USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1830-1859 > Part 2
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REASONS FOR PRINTING THE REPORT.
Nothing that the union of thought and action can accomplish in romoting the interests of Common School Education should be mitted. No great plans, national or individul, public or private, -- hether of morals, education, commerce, manufactures or agricul- tre, have ever been drawn without thought, without deep and in- luted thought, nor carried into execution without action.
Whatever importance may attach itself to other great enter-
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prises, the importance of our Common School is paramount. It is so in fact, and should be made so to appear.
But it may be enquired, and with propriety, too, what can be done to increase the present, and to create a new interest in our Public Schools? To secure this great and much desired end, three things, at least, are necessary.
First,-that parents and tax-payers, the suppliers and support- ers of our Schools, should be fully awake to this subject. Sec- ond,-that teachers imitate them in this respect by showing an ac- tive interest in the faithful discharge of the duties of their high calling. Third,-that scholars have a like interest with parents and teachers.
These three things secured, a fourth, the desired end, must fol- low.
But still it may be enquired how shall the first three, and conse- quently the fourth, be most effectually secured ? It may be meas. ureably effected,-first, by adopting new means and measures second, by reviving and remodelling of the old.
It is the rule, (and not the exception) that reputation or report that shall go abroad in society has, I had almost said, a sovereign power in directing, impelling, or restraining the actions of men.
Why is it that many a heart, otherwise faint and faltering, of the field of battle, is made brave and dauntless, and to perforn acts of astonishing valor ? Why? Because he feels that he ha a thousand times better die, than that the eternal scandal and re proach of cowardice should forever tarnish his reputation ! O1 as is the warrior's motto,-" A glorious death is better than an ir glorious and ignominious life."
If so much importance is attached to reputation,-if its powe can defy even death itself and impel to the noblest deeds,-the let us feel its quickning, life-giving, energizing power applied our Schools ! Yes, let us have it ! Let it fly with all its power bless or curse !
The real character of the citizens, together with the Teacher in each District, touching the subject of education, should be ful set forth in the Report of your School Committee ; and that R port should be PRINTED, and a copy of it given to each family Town. The reports which have heretofore been made by yo
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Committee, die, as it were, in embryo,-being made, as they ne- cessarily are, amid more or less political excitement, the designed effect is measurably lost.
But just let it be understood that the Annual Report of your Committee is to be printed and circulated, and you as certainly beget the three-fold interest so much desired ; nay, more,-for it will act as a powerful incentive for your Committee to present what, and only what, is truly valuable.
Though, true to nature, is the language of the poet,-
" Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear ;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air ;"
Yet the same cannot always be said of School Committees ; espe- cially if they feel that their Report serves merely as a link in the ordinary routine of business, having, as it will have, but a mo- mentary existence, and a commensurate influence.
But let your Committee feel that they are writing for the press,- furnishing a document for every individual in town,- a document that will be preserved for long years, and read by those now unborn, - and that their reputation, as scholars and thinkers, will in some respects be established thereby, and you at once place before them a motive, high and of true dignity ; a motive that will not fail to bring forth like itself, something high, of true dignity and of sterl- ing worth.
The same will be true of Teachers. It will inspire them with new resolutions, new determinations, new aspirations, and to better and higher qualifications.
Just announce to a Teacher on the eve of his examination that his success as a Teacher is to be given, as it were, to the world in printed form, and there will be a queer feeling about the heart, and new thoughts are found hurrying through the head, and he soon falls into a soliloquy, something like the following :-
Printed report ! Printed report of my character and success as a Teacher ! And I want to follow teaching for a number of years to come !- and I have engaged to keep school in Old Wilmington, in District No. 2,- or the Old City, as it is called,- where they
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have decidedly the best School-house in the town, all things consid- ered ! Printed report ! and any body can get one of them by just sending for it ;- 'twill tell all about my qualifications, and my order in School, my tact for teaching, and the Lord only knows what else !! Well, then, I must wake up ! And not only wake up,- but I must get up, and not only get up, but I must be dressed ! !- Well, wake up I can, and wake up I WILL !! And order, too, I know I can have, and order I will have !! JOHN, attend to that lesson !
