trict furnished with a small library for the use of the scholars; and a series of books is now in course of publication, under their direction, adapted to this purpose. Some inquiry has lately been made as to the manner in which the money received from the Massachusetts School Fund, should be appropriated. We beg leave to suggest the expediency of applying a part of it towards procuring libraries in such districts as are ready to do something for themselves. Suppose the selectmen should be authorized to give each district twenty dollars of this money, in which the sum of thirty dollars shall actually be raised within a year, and applied to the purchase of a library, the fact to be proved by a certificate from the school committee,-how could this money be more beneficially appropriated? We do not need it to lengthen our schools, because we are able to raise enough for this purpose. The plan of the Board of Education is a good one, and worthy of the attention of the districts in this town,-especially of Nos. 1, 11 and 13, which have convenient apartments in their houses for the preservation of a library,—and Nos. 2 and 6 which are soon expected to have. The contribution of one dollar, by each of the voters in their districts, would furnish an ample fund for the procuring of a library for the use of the school, for four years to come, and it would be hazarding little to say, that if they would voluntarily commence by taxing themselves in this manner, that is only twenty-five cents per year, that there would be generous individuals in each district, who would add liberally to the donation. How could a few dollars be better appropriated, than by thus securing to the children around us, an inexhaustible fund of rational and intellectual amusement? Hundreds of dollars are annually contributed for the education of those at a distance, perhaps because the name of having given is associated with the gift; when we are wholly unmindful of the wants of those around us, and of the opportunities of doing good nearer home. How can our ambitious young men, not to say women, better distinguish themselves, than by starting a subscription paper, and laying the foundation for such a library in each of their districts? * * * * * * We here find the principle, we have so often endeavored to inculcate, most favorably illustrated; that where the parents manifest an interest in the advancement of the school, the children will second their motion. Children must be ungrateful, indeed, that will not do the best they can, where so much has been done, and so inuch expended, as in this district, for their benefit. We would not be the advocates of extravagant expenditure, either in towns, or in districts, but we hesitate not to say, that spacious, comfortable and convenient apartments for our children, at school, are among the first of the necessaries of life. The practical experience of the past year, of the comparative convenience of the different houses in this town, has most forcibly impressed upon our minds this lesson. We think it would be fortunate for several of our districts, if their present schoolhouses could take to themselves wings and be off, before the commencement of another year. * * * In rendering an account of our stewardship, we cannot omit to mention the duty devolved upon us, in connection with the prudential committees of the several districts, of apportioning to said districts the money appropriated for the support of the Public Schools. This is necessarily one of the most difficult and unpleasant parts of our duty. It comes so directly in contact with the selfish principle, both in those who give and those to whom it is given, that it is not possible to expect a universal assent or approbation of what is done. The nearest practicable approximation to what is right, is all that should be expected. Constituted as this committee is, when assembled for this purpose, of twenty-five members, chosen by the people from every section of the town, it would seem to afford a reasonable probability of something like what is right being done, if such a thing can ever be expected of human nature. That there will be some who will have sinister and selfish aims in view, we have no doubt; but that a majority of such a jury will be thus actuated, we do not believe. We are aware that inquiries are often made, upon what principle do the committee act in apportioning this money? We think the inquiry reasonable, and will endeavor to answer it briefly, so far as it is within our knowledge. The principle aimed at has beep, to give to each scholar, who has a right to at tend the Public Schools, an equal chance, as nearly as practicable, of obtaining an education ;-to diffuse the greatest amount of information, equally and propor tionably, among all the inhabitants. This money, when raised, belongs to the town. It should, therefore, be used for the general benefit of the whole town. Because more is raised in one district than another, is no good reason why more should be given back to that district. On the contrary, those who are best able to pay, may be considered, other things being equal, least in need of the money. The difficulties in distributing equitably, arise principally from the local position and the extreme inequalities of numbers in the several districts. The number between the ages of 4 and 16, varies from 40 to 240 in different districts. Assuming the whole number in the town to be 1200, and the appropriation to be $3000, this would give $2,50 to each scholar; consequently the sinaller district would receive $100, and the larger, $600. Consider also that the children in the smaller district have, on an average, to travel twice as far to attend school as they do in the larger; will any one then say, that, to apportion the money in these districts according to scholars, will be just and equal? The proposition needs only to be stated, and the impulse of every honest mind will immediately answer in the negative. How then shall it be apportioned? Why, as the town has heretofore voted, according to the wants of the several districts—that is, so as to give each child an equal chance of benefit The actual attendance upon school in preceding years has always been considered an item worthy of notice in the apportionment of the money; and it is proper that it