USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > Annual report of the school committee of the city of Manchester, N.H. for the year ending 1881 > Part 3
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There is still opportunity for much further progress in many of them ; and I think a great good could easily be accomplished by affording those teachers who wish to study
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the better methods of teaching certain subjects an oppor- tunity to witness the better class of work done in our schools, and, when desired, in other places. This would be one of the best ways of assisting those who most need, and who should therefore most wish, to improve. The arrangement could be readily effected by allowing teachers who would avail themselves of such opportunities for im- provement leave of absence for that purpose, without reduc- tion of salary. This could be done, and their schools con- tinued, without expense to the city, because competent sub-teachers could be furnished from the Training School to supply the schools vacated ; and an advantage would also thus accrue to such sub-teachers, by affording them occasional practice in assuming the entire charge of a . school.
In this connection I would also recommend that the city furnish substitutes for schools when teachers visit other schools, as at present allowed to do under the school regu- lations. My reason for this recommendation is, that by closing the schools upon such occasions, there are about a dozen days during each term, or more than seven weeks in the year, when the efforts of the truant officer are largely nullified. Upon such days many pupils inclined to truancy ascertain, through acquaintances in the school to be closed for a day, when the pupils of that school are to be dis- missed, and they then take occasion to absent themselves from their own schools; but, when confronted upon the streets by the officer, they boldly claim to be members of the school which is dismissed, nor is it possible for him to determine to the contrary before such pupils would again voluntarily be in school. Substitutes could also be supplied from the Training School for this purpose, without expense to the city, by properly specifying the conditions of entrance upon that school.
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THE TRAINING SCHOOL.
In my report a year ago I gave a very full history of what has been our Training School ; and from the records it now appears that there have been one hundred and fif- teen different members of that school, that fifty-four of these completed the required term of service and received certificates accordingly, and that forty-four of our present corps of lady teachers were once enrolled as members of the Training School. This school has also supplied the city with efficient substitutes for several years, and for this service alone it has returned a full equivalent for what . little extra expense it has cost our citizens. The school, since its organization, has been under the chief manage- ment of Miss Nancy S. Bunton as principal ; and I think that she is entitled to much credit for a faithful perform- ance of what has been required of her, and that for long and efficient service she is entitled to favorable con- sideration.
It is now proposed to transfer the department for the training of teachers to the Franklin-street School, where its field for practice may be extended to the grammar grades ; and, at the same time, it is designed to enlarge the sphere of this department and make it more like those professional schools which other cities have found to be of great utility, as being both the best and the most econom- ical means of supplying the public schools of a city with the better grade of teachers, by affording citizen pupils an opportunity properly to prepare themselves at home for efficient work in the schools. Since the training depart- ment is, therefore. to be devoted exclusively to a study of the science of teaching and to a practice of its art, I recom- mend that examinations for admission to the school shall in future be sufficiently exhaustive, in mere matter of common- school subjects, to warrant, if such examinations are
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satisfactorily passed, the granting of certificates to teach ; then, when any are needed to do substitute work for teach- ers who may be allowed to visit schools for official improve- ment, or as now allowed to do under the rules, the sub- teachers in the Training School could be employed for the purpose, and, while they would thus be making the city some return for their instruction, they would at the same time have opportunity for occasional prac- tice of that kind which would be useful in affording them the entire charge of a school for the time being. Be- sides, when through the Training School, they would not again need to be subjected to an examination in matter ; nor, if their training-school work should be closely observed, would they at the end of their course need to be examined in methods, and thus one examination would suffice where heretofore two have been required. More- over, by this plan candidates would know, before giving their time for training-school work, whether they could obtain a certificate of qualification, and the committee would know whether applicants for admission to the Train- ing School had sufficient knowledge of matter to enable them to enter upon the work'of that school with advantage to themselves and profit to the city.
TEACHERS' EXAMINATIONS.
