USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Salem > Annual reports of the receipts and expenditures of the town of Salem, N.H. : for the year ending 1854-1870 > Part 22
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Length of school in weeks-Summer, 10; Winter, 9.
Wages of teachers per month-Summer, $18.00; Winter, $22.00. Appropriation-Town, $52.70; Literary, $3.76; Railroad, $34.44.
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The summer term was not as productive of good as the Committee hoped it would be. The winter term, however, was attended with better results. Both pupils and teacher seemed to take an interest in the studies pursued, and notwithstanding the school was not faultless in point of order, considerable progress was made.
DISTRICT No. 4.
Prudential Committee, Charles Austin.
Teacher-Summer and Winter, M. L. Cochran.
Whole number of scholars-Summer. 45; Winter, 40.
Average attendance-Summer, 40; Winter, 33.
Length of school in weeks-Summer, 15; Winter, 10.
Wages of teacher per month-$26.00.
Appropriation-Town, $118.94; Literary, $8.48; Railroad, $34.44.
Miss Cochran taught this school both terms, giving entire satisfac- tion to the district and to the Committee. She is known in the vicinity as a well qualified and successful teacher, one who can govern easily, and who has sought, in all her schools, to develop the intellect, strengthen the reasoning powers. and teach her pupils the necessity of thoroughly comprehending what they attempt to learn.
.
This school ranks among the first in town, as it did last year.
DISTRICT NO. 5:
Prudential Committee, Joshua Woodbury.
Teachers-Summer, C. H. Woodbury ; Autumn, Mary E. Dana. Whole number of scholars-Summer, 21; Autumn, 19. Average attendance-Summer, 14; Autumn, 13.
Length of school in weeks-Summer, 12; Autumn, 10. Wages of teachers per month-Summer, $22.00; Autumn, $28.00. Appropriation-Town, $76.73; Literary, $5.48; Railroad, $34.44.
In this district there is an increasing difficulty in maintaining a good school. The building in which it is kept is not worthy of the name of a school house. It is old, and inconvenient in all respects. It should be removed as soon as possible, and a new and commodious one erected in its place. This is the opinion of the Committee, plainly expressed. It were better to allow the roads to grow up to grass, and the bridges to be broken down, than to let our school houses fall into decay. The inhabitants of this district should look at the matter in its true light. Their children are as quick to learn as any in the town, as the examinations show ; but the school house is shabby, and there is a lack of interest on the part of the parents, and irregular attendance, as well as frequent and unnecessary tardiness on the part of the scholars. Yet, with all these disadvantages, the school made
22
some progress-enough, at least, to show what might be done if the children had the same encouragement that others have in more favored districts.
DISTRICT NO. 6.
Prudential Committee, Alvah W. Hall.
Teachers-Summer, Mary E. Dana ; Winter, Charles H. Wilson. Whole number of scholars-Summer, 59; Winter, 61. . Average attendance-Summer, 41; Winter, 50.
Length of school in weeks-Summer, 12; Winter, 10.
Wages of teachers per month-Summer, $24.00; Winter, $48.00. Appropriation-Town, $178.12; Literary, $12.70; Railroad, $34.44.
Mr. Wilson and Miss Dana are both possessed of considerable experience and large attainments as teachers, which they used to advantage. They went earnestly to their work, and spared no pains to promote the improvement of the pupils. There was, however, as in some of the other schools, a slightly perceptible lack of order, not so much, perhaps, because the scholars have a disposition to disobey the teacher, as from habit. Yet the discipline was good, the ease and regularity of the classes praiseworthy, and the order, as compared with the past. greatly improved. The summer and winter exami- nations, also, were highly satisfactory to the Committee and visitors, exhibiting thoroughness of drill and commendable proficiency in the different branches taught.
DISTRICT NO. 7.
Prudential Committee, Washington Kimball. . Teachers-Summer, Mary A. Reed; Winter, Lyman B. Gage. Whole number of scholars-Summer, 31; Winter, 38. Average attendance-Summer, 28}; Winter, 35.
