(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, 3.-Aggregate of months kept, 24.—Average No. of Scholars, 61.—Aggregate paid for tuition, $840.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $ -Income from same, $

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-North American and Pierpont's Little Learner. Reading Bible, National Reader, Young Ladies Class Book, Worcester's 3d Part, Young Reader, Worcester's 1st and 2d Parts. Grammar-Smith's, Watts on the Improvement of the Mind, Wayland's Moral Science. Geography-Olney's, Parley's, Arithmetic-Emerson's 1st, 2d and 3d Parts. All others-Blake's Natural Philosophy and Astronomy, Parley's History-1st and 2d Parts.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * In all our winter schools, with the exception of that of the centre district, the older and younger classes were brought together, and taught by a master. This is an evil, for which it may not be easy, in all cases, to find a remedy, but which seriously interferes with the progress of the scholars. In this respect, the centre district has advantages over all the others. Here, a separation is made between the older and younger pupils; and your committee wish that the whole town could witness the beneficial effects of this arrangement, as they appeared at the examination the last winter.

The attempt was made, a few years since, to convey the benefits of this system to all the districts; and, though it failed, they cannot doubt that, if the system could once be fairly introduced, it would be generally approved, and would contribute, more than almost any thing else, to raise the character of our schools. Under the present arrangement, it is impossible for the most skilful teacher to do justice to the older and younger classes, especially where the school is large.

It may be deemed invidious, to draw a comparison between the different schools in this town; yet it seems but just, that the town should know by whom they have been most faithfully served, that honor may be given to whom honor is due. They prefer no charges of criminal negligence, or intentional mismanagement against any of the teachers, all of whom they believe to be young men of respectable talents, and blameless lives and conversation. But, for want of tact or skill in the art of government, or the mode of teaching, and it may be in part owing to the faults of the scholars, or of the injudicious conduct of parents, all were not equally successful. * *

*

Of the other schools, your committee can speak in terms of unqualified approbation. There was evidence of the most satisfactory kind, that the most delightful harmony subsisted between the teachers and scholars, and that both had the coöperation of the parents, without which it is almost impossible to succeed.

In the west school, as your committee were informed, so strong an interest in the pursuit of learning was awakened in the minds of the scholars, that they could not easily be induced to stay at home for a single day, even when the roads were rendered almost impassable by the deep snows. Very great improvement was made in this school.

* * *

Your committee were pleased with the introduction of singing into this and some of the other schools, and they believe that, when properly conducted, it will have a propitious influence on the minds of the scholars, and greatly aid the teacher in the government of a school.

In accordance with a vote of the town, at the recommendation of the school committee, in their last annual report, five sets of the School Library, so far as published, have been purchased, and placed at the disposal of the several districts, forming the beginning of a School Library in each district.

Since the purchase, several additional volumes have been published, and your committee would recommend, that a sum of money be appropriated, from the interest of the State fund, now in the town treasury, for the purchase of the volumes, as they may issue from the press. They cannot doubt, that the

measure will be approved by the town, and that the books, belonging to the School Library, will be read with profit and delight.

In conclusion, your committee would congratulate the town on the general good standing of our schools, as well as on the increased interest, which has been awakened, throughout our Commonwealth, in the great subject of popular education; and they trust, that this town will not be backward to furnish the means of further progress, that we may deserve the reputation, which we have gained by our good schools, and escape the odium of being left behind our neighbors, in the general march of improvement.

* * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-JOSEPH ALLEN, D. H. EMERSON, ISAAC DAVIS, JOHN F. FAY.

NORTHBRIDGE,

{(1)

(1) Population, 1,409. Valuation, $209,655 00. Number of Public Schools, 8.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 277-In Winter, 339.

(3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 206—In Winter, 279.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 400.—No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 58.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 60.

(5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 38 mths.-In Summer, 19—In Winter, 19.

(6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. —F. 8.—No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 7-F. 3.

(7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $21 58-To Females, $12 71. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $8 00-Of Females, $6 00.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board—Of Males, $13 58—Of Females, $6 71. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $550.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $72.

(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, 4.-Aggregate of months kept, 18.-Average No. of Scholars, 120.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $280.

=(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

BOOKS USED

-Income from same, $

Spelling-Webster's, Angell's. Reading-Angell's. Grammar-Smith's. Geography-Smith's, Olney's. Arithmetic-Smith's, Adams'.

REMARK.-It is possible that the average wages of the male teachers may be a little too low;-the figures against some of the districts being inconsistent with each other, and there being no data to determine which are erroneous.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * Your committee are happy in being able to report an increasing interest, in town, in regard to the welfare of our Public Schools. There has been an evident improvement on former years, in the management of our schools, as well as in the mode of instruction. Still, your committee feel that there are many prominent evils that still exist, which might and ought to be removed, some of which they will briefly allude to.

