USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Concord > Annual reports of the schools in the City of Concord (N.H.) 1879-1880 > Part 2
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The Board, satisfied that no cause for the prevalent sick- ness could be found in the school buildings referred to, (for the vaults had been thoroughly cleansed about three or four
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weeks before,) to allay the excitement, requested the Board of Health to examine the premises and report. The follow- ing is their report :
" This certifies that we have made a careful examination of Rumford school building, and find it free from any unhealthy influences."
GEORGE COOK, JOHN CONNELL, Board of Health.
The reports of mortality at the city clerk's office for the week of the occurrence of this event, show but one case of diphtheria in the entire city ; and that only one of the three children who died in the sixth ward, in that week, was of school age. Towards the close of the winter term, consid- erable sickness appeared in the vicinity of the Merrimack school, and some were disposed to attribute the cause to a neglect of the vaults in that building ; but an examination of the premises proved them to be in a good sanitary condition.
It is not surprising that parents should be more or less alarmed when sickness, like diphtheria, which so often proves fatal, visits the neighborhood of their homes ; but we should be always careful of assigning it a cause which will tend to increase the excitement and greatly injure some public interest, like our common schools, without a thorough and satisfactory examination into the facts of the case.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
We have now six first-class school-houses, each containing four well arranged school-rooms, beside accommodation for the High school in the centre of the district. These houses are situated nearly on a line with each other, extending from the north to the south end of the district, and in such prox-
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imity, as best to accommodate the pupils attending these schools. Besides these, we have six less pretentious, but very comfortable houses, where schools are maintained, which, so far as human foresight can show, will afford us ample school accommodations for many years to come. These buildings will need occasional repairs, like all other things liable to injury and decay. The school-house yard on Spring street is more or less flooded in certain seasons of the year by waste water eseaping from the buildings west of the school-house, and on the east side of Rumford street, which should be conducted by a proper drain pipe, under the surface of the ground, through the school yard to the city sewer.
We referred in our report of last year, to the importance of removing the private walks of the High school building, into the basement, and of connecting the vaults with the city sewer. An appropriation of six hundred dollars was made for this purpose. We secured a plan for the work, advertised for proposals ; three were handed in, but each of them was several hundred dollars above the appropriation. We did not feel justified under the circumstances, to proceed with the work, and the appropriation remains unexpended, except so much as was necessary to pay for the plan above referred to, and advertising for proposals. We recommend that an additional appropriation be made, and that the much needed work be done during the long summer vacation.
The south-east corner of the High school building, has from some cause, settled so as to produce a large crack in the wall, extending from the foundation to the eaves of the building. It is thought the crack is slowly increasing ; if so, it will soon endanger the entire structure. The only sure remedy that appears, is to take out the shattered corner, and go down with the foundation to solid ground and build up anew. It is estimated that the whole expense will not exceed
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two thousand dollars. The school property on Myrtle street remains in the hands of the Board of Education. The windows have been boarded up to protect them from mutila- tion by rude boys. An agent should be appointed to sell and convey this property, and to apply the proceeds towards paying the debts of the district.
CHECK-LIST.
On the thirty-first day of January last, a petition was pre- sented to the Board of Education, signed by thirteen legal voters of the district, asking the Board to make a check-list of the legal voters of the district, to post and correct the same, as selectmen in their respective towns are required to do, for the use of the district at its next annual school meeting. Subse- quently, on the twenty-fifth day of February, a written request of Benjamin E. Badger, and three others, was pre- sented to the Board, asking that their names be withdrawn from said petition. The petition, and the paper asking for the withdrawal of certain names from said petition, were referred by the Board to a special committee, to consider and report, The following is their report :
"The committee of the Board of Education, to whom was referred the petition of Nath'l White and others, that a check-list of the legal voters of the district be made; and the written request of B. E. Badger and others, asking that their names may be withdrawn from said petition, Report, That said petition, signed by thirteen legal voters, was presented to the Board the last day of January ; that on the eighteenth day of February, the Board proceeded to comply with the prayer of said petition as they were legally required to do ; that on the twenty-fifth day of February, the written request of Mr. Badger, and three others, was presented to the Board, asking that their names be withdrawn from said petition; and the question presented to us is : Does the withdrawal of these
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names relieve the Board from the necessity of complying with the prayer of said petition ?