Length of school in weeks-Summer. 7; Winter, 6 1-5.
Wages of teachers per month-Summer, $20.00; Winter. $45.00. Appropriation-Town, $80.16; Literary, $5.73; Railroad. $34.44.
The reputation of this school for punctuality, good order. and ex- cellent scholarship, is still maintained. During the summer term, under the care of Miss Reed, it went on steadily and prosperously. She was kind yet firm in her manner, showing fidelity and energy as a teacher.
Under Mr. Gage, who taught tlie winter term, there was no abate- ment of interest. Some of the pupils, as usual, were well advanced in arithmetic, geography and grammar, to say nothing of several of the higher branches. But the term was too short. . What can the best
.
23
teacher do in six weeks? Not much, it would seem. Yet consider- able was accomplished, which shows that the time was well improved, or the school would not have passed so good an examination.
DISTRICT NO. 8.
Prudential Committee, D. S. Currier.
Teachers-Summer, M. E. Cogswell; Winter, Amelia A. Baldwin. Whole number of scholars-Summer, 33; Winter, 32. Average attendance-Summer, 28; Winter, 25.
Length of school in weeks-Summer, 7; Winter, 8. Wages of teachers per month-Summer, $22.00; Winter, $28.00. Appropriation-Town, $74.62 ; Literary, $5.42; Railroad, $34.44.
Two excellent teachers have been employed in this district the past year, and a fair degree of improvement was visible in the school. The summer term was pleasant and profitable, the order good, the classes well arranged, and the recitations, for the most part, prompt and correct.
The winter term, also, was no less profitable. The teacher entered upon her work with patience, tact and perseverance, determined that what her pupils did learn they should learn well. In this she suc- ceeded. Particular attention was paid to reading and spelling correctly; and although the school was much broken up by snow storms, and shorter than the Prudential Committee intended it should be, the results were satisfactory.
DISTRICT NO. 9.
Prudential Committee, Israel Thorndike Foster.
Teachers-Summer, Mary D. Bailey ; Winter, Eliza J. Worthen and Ellen L. Kimball.
Whole number of scholars-Summer, 31; Winter, 33.
Average attendance-Summer, 243; Winter, 273.
Length of school in weeks-Summer, 12; Winter, 10.
Wages of teachers per month-Summer, $20.00; Winter, $26.00. Appropriation-Town, $74.22; Literary, $5.30; Railroad, $34.44.
This district, we understand, at their last annual school meeting. voted to employ none but female teachers during the year. Whether this was for the best, the Committee does not attempt to decide; he can only speak of things as they are.
Miss Bailey labored during the summer term with great kindness, patience and fidelity, and when the school was visited, the scholars were well behaved and studious. She was succeeded, at the com- mencement of the winter term, by Miss Worthen, a promising young teacher, who, after a few weeks of toil unsuited to her strength, was obliged to resign on account of ill health.
24
The remainder of the term was taught by Miss Kimball, who has done her best for the advancement of her pupils. and is to be com- mended for her exertions. The closing examination, however, showed that the school, in point of discipline and scholarship, is not what it was last year.
DISTRICT NO. 10.
Prudential Committee, Obadiah Dustin.
Teachers-Summer, Clara E. Bailey ; Winter, Mary A. Gordon. Whole number of scholars-Summer, 18; Winter. 19. Average attendance-Summer, 15; Winter, 14.
Length of school in weeks-Summer, 13; Winter, 12. Wages of teachers per month-Summer, $18.00; Winter, $19.00. Appropriation-Town, $67.34; Literary, $4.81; Railroad, $34.44.
In a small school like this it is harder to excite interest and emula- tion among the pupils than in a larger one; yet the teacher of the summer term, by her happy method of imparting instruction, suc- ceeded in infusing an energy into the school beyond what was expected. She had a faculty of gaining the attention and winning the affections of her pupils; the order was commendable, and the progress of the classes good.
