack,
Hall
PRIMARY,
E. G. Cutler,
Griffin.
INT.
Helen M. Shattuck,
Murray.
SUB.
Abbie J. Reed,
Murray.
SALEM STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Jaques, and Draper.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
GRAMMAR,
Minnie S. Fitch,
Jaques.
SECONDARY,
Rebecca Barnard,
Jaques.
PRIMARY,
E. J. Claflin,
Draper.
SUB. PRIMARY,
Harriet A. Harrington,
Draper.
FRONT STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Murray and Ballard.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
SECONDARY,
E. J. Wallace,
Murray.
PRIMARY,
M. O. Whitmore,
Murray.
INT. PRIMARY,
M. E. Barton,
Ballard.
SUB.
Abbie Pratt, SUMMER STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Ann B. Earle, and Messrs. Whitcomb and Gale.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
SECONDARY,
T. S. Nichols,
Whitcomb.
PRIMARY,
E. G. Chenery,
Ann B. Earle.
INT. 66
E. M. Gates,
Gale.
SUB.
I. C. Upton,
Gale.
EDGWORTH STREET SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Hall and Gale.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
SECONDARY,
Etta A. Rounds,
Hall.
PRIMARY,
Sarah M. Brigham,
Hall.
INT. 66
S. M. Buttrick,
Gale.
SUB.
Hattie M. Bliss,
Gale.
UNION HILL SCHOOLS. PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
GRADE.
GRAMMAR, &c.
E. G. Wheeler,
Newton.
PRIMARY,
A. A. Wells,
Newton.
ADRIATIC MILLS SCHOOLS.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
PRIMARY,
M. T. Wyman,
Goddard.
SUB. PRIMARY,
Mary E. Trask,
Goddard.
SOUTH WORCESTER SCHOOLS
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Goddard and Thrall.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
GRAMMAR, 1st SECONDARY,
Cornelia V. Bowers,
Goddard.
S. A. Bigelow,
Goddard.
2 d
E. M. Boyden,
Thrall.
PRIMARY,
A. E. Hall, Thrall.
INT. 66
S Lizzie Coes,
Thrall.
SUB.
A. M. Chapin,
Goddard.
Ballard.
47
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
NEW WORCESTER SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Jaques and Draper.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
1st GRAMMAR, 2d
C. H. Munger, S. L. Carter,
Jaques. Jaques.
SECONDARY,
Mary A. Slater,
Draper.
PRIMARY,
Mary A. E. Tirrell,
Draper.
QUINSIGAMOND SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Griffin and McCafferty.
GRADE.
PRINCIPALS.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
Griffin. Mc Cafferty. Griffin.
UNGRADED SCHOOLS.
GENERAL COMMITTEE .- Messrs. Newton and Whitcomb. LOCATION.
ORANGE ST .- Boys,
Girls,
Geo. A. Adams, P. E. King,
SUBURBAN SCHOOLS. PRINCIPALS.
LOCATION.
NORTHVILLE, TATNUCK, VALLEY FALLS,
LEESVILLE,
E. J. Pratt,
J. R. Raymond,
Simpson.
H. M. Johnson,
Simpson. Woodward.
Ann B. Earle.
Metcalf.
Metcalf.
LOCATION.
ORANGE ST .- Young Men's, C. A. George,
ELM STREET-Girls, EAST WORCESTER-Girls, Annie Brown,
L. L. Newton,
Newton.
Wheeler.
VOCAL MUSIC.
HIGH, GRAMMAR AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS-E. S. Nason, Teacher.
COMMITTEE-Messrs. Warner, Staples and Newton.
The Committee of Visitation shall exercise a general supervision over the Schools to which they are severally assigned, and shall visit them according to the provisions of the Statutes, not less than once in four weeks, and generally during the week preceding the monthly meeting of the Board, at which they shall report their true condition .- Rules, Chap. 3, Sec. 6.
Though each School is assigned to a special Committee, yet every member of the Board shall deem it his duty to watch over all the Public Schools of the City, to attend their examinations and visit them at other times as his convenience will permit .- Rules Chap. 9, Sec. 9.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES. Whitcomb. Newton.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
Woodward. Gale.
Susan M. Forbes,
Mary J. Davis,
Ballard.
Simpson.
BLITHEWOOD, POND.