Our opinion is, that the petition having been presented to, and acted upon by the Board, it is too late for the petitioners to withdraw their names, and such attempted withdrawal does not relieve the Board from complying with the prayer of the petition."
JOHN H. GEORGE, CHARLES P. SANBORN, A. B. THOMPSON, WARREN CLARK.
We believe we have faithfully performed this duty which the law made obligatory upon us. The result is before you.
We here subjoin the usual statistical tables showing the number of pupils enrolled, the average monthly enrollment, the average attendance, and the number of cases of tardiness in each school, together with a list of the teachers, and a list of the graduates of the past year.
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TABLE OF ATTENDANCE.
SCHOOLS.
Whole number attending during the year.
Number attend- ing, less promo- tions and trans- fers.
Average monthly en-
Average attendance for
Per cent. of attendance,
based upon monthly
Cases of tardiness.
High.
78
92
170
69
78
147
123
118
96
184
GRAMMAR.
Walker.
28
24
52
21
21
42
34
31
91
9
Merrimack, Ist ..
29
37
66
22
23
45
42
39
93
19
Merrimack, 2d.
43
31
74
37
20
57
50
45
90
91
Centre, Ist.
25
40
65
18
29
47
40
37
92
42
Centre, 2d.
41
39
80
32
29
61
54
49
91
62
Chandler.
25
24
49
25
23
4S
47
44
94
61
Rumford, 1st.
31
32
63
24
26
50
38
36
95
32
Rumford, 2d.
38
39
77
25
27
52
45
41
91
25
Penacook, Ist.
30
28
58
25
23
48
37
36
97
20
Penacook, 2d.
37
43
80
30
32
62
55
48
87
30
327
337
664
259
253
512
442
406
92
391
INTERMEDIATE.
Walker.
42
30
72
33
19
52
43
39
91
S4
Merrimack.
37
49
86
25
28
53
50
45
90
15
Union Street.
35
27
62
21
20
41
34
32
94
79
Centre .
31
51
82
16
36
52
47
43
90
40
Chandler.
40
35
75
32
28
60
52
47
90
98
Rumford.
37
47
84
24
33
57
48
43
90
41
Penacook.
37
39
76
25
27
52
46
42
91
60
259
278
537
176
191
367
320
291
91
417
PRIMARY.
Walker, Ist.
35
30
65
24
22
46
40
35
88
79
Walker, 2d ..
45
42
87
37
33
70
43
35
80
46
Franklin Street
40
41
81
32
28
60
55
47
85
209
Merrimack
41
38
79
33
27
60
49
42
86
117
Union Street.
40
23
63
30
22
52
40
34
85
84
Centre .
38
36
74
33
22
55
43
40
93
20
Spring Street.
43
33
76
38
24
62
54
50
92
61
Chandler
41
38
79
29
26
55
51
47
92
137
Rumford.
36
46
82
23
29
52
48
44
92
72
Penacook.
35
48
83
26
33
59
51
47
92
40
Fair Ground.
30
25
55
23
21
44
40
35
88
60
424
400
824
328
287
615
514
456
89
925
MIXED.
Plains ...
16
18
34
13
17
30
21
17
81
16
Bow Brook ..
19
32
51
16
25
41
3.5
30
86
69
35
50
85
29
42
71
56
47
84
85
1123
1157
2280
861
851
1712
1455
1318
91
2002
Boys
Girls. Total
Boys.
Girls. Total
rollment.
the year.
enrollment.
1
.