1. The irregular attendance of the scholars. In some of our schools, during the past year, the average attendance has been one fourth less than the whole attendance. Your committee look upon this as an evil of no small magnitude. A child sent to school one day, and detained the next,-or sent a part of one week, and detained the whole of the next, we feel to be a great evil, both to the child and to the school, as well as a serious perplexity to the teacher. * * * The third evil which your committee would mention, is a lack of kind coöperation, on the part of the parents, with the teacher, in the government of the school. Your committee are of the opinion, that this evil has existed, during the past year, to an unjustifiable extent. It is in the power of the parent to

counteract all the efforts, the best qualified teacher may make for the good of the school committed to his charge. A few words of complaint against the teacher, in the hearing of the child, a single expression of willingness to take the part of the child, in any difficulty arising between him and his teacher, is oftentimes attended with most unhappy results. * *

*

Your committee would call your attention, again, to the state of the schoolhouses, many of which ought to be new modelled, and some demolished, particularly the one in District No. 5.

Your committee would also recommend, that those districts which embrace our factory villages, where the scholars are mostly small, should employ female teachers, both summer and winter. Those districts that have adopted this course, have found that these schools have been equally as well managed, and they have been able to continue them about one fourth longer.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-MICHAEL BURDETT, LEWIS PENNell.

N. BROOKFIELD,. (1) Population, 1,509. Valuation, $304,245 75.

Number of Public Schools, 10.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 281-In Winter, 405. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 229-In Winter, 290.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 376.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 34.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 80.

(5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 45 mths.-In Summer, 21-In Winter, 24.

(6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 8.—No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 8--F. 2. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $25 75-To Females, $12 50. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $7 50-Of Females, $6 20.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $18 25-Of Females, $6 30. (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, $

(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, 3.-Aggregate of months kept, 63.-Average No. of Scholars, 93.—Aggregate paid for tuition, $76.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

.-Income from same, $

BOOKS USED.-) -Spelling-Webster's. Reading-Worcester's 2d, 3d and 4th Books, National Reader, Porter's Rhetorical Reader and New Testament. Grammar-Smith's Productive and Pond's Murray's. Geography-Hall's and Olney's. Arithmetic-Smith's, Peter Parley's and Colburn's First Lessons. All others-Franklin Primer, Peter Parley's 1st and 2d Book of History, Goodrich's History of the U. S., Day's Algebra, Blake's Philosophy, Watts on the Mind.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * One most excellent feature, in our Common School system, is to be seen in the privileges it extends to the children of the poor, and of every class and every name.

*

This feature, in our school system, is not only excellent, as it diffuses knowledge through all classes of society, but also perfectly just. For our children are the property of the State. They are educated and trained, not solely for their own good, not principally for the honor and benefit of the families to which they belong, but also for the town,-for the Commonwealth. Neglect but the education of the young, and how long before the baleful effects would be felt, and seen, and lamented, through all the State? The result would be, want of intelligence, destitution of virtuous enterprise, bondage to superstition, loss of civil and religious liberty. The proper education of children is a public concern, because a public benefit,-a measure indispensably necessary for the preservation of our liberties, and the common prosperity. Of course, it

ought to be, in justice to the public, as in fact it is by our statutes, done at the common expense.

*

* *

These remarks are made by your committee to ease and comfort some minds, which are apt to feel regrets, if not a little sourness, in consideration of the amount raised to defray the expense of educating our children. Let it never be forgotten, that, for the honor, intelligence, freedom and prosperity of the State, the nation, even in time yet to come, and far remote, is this expense incurred. * * *

* * Some thirty or forty years since, a teacher, in a Public School, must furnish a certificate of his literary qualifications, or that he could read, and write, and cipher well, given by the minister of the town, or an instructer of an academy or grammar school, together with proper evidence of his good moral character. The people considered it a good thing for the minister to visit the school, especially at the close, though no law existed, requiring minister, selectmen, or parents, or any one else to do it. There was no legal supervision of any of our Public Schools, and, if wholly neglected, as they often were, there was no penalty incurred by any one. Several hundred dollars were thus expended in town, annually, and it was no one's duty to inquire and learn, whether it was expended for the better or the worse.

In 1827, former laws, providing for the instruction of youth, and for the promotion of good education, were repealed, and a new law passed, which, among other things, required every town to appoint a committee of three or more, whose duty it is to use their influence to render the respective schools as profitable and prosperous as possible.