Thus the Teacher talks to himself, in the stillness of the even- ing, as he passes from his examination to his new home, or board- ing place. What Teacher would not put forth renewed exertions, having made such determined resolution, and too when consequen- ces so important are to follow as the priceless value of a good rep- utation.
If thus much can be gained, it will richly cover the trifling ex- pense of printing the reports. But more than this will be gained for the parents of each district can then compare the excellencies of the others with their own, and the same will be true of their de- fects ; for parents, at their leisure, will read the reports over and over again ; and it would be a broad allegation to make against the good people of Old Wilmington, that, when defects are clearly pointed out, they will not avoid them,- or excellencies, that they will not adopt them. How clearly is this truth demonstrated in the present condition of her school-houses, compared with their former condition. It is when our errors and defects are set in order be- fore our eyes that we hate them, and resolve to reform:
This new mode of reporting our Schools will not only have a reformatory influence upon your Committee, Teachers and Parents but it will take with the scholars, as did the fire from Samson's foxes,- they will devour the report with the greatest avidity .- This is the string of all others that should be made to vibrate or the great harp of education ; for, let every other string give its perfect sound, if this be toneless, the melody is lost.
But give us the printed report ! let its breath but strike this juvenic string, and a thousand tones a thousand times sweeter that Æolus, are instantly given. Every lawful means should be em ployed to deeply engage the attention of our children and youth ir
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the great cause of universal education ; for on them will soon de- volve the support and defence of our republic, and all her institu- tions,- and it is the intelligence, the knowledge, the virtue, that shall most effectually secure this, and safely transmit it to unborn generations.
There is another influence, mighty indeed, now too much unfelt in this great cause, viz :- female influence. As our reports are now made, the female portion of our town never hear them, and however important they may chance to be, their effect is wholly lost.
Now, here is an influence that must not be overlooked nor under- valued, and if it is not secured, the cause of education, the inter- ests of our Common Schools can never be raised to the desired height.
For these reasons we print our Annual Report, and intend this to be a standing rule,- and give these reports to the mothers, to the daughters, the sisters,- and thereby secure their united influ- ence in favor of education. By the above, we are not to be under- stood that female influence is not, even now, an indispensable auxiliary, but that by circulating our reports, that influence will be materially increased.
And now, in conclusion, knowing the readiness of this town to adopt whatever is reformatory, or a real improvement, we present you the Annual Report of your Superintending School Committee in printed form.
JOHN M. DURGIN, Superintending School WALTER BLANCHARD, Com. of Wilmington.
WILMINGTON, MARCH 7, 1853.
1
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE TOWN OF 1
WILMINGTON,
FOR THE YEAR 1855-6.
BOSTON :
PRINTED BY JOSEPH L. HALLWORTH,
37 Washington Street.
1856.
١
REPORT.
YOUR Committee, in presenting their School Report for the past year, with pleasure state that there has been good improvement in respect to teaching and management of the District Schools ; and your Com- mittee respectfully recommend to the Town, to adopt such a line of policy as shall encourage and cause an increased improvement in the condition of the same. We consider a high standard of education as one of the greatest blessings that can be bestowed upon society. It is a bulwark of defence of the mind against depravity and crime. It exposes its deform- ity and sinfulness, and unhappy results attending its commission, and induces firmness of purpose to with- stand its allurements. Every step of advancement in the cause of education is a step of advancement in the cause of civilization, morality and all the elements that constitute the prosperity and happiness of society. It is the standard of education, whether that standard be high or low, by which public opinion weighs, deter- mines and gives to a town or society that rank of stand- ing and character it sustains in the community ;- the higher the state of education, the higher the rank of standing and character. Your Committee, therefore,
4
consider an advanced state of education as all-important in promoting and securing the welfare of the Town ; and in order to secure this object, as far as practicable, your Committee recommend that the Town raise an ad- ditional sum of money for schooling, the same to be ap- propriated for the purpose of establishing a High School in the centre of the Town, the school to be free of charge for tuition for all scholars belonging to the Town, who shall have the requisite qualifications for admission to the same. There are more or less scholars in all the District schools who are so advanced in their ages and studies that they can receive but little further benefit from them. The object of establishing the High School is for the benefit of this class of scholars, to give them an opportunity of obtaining a much bet- ter education than many of them probably will other- wise be able to The High School will also have a salutary and beneficial influence upon the District schools. It will lessen the number of scholars in those schools by withdrawing this advanced class from them, and giving the time that the teacher would appropriate for their benefit, to be appropriated to the benefit of the remaining scholars. It will also stimulate them, induc- ing greater exertion and assiduity on their part, in order to qualify themselves for admission to the High School.
