cused. Appoint discreet, able, faithful men, without distinction of sect or party,-men who can work in fair weather and with company; or, to do you service, can face the cold and the storm alone. If they work well, pay them cheerfully, y, pay them well; your money will be well laid out.

We have reported to you, fathers, with a full heart; and with earnest desires that the hearts of parents may be turned more and more to their child

ren.

* * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-T. F. ROGERS, JOHN F. HALE.

BUCKLAND,

(1) Population, 1,084. Valuation, $159,844 00. Number of Public Schools, 7.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 241—In Winter, 287. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 181-In Winter, 227.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 338.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 20.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 33. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 44 mths. 21 days.-In Summer, 23 14-In Winter, 21 7. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F.7-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 3-F. 6. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $23 66-To Females, $10 48. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $4 33-Of Females, $+ 20. (9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $19 33-Of Females, $6 28. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $422 50.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $160 37.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 6-Aggregate of months kept, 84.-Average No. of Scholars, 150.—Aggregate paid for tuition, $70 75.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $914 83.-Income from same, $59 90.

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Webster's. Reading-Rhetorical and National, Introduction to the National, Child's Guide. Grammar-Pond's, Murray's and Smith's. Geography-Olney's, Malte-Brun's and Parley's. Arithmetic-Adams new, Colburn's and Emerson's. All othersPolitical Class Book, Day's Algebra, Watts on the Mind, &c.

REMARKS-The Return states that "several schools, composed in part of scholars from other towns, have not been superintended by Buckland committee." This probably accounts for the small attendance and aggregate of schooling the last year.

It would be well if committees would report upon all the schools, within the territorial limits of their respective towns; or, at least, have an understanding with the committees of other towns, who have the superintendence of schools within their own, so that, either through one chanuel or the other, a Return of all the schools should be made once, and but once.

*

SELECTIONS FROM REPORT. * * There is an inclination in many young persons to neglect the first principles of education. But is that young gentleman prepared to transact business, or to be useful in his sphere, who has spent some months, or years even, in a Private School or academy, obtained some vague notions of philosophy, algebra, chemistry, and rhetoric, but who can neither read, write, spell, construct sentences, nor perform a mathematical calculation with any degree of correctness? What kind of business, we ask in the name of common sense, can he do? Can he pursue his education? But few know enough to teach him, and his proud nature revolts at the thought of a retrograde movement. Can he teach? He is too superficial to obtain credentials. Can he labor? He is too good. He engages in no useful employment, because, forsooth, servile employments are beneath his dignity; others are above his capacity. He becomes idle, like a useless drone in a hive; and, as indolence begets a kindred train of vices, he is consequently vicious. Parents and teachers should exercise guardianship in this respect. Suffer not

*

your children or pupils to squander the most valuable portion of their lives, to waste your inoney, and sacrifice their own future usefulness and reputation, in the prosecution of ornamental branches, which are but useless nummery, wl.ile they are ignorant of the first principles of a substantial education, without which even those, tend rather to deform than embellish. Every thing is beautiful in its place; the higher branches are the finishing of an education, not the commencement, and should never be regarded or treated as such.

One of the most powerful causes of declension in our Common Schools is the Private School system. Almost every man declaims against aristocracy, and deprecates its prevalence in this country as one of the greatest of national calamities. But what more powerful engine to effect this, than a system of education which extends its advantages to the affluent, but withholds them from all others; qualifying but few to hold the reins of civil government; rendering a change of rulers impracticable, and disqualifying the common people, for an enlightened and independent exercise of their elective franchise? Does any one ask, in what way Private Schools tend to produce this effect? We answer, they are sucking out the life's blood of the Common School system, by closing the avenue to every rich man's purse, by arraying his influence and his suffrage against every effort to elevate the standard of general education, through the raising of money for the support of Common Schools; by withdrawing some of the best scholars from almost every school, thereby depriving those which remain of one of the greatest facilities to their own improvement; and also by detracting from the general interest that is taken in the Common School. Our Legislature, in its wisdom, has enacted laws to encourage the Common Schools, to awaken an interest in their prosperity, and to circulate information on this highly important subject. It proffers and bestows a bounty, from the "Income of the School Fund," upon every town which raises, for the support of schools, a sum equal to one dollar and twenty-five cents per scholar, between the ages of four and sixteen. * * *

