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Nor should parents send children to our Public Schools, to pursue studies which have not been recommended by the committee. It will readily be seen, that, if each parent should determine what books his children shall study, it would produce the greatest perplexity and confusion. And, if one parent does it, we see no reason why all may not do it with equal propri ety.

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And, further, parents ought to obtain all the information, upon the subject of Common Schools, which they possibly can. Such is the importance of these schools to our children, and such their general influence upon the whole community, that no pains should be spared in acquiring knowledge, which will enable us to elevate their standard, and promote their interests. They are every year becoming a subject of increasing interest; a subject, upon which much is said, by men of great wisdom and experience. They are calling to their aid, some of the noblest talents, and the most elevated and purest minds. New methods for improvement have been suggested, and new plans, adopted, which promise_much in respect to the elevation of the character of our Public Schools. They have been rising, and are destined to rise still higher, in the estimation of the wise and the good. We believe they are, in most places, different from what they were a few years since. They are engrossing the attention of the several towns in our Commonwealth; and the spirit of improvement seems to be pervading the minds of the people. it is necessary, that every parent be well acquainted with what is said upon this whole subject, that he may be able to judge correctly, and act efficiently, in promoting the interests of the school, in his own district and town. * *

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Finally, your committee would recommend, that the dinner, usually provided at the expense of the town, for the committee, and others connected with the schools, at the annual examination, be dispensed with. If the plan proposed, of devoting an afternoon to the examination of each school, be carried into effect, such a dinner will not be called for. If not, the committee believe, that the money, usually appropriated for that object, may be devoted to some other object, which will more directly benefit the town, or rather the Public Schools in the town. * * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-JOHN PIERCE, WM. H. SHAILER, SAMUEL CRAFT.

CANTON,

{ (1)

(1) Population, 2,185. Valuation, $347,465 50. Number of Public Schools, 7.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 425-In Winter, 454. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 295—In Winter, 349.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 450.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 25.—No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 22. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 49 mths. 7 days-In Summer, 23 21-In Winter, 25 14. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. 1—F. 6.—No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 6—F. 1. (7) Average wages paid per month including board—To Males, $30 85—To Females, $14 16. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $9 66-Of Females, $6 16.

(9) Average wages per month exclusive of board-Of Males, $21 19-Of Females, $8 00. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $1,200.

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

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

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(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 6.-Aggregate of months kept, 8.—Average No. of Scholars, 108.-Aggre. gate paid for tuition, $111 50.

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BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-National. Reading-Pierpont's and Worcester's. GrammarSmith's. Geography-Parley's and Olney's. Arithmetic-Smith's, Adams' and Emerson's. All others-Watts on the Mind, Good's Book of Nature, Goodrich's History of the U. S., Par ley's History, Blake's Philosophy.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * The several schools have been visited, summer and winter, as the law directs. During these visits, your committee have endeavored to ascertain their condition, their progress, and their principal defects. If we should speak of them in regard to their importance, we should say, that their condition is truly deplorable. But, compared with the same class of schools in the neighboring towns, they do not deserve as much censure, as this term would imply. They are, however, very deficient in reading, and in all those branches of education, which exercise the higher powers of the mind, which are best calculated to produce habits of observation and reflection. A very large proportion of the scholars, especially of the boys, finish their school education, without any knowledge of grammar, history, astronomy, chemistry, or natural philosophy; without any knowledge of their own nature, or of the nature of things around them. * * *

Your committee, in speaking of the condition of your schools, would call your attention to the importance of a greater uniformity of books. In several of the districts, there are three or four kinds of geographies and arithmetics; and much of the teacher's time is wasted on the extra classes which this evil occasions.

The schoolhouses, in some of the districts, demand your immediate attention. That in the second dstrict, is a disgrace to any civilized community. Between sixty and seventy children are crowded into a little, low, dirty room, that could not supply good air and good accommodations, to half that number. In the first district, the seats, especially those for the smaller children, could not well be made more uncomfortable, or more injurious to the health of those, who occupy them. Similar remarks will apply to all the seats, in the otherwise excellent house, belonging to the third district.

In regard to the progress of the schools, during the past year, your committee would say, that, while in some districts, there has been great improvement, in others, there has been very little; and this fact we attribute, principally, to the difference in their teachers. Some districts have employed teachers, that were incompetent, not particularly in knowledge, but in experience; in a capacity to teach and govern. The same schools, that have run down, under the care of one teacher, have been brought up by another.