ADAMS SQUARE,
L. M. Harrington,
S. M. Maynard,
E. S. R. Kendrick,
Clara Manley,
EVENING SCHOOLS. PRINCIPALS. SPECIAL COMMITTEES. Stone.
BURNCOAT PLAIN, NORTH POND, CHAMBERLAIN,
M. J. Wetmore, Anna C. Perry, L. E. Perry,
GRAMMAR,
SECONDARY,
PRIMARY,
PRINCIPALS.
A. E. Clough,
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the School Board of Worcester :
In conformity to your regulations, I submit the following as my Fourth Annual Report.
The efficiency of public schools depends largely upon the sym- pathy and co-operation of parents and citizens. No intelligent sympathy and co-operation can be expected from those who are ignorant of what these schools attempt and what they accomplish. Information concerning them is due the citizen, that he may know how the public funds are expended, and how the foundations of the future city are being laid ; and especially due the parent, that he may know on what principles the education of his child is conducted. This information having been furnished, you may of right expect that your administration of a high public trust shall be carefully inspected. To adapt the schools to the wants and necessities of our city, requires constant and nice adjustment. The test of success or failure is an intelligent pub- lic judgment ; and such a judgment is possible only after close examination. Attention is, therefore, solicited to this account of what has been done the past year and what is aimed at for the future, and to the suggestions for still further increasing the efficiency of the public schools,
50
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26. SUMMARY OF STATISTICS. FOR THE YEAR 1871.
I. POPULATION.
Population of the city Jan. 1872 estimated, 43,000
Population, census 1865, 30,058
Population, census 1870,
41,115
Number of children in the city between the ages of five
and fifteen, returned by the assessors, May 1871, 8,297
II. VALUATION.
Valuation of the city May 1871, Increase for the year
$38,141,250.00
4,122,800.00
City debt, aside from investments,
372,309.98
City debt including cost of water works, and sewers and investment in B. B. & G. Rail Road,
2,459,900
Value of school houses and lots,
866,200.00
Amount assessed for state, county and city tax 1871,
686,933.85
Rate of taxation, .0174
Ordinary expense of schools,
$108,137.35
Per cent. of the same to valuation,
.00284
Per cent. of the same to whole tax, 16
Amount for fuel, janitors, ordinary re- pairs etc., $20,314.12
Salaries of teachers,
83,973.23
Salaries of school officers,
3,850.00
Extraordinary expense, including, permanent repairs, furnishing new houses $1,000, for Drawing School etc., Amount expended in new houses and lots,
90,435.00
Whole expense for schools including cost of new houses, etc.,
$210,151.01
Amount paid the state towards Normal School,
15,000.00
Amount received from State School Fund for 1871,
2,013.76
Average cost per scholar for all schools for 11 months, or a yearly rate of about,
16.78
Same last year,
16.75
Cost of Evening Schools 5-6 the usual time,
1,369.70
Average per scholar,
5.80
Cost of Mechanical Drawing School to March 1871,
1,500.00
Average per scholar, estimated,
6.00
III. SCHOOL HOUSES,
Number occupied Dec. 1870, 33
Number, Dec, 1871. 35
$11,578.66
15.39
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
51
Completed and occupied during the year, Belmont St. house and High School house,
2
Undergoing repairs, old High School house,
1
Rooms occupied Dec. 1870,
132
Rooms occupied Dec. 1871,
144
Whole number of sittings, 7817
In High School,
400
Additional space for 180,
Grammar schools,
1607
Secondary schools,
1627
Primary schools,
3681
Ungraded schools,
107
Suburban schools,
395
IV. SCHOOLS.
High School, nine rooms,
1 32
Grammar rooms, four grades Increase,
1
31
Secondary rooms, two grades, Increase,
3
59
Ungraded school, for boys,
1
Ungraded school, for girls,
1
Suburban schools,
11
Northville, 2
Bloomingdale,
Tatnuck,
Adams Square,
Valley Falls,
Burncoat,
Leesville,
North Pond,
Blithewood,
Chamberlain.
Evening Schools,
5
Orange St. for boys ; Elm St. for girls ; Shrewsbury St. for girls ; Summer St. for both sexes ; Cambridge St. for both sexes.
Mechanical Drawing Classes, at Belmont St.
4
, V. TEACHERS.
