Town of Newton annual report 1881-1882, Part 10

Author: Newton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Newton (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 434


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1881-1882 > Part 10


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LINCOLN SCHOOL.


The Lincoln School, with its three classes, fills an important place in our city school system. The prog- ress of the children is good ; and no teacher has more friendly interest and support from parents than Miss Wilmarth.


For the Committee of Newton District,


LINCOLN R. STONE, Chairman.


REPORT OF DRAWING COMMITTEE.


AT the close of the year ending June, 1880, the Com- mittee on Drawing, not feeling quite satisfied with the work accomplished in the grammar and primary grades, knowing also that the special teacher felt the same dis- satisfaction, and feeling sure that the only remedy was in more thorough supervision, requested the teacher to visit all the schools at least once during the year, to examine the work done, and point out definitely her plans and method.


The result of this action I will give in the words of Mrs. Bowler : " This amount of supervision, you readily see, can be only nominal, though it has been supple- mented by two or three visits in some instances, and a few meetings with the teachers. At the first visit, I was convinced that some change in plan was necessary to bring out more life and thoroughness in the teaching. The drawing that had shown so proudly for us at the Centennial Exhibition was fast deteriorating. While the teachers labored faithfully, they had in many cases little understanding of the plan, and the work was pro- ductive of confusion. Having considered the matter carefully, it was found that the books then in use could not be satisfactorily graded, and permission was obtained of the Committee to adopt blank books for regular work, and printed books for perfect copies when required. Charts were then given to each teacher, and the work arranged for the year."


51


DRAWING.


In February Mrs. Bowler left the schools for a few months' absence in Europe for rest and study. Upon her return in September she wrote, "I found that the drawing had been progressing well. The class entering the High School was better prepared than any preced- ing class. The teachers expressed themselves happy in the plan, and some begged that no change be made in it."


Owing to a misapprehension on the part of the pub- lishers of the drawing-books, the work this year suffered a little delay ; but finally the same general plan as last year has been adopted, and will be carried on through the year with, we trust, even more pleasing results than last year.


For the plan now in operation in the grammar and primary grades, Mrs. Bowler claims greater simplicity, with bolder figures for disciplining the eye and hand ; a regular and systematic gradation, with an amount of work not too great for the teacher to accomplish in the time given ; also the certainty of the figures being illus- trated on the board by the teachers, thus giving them discipline and interest in the work.


In the High School the same plan is pursued as last year, a minute description of which was given in the last Report.


The increased supervision of the past year has resulted in increased interest and better work. Could more of the time of the special teacher be given to the grammar and primary grades, we feel confident that we should soon find the drawing in our schools inferior to none in the State.


In behalf of the Committee,


A. A. SMEAD, Chairman.


INDUSTRIAL DRAWING.


EARLY in the year your Committee received several applications from citizens in Ward Five to open a school for mechanical drawing at the Prospect-school house, the applications representing that a considerable num- ber of mechanics in Wards Five and Six had expressed a wish to attend such a school.


With this unusually favorable prospect, a school was opened Dec. 29, and continued on Tuesday and Thurs- day evenings to March 30. The teacher's records show that the whole number of scholars registered was forty- three, and, with the exception of five or six, -attracted by the novelty rather than the advantages of the school, - the attendance was unusually good. The scholars were mostly carpenters and machinists. On the last evening of the term a portion of the scholars' work was placed on exhibition, and examined by the superin- tendent, Committee, and several citizens who had taken an interest in the school. The work was exceedingly creditable to the teacher and scholars. The teacher. Mr. H. N. Mudge, earnest and enthusiastic himself, inspired his scholars with a love for their work; and the interest was fully sustained to the close of the term.


Upon the earnest solicitation of members of the


53


INDUSTRIAL DRAWING.


school, and citizens, an increased appropriation of three instead of one hundred dollars was recommended for the present year, and granted by the City Council. For the Committee,


E. W. WOOD, Chairman.


REPORT ON MUSIC.


