USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1880 > Part 11
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III
66
Jennie A. Whitney,
II
66
Anna B. Hopkins,
I
Anna M. Smith,
I
66
Abbie J. Reed,
V
Ellen M. Haskell,
Florence V. Beane,
Nellie M. White.
1.90
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Teachers.
Grade.
DIX STREET.
William H. Bartlett, Principal, .
IX
Clara Manly, Asst., .
VIII
Effie F. Kinne,
VII
Minnie Meade,
VI
Minnie W. Sherman,
V
..
Susie W. Forbes, .
IV
Esther B. Smith, [Hattie G. Gates,]
III
Alice W. Giddings,
III
Alice E. Johnson,
II
Effie J. Phelps,
I
WALNUT STREET.
Francii,
Nellie C. Thomas, Principal, .
VIII
L. Elizabeth King, [ Carrie A Smith,]
VII
Kate A. Meade, .
VI
Mary A. Harrington,
VI
Ella M. McFarland,
V
Eunice M. Gates,
IV
WOODLAND STREET.
Tion,
Edward I. Comins, Principal, .
IX
Annie C. Wyman, Asst., [ Mary E. Houghton.]
VIII
Mary M. Lawton,
VII
Goulding,
Janet Martin,
VI
Carrie R. Clements,
VI-V
Martha T. Wyman,
V-IV
Sarah J. Melanefy,
IV
Maggie I. Melanefy,
III
Amanda H. Davie, .
III-II
Ella E. Goddard, .
II-I I
WASHINGTON STREET.
Charles T. Haynes, Principal,
IX
Amanda M. Phillips, Asst.,
M. Ella Spalding,
VIII
LAMARTINE STREET.
Charles T. Haynes, Principal,
J. Chauncey Lyford,
VII VI
=
Caroline H. Metcalf,
V
Louise A. Dawson, .
V
Mary E. Kavanagh,
Ellen T. Shannon,
Ida A. Tew, .
III
F. Belle Perry,
III
Anna M. Murray,
II
.
Miss Raroardi,
.
Lamsoy,
..
Francis, 14
..
Emma Buckley.
Josie M. Ware,
IV IV
Brown,
66
Anna J. Hitchcock, [Martha P. Valentine,]
Ann S. Dunton,
191
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
Committee.
Teacher.
Grade.
Casey,
- Mary E. Murphy,
IF
Mary A. Egan,
I.
Emma F. Brown,
I
LEDGE STREET.
Marble,
Charles C. Woodman, Principal,
IX
Margaret M. Geary, Asst., .
VIII
Eliza E. Cowles,
VIII
66
Maria P. Cole,
VII
-Swan,
Mary J. Packard.
VI
Kate A. McCarthy,
VI
Alice G. McMahon,
V
Frances M. Athy,
IV
Mary E. D. King,
IIL
Mary V. Callaghan,
II
Ida F. Boyden,
I
Fanny A. Williams,
I
THOMAS STREET.
Lamson,
66
Sarah E. Rogers, Asst.,
Abbie C. Souther,
VII-VI
S. Lizzie Wedge, .
VI
Belle H. Tucker, .
V
.Marshall,
Mary E. Fitzgerald,
V-IV
Abbie F. Hemenway,
IV
Hattie W. Bliss,
III
Flora J. Osgood,
III-II
Ella A. Casey,
II
Nellie B. Webber,
I
Jennie C. Clough, .
I
SYCAMORE STREET.
"Woodward,
1bbie E. Clough, Principal,
VIII
M. Louise Rice,
VII
A. Teresa Timon, .
VI
Susie A. Partridge,
V
Hattie S. Hagen, .
IV
Sarah W. Clements,
III
Ida A. E. Kenney,
II.
Eliza J. Day, .
I
Marina H. Tucker,
T
EAST WORCESTER.
"Tuite,
Ella W. Foskett, Principal,
VI
Minnie M. Parmenter, Assistant,
V
Mary E. C. Carroll, (Kate E. Kenney,)
V
Addie J. Booth,
IV
Julia A. Bunker,
IV
64
"T. H. Murphy,
.
Harriet G. Waite, Principal,
VIII-VII
.
66
Mrs. Rogers,
Timon,
Annie Brown,
Hall,
Emma L. Cowles,
192
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Committee.
Teacher.
Grade.
Hall. Marshall,
Kate C. Cosgrove,
III
Aloysia Radcliffe,
II
Mary E. Russell, .
