ing a purer system of faith, and holier motives for action, instead of remaining in the church, and by the aid of example and argument, attempting a reform of its corruptions within its walls, has been questioned. If there is any reason for entertaining a question, as to the correctness of their course, with how much greater weight will it apply to those who take their children, their influence, and their interest, and send them all to the select school, and abandon the Common Schools to the use of those who have little influence, and less interest, in their success. * * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-JEHIEL ABBOTT, NORMAN T. LEONARD, RUSSELL E. DEWEY, SAMUEL R. B. LEWIS, CHARLES VAN LOON.

W. SPRINGFIELD, . {(1) Population, 3,227. Valuation, $781,840 75.

Number of Public Schools, 24.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 554-In Winter, 963. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 393-Iu Winter, 763.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 982.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 72.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 94. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 161 mths.-In Summer, 81-In Winter, 80.

(6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 20.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 17—F. 9. (7) Average wages paid per month including board-To Males, $23 76-To Females, $11 30. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $7 53-Of Females, $5 78.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $16 23-Of Females, $5 52 (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $1,300.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $500.

(12) No. of incorporated Academies,

Scholars,

Aggregate of months kept,

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, 15.-Average No. of Scholars, 66.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $335.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $14,133 00.-Income from same, $848 10.

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Webster's and National. Reading Bible, National, Intelligent and Rhetorical Readers, Child's Guide, History of the U. S. Grammar-Smith's. Geogra phy-Olney's, Malte-Brun's. Arithmetic-Smith's, Olney's, Colburn's and the Franklin. All others-Comstock's Philosophy, Burritt's Geography of the Heavens, Watts on the Mind, &c.

REMARK. The items respecting one school, kept in the summer, by a rejected candidate, are not included in the computation.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * The recent efforts in our State to elevate the standard of Common School education, and the interest in the subject almost universally awakened throughout our Commonwealth, have not been without their beneficial effects among ourselves. These effects the committee have seen, in the increased interest manifested, both by teachers and scholars, in the exercises of our schools, and in some instances, (we wish we could say in all,) a decided improvement in discipline and instruction.

When your committee, however, compare the present state of our Common Schools with what they might easily become, with suitable effort on the part of those more immediately concerned in them, they can see great room for improvement. To some of the obstacles in the way of their greater and better efficiency, we would respectfully call your attention.

To begin where we believe the existing evils in our Public Schools have their origin, the committee would advert to the apathy and coldness manifested by parents in the whole business of school education. This feeling, or rather this want of feeling, is exhibited from the first effort to obtain a teacher, to the last day of the school. It would seem to be the opinion of many, that, while a

man is not fit to be entrusted with the shoeing of a horse without requisite qualifications, any one, who will teach cheap enough, may be the instructer of their children. When the teacher has commenced his school, the same apathy continues. Few of the parents care to look in upon him, and in some instances, the complaint has been made by the teacher to your committee, that not an individual, from the inhabitants of the district, has visited the school for the whole season. * * *

In connection with this apathy of the parents to the schools, is a similar indifference to the comfort and convenience of schoolhouses. Many of our schoolhouses are altogether too small. In some schools, children have been obliged to sit on the floor, and where this has not been the case, the constant complaint of being crowded, and the uneasiness resulting from the frequent change of position, have been of material injury to the improvement of the school. In most instances, where the winds through the crevices and the broken windows, have not taken the matter to themselves, the subject of proper ventilation has been altogether neglected. In one or two cases, your committee have been most unpleasantly affected by the close and impure air of school-rooms, even when staying there half an hour. The inhalation of such an irrespirable atmosphere for a succession of hours every day, must be exceedingly prejudicial to health. * * *

Your committee believe, that the school-room should be made a pleasant room to the child. It should be connected with agreeable associations in his mind, and all suitable means should be used to please, rather than to disgust, him with the pursuits of knowledge. How much probability there now is of securing such a result, every one, who has noticed the forlorn and comfortless appearance of our schoolhouses, both without and within, can readily determine. Almost the first official act of your committee was the performance of a duty at once the most delicate and the least pleasant. They allude to the examination of teachers. They felt they had nothing to do but to act according to the law. In the whole matter they have leaned to as liberal an interpretation of the law as their duty to the town would allow, and, for want of those better qualified, have, in some instances, granted a certificate of approval, where the examination of the candidate was far from being satisfactory. In one instance, where such a certificate was not given, on the ground of manifest incompetency, they are sorry to say, the teacher was encouraged by some people in the district, to go on with the school.