IN the Annual Report of the Board a year ago, the Committee on Music say, " It is now four years since a special instructor was employed to teach this branch, and we could hardly expect to find the standard as high as formerly : indeed, some of the parents, as well as the teachers and Committee, feel that the children are suffering great loss from want of proper instruction in this branch."


The Board subsequently took the same view of the case, and, after mature deliberation, decided to return to the abandoned usage of four years ago, and appointed as special teacher of the department, Mr. T. L. ROBERTS. His report to the Committee is appended.


LINCOLN R. STONE, Chairman.


TO THE HONORABLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF NEWTON.


It is with much pleasure that I submit to you a report of the condition of vocal music as I find it, upon assum- ing the duties of its supervision, in the public schools of this city, together with some thoughts and suggestions which have taken form in my mind, and which I have thought best to enter into this Report.


First, I wish to say it is neither my intention nor desire to criticise the work that was being done in music


55


MUSIC.


previous to the introduction of my own methods, but only to refer to it as illustrating more forcibly some of the prominent peculiarities of those methods.


Much work has been done in music ; but owing to a misconception of what should, and what should not, be taught, the seed thus laboriously sown has fallen, some " in stony places," and some " by the wayside ; " and the great desideratum - namely, capacity in the scholar to read music at sight - does not come. Why ? Because teachers have been trying to teach singing, or vocal music, by theory instead of by practice. Let me illus- trate : the teacher draws a staff on the blackboard, and requests a scholar to step up and tell what he or she can about it; then the teacher writes a scale on the staff thus drawn, and, in answer to the teacher's ques- tions, the scholar says, "That is do, that is re," etc., throughout the scale; then come the different kinds of notes and other characters treated in a similar man- ner, until the time allotted to music is expired, and not a note has been sung.


While much time has been spent in teaching music in this manner, some teachers, on the contrary, have spent most of their music time in practice; and the result their schools show for themselves.


The theory that has occupied so much of the chil- drens' time should and will come to them in due time in an incidental manner, while the valuable time is being utilized in attuning and harmonizing the car and voice through the infallible medium of practice. Ac- cording to the "Delsarte Philosophy," the impression must come before the expression, the thing before the name of the thing: so the child must get an impression of the scale by hearing it sung, and singing it, over and


56


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


over again ; thus attuning at once the ear and the voice, and impressing upon both organs a correct rep- resentation of the instrument by and through which they are in future to interpret music to the world.


I do not care to boast of the superiority of the meth- ods which I pursue in teaching music to children ; for I am confident that parents and friends will have oppor- tunity to judge of the merits of those methods by their fruits, which is the only true test.


The teachers generally throughout the city have taken very kindly and cheerfully to my methods, and some of them have entered even enthusiastically into the work ; and the scholars under their instruction have consequently made very decided improvement in sing- ing.


A teacher who puts enthusiasm and thoroughness into his or her work need not be especially trained in music to apply these methods, and get good results from them : in fact, I think as good a class as I ever heard was in charge of a teacher who thought at first that she could not teach music at all, saying she had no ear for music, and knew nothing whatever about teaching it. But she was induced to try it; and, being an ear- nest teacher, she put her usual enthusiasm and deter- mination into the work with the above-mentioned result.


I am much pleased with the outlook for music in the schools of this city. The public taste is on a high plane ; the material to work upon is good ; the teachers are not only willing, but anxious, to adopt the new methods : and, with the Committee and superintendent in full sympathy, I trust I may not be accounted too sanguine, if I indulge in lofty anticipations of our possi- bilities in the musical field in the near future. Before


57


MUSIC.


concluding this Report, I beg leave to call your attention to two important matters in connection with the study of music in our schools. The first is the necessity of providing a musical staff of some kind for each of the schoolrooms in the city, with the possible exception of the rooms of the first grade.