II
Mary J. O'Connor,
I
66
Addie E. Kendall,
I
PROVIDENCE STREET.
Mrs. Rogers,
Etta A. Rounds, Principal,
VII
Sarah J. Newton, .
V
Adeliza Perry,
IV
Esther E. Travis,
III
S. Cornelia Chamberlin,
II
Ella J. Lyford,
I
GRAFTON STREET.
Cosgrove,
Bridget T. Carlon, Principal,
VI-V
Evelyn E. Towne,
IV
Kate A. McLoughlin,
III
Mrs. Earle,
Margaret J. McCann,
II
Carrie M. Adams,
I
Maggie A. Flaherty,
I
ASH STREET.
Mary J. Mack, Principal,
VI
Mary McGown,
V
Mattie A. Collins,
IV
Kate A. Coughlin,
III
Sarah A. Boyd,
II I
M. Gertrude Griggs,
SOUTH WORCESTER.
Carrie A. George, Principal,
VIII
Mary E. Fay,
VII
Amelia M. Walker,
VI
Ellen M. Boyden,
V
Alma A. Grow,
V
Mary O. Whitney,
IV
Lydia W. Ball, .
III
Mary C. Paige,
II
Kate A. Fallon,
I
OXFORD STREET.
Warner,
Ella L. Dwyer, Principal,
VII
Ella K. Morgan, (Mary F. Harrington)
V
Mary L. Norcross,
IV
Ida L. Gaskill,
III
Nettie A. Murray,
III
Emma J. Houghton,
II
Mary F. Barker,
I
M. Ella Clark, .
I
66
O'Flynn
66
Goulding, 66
Casey, 66
66
J. Murphy, 66
66
Warner, 66
Cosgrove,
66
66
66
Conaty,
66
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. ,
193
Committee.
Teacher.
Grade.
WINSLOW STREET.
Hall,
Amy E. Hopson, Principal,
VI
Emily J. Herrick,
V
Marble,
Lucy Lewisson,
IV
Alice E. Meriam, .
III
SALEM STREET.
Conaty,
Minnie F. Whittier, Principal, ( Olive G. Davidson.)
V
Mary O. Whitmore, .
IV-III
Emma I. Claflin, .
III-II I
EDGEWORTH STREET.
Metcalf,
Ella E. Roper, Principal,
VII
Sarah Brigham,
VI
Alice V. Proctor, .
V
Sarah M. Brigham,
IV
Jennie E. Maloney,
III
Addie E. Sprague,
II
Marion C. Tucker,
II
Nellie J. Carlon,
I
NEW WORCESTER.
Brown, 66
Charlotte H. Munger, Principal,
IX-VIII
Mattie Howe, Assistant, .
S. Lizzie Carter,
VII-VI
Josephine A. Hunt, .
V-IV
Ada E. Simonds,
III-II I
SUMMER STREET.
T. H. Murphy,
Abbie A. Wells, Principal,
V IV
Carrie F. Meriam,
III
Woodward,
Mary A. Gauren,
II I
QUINSIGAMOND.
Marshall, 66
Mary S. Eaton, Principal,
VII-VI
Helena M. Kalaher,
V-IV
Edna Currier,
Ella E. Hall,
Mary A. Winter,
III-II II-I I
MASON STREET.
Mary E. Pease, Principal,
II
Effie L. Bennett,
I
Goulding,
Belle H. Crowell,
J. Murphy, 66
66
O'Flynn, 66
Lillian Paul, (Hattie S. Putnam)
Ella J. Moore, .
Lilla F. Upton,
Cosgrove, 66
Miss Barnard,
26
194
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Committee.
Teacher.
Grade.
ADRIATIC.
Conlin, 66
Emma A. Porter, Principal,
IV
Lizzie E. Chapin, .
III
Swan
Mary A. Rourke, .
II
Abby B. Shute,
I
66
Mary E. Buxton, .
I
UNION HILL.
Casey, 66
Mary A. Kean, Principal,
IV-III
Etha M. Stowell, .
II-I
SUBURBAN.
Committee.
Place.
Teachers.
Miss Barnard,
Northville,
Eudora A. Dearborn.
Brown,
Tatnuck,
Julia E. Greenwood.
Mrs. Earle,
Valley Falls,
Eliza J. Seaver.
Francis,
Trowbridgeville,
Anna H. Newton.
