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dren were to blame; or, should they ascertain that the teachers were in the wrong, friendly intercourse with them in private would generally be received in kindness, reconcile the differences, restore peace, order and harmony in the schools. * * Your committee, therefore, would recommend parents and guardians to try this plan, and that, when they have just cause of complaint against teachers, never to express it in presence of their children, but to seek a friendly interview with the teachers.

Your committee would allude to one other topic, the construction of schoolhouses. * * The proper construction and location of schoolhouses are of great importance to the advancement of schools, and to the cause of education. They ought to be made in every way comfortable, convenient and attractive. And it is a subject of rejoicing, that the public attention has been directed to this point within a few years. What were our schoolhouses twenty or twenty five years ago? Many of them hardly deserved the name. Still the public need more information and reflection on the subject. *

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SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-REUBEN BATES, ALFRED HITCHCOCK, ASA WALKER, JR.

BEDFORD,

{(1) Population, 858. Valuation, $186,188 00.

Number of Public Schools, 4.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 221-In Winter, 196. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 163-In Winter, 140. (4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 231.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 35.—No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 26. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 39 mths. 7 days-In Summer, 24 7-In Winter, 15. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 6.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 3—F. 2. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $29 66-To Females, $12 17. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $9 00-Of Females, $5 88.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $20 66--Of Females, $6 29. (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, -Average number of

Scholars, -Aggregate paid for tuition, $

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 2.-Aggregate of months kept, 2 5-6.-Average No. of Scholars, 43.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $28 10.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

.-Income from same, $

BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-Worcester's Primer, National Spelling Book, Walker's Dictionary. Reading-Young Reader, Introduction to National do., National do., Political Class Book, Testament. Grammar-Smith's. Geography-l'arley's, Olney's. Arithmetic-Emerson's 1st, 2d and 3d Parts. All others-Goodrich's History U. S., Blake's Philosophy.

REMARK-Ninety dollars, the income of the "Surplus Revenue," which is $1,500, is applied to the support of schools.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * * The foregoing account of the state, and course, of the schools, presents some important inquiries.

Can a more regular attendance of the scholars be secured? The parents can secure it. It lies with them. And, it should be felt, that a school cannot prosper, in a high degree, without a regular, every day, attendance of the schol

ars.

Can the evils of faulty government, in the schools, be prevented? The way to prevent them wholly, would be a new invention, more important than the wonderful applications of steam power. It is believed, that our teachers, the past year, have been equal, taken together, in their government, to the average of teachers. Yet some of them had serious defects, in their exercise of author

ity, of which they were not aware, when they began their schools. And they were such defects, to some extent, as the closest examination, by the general committee, could not detect. They were such, as thorough inquiry, on the part of the district providing committees, could with difficulty have found out. One leading defect, was such ignorance of human nature, as would disqualify the teacher, at once, to discern the general disposition, and spirit of the school, and adapt the mode of government to its perfect control. Another defect, was a want of prompt energy and decision, in the enforcement of salutary rules. And faults, such as these, it would be difficult for the general or district committee to ascertain, before the teacher is admitted into the school, there to exhibit them practically, when, perhaps, it is too late to mend the evil, without producing a greater in its stead. Both committees must do their best; and, after all, the obtaining of first rate teachers, will be like drawing the prizes in a lottery. * *

*

The committee, also, unanimously regard the occasional introduction of a new reading book, as very desirable, in order to the highest improvement of the scholars. While they should not be introduced so often, as to make the purchase a burden to the parents, they should be admitted so frequently, as to keep up a lively and fresh interest, on the part of the scholars, in the art of reading.

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SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-JONATHAN LEAVITT, CYRUS PAGE, A. B. ADAMS.

BILLERICA,

{(1) Population, 1,498. Valuation, $368,612 00.

Number of Public Schools, 10

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 388-In Winter, 363. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 262-In Winter, 268.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 417.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 20.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 384. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 69 mths. 21 days.-In Summer, 49-In Winter, 20 21. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 10.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 9—F. . (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $28 17-To Females, $10 60. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $9 17-Of Females, $4 90. (9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $19 CO-Of Females, $5 70. (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, 1.-Aggregate of months kept, 6.-Average number of Scholars, 20.-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, -Aggregate paid for tuition, $

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(14) Amount of Local Funds, $300 00.-Income from same, $18 00.

BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-National, and Introduction. Reading-American First Class Book, Putnam's Sequel and Analytical Reader, Improved do. Grammar-Smith's ProducGeography-Malte-Brun's, Olney's, Parley's and Hall's. Arithmetic-Emerson's 1st, 2d and 3d, Colburn's, Smith's, Adams'. All others-History of the U. S., Parley's History, Walker's Dictionary.

tive.

REMARK3. The return of the amount paid for tuition in the Private Schools is imperfect. The number returned over 16 is presumed to be erroneous. The local fund is for the purchase of books, and is confined to one school.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.-The school committee, by their chairman, reported, that the schools, the year past, had been as successful as the last year; that the instructers had been found to be competent and faithful, and that an increasing interest had been perceptible.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-MARSHALL PRESTON, JOSEPH HAVEN.

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(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 92—In Winter, 139. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer 68-In Winter, 99.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 122-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 6.-—No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 22. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 23 mths. 7 days-In Summer, 12 14—In Winter, 10 21. (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, $24 00-To Females, $9 50. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $6 00-Of Females, $4 75.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $18 00-Of Females, $4 75. (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, 150.

(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, Aggregate of months kept, -Average No. of Scholars, .-Aggregate paid for tuition, $

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

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BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Cummings'. Reading-First Class Book, Pierpont's Introduction to the National Reader, Easy Lessons. Grammar-Smith's and Frost's. Geography-Smith's, Parley's and Olney's. Arithmetic-Adams, Smith's and Colburn's First Part. All others History of the U. S., Wilkins' Astronomy, and Smith's Algebra.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * Your committee have endeavored to be thorough in ascertaining the qualifications of those who have been employed as teachers. In their examinations, both for summer and winter schools, they have been minute and particular, and have acted on the principle that they would not approbate any one, to teach the children of their neighbors, to whom they would be unwilling to commit their own for instruction.

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We find from the registers, that, in some of the schools, about one fourth, and, in some others, about one third of the whole number of scholars, are, on an average, absent. This, it will be seen, is a great evil. It prevents, to say the least, one fourth, or one third part of all the good, which the schools might otherwise produce. It takes away, not only one third or one fourth part of the time and privileges which the absent scholars ought to enjoy at school, but it renders the remaining time and privileges which are allotted them, in a great measure, ineffectual to their improvement. This constant interruption in their studies prevents that attachment to them, and that energy in their pursuit, which is essential to rapid progress and great attainments in knowledge. * * * The second is, the neglect of parents as it regards the schools in their respective districts; setting a teacher at work, committing their children to him for that most important, we were about to say, of all purposes, the cultivation and improvement of their intellectual powers, and then seldom, if ever, going to see how he performs his labor, or to encourage him to do it faithfully. In no other business do we employ men in our service, and attend so little to them, as in this; while there is no other, pertaining to secular affairs, that bears any comparison with it in importance We would respectfully urge upon parents, as one way in which they may do much to stimulate their children, and animate and encourage teachers, frequently to visit the school in their district, and also to inquire of their children at home concerning their lessons, and to cooperate with them in their endeavors to acquire knowledge. The parent, too, should feel that there is no boon which he can bestow on his children, so valuable, as a good education, and good principles of conduct. A regard for the welfare of his children, if no other motive, should prompt every parent to acquaint himself, at least, with the condition of the school to which his children belong, and to do what he can to sustain and improve the school. If our Com

mon Schools are, as they should be, and may be, the nurseries of learning, of good order and good morals, every parent may confidently trust that children, there educated and disciplined, will, when they grow to mauhood, make good men and good citizens. But if they are suffered to degenerate, and to become schools of disorder, misrule and vice, what better can be expected of them than that they will train up their pupils to become fit subjects of riot, anarchy, confusion and revolution. The character, and freedom, and happiness of mankind greatly depend on the influences which are exerted on their young and suscep tible minds, at these humble but all-important seminaries of learning.

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SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-LYMAN BIGELOW, OLIVER WETHERBEE, SOLOMON HAGER.

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(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 159—In Winter, 242.

(3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 136-In Winter, 200.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 323.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 12.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 9.

