USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Concord > Annual reports of the schools in the City of Concord (N.H.) 1874 > Part 2
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Thirty-two teachers are employed in these schools,-three in the High school, two in each of the three complete Gram- mar schools, and one in each of the others. There have been many changes during the year, so that forty-five differ- ent persons have served as teachers. The schools have been taught as follows :
Schools.
HIGH,. ...
Summer Term. ( J. D. Bartley, Sarah E. Blair, Laura Carlton.
Fall Term.
J. D. Bartley, Sarah E. Blair, Laura Carlton.
Winter Term.
J. D. Bartley, Sarah E. Blair, Laura Carlton.
GRAMMAR.
Franklin,. Addie S. Hill.
Merrimack, Ist Div.
( Clara I. Bickford. Eliza F. Bickford. 2d Div .... Laura A. Webster. Centre, Ist Division .. Carrie Hewitt. 2d Division .. . Julia M. Johnson.
Rumford, Ist Div ..... Josephine Hodgdon. Josephine Hodgdon. Josephine Hodgdon. 66 2d Div ..... Helen McG. Ayers.
Penacook Pauline A. Bowen.
Annie P. Little.
Rosa Akerman.
Eliza T. Moore. Carrie Hewitt. Julia M. Johnson.
Clara E. Thayer. Pauline A. Bowen.
Annie P. Little.
( Rosa Akerman. Abbie C. Cochran. Ellen A. Folger. Carrie Hewitt.
Julia M. Johnson.
Clara E. Thayer.
Pauline A. Bowen.
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Schools. Summer Term.
Fall Term. Winter Term.
INTERMEDIATE.
North
( Eliza F. Bickford.
Mary S. Stubbs.
Mary S. Stubbs.
Merrimack.
Eliza J. Day.
Ida B. Clarke.
Ida B. Clarke.
Centre. ..
.Isabelle F. Nutter.
Isabelle F. Nutter.
Isabelle F. Nutter.
Spring street ..
Mary A. Ayers.
Mary A. Ayers.
Mary A. Ayers.
Myrtle street.
Cordelia A. Sanborn. Lottie A. Thompson. Lottie A. Thompson.
Rumford
Gillis.
Lila M. Gage.
Lila M. Gage.
Penacook
Annie W. Chickering. Cordelia A. Sanborn. Cordelia A. Sanborn.
PRIMARY.
North
Mary L. Merrill.
Sarah F. Ballard.
Sarah F. Ballard.
Franklin
Lila M. Gage.
Annie M. Lang.
Annie M. Lang.
Merrimack .. Rebecka M. Sawyer. Mary L. Prescott.
Mary L. Prescott.
Union street, 1st Div. Susan R. Moulton.
Susan R. Moulton.
Susan R. Moulton.
Union street,2d Div. ¿ S. R. Crockett.
S. R. Crockett.
( S. R. Crockett.
Centre . Melvina D. Nutter.
Melvina D. Nutter.
Melvina D. Nutter: Carrie Cottrell.
Spring street. Carrie Cottrell.
Carrie Cottrell.
Myrtle street. Mary H. O'Connor.
Mary H. O'Connor.
Mary H. O'Connor.
Rumford.
Lizzie Burleigh.
Mary L. Merrill.
Mary L. Merrill.
Penacook, 1st Div .... M. B. Abbott.
M. B. Abbott.
M. B. Abbott.
2d Div ... .Hannah E. Bell.
Hannah E. Bell.
Hannah E. Bell.
MIXED.
Bow Brook. Etta F. Smythe.
Etta F. Smythe.
Etta F. Smythe.
Pine Plains ..
Ella .M. Blaney.
Old Fair Ground. .:
H. M. Farnsworth.
H. M. Farnsworth.
Mary S. Stubbs.
The change in the corps of instructors has largely come of the voluntary retirement of teachers. There have been two transfers from one school to another of the same grade, and one promotion. The number of new teachers,-that is, those who have never taught before in this district,-is twelve. In selecting teachers, the preference has been given to persons resident here, and graduates of the High school. To take young ladies freshly graduated from the High school, and place them in charge of our schools, has never, save in rare instances, been deemed advisable. The gradu- ates are required to test their ability to teach in schools out- side the district. Were some provision made, however, by which pupils in the High school, intending to teach, might receive professional training during the last year or two of their course, we might always have a supply of competent teachers at hand,-for the grades below the Grammar, at least,-without necessitating a trial in school teaching away from home. One method of accomplishing this might be the following: Let the members of the two upper classes in the
Julia M. Abbott.