4
Female teachers in High School,
5
Male teachers in Grammar and Ungraded Schools,
6
Female teachers all grades below the High School,
133
Male teachers in Evening Schools,
2
Female teachers in Evening Schools,
9
Teachers in Mechanical Drawing Schools, males,
6
Special teacher of Music, male,
1
Graduates of State Normal School,
12
Graduates at our Training School,
33
Former members of the High School,
70
Primary rooms, three grades, Increase,
6
Male teachers in High School,
52
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
VI. PUPILS.
Number registered in the public schools, Increase, 521
412
Estimated number from this city in private schools here,
300
Average number belonging to the schools,
7024
Increase, 639
Average daily attendance,
6322
Increase,
590
Average daily absence,
702
Number at close of Fall Term, 1870,
6541
At the close of Winter Term, 1870-71,
6448
Decrease,
107
At the close of Spring Term, Decrease,
390
At the close of Summer Term,
6203
Increase,
145
7145
At the close of Fall Term 1871, Increase,
942
Per cent. of daily attendance to average number belong- ing,
.903
Number perfect in attendance the whole year,
343
Number perfect three terms,
466
Number perfect two terms,
736
Number perfect one term,
1577
Whole number registered in the High School, Boys, 155.
379
Average number belonging,
220
Average daily attendance,
214
Per cent. of daily attendance,
.93
Average age of pupils Jan. 1872,
16:10
Number of graduates June, 1871,
23
Average number of pupils to a regular teacher,
27.5
9941
Number over fifteen years old,
Items similar to the above, relating to the schools of each grade may be found in the secretary's tables accompanying this report. Your attention is also called to the course of study, which has been slightly advanced in each grade ; to the questions for the written examinations near the close of the school year in June ; to the report of the committee on the Truant School; and to tables showing the number and attendance, and the absence and tardiness of pupils in cach of the public schools, the nation- ality of parents and scholars, the salaries of teachers, the amount expended for schools from 1850 to 1871, inclusive, the value of
Girls, 224.
6058
53
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
school houses and other school property, and to the Roll of Honor, containing the names of pupils perfect in attendance two or more terms.
By a recent city ordinance the fiscal year ends Nov. 30th, instead of Dec. 31st. The ordinary expense given above, covers a period of only eleven months. It is slightly larger than last year ; while the average daily attendance of pupils has in- creased 490, and the average number belonging to the schools has increased 639. Add the expenditure for the remaining month and the yearly expense would be .0039 of the valuation and .171 of the entire tax. These ratios, and the cost per scholar, are almost precisely the same as last year.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
The Belmont St. house was occupied in May last; the new High School house, the first of the present month. The former was described in the last report. In this report will be found a description of the latter, and an account of the exercises at its dedication. These exercises were representative of sixteen houses, built and entered within the last six or seven years in such rapid succession as to leave no time for ceremony.
We have been criticised for opening schools in new houses too soon ; and it is better to have them thoroughly completed in every part before they are used. But six hundred and thirty nine pupils, the increase last year, must have room. The only way to prevent this need is to stop the increase of children and the growth of the city. Our friends in the City Council have responded nobly to the yearly call, the last half decade, for a house like that on Dix street. But if at the first they wait upon our call only a little, while the children continue to multiply, they must expect us to hurry them at the last.
No action has yet been taken to build the house on Mechanic street, called for in last year's report. The only rooms at pres- ent unoccupied are two at Quinsigamond, inaccessible from any other part of the city, two in the attic at Providence street, one at Sycamore street, one lately finished at Woodland street, and four in the old Summer street house.
The Front street house has been sold and must be abandoned next July ; the same number of pupils can be sent to Summer 8
54
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
street. The room in the Library on Elm street must be given up, and the two basements on Dix street ought not to be used. The pupils might occupy three of the rooms in the old house on Walnut street, if they were finished. There remain, then, two very inconvenient rooms at Providence street, one at Syca- more street, one at Woodland street, and what may be made ready at Walnut street. There is now a surplus of pupils in several schools sufficient to fill half these rooms. The influx in the early spring will crowd them to more than overflowing. Such is the state of things, after increasing our accommodations last year by fourteen rooms for about seven hundred children.
Ledge street house and Belmont street are crowded. Lamar- tine street is crammed. What are we to do with the five or six hundred new pupils, as sure to come this year as the flood tide ? While the city grows she must build.