Nor is Miss Gordon less deserving of praise for her management the past winter. She is quiet in her manner of teaching, yet efficient, and the school has been attractive and profitable.
GENERAL REMARKS.
DEFECTS OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
From the manner in which we have spoken of the different schools, it must not be thought that even the best of them are perfect. On the contrary, they are far from it. They are judged by the Committee, as in past years, according to a certain standard-judged as mixed schools in country places, and not as graded schools in populous' towns.
One defect in them is the manner in which teachers are obliged to deal with the younger children. That they do not receive much atten- tion cannot be denied. How is it possible in our large mixed schools, as in District No. 1, which contains between eighty and ninety scholars, for a teacher to do more than simply hear them read and spell a few words? He cannot without neglecting the larger and more advanced pupils. But it ought not to be so. He should have
¥
25
time to teach the alphabet class the names and sounds of the letters, and their combination into words; to give them object lessons in the use of simple lines, straight and curved, to print the letters of the al- phabet, and to count up to twelve.
Those who are a little older and who read in the Primer, should be taught to spell the names of familiar things as well as the words of the reading lessons, to count up to one hundred, to learn the Roman numerals and the form of plane figures by way of object lessons.
As these small children advance, they might be taught the marks of punctuation, the Geography of Rockingham county, how to add by objects, and write numbers of two figures. In some of our winter schools, this process of drawing out the minds of even the youngest pupils might be followed, and in all our Summer schools, which are attended by a larger number of such children than those that are old- er, it ought to be done.
There should also be a more perfect organization of our schools. As it is now, some are too large while others are too small. In those that are small, it is hard to create an interest. Teacher and pupil both often lack enthusiasm. The classes are too small, sometimes of only one or two pupils at the most. This makes hard work. On the oth- er hand, where the school is large, the teacher is hurried, and not having time to hear all the lessons, he is obliged to pass by the young- er children, or set some of the older to do the work. In such schools. also, the classification is frequently bad. There are six or eight class- es, it may be, in one study, where there ought not to be more than half as many. Some scholar has gone a little further than another, or he wishes to go faster, or he has a different text book, and so he is put into a class by himself. This is wrong. In most of our schools the number of classes might be greatly reduced, with benefit to both teachers and pupils, and should be at once. The committee regards this as a serious defect, and has often spoken of it to the teachers. There should be a uniformity of text books, and as few classes as possible, but in some of our schools the rule has been to multiply the classes, and spend as little time in hearing the recitations as will suf- fice to get through with them in the most hurried manner.
The defects spoken of will exist no doubt for many years in the small schools of our sparsely settled districts, but in the larger ones a more perfect organization might be effected by grading them. In the opinion of the committee, the time has almost come for doing this in Districts No. 1 and 6, and possibly in No. 4. It will not be long, owing to the crowded state of these schools, before it will be actually necessary. In District No. 1, this is especially the case. The school has been so full the past winter that all the seats have been taken up, and in some instances three scholars have had to sit together on benches where only two can be well accommodated. Besides this, several did not attend school who would have done so had there been more room. This question, What shall be done for school accommo-
26
dations? will ere long come up. When it does, it is to be hoped that the district will enlarge the present building, and grade the school.
IRRÉGULAR ATTENDANCE.
Irregular attendance is a thing that may well be complained of. It is a detriment to the school, and fatal to the progress of the pupil. Parents who allow their children to stay out half of their time or ab- sent themselves for some slight cause, do not see the injury they inflict on others. It takes the child from the class on that particular day ; it breaks the connection that should exist between each member, and weakens the strength of the class, just as taking a link here and there from a chain, weakens the whole.
One great cause of irregular attendance is in the parents them- selves. They keep the large children at home for their own profit or pleasure ; they do not insist upon the small ones being punctually at school, and see that they are present. There may be cases, we admit, where it is necessary to keep a child at home, but not often. Our schools are so short it would seem that almost any parent might give his child as much time, at least, in the year, as is necessary to school him. But some detain their children at home, or suffer them to go where they please, and thus do the whole class an injury as well as the child himself, by robbing him of what in after life will be better to him than gold.