Your attention is next invited to the matter of teachers' examinations. The form of such should, in my judgment, be both written and oral; written, in part, because exact- ness of knowledge in some departments is essential, and its attainment, or the lack of it, should be clearly discov- ered ; oral, in part, that the disposition, temperament, gen- eral information, culture, judgment, tact, and originality of the candidate may be discovered, as far as possible, and given due consideration. In the selection of a teacher it
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is as important that the general characteristics of the candidate should be taken into account, as that a precise standard of scholarship should be required, though the latter must be had to an extent sufficient to meet the needs of the position to be filled. The necessary literary qualifi- cations may be best ascertained by written tests, as well as general notions in regard to the theory and practice of teach- ing; but the methods which an applicant would use in teaching certain subjects can be best understood from an oral interview. For teachers' situations in our elementary schools it has been customary to examine candidates only in the subjects taught in those grades; and, in making up " an account of the written results, to reckon the several studies as of equal importance in estimating the average of them all, from which average as a basis, certificates have usually been awarded. I beg leave to suggest that those subjects which are chiefly matters of memory should not be regarded as of the same importance as those of logic ; and that, in determining whether applicants should have certificates, those studies which are taught in but few grades should not have the same weight as those taught in all. Under the custom of regarding all studies of equal importance and allowing one hundred credits for each, it appears that in the case of an applicant who in exami- nation might attain 45 in arithmetic, 55 in grammar, 95 in spelling, 80 in geography, and 75 in history, there would be an average of. 70, which, if taken as an inflexible standard, would entitle the candidate to a certificate ; and yet, in such a case, with fair. questions, no certificate should be awarded, for there is evidence of the applicant's being lamentably weak in two of the most important branches taught in the schools. Such apparent weakness, upon fur- ther investigation found to be real, should deprive the . applicant of a certificate, even though such weakness had
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existed in but one study of so great importance. Now at this same examination another candidate might attain the following: 75 in arithmetic, 70 in grammar, 70 in spelling, 75 in geography, and 60 in history, which would likewise afford an average of 70; and, in this instance, so far as the written results should determine the matter, it would seem that a certificate might be granted. The averages are the same in either case ; but in the former, as manifest from the credits in spelling, geography, and history, there is presumptive evidence of a good memory. In the latter case, from the credits as a whole, there is testimony of a fair memory; and, from the credits in arithmetic and grammar, there is evidence of general discipline and good reasoning faculties. So I am led to say, as I have for some time thought, that in a matter of this kind it would be better to make no general average; but best for the examiners to pass separately upon the results of the individual members in the list of those examined, from an inspection of the standing in each subject with reference to its importance, and also from those standings regarded in a general way as a whole; and thus award to the several applicants the cer- tificates to which they are justly entitled, so far as those certificates are to be granted upon the results of the writ- ten work alone. I might here add, for the information of the general committee, that this is what was practically done by the committee on examination of teachers, in passing upon the candidates recently examined. No basis of percentage was inflexibly fixed, from which to award certificates, and I believe that all were fairly treated and received all that could be justly claimed.
ADMISSIONS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Conclusions of the kind just enunciated have been con- firmed from the experience of the past five years in deter-
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mining admissions to the High School. It was found, during the first and second years, that some pupils admitted to the High School upon what was thought to be a sufficiently high average could do comparatively nothing with the High- School studies. By a reexamination of the grammar-school percentages, it was found that in such instances the high average had been attained in consequence of high standing in the memory studies, notwithstanding there was great weakness in those studies which call for a larger exercise of the reasoning faculties. Since then, by exercising more care in the inspection of a pupil's standing in individual studies, there has been an improvement in the material of . the classes afforded the High School. Nevertheless, it is thought proper to add that it has not been considered just to exclude from the High School those who for constitu- tional reasons have not been able to attain a high standard in arithmetic or grammar, as such might reap many advan- tages from some lines of study in the High School; and that only those deficient chiefly through their own neglect have been asked to remain in the grammar school an extra year.