Woodward,
Blithewood,
Arabell E. Burgess.
Casey,
Bloomingdale,
Jennie L. Higgins.
Warner,
Adams Square,
Emina L. Giffin.
Metcalf,
Burncoat Plain,
Jennie I. Adams.
J. Murphy,
North Pond,
Elma L. Studley.
Cosgrove,
Chamberlain,
Fanny R. Spurr.
Hall,
Lake View,
M. Rosalie Goddard.
DRAWING. Walter S. Perry, Teacher.
Committee.
Mrs. Rogers,
Mr. Marble,
Mrs. Earle,
Messrs. Hall,
J. Murphy.
MUSIC.
Seth Richards, Teacher.
Committee.
Messrs. Metcalf,
Cosgrove, Woodward,
Bassett,
Tuite.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
Committee.
Messrs. Marble,
Conaty,
Miss Barnard,
Mrs. Earle,
Mr. Francis.
TRUANT OFFICERS.
-
Henry E. Fayerweather, .
Wm. Hickey.
1
213
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
The graduating exercises took place at the High School Hall June 22, 1880, at 3 o'clock P. M.
PROGRAMME.
MUSIC.
CHORUS :- Hark, the Curfew's Solemn Sound. . ATTWOOD
I. Salutatory Address.
HELEN M. PARKHURST
MUSIC.
CHORUS :- O Thou, my Hope, My Country. FRANZ ABT
2. Class History.
JENNIE A. HOUGHTON.
MUSIC.
TRIO :- O calm and lovely the evening bells FRANZ ABT
3. Class Prophecy :
CHARLES J. DYER
MUSIC.
CHORUS :- Morning Invitation. G. A. VEAZIE, Jr_
4. Valedictory Address with Essay; Progress : DENNIS J. SULLIVAN
Pianist-MISS DIEMAR.
Presentation of Diplomas by His Honor the Mayor.
CLASS SONG.
WORDS BY MR. DYER; MUSIC BY MR. FOLEY.
Time has come, dear classmates,- The time for us to part,- And there is joy with sadness Filling our ev'ry heart.
It has pleased our wise Creator To darken this bright day : But the bow of heavenly promise Will illume our future way.
And now as here we gather To say our last "Good-Bye," May the same fond feeling bind us Forever and for aye !
214
CITY DOCUMENT. - NO. 35.
CLASS OF 1880.
Charles Andrew Barnard.
Charles Jesse Child.
Alice Maria Cheney.
Mary Coes.
Imogene Cooper.
Theodore Patrick Fallon.
Ora Maria Davis.
John Joseph Foley.
Ida Lynde De Camp.
Frederick Park Gleason.
Gustavus Adolphus Gunderson.
Lillie Florence Diemar.
Marion Frederika Eldred.
James Augustine Lynch.
George Dunning Moore.
Walter Brigham Nye.
Jennie Augusta Houghton.
Mary Louise Houghton.
Charles Converse Putnam.
Linwood Robinson.
Edward Smith Russell.
Theodore Horace Sheldon.
Dennis Joseph Sullivan.
Mary Agnes McGillicuddy.
William Aldrich .Tateum.
Nellie Sanford Packard.
James Henry Underwood.
Theresa Mandana Park.
Alonzo Wilton Whitcomb.
Samuel Ellsworth Winslow.
Elsie Maroe Ball.
Lizzie Elnora Batchellor.
Mary Goddard Blanchard. Fannie Asenath Carter.
Hattie Chase Carter.
Ida Isabelle Chapin.
Elizabeth Bancroft Cheever.
James Jerome Doyle.
James Nicholas Doyle. Charles Joseph Dyer.
Nellie May Cudworth.
Nellie May Denny.
Joseph Henry Kelley.
Nellie Frances Henry .. Anna Cordelia Hobart.
John O'Driscoll.
Florence Adele Jefferson. Annie Ethel Jordan.
Mary Gertrude Kiley. Jennie Elizabeth Knight.
Helen Marcella Parkhurst. Anna Evelyn Prouty. Nellie Swan Richardson. Estella Virginia Rolston.
Josephine Spurr. Etta Melissa Thayer.
Isabel Warner.
COLLEGE DIVISION.
This course of study is subject to such modifications as the changes in college requirements may necessitate.
1ST YEAR.
2ND YEAR.
3RD YEAR.
1 4TH YEAR.
5TH YEAR.