The committee are aware, that the excuse for employing incompetent teachers is often urged by district committees, that there is not time to secure others. But we respectfully submit, that this is no excuse. Time ought to be taken, and efforts should be made, to secure a teacher, rather than a person who wishes "to keep school."

We have been sorry to find, in many of our teachers, a great deficiency in elemental knowledge. Few were sufficiently conversant with the powers of the letters, with emphasis and inflection, and fewer still, with the principles of punctuation. In our schools, the past year, we have regretted to see the evil result of such imperfect qualifications in the teacher. While it has been our ain to direct special attention to reading and spelling, and while, in some cases, there has been great and decided improvement in these branches, we still feel that they are lamentably neglected. The reading in our schools is very mechanical, and the dull monotony, with which the scholar drawls out his words, his general listlessness and inattention, show but too plainly that his thoughts do not travel beyond the boundary of the printed page, and the words, that reach the ear, have made no impression on the mind.

* * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.—HERVEY SMITH, A. A. WOOD, REUBEN CHAMPION.

WILBRAHAM,

(1) Population, 1,802. Valuation, $354,040 00. Number of Public Schools, 11.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 358—In Winter, (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 258—-In Winter, 380.

487.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 518.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 14.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 39. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 85 mths.-In Summer, 46 7-In Winter, 38 21. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 11.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 11—F. 1. (7) Average wages paid per month including board-To Males, $23 28-To Females, $11 63. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $6 45—Of Females, $5 72.

(9) Average wages per month exclusive of board-Of Males, $16 83-Of Females, $5 91. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $800.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $435 25.

(12) No. of incorporated Academies, 1.-Aggregate of months kept, 114.-Average No. of Scholars, 275.-Aggregate paid for tuition. $3,500.

(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, $934 62.-Income from same, $302 70.

-Aggre

-

BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-Webster's. Reading-American First Class Book, General Class Book, Intelligent Reader, New Testament, Reader's Guide, Child's Guide, Easy Primer, Porter's Rhetorical Reader, Class Book of Nature, Goodrich's History of the U. S. GrammarSmith's. Geography-Olney's, Smith's, Peter Parley's Arithmetic-Davies', Smith's, Adams', Colburn's First Lessons, Emerson's No. 1. All others-Natural Philosophy, Algebra.

REMARK. The income of the Surplus Revenue is applied to the support of schools. The annual income stated in the Return must include the income of the Surplus Revenue. The sums are not given separately.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. *They [the committee] are of opinion, that with some exceptions, there has been a decided advancement, the past year, towards obtaining the objects for which these schools have been sustained. They hesitate not to say, that there have been as good specimens of Common Schools, among us, as are often to be found any where. But the committee have not found every thing as it should be, in connection with this important subject. And the importance of our Common Schools to the best interests of the community, demands that we look at our failures as well as at our success, that we may learn wisdom for the future.

And first, in regard to the duties of the prudential committee. They should take more pains than is usually taken to secure good teachers. They should begin their inquiries in season, and aim to secure the best teachers. Higher qualifications should be demanded in teachers. It should not be taken for granted that every applicant for examination will, of course, be approved. And the committee would here express their decided opinion, that a short school, with a well qualified instructer, is far preferable to a much longer school, with an incompetent teacher. The inquiry should not, therefore, be for a person who will teach school for the least price, but for one who is best qualified for the office.

The schoolhouses in most of the districts, are convenient and comfortable, and are creditable to the town. There are one or two exceptions, however, where the seats are bad and ought to be remodeled.

In regard to the branches taught in the schools, there is, perhaps, a call for a few remarks. There is, in some schools at least, too much of a disposition to overlook primary branches, in order to enter upon, and give more attention to, those of a higher order.

* *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-JOHN BOWERS, WILLIAM LIVESEY, JAS. A. HASEN.

FRANKLIN COUNTY.

ASHFIELD,

{(1)

Population, 1,656. Valuation, $280,808 91.
Number of Public Schools, 13.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 336-In Winter, 460. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 264-In Winter, 354.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 418.—No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 30.—No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 130. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 86 mths. 7 days.-In Summer, 47 7.—In Winter, 39. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 13.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 13-F. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $17 79—To Females, $10 21. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $5 84—Of Females, $500.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board—Of Males, $11 95—Of Females, $5 21. (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, $473.