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High school, who intend to teach after graduation, constitute a Normal class, and be placed in charge of the person en- trusted with supervisory power, who shall, as a part of his duties, and without additional compensation therefor, in- struct them, at regular and convenient hours, in the science and art of Pedagogy. Theory should be thoroughly exem- plified in practice, and might be, with model classes of pupils in the primary and intermediate grades, which could easily be organized. In this way, much practical knowledge of teaching could be obtained in two years, and the degree of aptitude for instruction better ascertaincd than by teaching for a term or two abroad. Other places have their training- schools. Concord might have one, and with comparatively little or no expense.
Change of teachers is unavoidable, but the departure of any good one, who has learned the ways of the school, is always to be regretted. A competent successor may be ob- tained, but it takes time to get full command of the new situation. There is always more or less friction accompany- ing a change, and with this friction always comes loss of advantageous result to the school. We have had much of change during the year. Mrs. Akerman, the acceptable Principal of the Merrimack Grammar school, had leave of absence during the summer term. She returned, and taught during the fall term ; but at the end of the fourth week of the winter term, her resignation having been reluctantly accepted, she retired from the school, her physical powers, severely tested by the exacting demands of the position long held, requiring rest. A successor of much experience has been found. In the Second Division of the same school, Miss Webster, who had taught efficiently for several years, resigned at the end of the summer term. Her successor served one term, and resigned, leaving the winter term to be taught by another. Thus there have been three teachers,- one for each term in each division of this school. This fre- quent change has been disadvantageous, notwithstanding the
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several teachers have done their duty well. Now, that per- manence has at last, it is to be hoped, been reached, the school will, doubtless, soon regain any advantage that it may unavoidably have lost.
Miss Ayers of the Second Division of the Rumford Gram- mar school, Miss Gillis, of the Rumford Intermediate, and Miss Burleigh of the Rumford Primary, felt compelled, by reason of ill health, partially, at least, the result of exhaust- ing labor, to vacate, at the end of the summer term, the positions which they had worthily filled. Miss Day of the Merrimack Intermediate, Miss Hill of the Franklin Gram- mar, and Mrs. Crockett of the First Division of the Union Street Primary, have also retired, in the course of the year, from our corps of teachers, of which they had long been useful members.
We shall not attempt to speak of the individual merits of the teachers who now constitute the corps of instruction. They are all faithfully endeavoring to meet the requisitions of their high calling, and with an average measure of success that will, doubtless, compare favorably with that of the same number of instructors similarly situated any where else. They are generally succeeding well in the difficult matter of management and discipline. Most of them have their schools well in hand. The discipline has been, in the main, judicious, denoting a good endowment of common sense,- that essential qualification of the teacher,-the absence of which virtually nullifies all others. In the matter of intel- lectual instruction, many of our teachers, though now doing well, would be able to do much better if they had the advan- tage of professional training.
It has been deemed advisable to introduce Drawing, as a regular branch of study, in the schools of all grades. A knowledge of this useful and beautiful art is fast gaining, in this country, the recognition it has long held in Europe as being a most desirable educational acquisition. In making Drawing a regular branch of study in the public schools,
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some of the sister cities of our State have had the start of us. In Massachusetts, it has become so permanently in- wrought into the educational system, that the capacity to instruct in drawing is, in Boston, and many other places, an indispensable qualification of the teacher in the public school.
At the commencement of the fall term, arrangements were made with Capt. Pilkington Jackson, an accomplished artist, and an earnest believer in the practicability of univer- sal art education, to instruct our teachers in drawing. He has, accordingly, during the past two terms, devoted two hours of each week to this work. Some of the teachers have also taken private lessons. Capt. Jackson has spent other time in actual instruction in the school-room, and in assisting teachers in this, as yet, comparatively unaccus- tomed work. It is believed that a fair start has been made from which to date future satisfactory achievement. A large majority of the pupils highly enjoy the drawing exercise, and much marked talent is developing itself. The two hours of the thirty of the school week given to this branch promise noble results.