Again, it is a loss of time and money. Suppose the average attend- ance of all our schools should be but seventy-five per cent. of the whole number enumerated, as it is with some districts ; we see if this was the case throughout the town, several hundred dollars would be · wasted or worse than wasted for those who slight their school privi- leges.
Some parents do not know where their children are during school hours, or else they do not care much for education. If they did, they would give attention to this subject. They are more to blame than the children are; they can remedy this evil if they will. Parents must know that their children will be made better and wiser by being punctual and regular at school. The habit of being there at the time is no small thing. If they are prompt in this, they will be likely to be in other things, and even through life. But, independen tof the force of habit, children who are thus irregular in attendance not only lose the hours they are absent, but their absence, as we have seen, discourages the teacher, hinders their own advancement and that of the class, and otherwise disarranges the school. It is therefore to be lamented, that while time and money are spent for the benefit of such they should so lightly prize these blessings. Besides this, a majority of those who attend our public schools will probably have no better opportunity than is there afforded to gain an education, and certainly they have no time to spend in idleness.
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The attention of parents and guardians is especially called to that part of the school laws of this Commonwealth relating to absenteeism and truancy.
The law provides that " each of the several cities and towns in this State be, and hereby are, authorized and empowered to make all needful provisions and arrangements concerning habitual truants and children not attending school, without any regular and lawful occu- pation, growing up in ignorance, between the ages of six and sixteen years; and also all such ordinances and by-laws respecting such children as shall be most conducive to their welfare and the good or- der of such city or town, and there shall be annexed to such ordinan- ces, suitable penalties, &c.". See laws of 1852, chap. 1278, sec. 1. The law further provides that " the several cities and towns availing themselves of the provisions of this act, may appoint, in the same manner that other officers are appointed by said city or town, three or more persons, who alone or any one of whom, shall be authorized to make the complaints in every case of violation of said ordinances or by-laws to the justice of the peace or other judicial officer who, by said ordinance, shall have jurisdiction of the matter," &c. Laws of 1848, chap. 1278.
The law still further provides that " any minor between the ages of six and sixteen years, convicted under the provisions of this act of being an habitual truant, or of not attending school, or of being with- out any regular and lawful occupation, or growing up in ignorance, may, at the discretion of the justice of the peace or judicial officer having jurisdiction of the case, be committed to any institution of in- struction, house of reformation, or suitable situation as may be pro- vided for the purpose, &c." Laws of 1848, sec. 3.
The law, as it stands on the statute book, is inoperative here, inas- much as no action has been taken to make provision for its enforce- ment. The committee would therefore recommend and request the town to provide for its execution.
FAULTS OF TEACHERS.
It is not enough that the literary qualifications of teachers come up to what the letter of the law requires. They should have a knowledge of human nature, so as to be able to take advantage of the different dispositions of their scholars. Otherwise they will not be able to manage a school properly. Many a teacher fails here. It is one thing to pass a good examination before the committee, and quite another to actually deal with children in the school room. If teach- ers have an imperfect judgment, so as not to be able to discriminate in regard to the proprieties of social life ; if they have not what in home- ly phrase is called plain, common sense; if they are unreasonable in their demands, or partial in the least to some and not to others, their pupils will not fail to see it, and the school will not prosper.
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A teacher, also, to govern his school well, must not suffer his pupils to gain any power over him at the commencement of the term. Per- haps they are a little disorderly at first; they do it to try him, and he does not check them. Finding they can commit trifling misdemean- ors, or perplex the teacher with petty annoyances, they pass on to greater faults, until he finds that the scholars have the school pretty much in their own hands. A word might have stopped it, a decisive tone and action shown that he was not to be trifled with, and the school would have gone on well. But suffering this negligence, the teacher is sure to have careless recitations, and the moral tone of all under his care will be vitiated.