The old High School house should be put in order, and rooms fitted up for the evening Drawing Classes. A house on Mechanic street, or some neighboring site ought at once to be commenced. The growing population of the Island, so called, will require more room before it can be provided. Close upon the heels of these enterprises, there are premonitions of an urgent need near Bel- mont street, especially if the Summer street house is sold.
SCHOOLS.
Early in the year, two new Primary Schools were opened on Lamartine street, where there is an abundance of the younger pupils, in rooms fitted up in the hall of that house. Another was opened on Ledge street. In May the four higher grades were removed from Thomas street, to Belmont street; two schools, grades sixth and seventh, from Shrewsbury street, and one of grade fifth, from Front street, to Thomas street. By this means the double primary schools were divided, and two new ones were opened on Shrewsbury street. At the commencement of the new school year, the last Monday in August, another primary school was opened at Providence street, and the school of grade seventh was removed to Ledge street. All the schools were removed from the old house on Summer street, to Belmont street, the last double primary school was divided and a new school was opened, and still another was formed at Thomas street.
55
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
A school of grade eighth, was also formed there. In pursuance of the plan adopted for the organization of the schools at - Belmont street, and in all the new and larger buildings, grade eighth was removed from Sycamore street to Woodland street. This arrangement secures a continuous gradation in the larger buildings, and leaves the more central rooms for the smaller pupils. About the middle of the autumn the crowded condition of the schools of grade fourth rendered it necessary to open another on Front street. The large attendance and multiplicity of classes at Northville compelled the opening of a new school there at the same time. As the new house was not ready at the commencement of the year, the High School temporarily, occupied the old Summer street house, all except the large enter- ing class. This was quartered in the two rooms at Providence street, at Sycamore street, and subsequently a section in a room of the People's Savings Bank. All entered the new house on the second inst. The arrangement of our schools in grades may be seen in the course of study, further on. The studies in each grade were advanced last April, when the time of the annual examination was changed to June. The questions, also, for the written examinations at the close of the year, in the grades above the primary, indicate the range of studies in each grade. They are further intended, in some instances to suggest a line of study which may be profitably pursued.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
Two new evening schools have been organized this year; that at Summer street, and that at Cambridge street. There is an increasing demand for these schools ; and the attendance is larger than ever before. The majority of pupils need instruction in the most elementary studies. Many are children scarcely fifteen years old, who work by day. Others, especially those at Orange street, are of naturer years, and some are well advanced in their studies. These schools must soon receive much greater attention. Stricter laws for school attendance will soon be enacted. Then the question of Evening Schools and Half Time Schools will become prominent ; for there will be men and women to be taught, who see at length the need of the learning they did not acquire in youth ; and "the poor ye shall have
56
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
with you always," whose children must work. In the neighbor- ing city of Fall River, one-half the youthful operatives in the mills, work in the morning and attend school in the afternoon, exchanging places with the other half, who attend school in the morning and labor in the afternoon. An arrangement like this, which the parent might make early in the year, would prevent all hardship in the execution of our law for school attendance. But the evening schools are not for the poorer class of scholars only. Like any other free schools they are open for any who have the desire to improve. These schools have been more encouraged and more successful than elsewhere, in the city of Providence where they were established as early as 1840. Last year in 6 schools with 63 teachers, they had an aggregate attend- ance of 1649, with an average of 609, for each of the twenty evenings the schools were in session. The sum paid for salaries was $5829, and the entire cost of these schools, which did not occupy the rooms of the day school, was $7000. Says the report "Were all the funds appropriated for public uses as judiciously expended, the tax payers would be more than satisfied."
As an example of steadfast perseverance, the case of a young man is mentioned "who has attended school for three winters, and during all that time has been absent but a single night. He is a printer by trade, and while engaged in his daily work, he has devoted his leisure moments to hard study. He has acquired a good knowledge of the English branches, and has made such proficiency in the Latin and Greek languages, as to be able to enter an advanced class in the Sheffield Academy, where he hopes soon to complete his preparatory course for college." In another of their evening schools " two young men are preparing to enter college."
In our evening schools the aid has been given mostly to indi- viduals. They have been classified only in reading and partially in arithmetic. In the new schools an attempt has been made to give oral instruction illustrated with globes and wall maps, in the elements of geography, the continents, oceans, river and mountain systems, the location of principal places, lines of travel, and staple products, the climate, seasons, etc. ; in the outlines of grammar or language, the grand divisions of subject and predicate, with their modifications ; in physiology and
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