should be so considered to a certain extent. If we find two districts with equal numbers of children, where the average attendance in one is fifty, and in the other only twenty, and this for a series of years, it would be proper that the larger school should have the more money, otherwise those who attend will not be equally benefited. Inasmuch as it is desirable to secure as full an attendance as possible in all our schools, and if it is understood that those who attend best will be rewarded most, this will be one of the most effectual means of securing a punctual attendance. The result of our reflections upon the distribution of the money, is, that in the present condition of the districts, no one principle can be named that will constitute a just basis of distribution; but that all the various considerations relating to the subject are proper to be taken into view; and that a discretionary power, to a certain extent, must be delegated to the most honest and impartial board that can be found to exercise it. * * ** SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-JOHN W. PROCTOR, JOHN M. AUSTIN, EBEN HUNT, CHAS. C. SEWALL, DANIEL P. KING. ESSEX, S (1) Population, 1,402. Valuation, $322,297 99. (2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 41-In Winter, 441. (9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $16 20-Of Females, $5 80. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $1,000. (11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $24. (12) No. of incorporated Academies, Aggregate of months kept, Scholars, -Aggregate paid for tuition, $ -Average number of (13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 9.-Aggregate of months kept, 44.-Average No. of Scholars, 278.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $942. (14) Amount of Local Funds, $ -Income from same, $ BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-Emerson's and Leonard's. Reading First Class Reader, Porter's Rhetorical Reader, Parker's Progressive Exercises, Pierpont's Young Reader, New Testament. Grammar-Smith's and Arnold's. Geography-Malte-Brun's, Smith's and Brinsmade's. Arithmetic-Emerson's 1st and 2d Part, Smith's, Adams' and Colburn's. All others -Goodrich's History U. S., Goldsmith's History of England, and Worcester's Dictionary. SELECTIONS from Report. * # * The method adopted in some schools of reviewing every Saturday the studies of the week, is believed to be a good one, as it calls afresh to the pupils' minds their past studies, gives them a more thorough knowledge of the subject, and is calculated to produce a more lasting impression on their memories. * * * Almost one fourth of the children's time, and of the money appropriated by the town for schools, it appears was lost, by irregular attendance-some of which was doubtless necessarily so; but after making all due allowance for sickness and other necessary detention, there remains evidently a large balance of needless absence. Your committee think that parents generally cannot be aware of the extent of this evil, or of the injury it is to the schools. * ** SCHOOL COMMITTEE.—AARON L. BURNHAM, Aaron Giddings. (2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, -In Winter, (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, -In Winter, (4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 336.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. .-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, mths. days-In Summer, -In Winter, -F. .-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. -F. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $ -To Females, $ (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $ -Of Females, $ (9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $ -Of Females, $ (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $600. (11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $ (12) No. of incorporated Academies, -Aggregate of months kept, Scholars, -Aggregate paid for tuition, $ -Average number of (13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 2.-Aggregate of months kept, 17.-Average No. of Scholars, 44.—Aggregate paid for tuition, $149 60. (14) Amount of Local Funds, $1,500 00.-Income from same, $90 00. BOOKS USED-Spelling-Alger's Perry's. Reading-American First Class Book, Porter's Rhetorical Reader, English, Intelligent and Young Readers, Child's Guide. GrammarSmith's. Geography-Olney's and Peter Parley's. Arithmetic-Adam's, Smith's, Walsh's, Emerson's, Pierce's, and Colburn's. REMARKS.-The columns on the first side of the blank are not filled at all. "The documents out of which to make an estimate," are said to be lost. Georgetown, having been incorporated, since the last census, the population and valuation cannot be given. NO REPORT from School Committee. SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-ISAAC BRAMAN, JOHN BURDEN. (2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 1,435-In Winter, 1,603. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 1,069-In Winter, 1,330. (4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 2,683.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 14.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 170. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 208 mths. 21 days-In Summer, 118-In Winter, 90 21. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. 6-F. 24.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 23—F. 3. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $29 08-To Females, $15 64. (8) Average value of board per month Of Males, $12 00-Of Females, $ 7 00. (9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $17 08-Of Females, $8 64. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $5,900. (11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $ (12) No. of incorporated Academies, Aggregate of months kept, -Average number of Scholars, -Aggregate paid for tuition, $ (13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 13.-Aggregate of months kept, 89.-Average No. of Scholars, 385.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $3,777. (14) Amount of Local Funds, $988 00.