23
PUPILS. Whole number attending, less promotions and transfers :
1878-9
1879-80
BOYS.
GIRLS.
BOYS.
GIRLS.
High school,
68
77
69
78
Grammar schools,
224
223
259
253
Intermediate schools,
152
157
176
191
Primary schools,
345
313
328
287
Mixed schools,
17
38
29
42
806
808
861
851
Total,
1614
1712
AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
1878-9
1879-80
High school, .
117
118
Grammar schools,
. 331
406
Intermediate schools,
251
291
Primary schools,
. 517
456
Mixed schools,
46
47
1262
1318
Per cent. of punctual attendance,
90.8
91
Number of tardinesses,
1416
2002
Average for each pupil in attendance for the year, .
.88
1.16
.
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LIST OF TEACHERS.
Schools.
First Term.
( John L. Stanley.
High .. ....
Laura Carlton. Anna L. Savil. (E. A. Foster.
Laura Carlton. Anna L. Savil. Kate B. Eastman.
Third Term. John L. Stanley. Laura Carlton.
Mary F. Redington.
Kate B. Eastman.
Walker ... .Mary S. Stubbs. Merrimack, 1st. Abbie C. Cochran.
Merrimack, 2d. Ellen A. Folger.
Centre, 1st ..... M. W. Haley.
Centre, 2d ..... Kate P. Blodgett.
Rumford, 1st ... J. E. Hodgdon.
Rumford, 2d ... Ida B. Clarke.
Chandler .
Penacook, Ist .. Pauline L. Bowen.
Penacook, 2d. . M. J. Young.
C. A. Sanborn.
INTERMEDIATE.
Walker .. Sarah F. Ballard.
Merrimack . Annie R. Cox.
Union street ... Susan R. Moulton.
Centre Isabelle F. Nutter. Spring street .. . Ida A. Morrison. Chandler
Rumford. C. A. Thompson. Penacook. .C. A. Sanborn.
Walker, Ist .... Annie J. Newton.
Walker, 2d ..... Lizzie A. Palmer.
Franklin st .... Addie F. Straw.
Merrimack .. Abby F. Bosworth. Union street ... Laura A. Smith. Centre. Alice T. Couch. Spring street. . Amelia W. Gordon. Chandler Annie M. Osgood. Rumford. Mary C. Caswell. Penacook .. .Hannah E. Bell. Fair Ground ... H. M. Farnsworth.
Sarah F. Ballard.
Sarah F. Ballard.
Mary C. Fellows.
Susan R. Moulton.
Isabelle F. Nutter. .
Ida A. Morrison.
C. A. Thompson. Annie M. Osgood.
Ida A. Morrison. C. A. Thompson. Annie M. Osgood.
PRIMARY.
Annie J. Newton.
Lizzie A. Palmer.
Addie F. Straw. Abby F. Bosworth. Florence A. Young. Alice T. Couch. Amelia W. Gordon. Etta A. Kimball. Mary C. Caswell. Hannah E. Bell. H. M. Farnsworth.
Annie J. Newton.
Lizzie A. Palmer.
Addie F. Straw. Emma O. Curtice.
Nettie B. Rand. Alice T. Couch. Amelia W. Gordon. Etta A. Kimball. Mary C. Caswell. Hannah E. Bell. H. M. Farnsworth.
MIXED.
Nettie B. Rand.
Fannie E. Jeffers.
Mary J. Gannon.
Mary J. Gannon.
SPECIAL.
John Jackman. Ada L. Cone. Ada L. Cone.
Music. John Jackman.
Drawing.
Ada L. Cone.
Mary S. Stubbs.
Mary S. Stubbs.
Abbie C. Cochran.
Ellen A. Folger.
Ellen A. Folger. Kate P. Blodgett.
M. W. Haley. Kate P. Blodgett. J. E. Hodgdon. Ida B. Clarke. C. A. Haley. Pauline L. Bowen.
Lucy A. Bartlett. J. E. Hodgdon. May A. Cogswell. C. A. Haley. Pauline L. Bowen. C. A. Sanborn.