During the years of my superintendency I have furnished nearly all the examination questions that have been used in the first divisions of the grammar schools. Consequently the questions have been uniform, and the results have been marked from a uniform scale arranged for each set by my- self. From an average of some ten or a dozen such exami- nations, with several different classes, in each of the studies there taught, I think it may be safely assumed that the strength in teaching power as exhibited in those divisions is now pretty well understood .; and I therefore recom -. mend, for the purpose of affording the superintendent more time for doing other work which in his judgment
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would be of greater usefulness to the schools as a whole, that he may be excused from preparing regular examina- tions for the first divisions, and that pupils in future may be admitted to the High School from the grammar, and such receive their diplomas of graduation, upon the recom- mendations of the grammar masters, such action, however, not debarring first-division pupils who may feel aggrieved at the master's decision from taking a final examination from the superintendent, who shall report the results to the proper committee. Of all persons, the master of a gram- mar school, who has the direct charge of its highest-grade pupils for a year, should best know who of them are properly fitted for the High School ; and I believe a knowledge of the fact that those whom he might recommend would be ad- mitted without further question would have a most excel- lent effect upon his entire school. Besides, the master has no motive for recommending any who may not have prop- erly completed the work of the grammar school. He cer- tainly would not want inefficient pupils, admitted to the High School upon his recommendation, there prove his incapacity to judge of their fitness for its higher work. Students are admitted at Dartmouth from our High School upon the recommendation of the master. For the same reasons, why should not the pupils recommended by the masters of our grammar schools be admitted to the High, and thus save, so far as possible, the more worthy pupils the strain of special examinations ? First-division pupils not intending to enter the High School, who cannot be recom- mended by the master to be as good scholars as those recommended for the High School, should be required to · pass satisfactory final examinations before being granted diplomas of grammar-school graduation.
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PUPILS' REPORTS.
From the action of the committee within the past year, it is evident there are decided differences of opinion in regard to the advisability of pupils' being regularly furnished with reports of their work for the inspection of parents. Some contend that parents should have such informa- tion, and that as a whole there is more of good than evil resulting from the use of the reports ; while others con- sider that the stress put upon slight differences in the percentages attained is provocative of jealousies and anxie- ties among pupils, that are unnecessary and pernicious. I therefore think that by the use of letters upon the form of report used, the desired information in regard to the de- portment and scholarship standing of pupils can be as well indicated, and slight differences in percentages be thus ig- nored. The school records can be kept from a knowledge of the pupils, as they have been for the past few months, and in transferring to the pupil's report the significance of his per- centages, letters can be used as follows : X, for extra ; E, for excellent ; G, for good : F, for fair ; I, for indifferent ; P, for poor ; and FF, for different degrees of failure. Since you have lately decided that the reports shall be issued, I recommend that you make clear whether the results to be reported shall be derived from written examinations or daily recitations, or both, or whether it shall be optional with teachers to do as they please in the matter.
SCHOOL ORGANIZATION.
In my first annual report I recommended that our schools be known by some other name than by that of the street upon which they happen to be located, and I then suggested historic names ; but large donations to our city library and
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generous gifts to our High School by one of our leading citizens, who has also somewhat distinguished himself in a literary way, remind me that in other cities schools are named in honor of their prominent citizens ; and that, as there is a large school in the immediate vicinity of the residence of the gentleman to whom reference has been made, Manchester might in this way give public recog- nition of her appreciation of those who honor her public institutions.
There is also another improvement which I would recom- mend in the published form of our organization, and that is, to publish under one head the names of all teachers in the same building, with an indication of the grade of school taught by each.
CONCLUSION.