-Income from same, $ BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Franklin Primer, National. Reading-Am. Popular Lessons, Improved Reader, Book for Massachusetts Children, Views of the U. S., National Reader, Introduction to the Analytical Reader, American First Class Book, Constitution U. S., Pronouncing Testament, Worcester's 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th Book. Arithmetic-Emerson's North American, Colburn's First Lessons, Smith's, Walsh's, Colburn's Sequel, Adams' New. Geography-Worcester's First Lessons in Geography, Field's Geography and Atlas, Malte-Brun's Geography and Atlas, Parley's, Smith's. Grammar-Smith's, Greenleaf's. All others-Walker's Dictionary, Worcester's Dictionary, Hale's History U. S., Comstock's Philosophy, Webster's Dictionary. REMARKS. The return gives the sum of $1,315 14 as the amount of local funds, but it consists of the town's proportion of the Surplus Revenue and of the income of the Massachusetts School Fund. The former may be properly considered as a local fund,—the latter cannot be. The return is altered accordingly. The number of Public Schools differs very much from the Abstract of last year. Probably the districts only were enumerated for that year, and this year, the schools. The object being to ascertain the whole number of the Public Schools, the last supposition is adopted for this Abstract. The Summer and Winter schools, in the same district or schoolhouse, are never to be reckoned as two schools for this purpose. SELECTION FROM REPORT. * * * Your committee feel, there is not that attention paid to the morals of children which is demanded. While some appear to care much for the knowledge of their offspring, they seem to care little for their virtue. That education which respects the intellect merely, is often worse than none. Man needs, in order to answer the purposes of his being, the cultivation of all his moral, as well as intellectual powers. It is, clothed in this panoply only, that he can go forth with safety into a hostile world. To argue otherwise, is indeed taking a degrading view of the nature of man, as though he were created merely to reason and philosophize, and not also to love, adore and praise. Some, indeed, have objected to prayer in school, on the ground, as they say, that it consumes important time, as though a reverence for our Creator and a sense of accountability formed no part of the education contemplated by our system of Common Schools. Such reasoning argues, at least, a want of a proper knowledge of the principles on which our individual and national happiness depend. Philosophy and reason, of themselves, never laid the foundations of our republic, nor will they be adequate to preserve them. Virtue and intelligence, a reverence for God, and a love of justice, must be combined, in the education of a pure republican. So thought our fathers, and so may their posterity ever think. Prayer being a means or species of moral instruction, can but have a tendency to secure these results; it is also allowed by the spirit of our school law, inasmuch as that insists strongly on moral instruction. Its evils, if any there are, can be easily remedied by the common sense of teachers, aided, if need be, by the advice of the committee. In order that our youth may be properly trained, we need, not only our system of Common Schools, but such other facilities as are calculated to imbue their young and growing minds with rich and practical knowledge. The attention of many of our community is now turning to the importance of establishing school libraries in the several school districts, as recommended by our Board of Education. These books treat on subjects of the most interesting and practical nature, being prepared on purpose, by persons of high attainments in literature and science. If such libraries were established in our school districts, would they not be productive of lasting good to the rising generation? Much time, which is now worse than wasted, would be saved to the world. While your committee are happy to state that instances of youth, growing up without the knowledge suitable to enable them to assume the duties of citizens, are rare, they are anxiously solicitous that it soon may be true of noue. Among the evils in our schools, is a multiplicity in the kinds of books. This calls loudly for a remedy. It is impossible that instruction can be methodical and systematic, while this state of things prevails. There are some deficiences in the apparatus which should be supplied, among which, is a want of black boards, globes, diagrams and thermometers. * * * SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-LEMUEL GOTT, Chairman-JOHN W. Lowe, Secretary. HAMILTON, (1) Population, 827. Valuation, $211,888 90. (2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 152-In Winter, 208. (4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 162.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 13.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 23. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 25 mths.-In Summer, 12—In Winter, 13. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 4.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 4—F.. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $23 25-To Females, $6 00. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $7 75-Of Females, $3 CO. (9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $15 50-Of Females, $3 00. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $400. (11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $ (12) No. of incorporated Academies, Aggregate of months kept, -Average number of Scholars, Aggregate paid for tuition, $ (13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, Aggregate of months kept, -Average No. of Scholars, gate paid for tuition, $ (14) Amount of Local Funds, $ -Income from same, $ --Aggre BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Webster's, Worcester's 1st Book, Reading-The Bible, Worcester's 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th Books, English and American Readers, Young Reader. Grammar- -Murray's and Smith's. Geography-Parley's and Olney's. Arithmetic-Greenleaf's, Walsh's, and Colburn's. All others-Goodrich's History U. S., Peter Parley's do., Watts on the Mind, Smellie's Natural History, and Comstock's Natural Philosophy. SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.-The school committee of Hamilton, charged with the oversight of the schools, have attended to that duty, and would now |