4
These remarks will suggest the chief deficiencies on the part of teachers, which have been apparent in some of the schools during the year. It is to be hoped that they may be remedied. This, however, can only be done by the teachers themselves. The committee can ad- vise and make suggestions, but the energy, the tact, the effort neces- sary to succeed, must be theirs.
In closing, the committee would express the wish that our schools may continue to prosper; that parents may take a deeper interest in the education and welfare of their children; that greater care may be exercised in the selection of teachers; and that these nurseries of learning, where our children are trained to virtue, knowledge and obedience, may become of their kind models of excellence.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. ROGERS,
Superintending School Committec.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
AUDITORS OF ACCOUNTS,
AND
SUPERINTENDING SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
OF THE
Town of Salem, N. H.,
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING FEB. 20, 1868.
LAWRENCE: GEO. S. MERRILL & COMPANY, STEAM BOOK PRINTERS, NO. 120 ESSEX STREET. 1868.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
AUDITORS OF ACCOUNTS,
AND
SUPERINTENDING SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
OF THE
Town of Salem, N. H.,
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING FEB. 20, 1868
LAWRENCE: GEO. S. MERRILL & COMPANY, STEAM BOOK PRINTERS, No. 120 ESSEX STREET. 1868.
TOWN OFFICERS FOR 1867.
TOWN CLERK. LAROY ROGERS.
SELECTMEN AND OVERSEERS OF POOR. GEORGE C. GORDON, JOEL C. CAREY, LEVI CLUFF.
COLLECTOR. WILLIAM H. WOODBURY.
AUDITORS.
CHARLES AUSTIN,
JOHN S. EMERY,
NATHAN G. ABBOTT.
CONSTABLES. EDWIN O. RUSS,
WILLARD W. MERRILL.
AUDITORS' REPORT.
The Committee chosen to audit the Accounts of the Se- lectmen of the Town of Salem, N. H., for the fiscal year ending February 20, 1868, having attended to that duty,
REPORT.
SELECTMEN,
DR.
Cash rec'd of Treasurer,
$497 20
M. H. Taylor,
800 00
E. O. Butler,
537 00
Enoch Taylor,
1,355 73
66
William G. Crowell,
500 00
66
L. C. Cluff,
579 95
66
Geo. W. T. Rogers,
1,200 00
66
Enoch Taylor,
400 00
66
E. Coburn,
1,400 00
66
Wm. G. Crowell,
1 30
66
Geo. Davis,
235 00
State Treasurer, Savings Bank tax, 47 67
State Treasurer, Rail-
road money, 402 83
66
State Treasurer, Literary money,
69 45
66
State Treasurer, United
States bounties, 254 00
66
Harvey Harris, for cow, 47 00
66
Town of Methuen, for line stones, 22 00
66
Wm. G. Crowell,
188 50
66
W. H. Woodbury, whole amount of taxes assessed,
11,425 73
Wm. B. Kimball,
75 00
H. French,
1 50
66
N. B. Dustin,
200 00
4
Cash received for wood, 286 26
66 Wm. H. Woodbury, for interest, 80 90
66
County, for support of paupers, 942 13
$21,549 15
PAID ON ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS.
District No. 1 .- Town appropriation, $223 11 Railroad money, 40 28
Literary Fund, 21 04
284 43
District No. 2 .- Town appropriation, 56 97
Railroad money, 40 28
Literary Fund,
5 36
102 61
District No. 3 .- Town appropriation,
69 16
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
6 61
116 05
District No. 4 .- Town appropriation,
151 52
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
14 27
206 07
District No. 5 .- Town appropriation, 105 68
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
9 16
155 12
District No. 6 .- Town appropriation,
242 40
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
22 86
305 54
District No. 7 .- Town appropriation, 109 22
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
10 28
159 78
District No. 8 .- Town appropriation,
99 73
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
9 40
149 41
District No. 9 .- Town appropriation, 102 81
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
9 68
152 77
District No. 10 .- Town appropriation,
87 95
Railroad money,
40 28
Literary Fund,
8 46
136 69
Total,
$1,768 47
5
PAID ON ACCOUNT OF ROADS AND BRIDGES.