In conclusion, your Committee will say, in their opinion, no investment can be made so much for the interest of the Town in any other way.
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REPORT OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
THE amount of money appropriated by the Town for the support of Public Schools the past year, was six hundred and twenty-five dollars ($625.00.)
The number of Public Schools in the Town of Wil- mington is five. They are what are termed mixed schools, that is, the Grammar and Primary departments are united together.
The average compensation paid the male teachers per month the past year was thirty dollars ($30.00.)
The whole amount paid to male teachers for instruc- tion the past year, was one hundred and twenty-eight dollars ($128.00.)
The average compensation paid to female teachers per month, was seventeen dollars and sixty cents ($17.60.)
The whole amount paid to female teachers for in- struction, was four hundred eighty-three dollars and fifty cents ($483.50.)
The whole amount expended for instruction in all the schools the past year, was six hundred eleven dol- lars and fifty cents ($611.50.)
The length of all the public schools for the Summer term was twenty months and three days ; for the Win- ter term twelve months and three days. The aggre- gate number of months that all the public schools have been kept, the past year, is thirty-two and one-fourth.
6
The average whole attendance in all the public schools, during the past year, has been one hundred and ninety-three.
The whole attendance during the Summer term was one hundred and ninety ; the average attendance one hundred and thirty-four. The whole attendance dur- ing the Winter term was one hundred and ninety- seven ; the average attendance was one hundred and forty-six. The average attendance for the year has been one hundred and forty.
The number of scholars under five years of age, who have attended the public schools the past year, is thirty-three.
The number over fifteen years who have attended is twenty-eight.
CENTRE SCHOOL.
MISS C. AUGUSTA VINAL, Teacher, Summer Term. MR. S. L. MILLIKEN, Teacher, Winter Term.
Summer Term, whole attendance, 42
66 average 31
Winter Term, whole attendance, . 45
66 average 33
Average whole attendance for the year, . 43
Average attendance for the year, . 32
Length of School, 24 weeks.
This school, under the care and management af Miss Vinal, did not make as satisfactory progress as your Committee would have desired. Miss Vinal has some good qualifications as a teacher, but not all that are
7
necessary for a thorough teacher. She lacks govern- ment, and her system of arrangement is by no means perfect ; but your Committe will say that this is the first school she has taught, and that due allowance should be made for inexperience.
The progress of the school under the care and man- agement of Mr. Milliken, was satisfactory. Mr. Milli- ken is a thorough scholar, and possesses the requisite qualifications for a good teacher ; he has great perse- verance and industry.
WEST SCHOOL.
MRS. ROXANNA N. BLANCHARD, Teacher, Summer and Winter Terms.
Summer Term, whole attendance, 23
66 average 15
Winter Term, whole attendance, . 29
66 average 21
Average whole attendance for the year, 26
Average attendance for the year, . . 18
Length of School, 29 weeks.
This school, under the care and administration of Mrs. Blanchard, your Committee are pleased to say has made good progress ; and we may say great pro- gress, considering that the school is composed mostly of scholars who are quite young. Mrs. Blanchard, in the opinion of your Committee, ranks as a first class teacher. Her talent for government, organization, and system of arrangement, with force and energy of character, and industry to exercise all those faculties
S
which are necessary to constitute a thorough teacher, fully entitles her to that rank as a teacher in which your Committee have placed her, and they respectfully and with pleasure recommend her as such, desiring that the District will continue to be benefitted by her instruction as school teacher.
NORTH SCHOOL.
MISS REBECCAH JANE BATCHELDER, Teacher, Summer and Winter Terms.
Summer Term, whole attendance, 55
average 44
Winter Term, whole attendance, .
66 average 39
Average whole attendance for the year, 52 Average attendance for the year, . 42
Length of School, 25 weeks.