1. LATIN. Grammar and Reader.
1. LATIN. Cæsar, and at sight.
1. LATIN. Ovid and Æneid.
1. LATIN. Æneid and Bucolics.
1. LATIN. Æneid, Georgics, Cicero.
.
2. HISTORY. General Outlines.
2. GREEK. Grammar and Lessons.
2. GREEK. Anabasis and Composition.
2. GREEK. Homer and Composition.
2. GREEK. Herodotus and at sight.
.
3. ALGEBRA.
3. GEOMETRY.
3. HISTORY. Greek .
3. LATIN COMPOSITION.
3. PHYSICS.
and Roman.' LATIN COMPOSITION.
4. PHYSIOLOGY. Once a week.
4. LATIN COMPOSITION.
4. REVIEW.
4. FRENCH.
.
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
Rhetoricals, weekly throughout the course.
215
STUDIES IN THE WORCESTER HIGH SCHOOL.
CLASSICAL DIVISION.
ENGLISH DIVISION.
FIRST YEAR.
Latin or German; Algebra; History ; Physiology (once a week).
FIRST YEAR.
TERM.
TERM. Ist .- Phys. Geog. 2d .- Book Keeping. Algebra; History; Physiology (once a week).
SECOND YEAR.
Latin or German; Geometry; Physics; French
History ; Physics; Geometry; French.
THIRD YEAR.
Latin or German; Rhetoric; French.
Advanced History (twice a week) ; Rhetoric; Chemistry ; French.
FOURTH YEAR.
TERM. TERM,
Latin or German;
TERM.
TERM.
Ist .- Astronomy;
2d .- Geology;
" -Eng. Lit .; " _Civil Gov't;
French.
French.
Three years in the Classical Division prepare for the Technical School.
No one should leave this school to enter the Normal School before the end of the third year; and all who desire to enter that school are earnestly advised to first complete the course in this.
Weekly Exercises of the whole School in Music, Drawing (optional), Elocution and Composition,
216
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
1st .- Pol. Econ ; 2d .- Botany;
" -Astronomy ; " -Geology;
" -Eng. Lit .; " __ Civil Gov't;
SECOND YEAR.
THIRD YEAR.
217
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
FREE EVENING DRAWING SCHOOLS.
The classes opened in the rooms on Walnut St. this year are five in number, the same as last year. Beginners and advanced classes in free hand drawing; and beginners and two ad- vanced classes in instrumental drawing. The pupils of the advanced classes are largely from the classes of previous years ; the interest is steady and continuous and the progress of the classes as a whole is very satisfactory. The advanced class has had lessons in perspective and in drawing from life.
These classes are open for persons over 15 years of age, and not attending school. In the day schools each pupil has the opportunity for this study.
DRAWING
in the day schools is one of the regular studies named in the law like writing or arithmetic. It occupies about twenty min- utes a day. In the first grades the practice is upon slates, in making lines and angles, and in locating dots, the object being to train the eye to observe, to measure, and to detect symmetry ; and to train the hand as well. In the advanced grades the drawing is from copies in books, and from objects; and later still simple designs are produced. In the High School the study is optional and of a more advanced kind.
There is a somewhat wide-spread misapprehension respecting the nature and the object of this study; it is spoken of as art education. The fact is there is very little art about it, in the early stage. It is a training of the hand and eye just as writing is, and it is a direct help in the practice of writing. No special talent or genious is required any more than in writing or walk- ing. It would be silly to speak of genius as a requisite for a child who would learn to write. Genius at most is only " end- less patience." No more is there any need of genius for learn- ing this simple kind of drawing. It is true that in pursuing the study in this very elementary way, some pupils will develop a
29
218
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
taste for the subject, an interest and a talent for it, which may lead them later to become artists. These are the pupils who should go on to the study of art, in the High School or else- where. But drawing in the lower schools has not much more to do with art than the alphabet has to do with poetry. Once in a while a pupil from the public schools may beome a poet ; and for this the preliminary training in reading and writing are necessary. It would not be wise to forbid the study of reading and writing, on the ground that it is no part of the business of schools to educate poets; no more is it wise to exclude drawing on the ground that we are educating artists.
It is worth while to repeat here that drawing was introduced into the schools at first as a preparation for industrial pursuits ; the study is one of the most practical of all; it comes in play in every calling; even the sums, and the columns of spelling words on the children's slates, are arranged more neatly in con- sequence of it.