Vocal music, as a regular branch of study, has been intro- duced into our schools. Mr. John Jackman, whose high merits as an instructor in this department of art are well known, has, during the last two terms, given one lesson a week in each school, except the High. In this, regular in- struction has been given in music by the Principal. Mr. Jackman has so arranged his lessons that the teachers could drill their pupils upon them during the week. It has been ascertained that by the simple but scientific system employed by him, almost every pupil can learn to sing. A school without its song is, in these days, almost an anomaly. There has long been much rote singing ; but it is hoped that, ere long, our schools will all be enlivened by songs, none the less sweet and inspiring because sung with scientific knowl- edge and appreciation. Thus to bring the elements of vocal
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music within the acquiring reach of all the children and youth in the public school, has long received the sanction of the best educators in this and other lands; and the wisdom and beneficence of such provision cannot fail to be verified in our experience.
Two new school-houses have been added to our list during the past year,-one on the Plains, and the other on the Old Fair Ground. These are both inexpensive, but neat and convenient buildings. The new structure in process of erec- . tion at the North End, is much needed, and will probably be ready for occupation at the commencement of the next fall term.
At the close of the summer term, a class of eighteen grad- uated from the High school. We give here the names of the graduates, with the courses to which they belonged :
ACADEMIC COURSE.
Wells H. Johnson,
Amelia W. Gordon,
Newell C. Young,
Carrie M. Little,
Lilla A. Baker,
Belle E. Mower,
Abbie A. Eastman,
Flora E. Perrin.
Helen M. Eastman,
ENGLISH COURSE.
Daniel B. Donovan,
Fannie T. Lang,
Eliza Buzzell, Lizzie A. Low,
Alice T. Couch,
Lizzie A. Palmer.
Mary J. Gannon,
CLASSICAL COURSE.
John W. Robinson, William L. Sutherland.
The number of pupils promoted from the Grammar schools to the High school, at the end of the summer term, was 65.
The following is a condensed statement of the receipts and expenditures by the board, on account of schools, dur- ing the past year :
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RECEIPTS.
Balance of last year,
$973.39
Interest thereon,
8.75
School tax for 1873,
14,440.00
Extra school tax for 1873,
5,560.00
Literary fund,
148.74
$21,130.88
EXPENDITURES.
Outstanding bills of 1872,
$9.92
New furniture,
354.12
Insurance,
318.10
Wood,
1,492.25
Teachers,
16,066.50
Care of houses,
574.50
Cleaning houses,
79.04
Supplies,
476.30
Repairs,
701.23
Miscellaneous,
235.00
$20,306.96
Balance on hand,
$823.92
In consideration of the fact that in many respects our Grammar schools are the most important in our system ; and in view, too, of the facts that they are very difficult to instruct and manage, and that they are, in our city, in charge of ladies, while in other places men are generally entrusted with the principalship of similar schools, it has been deemed advisable to give them the advantage of addi- tional support. To this end, Mr. Hadley, of the board, was, prior to the commencement of the fall term, elected to the principalship of the Grammar schools. It was also under- stood that he should, in connection with the duties of that position, exercise supervision in behalf of the board over the schools of other grades. In this way, it was thought the
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experiment of a more thorough supervision might be eco- nomically tried. The appointee was to spend all his time in his labors, and to receive compensation at the rate of $1,500 a year. In a financial point of view, it may, perhaps, be as- certained that some such arrangement may be, for the pres- ent at least, the most economical, and the means of saving thousands of dollars annually ;- for our Grammar schools are becoming more and more exacting ; the lady principals and their assistants find them drawing more and more heavily upon their physical as well as mental energies. Some help must sooner or later be afforded them, or we shall be com- pelled to adopt ere long the more expensive system of other places, and employ a man for principal in each of these schools, thus increasing by full seven thousand dollars a year the expenses of the district. In this view, this arrangement is one to save $7,000 by paying $1,500, to say nothing of any advantage from close and systematic supervision, which, in this calculation; is reckoned gratis. We shall not repeat the views often urged by the board in former reports, touch- ing the importance of more systematic and constant super-
vision. Manchester has had a superintendent of schools for twenty years ; Nashua, for five or six ; nor do they intend to dispense with the office. The almost universal testimony of places, with schools circumstanced as ours, is to the ex- ceeding value, nay, the indispensableness, of such supervision as the board has hitherto recommended, and of which a brief experiment has been had during a part of the past year.