The good management and progress of this school your Committee are pleased to say has been highly satisfactory, considering the state of the school at the commencement of the summer term. Miss Batchelder is certainly entitled to great credit for the marked im- provement that has been made. She has proved her- self to be a thorough teacher, possessing all the requis- ite qualifications for such ; and it is with satisfaction that your Committee feel fully justified in placing her as a school teacher in the same rank in which they have placed Mrs. Blanchard, teacher of the West School ; and your Committee recommend that her services as teacher may be secured for the present year.
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EAST SCHOOL.
MISS CHARLOTTE BUCK, Teacher, Summer and Winter Terms.
Summer Term, whole attendance, 30
average 26
Winter Term, whole attendance, 37
average 2S
Average whole attendance for the year, 33 Average attendance for the year, . . 27
Length of School, 272 weeks.
This school, under the care and teaching of Miss Buck, made satisfactory improvement. Miss Buck possesses many qualifications necessary to constitute a good teacher. Her school was well organized and arranged, and no teacher could have more faithfully discharged her duty to her scholars than she has. Your Committee are of the opinion that she excels in the primary part of teaching : many of the recitations of the small scholars exhibited a proficiency and thor- oughness that would have done honor to scholars of much more mature age.
SOUTH SCHOOL.
MISS CAROLINE L. BRIGHAM, Teacher, Summer Term. MR. JOHN M. DURGIN, Teacher, Winter Term.
Summer Term, whole attendance, 40
average 18
Winter Term, whole attendance, .
38
average 25
10
Average whole attendance for the year, 39 Average attendance for the year, .. 22
Length of School, 23 weeks.
This school, under the management and teaching of Miss Brigham, made fair progress. The scholars who attended the Summer Term were mostly of the smaller class, and it was not expected that they would make as much progress as older scholars. This is the first school of Miss Brigham's teaching, and she had not had experience. She has many of the requisite quali- fications for a good teacher ; with more experience, and some improvement in her government and system of arrangement, your Committee are of the opinion that she will rank as such. She has good talents and in- dustry.
This school, under the tuition of Mr. Durgin, made good progress. Mr. Durgin has had much experience, and has always ranked as a first class teacher.
WALTER BLANCHARD, WM. H. CARTER,
School
JOSEPH H. BELL, $ Committee.
Wilmington, March 3, 1856.
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-
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF WILMINGTON,
FOR
THE YEAR 1857-8.
BOSTON: BAZIN & CHANDLER, PRINTERS, 37 CORNIHILL. 1858.
REPORT.
THE Superintending School Committee beg leave to submit the following Report, concerning the condition of the Schools in this Town, during the past year :-
The amount of money appropriated by the Town for the support of Public Schools, the past year, was twelve hundred and fifty dollars ($1250.00)-as follows : - For the District Schools, seven hundred and twenty-five dollars ($725.00) ; for the High School, five hundred and twenty-five dollars ($525.00).
Average wages per month paid the Teachers of the District Schools, nineteen dollars and seventy-five cents ($19.75.)
Whole amount paid Teachers of the District Schools, for thirty-four and one half month's service, six hun- dred and seventy-eight dollars ($678.00.)
Whole amount paid Teachers of the High School, for forty weeks' service, five hundred dollars ($500.00.)
Average attendance in all the District Schools, dur- ing the First or Summer Term, one hundred and thirty- seven ; whole attendance, one hundred and seventy- seven.
Average attendance in the District Schools, during the Second Term, one hundred and forty ; whole at- tendance, one hundred and eighty-nine.
Average attendance in the High School, First Term, thirty ; Second Term, thirty ; Third Term, thirty-eight ; Whole attendance, First Term, thirty-three; Second Term, thirty-five ; Third Term, forty-five.
1
NORTH DISTRICT.
MISS NANCY D. HARNDEN, Teacher, both Terms.
First Term, whole number of Scholars, 48
average 36
Second Term, whole number of Scholars,
average 6 6 55
40
Length of both Terms, 6} months.
The Committee visited this school eight times. Under the care of Miss Harnden, the school made as much progress, and was in all respects as successful as could have been expected with a teacher so young, and whose experience was consequently so limited. Miss Harnden was perfectly successful in securing the love of her pupils, and this went far toward offsetting the disad- vantages which resulted from a lack of the very best order. The examinations passed off well, though evincing not that degree of thoroughness which is the very life of an examination.