On the whole the study was never more satisfactorily taught than it is at present. The following is from the report of the Committee on Drawing.
"We believe the work has never been carried on so well and so pleasantly here before. The children seem interested. The teachers are not antagonistic, and many are specially interested. The committee have heard very little complaint from parents."
"More work, and better, has been done this year than ever before, and in less time. In very few schools has the work of drawing taken more than the appointed time."
"It does not seem to the committee that skill, care and inter- est in drawing are confined to, or wanting in any particular class of scholars. Some of the work has been done by boys and girls from the poorest families and some of the worst by those from the well-to-do families. It seems rather that, whatever the class of scholars, whatever the material to work with, the teacher who is interested and knows how to interest pupils in the study will get more or less good work and find the study no burden."
219
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
OBLIGATORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. -
Chapter 52 of the Acts of 1876 contains the following :
Sec. 2. " No child under the age of fourteen years shall be so employed, except during the vacations of the public schools, unless during the year next preceding snch employment he has attended some public or private day school, under teachers approved by the School Committee of the place where such school is kept, at least twenty weeks, which time may be divided into two terms, each of ten consecutive weeks, so far as the arrangement of school terms will allow. Chap. 257, Acts of 1878."
Sec. 1. " Every owner, superintendent or overseer of any manufacturing, mechan- ical or mercantile establishment in this Commonwealth shall require and keep on file a certificate of the age and place of birth of every minor child under the age of sixteen years in his employ, or in the employ of such establishment, so long as such minor shall be so employed, which certificate shall also state, in case of a minor under the age of fourteen years, the amount of his or her school attendance during the year next preceding such employment. Said certificate shall be made by or under the direction of the School Committee of the place where such attendance has been had or where such establishment is located."
In order the better to execute this law the blank certificates which are to be filled by the teacher have been prepared with an abstract of the law printed on the back for the information of parents, the pupil and the teacher. Teachers are also requested to make known to pupils the length and terms of school attendance so that they may make calculations accord- ingly. The chief hardship in the application of the law is with those who stay at home when they might go to school and then find that they cannot have the certificate when they wish to work. A thorough execution of the law will inform the people of its requirements.
CERTIFICATE OF AGE AND SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
Name, ----
Birthplace,-
Present age (from the School Register),-years,-months.
Attended School within the year ending with this date-weeks.
First 10 weeks, from ---- 188 to --- 188
Last 10 weeks, from --- 188 to- -188
School. (Date).
-Teacher .. Grade
Approved,
Worcester, Mass.,-188
For School Committee.
220
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Employers need a Certificate for every Child under 16 years old.
For those under 14 the amount of school attendance must be stated. Two full Terms, ten weeks each, are required by law.
Teachers will encourage pupils to attend school, so that they may take this Certifi- cate on leaving. To do this, attendance should begin with September, Ist, December 1st, or March 1st.
This Child should re-enter school-188
The truant officers are charged with the execution of this law, as well as with the prevention of truancy. It is believed that very few if any children are employed without the proper school attendance. These officers have also taken the school census by wards as of May, 1880. The census by wards for 1879, and for 1880 are given for the sake of comparison ..
CENSUS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.
WARD.
1879.
1880.
INCREASE ..
1
1055
1163
108
2
1183
1357
174
3
1608
1722
114
4
1324
1465
141
5
1950
2240
291
6
1044
1233
189
7
938
1030
92:
8
725
778
53
9827
10989
1162
The number of truants taken to school has been 1,000, out of some 3,500 cases reported. The officers have found on the street and sent to school, 166; they have restored to the parents twenty-four lost children; they have arrested for truancy six- teen, of whom ten were sent to the truant school, and six had their cases placed on file by order of the court. The officers are at the call of the teachers and spend all the time in school hours, in visiting the school houses and looking up absent pupils. A part of the apparatus for securing attendance at school in this city is the
221
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
TRUANT SCHOOL.
This institution was established about the year 1863. It is located at the city farm. It is in charge of the Overseers of the Poor; and there are no commitments to it for any cause except truancy. By sticking closely to that policy the evils have been avoided from which more than one such school in this state has failed. The apartments consist of a play-room, used also as a dining-room, a school room, and a bed room. They are neat, comfortable and secure. A teacher has charge of the inmates day and night and Sundays. There is a nominal vacation of two weeks each quarter. The school hours are nine to twelve and two to four from October to April, and from eight to twelve from April to October. In so far as boys show them- selves to be trustworthy they are allowed to work about the garden, in summer, and about the stables and the house. The confinement is only what they make it by their own misconduct. This is the banner school with respect to regularity of attend- ance. And each boy has the privilege by good conduct of reducing his sentence by one month in a year. The sentence is usually a year; sometimes it is six months only, or eighteen months. The graduates of the school are usually reformed from truancy.