Mr. Hadley has done duty in the schools for two terms, and we here present his report :
Gentlemen of the Board of Education : Before entering upon the duties assigned me, I endeavored to settle certain ends, the accomplishment of which should be aimed at by the use of certain definite means. These means and ends, in brief outline, were,-
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1st. The securing of uniformity in instruction, discipline, and progress, both in the schools under my more special charge, and in all the others over which I was to exercise a more general supervisory authority, by suggesting principles of procedure whenever necessary, and secing them carried out, without, however, attempting to efface the teacher's individuality in enforcing by proper modes those principles. Thus, we should come at length to know no North, no Cen- tre, no South, in diversity of training, or extent and thor- oughness of acquirement, but all should be one harmonious whole. The progress of this work of securing uniformity might be ascertained by test inquiries proposed by the super- visor, in written reviews, wherever practicable, in which the real standing of the pupils throughout the district, as well as the peculiarities of instruction, would appear ; while the cor- rections made upon the examination papers would be an effective means of rectifying the faults of pupils, and the . false or imperfect methods of teachers.
2d. Improvement in methods of teaching and manage- ment, to be secured by teachers' meetings, in which existing methods might be compared, and new ones proposed, by sug- gestions in the school-room itself, and, if necessary, actual practical exemplification of them by the supervisor, and by the enforcement of right methods, in frequent visitation of the schools, and private consultation with teachers.
3d. The securing of greater thoroughness in the acquisi- tion of knowledge, and the better command of such acquisi- tion in expression, oral and written, by proper examination -oral, in grades below the grammar; oral and written in this and the grade above ;- by insisting upon correct expres- sion as the only sure test of a good knowledge of the sub- ject ; by requiring a knowledge of the subject rather than of the exact language of the text-book,-in this, however, proper discretion being exercised in allowing the due exer- cise of the memory in storing up, in childhood and youth, useful facts, principles, and rules, expressed in a correct and
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convenient form, either that of the text-book or the teacher, -and by keeping steadily in view the true end of gradation, as being to establish firmly the feet of the pupil at every step of his progress up the hill of knowledge-an end which is effectually thwarted by premature promotion.
4th. To improve, preserve, and keep clean cut the system of gradation, and to make the most of it as a stimulus to the pupil's punctuality, regularity of attendance, and diligent performance of all the duties and requisitions of school.
5th. In general, to assist in securing the best possible edu- cational returns for the pecuniary outlay of the district, and in making the schools of Concord equal, in all the essentials of common school training and culture, to the best in our country, by the judicious adoption of such ways and means as enlightened experience has anywhere found feasible and profitable.
In attempting to further the accomplishment of such ends, I have, during my service of twenty-four weeks, spent more than three fifths of the school hours in visitation of the schools. Some of the purposes of this visitation were, to observe the modes of teaching and government ; to ascertain the progress of pupils ; to interrogate the school with the intent of stirring up thought, and improving the power of correct expression ; to assist in matters of discipline ; to in- struct ; to suggest what seemed desirable methods, by assist- ing in the conduct of recitations; to attend to examinations and matters relating thereto. The unusually large number of new teachers in the several grades has rendered frequent. visitation in many cases urgently desirable, to see that the currents of action were steadily and smoothly set in the right direction. In my visits, I have been gaining that knowledge of the mental and moral characteristics of the pupils, which is requisite to the rendering of effective aid to teachers in instruction and management. As to frequency and length, these visits have been adjusted upon the prin- ciple that they should never be for ceremony, but always for business.
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The great importance of the Grammar schools in our sys- tem has rendered them objects of special solicitous care. Here are five hundred boys and girls, many of whom will, at different periods during the four years' course, complete their scholastic education, while others are fitting themselves for higher grades ; but, in the training of all of whom, the nicest art and highest wisdom of teaching should be exer- cised. It is in the Grammar school that the young are gath- ered at the critical period when childhood is merging into youth, and when the hand that guides them needs both strength and delicacy. Now the Reason is fast developing, and the instruction must find adaptation to the change, being less exclusively directed than heretofore to the perceptive faculties and the memory of the learner. The moral char- acteristics of the pupil are changing too, and demand pecu- liar discipline and management. These changes bring with them new difficulties and responsibilities for the teacher. The appreciation of these difficulties and responsibilities has led largely, in other places, to the employment of men as principals in schools of this grade. This is more expensive, and we have been trying, for years, the plan of employing exclusively female instruction. It has not proved unsuccess- ful. In many instances, we have had the good fortune to secure eminent talent for teaching, combined with strong powers of physical endurance,-a combination requisite to success in the difficult position. I have endeavored, as best I could, to render more tolerable the burden of duty laid upon these teachers. By being always accessible, and mak- ing it a business to be at hand when wanted, and by extend- ing, in various ways, timely assistance or advice, I have sought to give them both strength and relief.