(5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 37 mths.-In Summer, 18.—In Winter, 19.

(6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 4.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 4—§. 1. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $35 75—To Females, $16 25. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $10 50—Of Females, $800.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $25 25—Of Females, $8 25. (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, $

(12) No. of incorporated Academies, 1.—Aggregate of months kept, 11.—Average number of Scholars, 35.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $800.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 2.-Aggregate of months kept, 16.-Average No. of Scholars, 32.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $200 00.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $

.-Income from same, $

BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-National, and Introduction to do. Reading-Emerson's 1st, 2d and 3d Class Readers, Testament. Grammar-Smith's. Geography-Olney's and Parley's. Arithmetic-Emerson's 1st, 2d and 3d Parts, and Smith's. All others-Blake's Philosophy, Comstock's Chemistry, and Walker's Dictionary.

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * * The committee feel it their duty, to represent to the town, the manner in which the money, granted for the purchase of apparatus, has been expended. In the selection of articles, the most proper, and which would be likely to secure the greatest amount of good, they found they had no enviable task before them. What they did, was done, not without much consultation and careful inquiry, both as to the apparatus that might be the most useful, and the most reasonable terms on which it could be procured. They finally made purchase of the following articles :

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By distributing these articles, among the different schools, and by exchanges from one to another, the advantage to be derived from them, has been made as general as possible. That all might have an opportunity of examining the apparatus, an invitation was extended to the people of the town, together with the pupils of the different schools, to meet at the Town Hall on the evening of the 2d of April, to hear some explanation upon the same. The full attendance on this occasion, was as gratifying to the committee, as honorable to the inhabitants of the place. The committee cannot leave this subject, without congratulating the town, upon this valuable accession to the means of improvement in our schools.

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*

One fault, which the committee have observed, in some of the schools, during the past season, viz. a want of strict discipline, they would take the liberty to particularize. They feel the more confidence in doing it, as they believe it arises from the prevailing public sentiment, in regard to the management of a school, rather than from any thing blamable in the teachers themselves. They rejoice, with every friend to the young, and to the welfare of the community generally, that all the barbarities of "the district school as it was," have met with their just condemnation,—they are glad that the rod and the rule, as formerly applied, are no longer regarded as essential to intellectual advancement, —that moral influence, and an appeal to honor, have taken the place of stern command, and brutal punishment. But, at the same time, they would add, that doing away with all physical force, as the teacher now, by the public sentiment, if not by his own inclination, is compelled to, he more than ever demands the friendly coöperation of the parents. They ought to know how withering to all influence of his, is the merest word that falls from them, derogatory to his character or ability. If his exertions are commendable, the child should know it from the lips of the parent; if in any thing he fails, let it be made known to the proper authorities, that the proper remedy may be applied. Every word of commendation gives the teacher an influence, that can only be exerted for good; every one of an opposite character, gives the pupil a power that must be fraught with evil, and evil only, to himself and others.

At the final examination of some of the schools, there has been found a disposition, among a number of the scholars, to absent themselves on that day. A practice so discouraging to the teacher, and displaying so little feeling, even of common justice, on the part of those in fault, deserves to be frowned upon by every friend to the faithful instructer, and to the advancement of our schools. The Roman matron, when asked for her jewels, pointed to her children; the teacher can only do the same; and to be deprived of these, at the very moment when it is his highest ambition to display them, is an act of injustice that ought not to be tolerated.

Another deficiency, they feel bound to notice, is the want of interest manifested by the parents, as to the condition of the school. No one, not intimately acquainted with the subject, can justly appreciate the influence that external circumstances exert over the character of the school. But of all external influences, the interest of the parent, shown by his frequent visits, or at least by his attendance at the final examination, is by far the most powerful. * * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-WM. WARREN, JOSIAH RUTTER, BELA GREENWOOD, EDMUND RICE, JR., GEORGE MATCHETT.

BURLINGTON,

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(1) Population, 522. Valuation, $127,220 00.
Number of Public Schools, 4.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 150-In Winter, 182.
(3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 110-In Winter, 132.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 136.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 8.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 36. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 18 mths. 21 days.-In Summer, 9 14-In Winter, 9 7. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 4.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 3-F. !. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $24 75-To Females, $12 00.

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