I would suggest that the most convenient, though perhaps the most expensive, way of doing this, is to have a board exclusively for the uses of music, with two staves painted on one side, and with the other side plain, hung in a frame, and reversible, so that either side could be used. This plan would overcome the objection that some teachers have raised to my sugges- tion to have a staff painted on the blackboard ; namely, that they could not spare the space required for such a purpose.


The second is the matter of procuring or authorizing a new series of musical text-books, especially for the lower and medium grades, and, in some cases (in schools where the " Fourth Music-Reader " has not sup- planted the " Hour of Singing "), in the upper grades.


The music of the series now in use is known almost by heart, even by many of the youngest scholars ; so that intelligent and profitable study upon it is well-nigh impossible.


Fortunately there is in process of publication, to be out about Christmas time, so I am informed by the editor, a series of music-readers which I believe will be superior to any thing of the kind ever before published. I have been granted a cursory glimpse of the manu- script pages of the new series, which revealed to me several very important points of excellence in them.


I am aware, of course, that you cannot act upon a


58


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


thing so indefinite as this last matter; but I hope it may at least serve to bring the general subject before your minds, when I am sure you will agree with me in the opinion that a new series of music-readers is de- manded in order that the best results in music may be realized.


However, when this hypothetical proposition assumes definite form, - when the books of this new series are to be seen in print, so that they may be examined by you, - I shall hope to address you again on the subject. Respectfully submitted.


T. L. ROBERTS,


Instructor of Music, Newton Public Schools.


NEWTON, June 30, 1SS2.


REPORT OF THE EVENING SCHOOL FOR 1881-82.


THE school opened in the Lincoln building on the evening of Nov. 7, 1881, and closed Jan. 17, 1882, after being in session forty-five evenings. The number of pupils enrolled was over a hundred. The largest attendance was ninety-four; the smallest, twenty ; with an average of forty-five.


The work was in all respects similar to that of the two previous winters, and in many ways more satisfac- tory. Good discipline was easily maintained, and all seemed determined to make the best use of the privi- leges of the school. About one-half of the pupils were females. It would be hard to devise any plan by which the same sum of money could be more usefully ex- pended.


G. W. SHINN, Chairman of Committee.


STATISTICS.


Population of the city, United-States census of 1880 · 17,000


Number of persons in the city between five and fifteen years of age, May 1, 1881 and 1882, by wards : -


WARDS.


1881.


1882.


Increase.


Decrease.


I.


453


463


10


-


II.


603


645


42


III.


449


506


57


IV


523


562


39


-


V.


436


470


34


-


VI.


494


54


55


-


VII.


294


263


-


31


Total


3252


3458


237


31


Net increase


-


-


206


-


Whole number of pupils enrolled, 1880-81 Whole number of pupils enrolled, 1881-82


3677


Increase


Average number of pupils belonging, 1880-81


2844.7


Average number of pupils belonging, 1881-82 3092.7


Increase


248.0


Average attendance, 1880-81


2588.3


Average attendance, 1881-82


. 2796.7


Increase


208.4


Average per cent of attendance


90.4


-


-


·


61


STATISTICS.


Table showing the Annual Enrollment in each of the Primary and Grammar Grades in September, 1876-1882.


GRADES.


DATE.


Total.


I.


II.


III.


IV.


V.


VI.


VII.


VIII.


IX.


September, 1876


380


383


338


420


282


252


261


165


129


2610


September, 1877


424


321


361


398


394


225


214


199


126


2662


September, 1878


428


347


306


341


392


300


194


190


157


2655


September, 1879


431


365


359


298


344


294


271


159


157


2678


September, 1880


464


372


376


321


296


342


260


221


162


2814


September, 1881


530


386


381


394


270


312


311


211


150


2945


September, 1882


510


436


405


353


403


237


266


225


180


3015


Average


452


373


361


361


340


280


254


196


151


2768


Table showing the Percentage of Total Annual Enrollment in each of the Primary and Grammar Grades in September, 1876-1882.