Though the true province of the report of a superintend- ent is to afford the committee information in regard to the schools and to make such recommendations for their welfare as he may deem beneficial, it is understood that such officials frequently take occasion, at the opportunity offered in an annual report, indirectly to convey to the pub- lic their opinions in regard to some of the great educational topics of the day ; but as opinions of that kind would reach a larger constituency through the public press, I will for once, at least, refrain from assuming that the tax-payers are willing to pay for the publication of opinions with which they might not altogether agree ; and, in conclusion, I ex- tend to our citizens in general, and to parents in particu- lar, another cordial invitation to visit the public schools, that they may there sec, in a way that will enable them to know, whether those schools are properly supplementing the work of the family, and enable them better to understand
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how to give the schools such cooperation as will enable them best to enhance the welfare of the children under their charge.
Respectfully submitted.
WM. E. BUCK, Superintendent.
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TABLE SHOWING THE ATTENDANCE AT THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1881.
SCHOOLS.
Whole No. En-
rolled.
BOYS. GIRLS.
Average Number
Belonging.
Average Daily
Attendance.
Percentage of
Daily Attendance
High School.
253
90
99
174
171
98.2
Franklin-Street Grammar School
244
95
91
146
140
95.8
Lincoln-Street Grammar School.
322
100
124
176
169
93.8
Ash-Street Grammar School.
286
96
92
170
161
94.5
Spring-Street Grammar School.
111
41
47
62
58
93.5
Piscataquog Grammar School.
149
46
78
74
68
91.9
Amoskeag Grammar School.
52
19
27
36
31
86.1
Totals
397
459
664
627
94.4
Middle School No. 1.
90
26
33
42
38
90.5
64
29
20
45
34
75.5
70
. 20
25
42
39
92.8
71
31
18
41
37
90.2
53
23
13
32
29
90.6
89
33
28
46
43
93.5
82
33
27
43
38
88.4
66
66
8.
58
19
25
34
32
94.1
78
33
27
39
35
89.8
61
17
12
28
25
92.5
66
66
" 11.
80
29
18
36
33
91.7
Training Department.
120
55
39
59
52
88.7
348
285
487
435
89.3
Primary School No. 1.
94
45
42
46
39
84.8
95
24
31
36
32
88.9
78
37
40
40
34
81.6
74
26
28
· 41
36
90.
93
36
23
40
36
90.8
66
66
66
6. .
90
40
42
44
39
88.6
66
66
7
87
22
35
50
45
90.
66
9+
80
29
30
42
39
92.8
66
" 10.
145
55
38
42
40
95.2
66
" 12.
89
40
36
46
42
91.3
87
41
27
41
38
92.6
66
" 14.
87
28
30
45
41
91.1
66
66
" 15.
113
24
28
47
44
93.6
66
66
" 16.
93
21
25
49
43
87.7
66
66
" 17.
67
27
19
36
32
88.8
66
66
" 18
125
64
52
40
36
90.
66
" 19
68
24
36
39
35
89.7
66
" 20.
91
46
36
46
39
84.8
66
66
" 22.
77
37
28
37
33
89.
66
66
“ 23.
98
53
39
39
34
88.5
84
60
21
38
34
89.5
64
36
26
48
44
91.6
66
" 26.
77
39
24
38
35
92.1
66
" 271.
79
30
28
37
32
86.5
104
48
52
44
40
91.6
66
“ 29 ..
92
39
22
38
36
94.7
86
31
23
37
32
86.5
81
38
39
47
42
89.4
Training Department
173
84
83
86
76
89.0
Totals.
1216
1069
1350
1210
89.5
66
66
66
3 ..
66
66
4.
6:
66
5.
8
84
36
38
41
37
90.2
" 11.
108
56
48
50
45
90,
66
66
2.
66
3.
66
4.
5.
6.
66
6 | 7 ..
9.
66
"' 10.
Totals.
66
2
.
" 21, Discontinued ..
66
" 24
66
" 25.
“4 28 ..
" 30 ..
Bakersville.
“ 13.
1
Whole No. Belonging .*
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TABLE SHOWING THE ATTENDANCE AT THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1881, - Continued.
SCHOOLS.
Whole No. En-
rolled.
BOYS. GIRLS.
Average Number
Belonging.