(12) No. of incorporated Academies, 1.-Aggregate of months kept, 44.-Average number of Scholars, 20.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $90.

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

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $809 83.-Income from same, $48 59.

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Webster's. Reading-Popular and Intelligent Readers, Child's Guide, Worcester's Primer. Grammar-Smith's and Murray's. Geography-Malte-Brun's, Smith's, Brinsmade's. Arithmetic-Adams', Smith's, Emerson's.

REMARK. There are fourteen districts, but the children belonging to one of them attend school in an adjoining town.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * A general and decided improvement has been made in the branches that have been taught, and, in most of the schools, they are gratified to find, that the teachers have required of their pupils a more thorough knowledge of the elementary branches than formerly. The scholars have, generally, been regular in their attendance, although there are yet some exceptions, and the committee would take this opportunity to say, that, in order that the youth of this town may receive the full benefit resulting from Common School instruction, a regular and prompt attendance, on their part, is neces

sary.

Your committee are fully of the opinion, that females might be employed, to a far greater extent, to teach our schools than has yet been done. By adopting the plan of procuring female teachers in many of our schools, those schools may be lengthened, probably about one third, without an increase of expense. That our school terms are too short and the vacations too long, almost all, we believe, will admit. That the younger portion of the scholars forget, in the course of the vacation, a considerable part of what they have learned during the preceding term, will also be admitted. But the fact would not be alluded to, if the remedy were not so plain and easy,—that is, lengthen the school terms, and by that means, shorten the vacations.

* *

*

It has been a primary object with your committee, on visiting the several schools, to see that every scholar was supplied with the necessary and suitable books, and they would bear cheerful testimony to the general promptitude of the parents in furnishing all necessary books, as soon as they ascertained they were needed.

The committee would respectfully give, as their opinion, that, if each district would expend a few dollars for the purpose of establishing a Common School Library, to be enlarged by yearly additions, they would eminently contribute to the improvement of the minds, as well as morals, of the rising generation.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-WAIT BEMENT, HORACE COLE, SAMUEL BASSETT.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 241-In Winter, 314. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 178-In Winter, 233.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 289.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 19.—No, over 16 years of age who attend School, 43. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 44 mths. 14 days.-In Summer, 25-In Winter, 19 14. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 6.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 4—F. 3. (7) Average wages paid per month including board-To Males, $23 58-To Females, $13 63. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $6 50-Of Females, $6 00.

(9) Average wages per month exclusive of board-Of Males, $17 08-Of Females, $7 63. (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, $344.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, Aggregate of months kept,

gate paid for tuition, $

-Average No. of Scholars, .-Aggre

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $716 67.-Income from same, $43 00.

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Webster's. Reading-Popular Lessons, General Class Book, Improved Reader, Franklin Primer. Grammar-Pond's Murray's, Greenleaf's and Smith's. Geography-Peter Parley's and Malte-Brun's. Arithmetic-Emerson's, Colburn's and Adams' New. All others-Peter Parley's Histories, Goodrich's History of the U. S., Watts on the Mind, Coffin's Book-keeping.

REMARKS. The return states, that the "summer schools are prolonged, more or less, by a tax on the scholars." The number of such schools, amount paid, &c. instead of being set down under the appropriate head, is carried into the amount contributed for Public Schools. The Academy is "not in operation."

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * In the outset, your committe will frankly state, that they have not, agreeably to law, during the past year, officially visited any of the schools in town. And for this apparent neglect of what might be considered their duty, they will now attempt to give a reason.

By the law of 1838, it is provided, that "the members of the school committee shall be paid by their respective towns, one dollar each, per day, for the time actually employed in discharging the duties of their office, together with such additional compensation as the town may allow." Under this law, the school committee for this town for the year 1838, (consisting of Rev. T. F. Rogers, Rev. Bancroft Fowler, and H. W. Cushman,) visited all the schools in town, what appeared to them a requisite number of times, and performed all the other duties incumbent on them, including an annual report of the state of the schools; for all of which services, the two first named of that committee, having performed most of the labor, charged the town the sum of $24 59; that is $10 by Rev. Mr. Rogers, and $14 59 by Rev. Mr. Fowler. The other member of the committee, for that year, made no charge whatever. At the next annual town meeting, after the charge for the school committee's services had been made, as aforesaid, being the March meeting of last year, when it was well understood that the school committee, under the law, had made a small charge,