GRADES.


DATE.


Total.


I.


II.


III.


IV.


V.


VI.


VII.


VIII.


IX.


September, 1876


14.6


14,7


12.9


16.1


10.8


9.7


10


6.3


4.9


100


September, 1877


15.9


12.1


13.6


15


14.8


8.5


8


7.4


4.7


100


September, 1878


16.2


13 1


11.5


12.8


14.8


11.3


7.3


7.1


5.9


100


September, 1879


16.1


13.6


13.4


11.1


12.8


11


10.1


6


5.9


100


September, 1880


16.5


13.2


13.4


11.4


10.5


12.1


9.2


7.9


5.8


100


September, 1881


18


13.1


12.9


13 4


9.2


10.6


10.5


7.2


5.1


100


September, 1882


16.9


14.5


13.4


11.7


13.4


7.8


8.8


7.5


6


100


Average


16.3


13.5


13


13.1


12.3


10.1


9.1


7.1


5.5


100


Table showing the Annual Enrollment, and Percentage of Total Annual Enrollment, in each Class of the High School in September, 1878-1882.


CLASSES.


IV.


III.


II.


I.


DATE.


Number.


Per cent.


Number.


Per cent.


Number.


Per cent.


Number.


Per cent.


Pupils.


Total per cent.


September, 1878


96


36.9


76


29.2


53


20.4


35


13.5


260


100


September, 1879


127


43.1


72


24.4


60


20.3


36


12.2


295


100


September, 1880


104


34.3


97


31.9


60


19.7


43


14.1


304


100


September, 1881


114


39.9


58


20.3


77


26.9


37


12.9


286


100


September, 1882


104


35.1


92


31.1


51


17.2


49


16.6


296


100


Average


109


37.9


79


27.4


60


20.9


40


13.8


288


100


Total Number of


62


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


Table showing the Annual Enrollment by Districts in each of the Primary and Grammar Grades in September, 1881 and 1882.


GRADES.


DISTRICTS.


I.


II.


III.


IV.


V.


VI.


VII.


VIII.


IX.


Total.


Newton Centre in- ( cluding Oak Hill ; 1881, and Thompson-) 1882, ville .


§ 1881,


50


21


25


23


14


21


17


14


8


193


Highlands


1882,


25


32


19


22


20


16


16


15


15


180


§ 1881,


35


33


35


26


19


23


19


18


11


219


Upper Falls .


1882,


34


36


30


33


25


19


28


17


18


240


§ 1881,


19


11


11


15


12


11


6


19


5


109


Lower Falls . .


₹ 1882,


16


18


14


16


9


14


10


6


17


120


§ 1881,


40


33


26


.45 40


23


22


39


13


14


255


Auburndale .


1882,


33


37


39


42


15


25


27


13


271


West Newton


§ 1881, ₹ 1882,


100


77


68


74


37


80


51


20


41


548


102


71


86


64


78


41


57


29


35


563


§ 1881,


148


93


81


79


60


72


57


33


22


645


Newtonville .


1882,


143


123


88


71


77


52


54


39


28


675


Newton


§ 1881,


63


57


75


77


51


43


85


50


23


524


1882,


68


62


48


97


37


41


53


150


2945


Total .


§ 1881,


530


386


381


394


270 403


237


311 266


225


180


3015


Table showing the Percentage of Total Annual Enrollment by Districts in each of the Primary and Grammar Grades in September, 1881 and 1882.


GRADES.


DISTRICTS.


I.


II.


III.


1V.


V.


VI.


VII


VIII.


IX.


Total.


Newton Centre in- cluding Oak Hill


16.6


13.5 12


13.3 13.7


12.2 12.4


11.9 11.6


8.8 9.1


8.2 7.4


9.7 8.2


5.8


100


and Thompson- ville .


§ 1881,


25.9


10.9


12.9


11.9


7.3


10.9


8.8 8.9


8.3


8.3


100


Upper Falls .