Average Daily
Attendance.
Percentage of Daily Attendance.
Suburban School, District No. 1.
9
6
3
5
5
100.
58
30
20
38
32
84.2
66
66
66
6 ..
27
13
10
15
12
80.
66
66
7
50
25
21
26
22
84.6
66
.66
8 ..
43
15
20
21
17
80.9
66
66
9.
16
9
6
16
14
85.
Totals.
149
123
183
159
86.8
Aggregate totals
2200
2035
2858
2602
91.0
Aggregate totals for 1880
2166
1970
2970
2727
92.0
66
66
4.
71
39
32
49
46
94.5
25
12
11
13
11
84.6
5 ..
* Exclusive of those received, by promotion or transfer, from other schools in the city. t In existence during the spring and fall terms only.
It may be added, for the benefit of the uninformed, that there is in this city an ex- tensive system of Roman-Catholic parochial schools, which accounts in part for the comparatively small portion of our population (35,000) in the public schools.
66
66
3 ..
Whole No. Belonging .*
LIST OF TEACHERS AND JANITORS.
HIGH SCHOOL, - BEECH STREET.
Principal. - Albert W. Bacheler. Assistant. - G. I. Hopkins. Lucretia E. Manahan. Emma J. Ela. Mary A. Buzzell.
TRAINING SCHOOL, - MERRIMACK STREET. Higher Department. Principal. - Nancy S. Bunton. Assistant. - Mintie C. Edgerly.
Primary Department. Principal. - Nellie M. James, one term. E. Jennie Campbell, one term. Ida J. Bartlett, one term. Assistant. - Elvira S. Prior.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL, - FRANKLIN STREET.
Principal. - Edward P. Sherburne. Assistant. - Clara G. Fogg. Lottie R. Adams. Carrie E. Reid.
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LINCOLN-STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Principal. - Benjamin F. Dame.
Assistant. - Julia A. Baker. Mary J. Fife. Isabelle R. Daniels. Mary F. Barnes.
ASH-STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Principal. - Daniel A. Clifford.
Assistant. - Anstrice G. Flanders.
Rocilla M. Tuson. Sarah J. Greene, two terms.
Annie A. Webster, one term.
SPRING-STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Mary L, Sleeper. Anna O. Heath.
PISCATAQUOG, - NORTH MAIN STREET.
Principal. - Frank S. Sutcliffe.
Assistant. - Mary A. Lear, two terms. Cora M. Dearborn, one term.
AMOSKEAG.
Etta J. Carley.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
No. 1, Blodget Street. - Nellie I. Sanderson. 2, Ash Street. - Mary A. Smith. 3, Ash Street. - Bertha L. Dean.
4, Lincoln Street. - Anna J. Dana.
5, Lincoln Street. - Carrie M. Gilmore.
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No. 6, North Main Street. - Florence McEvoy.
7, Franklin Street. - Hattie G. Flanders.
8, Franklin Street. - C. Augustus Abbott. 9, Spring Street. - Fannie D. Moulton. 10, Spring Street. - Lizzie P. Gove. 11, North Main Street. - Lizzie A. Burns.
PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
No. 1, Blodget Street. - Ella F. Salisbury.
2, Manchester Street. - Clara N. Brown.
3, Ash Street .- Georgianna Dow.
4, Ash Street. - Helen M. Morrill. 5, Lowell Street. - Florence L. Stone, two terms. Ella F. Sanborn, one term.
6, Wilson Hill, - Abbie E. Abbott, two terms. Nancy P. Flint, one term.
7, Lincoln Street. - Emma F. Beane.
8, Lowell Street. - Nellie B. Putnam.
9, Manchester Street. - Ida J. Bartlett, two terms. Discontinued, fall term.
10, Manchester Street. - Nellie Pearson.
11, Franklin Street. - E. Jennie Campbell, one term. Lenora C. Gilford, two terms.
12, Franklin Street. - Martha W. Hubbard, one term. Nellie M. James, two terms.