Annie R. Cox.
Susan R. Moulton.
Isabelle F. Nutter.
Plains ... .Nettie B. Rand. Bow Brook .. .Etta F. Smythe.
Second Term. John L. Stanley.
GRAMMAR.
Abbie C. Cochran.
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LIST OF GRADUATES. English Course.
Frank E. Gale,
Fred L. Smith,
Luvia G. Annable,
Lizzie F. Keenan,
Alice P. Wyman,
George D. McCauley,
Thomas P. Wadleigh,
Helen E. Ballou,
Carrie E. Stewart, Edith E. Rich,
Addie F. Rowell.
Academic Course.
Herbert C. Cummings,
Frank O. Manning,
Howard P. Merrill,
Henrietta B. Clarke,
Lizzie M. Hancock,
Emma F. Hoit,
Jessie Marshall,
Mamie A. Nealley,
Mary A. Seavey,
Carrie E. Stanyan.
Classical Course.
Charles O. Hart,
Albert L. Smith.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
The following summary of the report of the Financial Agent, shows the total receipts for the support of schools, and the expenditures :
RECEIPTS.
Balance of cash from last year. $857.04
Portion of school money for Union School Dist., 15,491.00
Extra money raised in Union School District, 4,509.00 Special appropriation for Maps, &c., 200.00
Literary Fund, 668.74
Tuition, 157.66
Total,
$21,883.44
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EXPENDITURES.
Teachers,
$16,649.94
Care of Houses,
642.20
Cleaning Houses,
71.37
Fuel,
941.27
Superintendent,
1,200.00
Insurance,
237.50
Supplies,
888.44
Repairs,
244.63
Miscellaneous,
346.36
Check List Expense,
244.75
$21,466.46
CONCLUSION.
We believe our schools are making commendable progress in the right direction. Most of our teachers are not only capable and faithful. but experienced in their work.
The Superintendent is thoroughly acquainted with every department of his work, and has faithfully discharged the duties of his office the past year, to the full satisfaction of the Board. For a more full and detailed statement of the condition of our schools, we refer to the Superintendent's report, which is here presented.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
Gentlemen of the Board of Education:
In compliance with the rules of the Board, I respectfully submit my sixth annual report.
CONDITION OF THE SCHOOLS.
During the last year, as heretofore, the ever present object has been to secure steady improvement in your schools. It may have been slow; but there is little doubt it has been healthy and readily perceptible to those observing the pro- cess. We have been making no experiments ; have attempted no " new departure." Old theories and methods tried in the past, and in many respects found wanting, may appear well under a new garb to those who do not recognize them, and are ever searching for a quick, sure, and eminently easy way of education. But it does not seem wise to leave at once the beaten tracks, familiar and leading to good results, to follow after any theories, new or old, whether invented by newly fledged theorists, or renewed by some Rip Van Winkle. Wiser it is to improve surely and steadily, to strengthen and develop what we have, than to demolish and annihilate. Exactly what is best, is far from being now determined. It is no small matter of surprise, how many who never taught, and never visit schools, are suddenly inspired to point out to life-long students of the theory and practice of teaching, the only true and direct path for youthful feet to the temple of knowledge. The annual revival in school interest-the annual meeting in March-usually brings forth these buds of great promise in numbers, but they wither and die, and dis- appear in spite of April's genial sunshine and shower.
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While your schools are not perfect, they are better than they were. They still need to be fostered with a parent's care. Their faults will be best corrected in a quiet, firm and orderly way. They will not become perfect by constantly announcing their perfection. They never can be. But striving after perfection will bring its reward. They can be, and certainly are seriously damaged by continually berating them. Constant scolding at them is as unprofitable as con- stant scolding at children. Commendation of their good qualities, is as profitable and encouraging as commendation of the good traits, deeds, and intentions of children.