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In conclusion, your committee would recommend, as another important means of improving your schools, more attention on the part of parents, more frequent visits from them. These visits would be productive of many good effects. Let parents go and see, for themselves, the trials and difficulties of the teacher, and they will perceive the necessity of giving him their aid and encouragement. Let them go in and occupy, but a few hours, the seats which they have provided for their children, and they will see, at once, the necessity of attending to their schoolhouses; of making those, who are confined for months and years in these places more comfortable and happy. We are fully convinced, that, if parents, generally, were better acquainted with the schools, to which they send their children, they would no longer be indifferent to the many evils, which now retard their progress; and that parents cannot neglect to inquire into these matters, cannot throw off their individual responsibility upon the town's committee, without great peril to themselves, and to their children. * * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-W. H. KNAPP, Levi Littlefield.

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(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 267-In Winter, 330. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 198—In Winter, 279.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 456.-No. of persons under 4

years of age who attend School, -No. over 16 years of age who attend School, (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 45 mths. 14 days.-In Summer, 30-In Winter, 15 14. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 5.—No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 4—F. 2.

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(7) Average wages paid per month including board-To Males, $29 56-To Females, $6 80. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $10 00-Of Females, $4 00.

(9) Average wages per month exclusive of board-Of Males, $19 50-Of Females, $2 80. (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, $

(12) No. of incorporated Academies,

Scholars,

Aggregate of months kept,

Aggregate paid for tuition, $

-Average No. of

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 2.-Aggregate of months kept, 18.-Average No. of Scholars, 60.—Aggregate paid for tuition, $400.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

.-Income from same, $

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Emerson's. Reading-Pierpont's First Class Book, Emerson's 2d and 3d Class Books. Grammar-Smith's. Geography-Woodbridge's and Olney's. Arithmetic-Emerson's and Colburn's.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * The great business of training the intellectual and moral powers of man, is not the work of a day. Man is justly said to be a bundle of habits. He learns this thing to-day and that to-morrow. Every influence that is brought to bear upon the mind of the child, whether at school, at home, or abroad, goes to make up his education, and form his character for time and eternity. Parents, therefore, cannot be too solicitous about the training of their children, nor too cautious about the influences to which they are exposed. We of this generation, shall leave our image and superscription upon the next generation. We should do what we can to amend and improve this new edition of the human race.

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The committee have no new suggestions to make, relative to the formation of a high school out of the three village districts. They have seen no reason to alter the opinion that they expressed the last year. They are of the opinion, that a teacher could do much more for pupils, where many of the same age and attainments can be classed together, than where the ages and attainments are dissimilar, and classes have to be greatly multiplied. We repeat the suggestion that we made the last year. We can but express the hope, that the time is not far distant when the town will understand its true interest on this subject, and will harmoniously adopt such measures as will secure that interest. * * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-Martin Moore, H. G. O. PHIPPS, JAMES C. DOANE.

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(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 586-In Winter, 726. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 480-In Winter, 586.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 732.—No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 35.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 45. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 95 mths. 14 days --In Summer, 50 14-In Winter, 45. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer—M. 1—F. 13.—No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 11—F. 3. (7) Average wages paid per month including board-To Males, $32 82-To Females, $13 63. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $9 73-Of Females, $6 27. (9) Average wages per month exclusive of board-Of Males, $23 09-Of Females, $7 36. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $3,000.

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

(12) No. of incorporated Academies,

Aggregate of months kept,

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-Average No. of

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(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 3.-Aggregate of months kept, 36.-Average No. of Scholars, 68.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $1,600.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

-Income from same, $20 00.

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Introduction to National, National, Worcester's Dictionary. Reading-Emerson's 1st, 2d and 3d Class Readers, Progressive Primer, Alger's Pronouncing Testament. Grammar-Frost's and Smith's. Geography-Smith's, Worcester's and Parley's. Arithmetic-Colburn's and Emerson's Series. All others--Worcester's Epitome with Chart, Blake's Philosophy and Astronomy, Sullivan's Moral and Political Class Books, Goodrich's History of the U. S., Hitchcock's Book-keeping, Comstock's Chemistry.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * The school referred to, as is well known by many, was formerly in a very low state, in regard both to instruction and discipline. It is now restored from death to life. * * To secure a continuance of the services of the present incumbent is a privilege, which, in the opinion of the committee, ought not, at once, to be relinquished. They, therefore, take this opportunity to express a full conviction of the importance of retaining the teacher just mentioned, by the offer of adequate compensation. What, we ask, is the value of gold or silver, compared with the advantages of a well-disciplined and well-instructed, or the evils of an ill-governed and ill-taught school? The loss sustained by employing incompetent instructers is not always, we apprehend, properly estimated.

The committee take the liberty to suggest for your consideration, the general subject of discipline in our Common Schools. It is too often found, that instructers, who are competent as respects literary qualifications, do not maintain such control over their pupils as is necessary to secure all the advantages of good instruction. If there be a want of proper discipline, it is usually considered the fault of the teacher, and often, without doubt, justly. For, with a sound understanding and adequate information, the faculty of governing is not always combined. Nor is a gift so earnestly to be coveted, easily acquired, if not originally bestowed.