13, Spring Street, - Lucia E. Esty.
14, Spring Street. - Emma L. Stokes.
15, Center Street. - Jennie F. Bailey.
16, Center Street. - Augustus S. Downs. 17, South Main Street. - Alice G. Lord.
18, Manchester Street. - Maria N. Bower.
19, Amoskeag. - Jennie G. Stebbens.
20, South Main Street. - Ellen E. Mckean.
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No. 21, Bridge Street. - Discontinued.
22, Beech Street. - Florence A. Nichols.
23, Lowell Street. - Flora M. Senter.
24, Lowell Street. -- Ella F. Sanborn, two terms. Mary E. Sylvester, 1 term.
25, Center Street. - Clara E. Woods.
26, Spring Street. - Carrie I. Stevens.
27, Beech Street. - Cora M. Dearborn, two terms. Discontinued, fall term.
28, Center Street. - Belle M. Kelley.
29, Beech Street. - Louisa R. Quint.
30, Beech Street. - Lizzie J. West.
SUBURBAN SCHOOLS.
No. 1, Stark District. - Susie A. Crosby. -
3, Bakersville. -
Principal, Addie M. Chase, one term. Emma C. Gee, two terms. Assistant, S. Izetta Locke.
4, Goffe's Falls. - Georgie A. Nute.
5, Harvey District. - Mary W. Mitchell.
6, Webster's Mills. - Olive J. Randall, two terms. Susie G. Woodman, one term.
7, Hallsville. - Mary E. Sylvester, two terms. Annie W. Patten, one term.
8, Youngsville. - Susie G. Woodman, two terms. Olive J. Randall, one term. 9, Mosquito Pond. - Olive A. Rowe.
MUSIC TEACHER.
Jason J. Kimball, three days per week.
DRAWING TEACHER.
Mary K. Webster. 4
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JANITORS. High School, Ash Street, Bridge Street, and Blodget Street. John S. Avery.
Franklin Street, Manchester Street, Lincoln Street, and Wilson Hill.
John A. Carr.
Spring Street, and old High-School House. George W. Varnum.
Merrimack Street and Spruce Street. Rufus Lamb.
'Squog Schools, consisting of Center Street, North and South Main Street Schools.
D. H. Morgan.
SCHOOL EXPENDITURES.
REPAIRS OF SCHOOL-HOUSES.
DR.
To appropriation
$5,000 00
incidental repairs, amount trans-
ferred .
278 47
balance overdrawn
101 24
$5,379 71
CR.
Paid A. C. Wallace, lumber $307 12
A. J. Sawyer, lumber
195 54
W. W. Hubbard, lumber
171 29
J. Hodge, lumber .
130 47
J. H. Maynard, lumber . 3 30
13 44
Austin, Johnson, & Co., lumber Geo. H. Dudley, carpenter- work
891 20
Geo. Holbrook, carpenter-work
182 67
L. N. Westover, carpenter- work . 24 75
Weathers & Co., stone-work . 15 00
Daniel W. Garland, stone-work 14 44
E. G. Haynes, sewer pipe 22 42
€
52
Paid B. W. Robinson & Co., mason- work . $362 84
J. J. Abbott, painting. 476 01
Sloan & Sullivan, painting
104 50
J. L. Kennedy, painting 31 89
Joel Daniels, painting 141 43 :
Daniels & Co., hardware
91 08
J. B. Varick, hardware .
46 85
Pike & Heald, plumbing
73 52
Pike & Heald, mats, urinals, etc. 57 :4
Thos. A. Lane, plumbing, etc. 234 83 S. C. Forsaith & Co., lumber 126 87 Jas. S. Bacheler, boiler, plumb- ing, etc. 404 87
A. H. Lowell, iron-work 48 76
James Briggs, repairing stoves 9 25
J. F. Libbey, paper-hanging . 3 69 Amoskeag Manufacturing Co., lumber 326 22
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