Written reviews, conducted by supervisors, or specially appointed examiners, have come to be recognized, in almost all places having a well regulated system of graded public schools, as a most efficient promoter of healthy progress in the schools. They have been tried here, during the last two
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terms, in the Grammar and High schools ; in those of both grades, to test their real condition and progress ;- and in the Grammar schools,-"as has already been suggested,-to pro- mote, also, uniformity of instruction and advancement. These reviews covered respectively four or six weeks of prog- ress in the leading branches of study. Questions on each subject were prepared by the supervisor, and' handed to the teachers. An hour, or a longer time, according to circum- stances, was allotted to each exercise. The questions, and the allotted time for answering, were uniform for all classes of the same grade throughout the district. Each pupil was required to write his answers to the questions placed upon the blackboard,-special care being taken that he should re- ceive no help from book or neighbor. The examination papers of all the Grammar schools, when gathered and handed to me, numbered from 1,200 to 2,000 : these it was my duty to examine and correct. This I did without help, twice a term, carefully marking errors, even in many cases those of punctuation and capitalization, and assigning each pupil his rank on a scale of 100. In returning these papers to the schools, I often made their errors the basis of lessons. It has been hard, tedious work for the examiner, but there has been satisfaction in its results. By it has been ascer- tained the exact standing of each scholar, and the relative standing of each school. By these reviews, and the criti- cisms and · merit-marks upon them, teachers have been strengthened, the faithful of the pupils encouraged, the dere- lict warned, and sometimes aroused to duty. That there has been decided improvement is attested by the gratifying. fact that the average of rank, upon the examination in arith- metic, grammar, geography, and history, throughout our Grammar schools, at the close of the winter term, was 13 per cent. higher than the average upon that of the corre- sponding review in the fall. term. There has been a steady upward tendency.
The test of written reviews has, as already remarked, also
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been applied to the High school, but not with quite the same thoroughness, in all cases, as in the Grammar schools, from sheer lack of time, critically to examine and mark all the papers. The results, so far as reached, have been, in gen- eral, highly creditable and encouraging. In this school,- as, indeed, to some extent in schools of lower grades,-the unfavorable effects of premature admission are felt dur- ing the whole course. The pupil always goes lame. He is at a constant disadvantage, and, with his halting step, he hinders the orderly forward march of his mates. Parents are in the wrong in making haste to push their children from one grade to another without due preparation.
Last term I commenced a course of brief lectures, before the two higher classes of the High school, on the history of New Hampshire, with the intention both of communicating information upon a useful but neglected subject, and of ac- customing the pupils to take notes of discourse. This seemed to me an exercise of double utility. The results of the brief experiment justify its further trial.
With a few miscellaneous suggestions, I close.
Our Grammar schools have been for the past two terms very full,-in some cases the regular seats not affording the requisite accommodations. This has necessitated the trans- fer of some pupils to accessible and less crowded, but unac- customed rooms, creating, probably, some ill feeling. But such transfer has never been made when it could possibly be avoided. The same remarks apply to the necessary re- movals of pupils in other grades from one school-room to another, which have been made during the year. Parents should be reasonable.
As I have seen the teachers in the Grammar schools labor- ing with their two classes, numbering sixty or seventy, I have wished that a glass partition divided each room, and that the number of teachers were doubled. To accomplish the best results in these important schools, one teacher should have but a single class, and to that should devote all
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her energies. This is the arrangement in some places. It is not, however, to be expected that such a division can here very soon be made.
The successful introduction of Drawing and Vocal Music has not prevented tlrat portion of the regular course of study, assigned to the fall and winter terms, from being quite as thoroughly completed as ever. These important branches will not interfere with any well devised scheme of school work, but will rather give new zest to its full performance.
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