Miss Harnden's intellectual qualifications were good, and we have no doubt that, with farther experience, she will take high rank as a teacher.
EAST DISTRICT.
MISS EMMA M. BUCK, Teacher, both Terms.
First Term, whole number of Scholars, 22
66 average 66 18
25 Second Term, whole number of Scholars, 66 average 19
Length of both Terms, 74 months.
The Committee report ten visits to this school during the year. The whole course of the school, under Miss Buck's tuition, was eminently prosperous. Miss B. must succeed wherever she goes. Her system, steady
5
course of discipline and thorough training, are the essentials of the very best reputation. The examina- tions of this school could not have been better. They were thorough, above board, and scholarly ; alike cred- itable to parents, scholars and teacher.
CENTRE DISTRICT.
MISS CHARLOTTE E. BLANCHARD, Teacher, First Term.
MISS SARAH M. BARKER, Teacher, Second Term.
First Term, whole number of Scholars. 47
.6 average . 34
Second Term, whole number of Scholars,
average
27
Length of both Terms, 6} months.
This school was visited, the first term. four times by different members of your Committee. Little need be said in regard to the character of Miss Blanchard's teaching. She is too well known, as an accurate, affec- tionate, but resolute instructor, to call for special com- mendation. The school did well under Miss B.'s in- struction, and made decided progress. Probably no one could do more for the school than Miss B. did. And yet the very best qualifications and the utmost fidelity, on the part of the teacher. cannot do every- thing for a school. Miss B. is well adapted to a school of higher grade.
The Committee made four visits to this school dur- ing Miss Barker's connection with it. The term closed at the expiration of three months. without any public examination, owing to the illness of the teacher. There was money enough for two or three weeks additional schooling.
Miss Barker's qualifications, so far as scholarship, gentleness of manners and good intentions are concerned, were unexceptionable, and she would doubtless have
6
succeeded in charge of some other school. But she failed to estimate, in season, the prime importance of good order, especially in the case of this school. The consequence was, that studies were not taken hold of with interest by the scholars, but little progress was made, and much dissatisfaction was felt and expressed by the district, in regard to the school. The Committee felt much regret that the term was no more successful, but did all that seemed to them proper, under the cir- cumstances, to have it otherwise.
WEST DISTRICT.
MISS ELIZA A. BRIDGES, Teacher, both Terms.
First Term, whole number of Scholars, 23
66 .. average 66 19
Second Term, whole number of Scholars,
66 66
average 66 66 23
17
Length of School, both Terms, 7 months.
This school received. during both terms, eight visits from you Committee. Though the number of scholars in this district is small, the school was by no means lacking in enthusiasm. Miss Bridges, though teaching her first school, has made an excellent beginning. Her devotion to the school led her to adopt many exer- cises, such as map-drawing, &c., which contributed very much to the interest and profit of the scholars. The closing examination, especially, was well sustained and . showed marked progress. Writing has not been neg- lected in this school.
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SOUTH DISTICT.
MISS CAROLINE L. BRIGHAM, Teacher, both Terms.
First Term, whole number of Scholars, 37 66 average 66 30
Second Term, whole number of Scholars,
44
66 66 average 37
Length of School, both Terms, 7} months.
The Committee made six visits to this school. Each visit showed the healthy condition of the school and the superior abilities of the teacher. Miss B.'s school was characterized by excellent order, a love for thorough study, and at the same time, a perfectly self-possessed and steady, course of management. The Committee were pleased to notice the especial attention given to reading ; consequently the progress of the entire school, in this important branch, was particularly evident.
HIGH SCHOOL.
MRS. LUCY M. DUSTAN, Teacher.
Spring Term, whole number of Scholars, 33
66 average 30
Fall Term. whole number of Scholars, 35 66 66
average 66
30
Winter Term, whole number of Scholars, 45
average 66 66
38
Length of School, 40 weeks.
The Committee have made frequent visits to the High School during the year. They take pleasure in report- ing a perfectly satisfactory state of things in the school, under the continued charge of its efficient and devoted teacher, Mrs. Dustan. Probably no teacher could feel a deeper interest than Mrs. D. has felt in this school, with which she has been identified from its very begin- ning. Add to this the peculiar and ample qualifica- tions, which she brings to the work of instructing such a school, and the marked degree of prosperity which
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