1832,


14.2


15


12.5


13.7


10.4


7.9


11.7


7.1


7.5


100


§ 1881,


17.4


10.1


10.1


13.8


11


10.1


5.5


17.4


4.6


100


Lower Falls . .


1882,


13.3


15


11.7


13,3


7.5


11.7


8.3


5


14.2


100


§ 1881,


15.7


13


10.2


17.6


9 15.5


8.6


15.3


5.1


5.5


100


Auburndale .


1882,


12.2


13.6


14.4


14.8


5.5


9.2


10


4.8


100


West Newton . / 1882,


§ 1881,


18.2


14.1


12.4


13.5


6.8


14.6


9.3 10.1


5.1


6.2


100


Newtonville .


₹ 1882,


21.2


18.3


13


10.6


11.2


7.7


8


5.8


4.2


100


Newton


5 1881, ¿ 1882,


12


10.8


14.3


14.7 9.8


9.7


8.4


16.2 8 3


10.8


4 5


100


( 1881,


18


13.1


12.9


13.4


9.2


10.6


10.5 9


7.2


5.1


100


Total .


₹ 1882,


15.7


14.6


13


12.3


12.6


8.2


7.5


7.1


100


75


61


60


55


54


40 43


37


44 39


26


452


89


57


65


59


55


35


32


474


Highlands


1882,


13.9


17.8


10.6


12.2


11.1


8.9


§ 1881,


16


15


16


11.9


8.7


10.5


8.7


8.2


5


7.5


100


§ 1881,


22.9


14.4


12.6


12.3


9.3


11.2


8.8


5.1


3.4


100


9.5


4.4


100


13.8


12.6


13


19.7


7.5


312


1882,


510


436


405


353


11.4


13.9


7.3


3 6


18.1


12.6


15 3


4.1


100


1881, 1882,


18.8


6.8


100


100


492


211


7.3


63


STATISTICS.


Table showing the Number of Pupils and their Average Age by Grades and Classes for September, 1881 and 1882.


GRADES.


I.


II.


III.


IV.


V.


VI.


VII.


SCHOOLS.


No. of Pupils.


Years


Mos


No. of Pupils


Years.


Mos.


No. of l'upils


Years.


Mos.


No. of Pupils.


Years.


Mos.


No. of Pupils.


Years.


Mos.


No. of Pupils


Years.


Mos.


Years.


Mos.


High


$1881, 2 1882,


:


. .


·


. .


..


. .


..


.


..


. .


: : ..


: :


: :


: :


Mason


≤ 1881, 2 1882,


54


5


52


7 1


44 49


8 7


1 10


48 59


9 9


6 5


52 49


10 10


1 6


37 43


==


35 35


12 12


6 4


Oak-Hill .


§ 1881, 2 1882,


5


7


3 5


2 6


9 6


2 6


9 10


7 9


9


7


10


1


2 6


11 10


10 5


3 . co


15


4


2


10 |10


. .


Thompsonville,


§ 1881, 2 1882,


16 12


5 5


1


7 7


7 7


1


7 6


8 8


9 8


8 8


7 5


23 22


9 9


9 6


14 20


11 11


1


21 16


12 12


8 : 00


17 16


12 13


9


Hyde


21882,


25


5


8


32


7


10


11


35 30


8 8


4 10


26 33


9 9


1 4


19 25


10 10


4 5


23 19


11 11


3 4


19 28


12 12


13


5 9


Williams .


$ 1891,


40 33


6 6


1 1


33 37


7 7


6 3


26 39


8 8


6 3


45 40


9 10


3 1


23 42 12 55


11 11


6 1


2 4


51 43


12 12


8-1


Davis


$ 1881, 2 1882,


61 53


6


5


7


5 4


46 49


8


7 4.