* *

And how consonant are these provisions of this law to the course pursued by every judicious, common-sense man, in managing his own concerns! Does he send his hired man, though he come with a proper recommendation, alone into his tillage field, to plant and hoe his corn, or into his garden to weed and to cultivate the choice vegetables, without ever inquiring and ascertaining how he does his work, and whether he earn his wages? or does he put one to break his young beasts of burden or draught, without taking some oversight of him, and learning, before too late, whether he will probably subdue their spirits or break their necks? or, who would send a stranger into his fruit yard, to cleanse and trim his choice trees, without observing, whether he is a judicious and skilful pruner, or only a pretender, who wounds and spoils the trees rather than clears away the redundant and fruitless branches, and gives them a proper shape?

* * *

If it be said, that our school teachers are all examined, and receive, from the committee, a certificate of their qualifications for giving instruction, and this is sufficient; it should be said, in reply, they are examined, and receive a certificate in respect to their knowledge of those branches of education, in which they are to give instruction, and not as to their skill in managing a school, which cannot be ascertained by personal examination, and only by experiment. And who does not understand, that a young man may know enough to instruct any Public School, and still be a miserable school teacher. The committee may be watchful, and do their duty with care, and still recommend, as able to teach a Public School, those, who, for other reasons than the want of education, ought never to enter a schoolhouse as teacher. Men must have other than literary qualifications, or they are unfit persons to instruct the young; and it is beyond the power of any, to determine, with certainty, what sort of school they will keep, till they have made the experiment. If they are not communicative and apt to teach; if they have not the gift or art of government; if they have no government over their own spirits; if they are destitute of mildness united with decision; if slow, and destitute of energy and life in the management of a school, they will make poor teachers, though they have all knowledge, and understand all mysteries. *

* *

A young man may be a very remarkable scholar, and his moral character unimpeachable, and yet be wholly incompetent to teach a Common School. His school might be such, that it should not continue a single week without a revolution.

Your schools, then, need a wise and careful supervision; and, after all, some will not be so successful as could be desired, as you will all perceive from the sequel of this report.

Among the ten school-rooms in town, there are but four or five, at most, but what might be altered much for the better, and in which a school will not, in some measure, suffer a loss, from their internal construction. In most of the rest, one half of the scholars are directly in front, and in face of the other half, whereby they can interchange their thoughts by one kind of language or another, and when the teacher has his face toward one half the school, his back is toward the other.

* *

Another evil in most of them is, that many of the seats are so elevated as to present the scholars with a view of all out-door concerns. All the seats should be thrown upon one side of the house, except a seat for recitation, or a few small children; and be so constructed, that one large black-board, or several black-boards, may be very much in front of most of the school, especially in full view of the class. With such a board or boards, should every school be provided. *

* *

When persons are examined for teachers, it is very desirable that the prudential committee of the respective districts should be present, and hear the examination of his own teacher. And it is the request of the school committee, that this should be the practice, as it may prevent complaints which otherwise might be made.

*

*

Your committee would congratulate all the friends of our youth and of the community, upon the gradual advance of the cause of education. Thirty years since, many branches, now taught in our schools and understood by many of our youth, were altogether unstudied and unknown. Such were geography, the history of our own country, mental arithmetic, algebra, and some others that might be named. And would parents take a deeper interest in the cause of Common School Education, and see their schoolhouses put and kept in a proper state, and furnished with facilities for progress in study, and value the intellectual improvement of their children, above an estate associated with stupid ignorance, they might hope for the intelligence, respectability and usefulness of their children and their children's children.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-THOMAS SNELL, BARNUM NYE, FREEman Walker.

OAKHAM,

(1) Population, 1,109. Valuation, $230,579 83. Number of Public Schools, 8.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 223-In Winter, 355. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 179-In Winter, 289.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 295.—No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 28.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 52. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 40 mths. 14 days.-In Summer, 18 14-In Winter, 22. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 7.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 8-F.. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $23 06-To Females, $10 00. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $6 75-Of Females, $4 57.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $16 31-Of Females, $5 43. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $700.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $37.

(12) No. of incorporated Academies, Aggregate of months kept,

-Average number of

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 5.-Aggregate of months kept, 8.-Average No. of Scholars, 55.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $135.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

-Income from same, $

BOOKS USED-Spelling-Webster's Dictionary and Spelling Book. Reading-Bible, Rhetorical and Intelligent Readers, American Primer, Child's Guide. Grammar-Pond's Murray's and Smith's. Geography-Olney's and Hall's. Arithmetic-Adams' and Colburn's Mental. All others-Goodrich's History of the U. S. and Child's First Book of History.