The influence of such a school is to restrain hundreds of boys from running away from school. The effect of the school is by no means confined to those who go there. The success- ive steps for admission are these. Absence from school without permission is first censured by the teacher; the authority of the parent, if there is one, is sought. If the offence is repeated the truant officer is called upon. A further repetition generally brings the boy face to face with the School Committee, repre- sented perhaps by the superintendent, and he is warned of the law of the state and the truant school. These warnings may be repeated. Generally the evil terminates at this stage ; but if all other means fail the boy is brought before the court and sen- tenced. This school is successful in proportion to the fewness
222
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
of its inmates. Only ten boys have been sent there within the year. The average number in attendance is only about eight.
It may be said that the schools ought to be so pleasant that the dear children will love to go, and will never run away. They are so for nine-tenths of the pupils. But there are a few hundred boys who are not so interested; and they cannot be kept in school on the Sunday school plan-excursions, picnics, taffy .. It is not best to let them run at large.
It is possible that some towns or cities have no truants ; it is more probable that if they appear to have none the boys have left the school for the street. Application has frequently been. made to the authorities for permission to sentence truants to this school from other places-Milford, Milton, Quincy, Fitch- burg, Leicester; but no such permission has been granted for at least a dozen years. Truancy is not then peculiar to this city. By this school and other means the per cent. of attend- ance is as great as should be expected; for there are · times when it is a duty for children to stay at home. The number of pupils registered so nearly corresponds with the census of children of school age that it is probable there are but few chil- dren here who do not attend school. The number of pupils- above the school age of the census, corresponds very nearly with the number who attend the private schools.
SUPPLEMENTARY READING.
The plan of supplementing the ordinary work of the schools by supplying extra reading matter, and by directing the reading of pupils and aiding them in the selection of good books, has been continued during the year, it is believed with excellent results. The plan was inaugurated as early as 1870. It has now been quite generally adopted throughout the country.
In the school report for 1871 occurs the following: "Atten- tion has recently been directed to the books which are read by the older pupils of our schools, and to the opportunity for use- fulness which teachers have, in giving their pupils a taste for good reading. Some children read books that are positively
223
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
bad; many read those that are useless; while others confine their reading to works of fiction exclusively, with an interest which they might just as well find in books far more profitable, if only their reading was well directed and their taste properly cultivated. It would be interesting for any one to stand at the door of the Public Library on Saturday afternoon and see what books the children read :- in some cases such as are wholly unsuited to them; often not the best. Even the gradu- ates of the High School would not all be found familiar with the best English writers of prose and poetry, though they read a great deal, no doubt. Why should they not know Prescott, Motley and Irving, Longfellow, Whittier and Tennyson instead of the last writer in the Ledger, Mrs. Southworth or Charles Reade? The School Committee, parents and teachers should exert a positive influence in this direction ; for here is an impor- tant means of education, not to be neglected."
The interest awakened at that time has been continued more or less ever since by many of the teachers, and by the librarian of our Free Public Library. The pupils of our schools are thus introduced to the university of the public school system-the public library,-where their studies may continue always. An interesting account of what has been done recently in this important work is given in a paper on the Public Library and the Public School, by Mr. S. S. Green, the librarian.
DONATION OF A LIBRARY.
As many of the books which are taken from the library for use in the schools cannot be read in the time allowed, without interfering with the regular work of the school, there would be great benefit resulting if certain approved works were owned by the school, to remain permanently in the school house or to be exchanged, perhaps, once a year with another school. Per- ceiving this advantage our fellow citizen, Mr. Albert Curtis, has given a good little library to the New Worcester school; and on receipt of the same the following was adopted by the school committee :
224
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Whereas: Mr. Albert Curtis has donated to the New Worcester schools a well- selected library of some ninety volumes, together with a book-case for the same, and a collection of photographs of American scenery and of eminent men and women, besides several busts, the whole at a cost of about $150,
Resolved: That the School Committee of the city of Woreester recognize the gen- erosity of our fellow citizen, and commend the wise direction it has taken :
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