49 44


9


9


9


8 9


6 2


25 23


11 10


2 11


24 18


12 11


9 2


14


12


10


Adams


§ 1881, ¿ 1882, $ 1881, 2 1882, $ 1831, 2 1882,


29 15 37 51


6


1


21


7


11 : =


23 33 21 21


9 9 9 8


4 5 3 11


21 13 27 23


9 10 9 9


9 6


21 33


10 10


9 7


40 24


12 12


7


12 12


7 9


Jackson


$ 1881, ¿ 1882,


82 77


6


10


49 54


8 OC 00


1


37 34


9 9


5 8


31 35


10 10


6 9


39 35


10 11


8


32 28


12 12


2


: :


: :


Bigelow · 2 1882,


$ 1881,


53 56


6 6


6 5


45 52


7 7


6 4


61 51


9 9


·


Lincoln


. 2 1882,


10 12


6 5


2 7


12 10


7 7


5 8


14 13


8 9


Total ·


530 1510


6 6


1 1


386 436


7 7


6 4


381 1405


8 8


7 9


3:4 353


9 9


9


270 403


10 10


10 11


312 237


12


4


311 266


1 12 11


: :


· . .


..


..


. .


. .


. .


. .


. .


. .


.


. .


..


: .


15 16


9 9


9 8


12 9


10 11 10


5 .


11 14 22 15 56 23


11 1.2 12 12 12 12


9 . 9 8


6 10 39 25 12 13


11 8


Pierce .


$ 1881,


19 16


5


9


6


11 18


7 6


CC -1 9


11 14


7 8


8 8


8 CC OO


4


10


25 22


11 2


..


.


.


. .


12


9 11


Claflin


6


1


6


1


32 23 37


8 7


7 10


7


.


77 43


10 9


. 6


51 97


11 11


4


43 37


12 12


NON


8,5 41


13 13


1 8


Underwood . 2 1882,


$ 1881, 2 1882,


3.5 34


5


4


33


5


6


36


6 7


1


7 6


Hanıilton . 2 1882,


§ 1881, 50


5


11


21


7


3


48 49


4


6


2


6


8


29 22


7


7


6 1000


22 37


8


. .


. .


.


.


Franklin


39 49


5


9


Av Age


Av Age


Av Age


Av Age


Av Age


No. of Pupils.


Av Age


7


6


7


8


6


4


8


$ 1881,


$ 1881,


. .


8


§ 1881, · 1882,


12


. .


37 33 20 21


. .


9 . .


· 2 1882, $ 1881, 2 1882,


:


6


2


25 19


Prospect .


Av Age


..


64


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


Table showing the Number of Pupils and their Average Age by Grades and Classes for September, 1881 and 1882. - Concluded.


GRADES. - Concluded.


VIII.


1X.


Class IV.


Class III.


Class II.


Class I.


SCHOOLS.


No. of I'mpils.


Years.


Mos.


No. of Pupils.


Years.


Mos.


No of Pupils.


Years.


Mos.


No. of Pupils.


Years.


Mos.


No. of Pupils.


Years.


Mos


Years


Mos.


Total Number of Pupils.


Iliglı


§ 1881, 1882,


58 92


16 15


1


51


37 49


17


8. 296


1881,


39


13 13


26 32


14 14


7


387


Mason


1882,


32


10


413


35


Oak-Ilill


1882,


13


i


36


$ 1881,


30


Thompsonville


2 1882,


14


13


co-1


15


14


6


· .


4


·


Prospect


1882,


17


13 13


6


6


5


8 10


.


6


14


3


17


14


120


Williams


1882,


27


2


13


14 14


6 4


·


271


Pierce


5 1881, 1882,


20 29


13


35


14


4


185


Davis


₹ 1882,


195


Franklin .


2 1882,


183


Adams .


§ 1881, 1882,


33 3.9


13


9


13


6


28


14


7


186 193


Claflin .


$ 1881, 21882,


189 216


Jackson


§ 1881, 2 1882,


50


13


11 10


23 22


14


6 6


298


Underwood .