But it is a question of importance, whether the want of proper discipline in a school is, in all instances, to be attributed to a want of ability to govern, on the part of the instructer. If the inhabitants of a district object against the exercise of authority over his pupils, he will feel himself under restraint; and, for the sake of pleasing his employers, the master is tempted to put the reins into the hands of the scholar, rather than keep them in his own. It is not, then, a matter of surprise, if the schoolhouse presents a scene of disorder and misrule. A more prolific source of evil, however, is found in a practice, which, we fear, prevails to a very considerable extent, of expressing, in the presence of the members of a school, opinions unfavorable to the teacher. In their hearing, his faults are freely exposed, his character undergoes a severe scrutiny, and his demerits, no less than his merits, are brought up in review. Parents become listeners to the sad stories related by their children, of ill treatment, of partiality, or some other supposed wrong;-and while they listen, indulge sympathy, and, too frequently, without attending to more than one side of the question, are ready to pronounce a sentence of condemnation. Thus the best devised plans of the ablest instructers are liable to be defeated, and their most judicious efforts to be rendered unavailing.

The increasing interest, manifested by the community at large, in the improvement of our Common Schools, is an omen of good, and will, undoubtedly, have an auspicious influence in raising their character. In many of the districts, the day appointed for the examination of a school is looked forward to with high expectation, and is considered a great day. And the fact is worthy of notice, that, at the visitation of the Centre school in this town, during the present season, in the midst of a severe snow storm, nearly one hundred spectators were present. * * *

The next topic, to which the committee would again respectfully call your attention, is the construction, as well as location, of schoolhouses. It is a subject of regret, particularly, that, when repairs are made, or new schoolhouses are built, too little regard is paid to the accommodation of the occupants with com

fortable seats, with ample room for the largest classes to form themselves on the floor, and with means of thoroughly warming the apartment, where they pursue their studies. The proper mode of ventilation, likewise, seems to have met with comparatively little attention. In few of the schoolhouses, is any other method of ventilation adopted, than raising or lowering the windows; thus exposing the health of the children, by a direct current of cold air. Every one, who reflects upon this subject, must at once be convinced of the importance of guarding against the evil of a hot room, where the air is inspired and exhaled until it is exhausted of all its life-giving qualities. *

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In the Third Annual Report of the Board of Education, it is justly remarked, that, "could the distaste for books, sometimes manifested by young persons, whose character is not formed, be traced to its source, it might, no doubt, in many cases, be found in the repulsive exterior, obscure type, unsightly paper, and incorrect printing of the few books within their reach." May not the disrelish, felt by many children, for school exercises, be traced to the "repulsive exterior" of the schoolhouse, to the "unsightly" school-room, with its defaced walls, its rattling windows, its narrow and confined seats, in which, as in a prisonhouse, they are compelled to do penance, when they desire a pleasant retreat, with an easy position, for the nurture of elevated thoughts and the culture of the mind in all good knowledge? It can hardly be supposed, that, in this age, so important a subject will long fail to receive deserved attention from every portion of our community.

As respects a seasonable application for certificates of recommendation, the committee feel themselves under the necessity of repeating the suggestions heretofore offered on this important point. It is particularly desirable, that teachers should not be engaged, by prudential committees, in their respective districts, previously to examination according to law. The town committee are often placed in embarrassing circumstances, in consequence of delay on the part of instructers, to present themselves for approbation;-in some instances, until the hour appointed for the opening; and, in other instances, even until after the commencement of the school, in which their services are expected. In a case of this kind, rather than disappoint the expectations of a district, there is a strong inducement to allow an imperfectly qualified teacher, to proceed with his assigned task. An early application, therefore, for a certificate, is earnestly recommended. When it is considered, that impressions, for good or for evil, are received at an early age in the school-room, and that these impressions will remain, to exert a happy or an unhappy influence through the successive stages of life, the responsibility of prudential committees cannot be too forcibly urged, nor too deeply felt. Nor will the importance of the duty devolving on those, who select and employ male or female teachers, appear less striking, when that section of the law relating to schools, is taken into view, which provides, that “the school committee shall require full and satisfactory evidence of the good moral character of all instructers, who may be employed in the Public Schools in their town, and shall ascertain, by personal examination, their literary qualifications, and capacity for the government of schools." * * *

Finally, the committee unite in commending the interests of the young, to the Author of existence, whose inspiration has given man understanding. * * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE -JOHN WHITE, ALVAN LAMSON, E. BURGESS, CALVIN DURFEE, EZRA WILKINSON, WM. ELLIS, I. CLEVELAND.

DORCHESTER,

5 (1) Population, 4,564. Valuation, $1,136,129 08. Number of Public Schools, 16.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 704-In Winter, 756.

(3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 567-In Winter, 614.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 1,094.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 48.—No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 14.

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