Paid M. H. Taylor, for plank, $3 48
J. M. Graham, smith work, 2 90
Wm. B. Kimball, gravel, 2 50
Moores Bailey, labor and plank for bridge,
16 37
Enoch Taylor, lumber and labor on bridge,
31 96
G. D. Kelly,
4 40
James Ayer, labor on bridge,
6 50
E. C. Gordon, gravel and labor on bridge,
4 00
Daniel Tilton, lumber and labor on bridge,
10 75
Moores Bailey, labor and lumber for bridge,
30 28
Enoch and Daniel Taylor, building bridge,
70 00
C. R. Mason & Co., nails,
1 30
James Ayer, labor on bridge,
8 25
Charles Head, spikes and labor on bridge,
7 15
Wm. G. Crowell, plank,
86 92
Silas Hall, repairs on highways,
12 00
Levi Cluff, labor and lumber,
2 00
S. S. Shannon, repairs on highways,
5 50
A. W. Hall, gravel,
2 50
T. B. Middleton, gravel,
2 00
I. T. Foster, lumber for bridge,
67
Geo. C. Gordon, powder and fuse,
2 55
$314 08
PAID ON ACCOUNT OF NON-RESIDENT HIGHWAY TAXES.
Paid Benjamin Day,
$2 15
J. H. Dunlap,
2 23
Ira A. Pettengill,
4 38
Wm. L. Bradford,
2 60
Oliver Russ, jr.,
16 85
Ansel Merrill,
12 00
E. S. Woodbury,
3 69
Wm. G. Crowell,
10 22
A. & S. Currier,
3 65
John A. Wheeler,
15 47
Gilman D. Kelly,
25 87
Wm. H. Woodbury, non-resident highway receipts returned, 6 94
6
Paid D. S. Currier, James Ayer, Jacob Rowell, Silas Hall,
2 96
4 13
6 84
14 02
Benj. E. Chase,
3 65
T. C. Webster,
2 75
$140 40
PAID ON ACCOUNT OF SNOW PATHS.
David Loud, 1072 hours, men breaking roads, $17 92
52
oxen,
8 66
M. G. Woodbury,
66
66 men and oxen,
11 00
Enoch Taylor,
13
66
men,
2 17
26 66
oxen,
4 33
Daniel Taylor, 66
23
66 men,
3 83
27
oxen,
4 50
Amos E. Webster,
7
men,
1 17
M. H. Taylor,
2382
men,
39 75
74
oxen,
12 33
John H. Dunlap,
34
oxen,
5 67
40
men,
7 67
Thad's Richardson,
69
men,
11 50
14
oxen,
2 33
· David Loud,
5
men,
83
66
21
oxen,
42
Ansel Merrill, 66
5
oxen,
62
John Lovering,
62
66
men,
1 08
Ira. A. Pettengill,
15
men, 1868,
1 87
Daniel Tilton,
162
men,
2 06
J. H. Smith,
9
66
men,
1 50
5
66
oxen,
83
C. V. Jennings,
20
men,
2 50
Joel Richardson,
20
men, 1866,
3 33
Benj. E. Chase,
43
men,
5 37
Charles Day,
3
men, 1867,
50
66
3
oxen, 1867,
50
66
202
men, 1868,
2 56
9
66
oxen,
1 12
18
men,
2 25
3
men, 1867,
50
7
J. B. Gage, 17 hours men, 1868, 2 13
5 oxen, 62
D. S. Currier, 5 men, 1868, 62
.
$163 04
PAID ON ACCOUNT OF CONTINGENCIES.
Paid Charles T. Maxwell, note and in-
terest, $583 79
Ira Sanborn, interest on note, 12 00
Stephen D. Crowell, interest on note, 40 50
Manchester & Lawrence Railroad, freight on safe, 5 65
L. C. Cluff, note and interest, 584 68
L. W. Chase, making warrant box, 4 00
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