§ 1881, ₹1882,


159 159


Lincoln


1882,


35


Total .


211 225


13 13


8 7


150 180)


14 14


5


114 104


15 15


5


58 92


16 15!


77 51


171 16


37 491


17 17


11 3231 8.3311


8


193 180


llyde


> 1832,


15


13


3


11


14


219 240


109


Hamilton


1881,


13


14 13


6


14


4


41


14


9


180


204


$ 1881,


164


§ 1881,


19


13


14


$ 1881,


₹ 1882,


18


14


3


17


11 286


114 104


15 15


5


Av Age


Av Age


No. of Pupils.


Av Age


Av Age


Av Age


Av Age


$ 1881,


5


13


25


( 1881,


14


14


270


266


329


Bigelow


§ 1881, 2 1882,


53


13


14


36


§ 1881,


3


11


5


2


1881, 2 1882,


5 1881,


255


13


22


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


TO HIS HONOR THE MAYOR AND THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF NEWTON.


I HAVE the honor to present, in compliance with the rules of your Board, my first Annual Report of the public schools.


It is a matter for congratulation that a change of administration, which is an ordeal especially trying to school interests, has been effected with so little visible disturbance in the current of progress. In view of these happy conditions, it is an act of simple justice to rec- ognize at the outset the generous welcome which has been extended by your honorable body to such opin- ions and suggestions as have from time to time been offered, the confidence and co-operation of the teachers, and the charitable forbearance of the public. It is a pleasure to recognize also the successful labors of my predecessors in office, whose wisdom and fidelity have left their indelible impress upon the schools of our city. In their annual communications to you, and through you to the public, there has been presented an abundance of well considered theory touching methods and prac- tical detail with careful expositions of each department of school work. I beg leave to depart from the usage of the last ten years, and to call your attention to some of the


66


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


CONFLICTING THEORIES


which are consciously or unconsciously held wherever public schools exist, and upon whose mutual adjust- ment, more than upon any perfection of detail, depend the harmony and efficiency of a system. And, lest this discussion seem to imply an undue prominence of the evil here, it is proper to remark that its exceptional rarity in Newton, rendering its manifestation the more noticeable and its essential character the more obvious, has led to its special consideration.


In the work of education as carried on by the public schools, there are four classes of interests, represented by, first, parents, who are chiefly concerned with the end proposed ; second, school-officers, responsible for the end, responsible for the means, and equally concerned with both ; third, teachers, whose business is with means and appliances, and, under limitations, responsible for results ; fourth, pupils, from nature and habit concerned with what is immediate and present, and less thoughtful of ultimate ends. These interests, essentially one, are practically distinct ; and their representatives, charged with responsibilities which cannot be ignored, and stand- ing in relations recognized by common consent, have rights which ought to be respected. Unhappily, these rights are not always respected as they should be; and hence the conflict. The parent, in surrendering his child to the agents of his own creation, and waiving cer- tain rights in consideration of the benefits of association, does not relinquish all. The school-officer cannot yield to the personal demands of each, and at the same time be just to all. There is an allegiance which every teacher owes to professional integrity which forbids the uni-


67


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


form indulgence of a desire to please. The child has thoughts and opinions, feelings and sensibilities, likes and dislikes, scruples and principles, in the presence of which, obedience is but one of its privileges ; and yet the exaction of obedience at some special crisis may be the turning point in the child's moral history. A teacher whose loyalty to professional integrity leaves no desire to please, the school-officer who is oblivious of personal rights, and the parent who will surrender none, are alike supplying the elements of discord and strife, and in that degree hindering the work which they desire to promote.


The highest benefits of co-operative action can be realized only by the voluntary surrender of certain per- sonal rights; and in no sphere is this more obvious than in that of public education. The citizen at his home, and the pupil at his task, must alike inquire, " Will my freedom of action abridge the freedom of another ? " and all freedom not consistent with the common free- dom should be self-repressed.




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