Our school-rooms are always open to visitors. They are ever welcome. Teachers well understand how greatly the child's interest in school is increased by the parent's interest in the same. They feel the lack, not only of a parent's interest, but of a parent's encouragement. Much of the complainings now given attentive ear, would pass unheeded if the path to the school-room were more frequently trodden by parents. Misunderstandings will arise. All are human. Has wrong been done? In a spirit of candor and kindness it should be pointed out. With promptness and cheerfulness it should be remedied. It may appear that no injustice has been intended, and none done, when both sides of a story are heard. Not that children design to falsify. They may not have seen or heard all. In their recital, omissions may be made which place the affair in an entirely different light. It is so with adults; why not with children? In school matters, as to schools, school officials and teachers, there may yet be some little propriety in adopting the same course as pursued with other presumed offenders-grant them a trial before sentence and execution.
There has been a general improvement in the schools in the following respects : They are equally orderly, better graded, and generally better taught. A judicious discrimin-
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ation by the committees in deciding upon promotions, has very much aided in getting and keeping our schools as thoroughly graded as can reasonably be expected. The number of pupils who failed of promotion at the close of the school year was very small, showing uniformity of progress among pupils, and skillful management by teachers of the few who lack application or ability. System does not re- quire disregard of time, place and circumstances, as some seem to think. It is made to apply to what is general and ordinary. The special and extraordinary are exceptions. It is a systematic application of a system to make it conform to the demands of the exceptional cases ; and any system not having sufficient elasticity in it to meet these cases, is unnatural and should be reconstructed.
A servile adherence to form, and to a love of uniformity, carried to the extreme, has in not a few localities, brought disrepute upon systems of grading and promoting. Com- parison of your plan with those adopted elsewhere, will con- vince any one of its superiority to most others, in one important respect. It takes into the account not only the " results obtained," but the " fidelity" of the pupil and his " efforts to secure success" during the entire year, instead of determining his status by a single examination. It discour- ages any extraordinary drill for a special examination, and encourages diligent and careful study and teaching daily, with daily and occasional reviews. It calls for the best work of both teacher and pupil in every exercise of every day, and may justly be considered one of the most important instrumentalities for keeping the material to be wrought upon in the best condition to receive benefit from the moulding influence of the teacher ; and our High school owes to some ex- tent its present prosperous and satisfactory condition, and its reputation for thoroughness of instruction, to means you have taken to have its pupils well prepared for the advanced work.
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TEACHERS.
Any teacher, who enters a school solely to secure a teacher's pay, with little love for the work, or for those who are there, who orders all things according to personal convenience, and regards the occupation as drudgery, longing for its close, must inevitably fail. If pupils of average ability could, unaided, see or realize a personal benefit resulting from school work, the case might be different. But a lesson is too often looked upon as a task given to annoy by a superior and aggravating power. Keen and wide awake, they see no reason why they should interest themselves in what does not interest their teacher. And the idea of making children learn by compulsion cannot and should not be entertained. One cannot whip a lesson into a child, and the attempt disgusts the delinquent, tempts him from school, the scene of his troubles, makes him a truant, and probably a lounger upon the street corner. Ordinary children will not apply themselves unless they see, or think they see, a personal profit, a future benefit, a help towards independence, in the task before them. Their incentive largely lies in the pleasure and profit of having knowledge for the sake of using it. A task tedious and joyless to the to the teacher, will be tedious and joyless to the pupil. A duty pleasant, animating, exciting, and power producing to teacher, will be equally so to pupil. If any school, as a whole, takes a positive, lasting pleasure in any exercise, it is because the teacher does so ; if it is attentive, it is because its attention is drawn by an attentive teacher to something worthy of attention.
The time has gone by for a dull and unchangeable routine of daily school work, varied only by indifference to obedience, and rebukes and punishments to disobedience. Such routine lacks power to instruct because it lacks power to attract and interest. The teacher who adopts it becomes discouraged,
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disheartened and disgusted at the perverseness of child-nature, while the pupils become equally discouraged, disheartened and disgusted with school life.
I confess to an entire lack of sympathy with a class of teachers, altogether too large I believe, who can see nothing in teaching but giving out and hearing lessons, and keeping order. Most of this class, by closely sticking to a text-book, and drawing from it, or measuring by it, all their knowledge of the subject, and not even deigning to correct its manifest errors, compel their pupils to believe that no superior intellect guides them. Day after day they enter upon their work with no special preparation, no definite plan, no pre-determined method. They trust all to inspiration that never comes. In intellectual growth they are the same yesterday, to-day and to-morrow. Such teachers are dear at any price. If failure comes, as it must sooner or later, they point to their fetters, fastened upon them by cruel school officials. " Their individuality was crushed out." " They couldn't be them- selves." True individuality will always assert itself. It is a law unto itself, and rejects outward guidance, if it impedes. If it does not assert itself, it is a fraud.
In schools under your charge, no such excuse should be entertained for a moment. It is true, you have prescribed a course of study, and a daily order of exercise. The course does limit the branches to be taught, and designate to some extent the topics to be considered. These restrictions only aim at keeping teachers within certain prescribed limits as to the " subject of recitation." But your regulations say they " shall not be construed as debarring any teacher from presenting any additional illustrations and suggestions per- taining to the subject of the recitation." Nor should it be said there is no time for these things. If matters of little or no importance, learned only to be recited, are, as they should be, omitted, and the attention of the class and the
32
efforts of the teacher directed only to the more valuable portion, there is ample time for most teachers to present daily as much "additional" matter as the class can retain and digest. The truth is, it is not so often the amount of work which uses up the time of teachers who are always hurried, as a defective method of doing it. They always will be hurried until they consent to a change in methods.
The present and future temporal welfare of forty or fifty children is of far greater importance than the present ease and comfort of their teacher. And in the discharge of my duty, in this respect, an unpleasant and unwelcome one, the best interest of the children has been uppermost in my mind.
It is an expensive process for any district, and frequently a disastrous one for the children, to try to prepare teachers for the proper discharge of their duties by giving them employment, and allowing them to experiment for even a term. In schools large and difficult to manage, the employ- ment of teachers having received no special training, and only a term or two of questionable "experience" in a country school of a half dozen pupils, is a hazardous experi- ment. No member of a school committee, no superintendent, can insure success to any teacher. If it comes at all, it must be won through determination and persistence in search- ing out and adapting the best methods of the best teachers, and through continued study of what is to be taught. To have good schools here or anywhere, there must be good teachers. " It is the teacher earnestly and truly entering into the work, who chiefly interests and educates the child ; who shows him how to study, how to learn, and who infuses into the youthful mind an ambition for success and useful- ness."
Any intention of criticising our teachers as a body, is dis- claimed. Generally, they have been earnest and faithful,
33
and are thus entitled to your fullest confidence. It is no disparagement to them to urge that as vacancies occur, their ranks may be filled with the best teaching talent available.
READING.
A failure to cultivate a love for reading is a too common defect in nearly all schools. The mechanical part of reading is generally fairly taught ; and then children are turned loose to take their chances among light, exciting and positively pernicious books on the one hand, and injudiciously selected books of travels, history, biography and science on the other. The general practice of confining the school exercise in read- ing to one small book, and reading the pieces until they are memorized, tends to make reading unattractive. The book loses its interest from constant use.
As through reading comes knowledge, it is, first of all, important to learn to read understandingly ; then to cultivate a desire to read, and give judicious direction to that desire. Children naturally love to read, and, if not disheartened in their earlier attempts, they will continue to read as time and opportunity present. But what shall direct their choice among the absolutely vile, the weak and silly, and the in- structive ? " The rising generation must either rise or sink to the level of the books they read." Most children must depend upon the common school for all their literary culture.
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