Another alarming evil in relation to our schools is the indulgence of a party spirit in districts, and an unwillingness to sacrifice individual preferences to the general good. This thing ought not so to be. Every individual should be cheerfully submissive to the decision of a majority. This is the only principle upon which we can sustain our free institutions, and enjoy equal rights and privileges. *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-WHITING GRISWOLD, ABIJAH THAYER, NATH'L G. TROW.

CHARLEMONT,

{

(1) Population, 1,127. Valuation, $221,941 00. Number of Public Schools, 7.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 211–In Winter, 314. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 152-In Winter, 232. (4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 294.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 16.—No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 34. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 46 mths. 7 days.-In Summer, 24 21—-In Winter, 21 14. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 7.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 6-F. 2. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board—To Males, $23 26—To Females, $10 69. (8) Average value of board per month—Of Maies, $6 11—Of Females, $4 57.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $17 15-Of Females, $6 12. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $600 00.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $133 00.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 1-Aggregate of months kept, 7.-Average No. of Scholars, 35.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $260 00.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $800 00.-Income from same, $48 00.

BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-Webster's. Reading-Worcester's, Franklin and Easy Primers, Child's Guide, Improved, Intelligent, Village, Rhetorical, National and Introduction to National.

Grammar-Smith's and Pond's Murray's. Geography-Smith's, Olney's, Malte-Brun's and Mitchell's. Arithmetic-Adams'. All others-Colburn's and Day's Algebras, Comstock's Philosophy, Coffin's Book-keeping, &c.

SELECTION FROM REPORT. * * We are happy to be able to state, in general, that the schools, during the past year, have been quiet and prosperous. No instances of insolence, insubordination, or disaffection of any kind, on the part of the scholars, have come to our knowledge. * * *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-AMHERST LAMB, JOHN D. SMITH.

COLRAINE,

(1) Population, 1,971. Valuation, $420,180 00. Number of Public Schools, 18.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 445-In Winter, 539. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 362-In Winter, 471.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 582.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 30.—No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 30. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 99 mths. 14 days.-In Summer, 56-In Winter, 43 14. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. —F. 17.—No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 11-F. 7. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board—To Males, $22 45-To Females, $11 50. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $8 00-Of Females, $6 12.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $14 45—Of Females, $5 38. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $730 00.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $696 00.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 4.-Aggregate of months kept, 93.-Average No. of Scholars, 95.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $122 00.

(14) Amount of Local Funds, $700 00.-Income from same, $42 00.

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-Webster's. Reading-National, Village and Porter's Rhetorical, Bible. Grammar--Pond's Murray's and Smith's. Geography-Malte-Brun's, Smith's and Olney's. Arithmetic-Colburn's, Emerson's and Adams'. All others-Parley's and Goodrich's Histories, Watts on the Mind.

SELECTION FROM REPORT. * * The term of many of our schools, this year, has been grievously short. It is surely desirable that schools should be continued, at least eight months in the year. Four months is little enough for summer or winter. And yet many of our schools have closed in six, eight, or ten weeks, an untimely end, certainly. It is hoped, fellow-citizens, that an appeal to your best feelings and your good sense, on this subject, will not be in vain. Why should so large a part of the years of childhood be left to run to waste, deprived of the culture of schools? Why should the teacher be suffered to leave his interesting charge when they have just begun to be interested in their studies and to make progress? The loss to the children is great and irreparable. Besides, if they are ever to have a thorough education, it is most economical to give it them when their time is of little or no value in a pecuniary point of view. The glory of New England is her intelligence. A wellcultivated mind and heart is a far better inheritance than money. If you can give your children nothing else, give them a good education. And if you can give them this, though at the cost of many sacrifices and the most strenuous efforts, let them not be destitute of it. I do fervently hope that more liberal provision will, in some way, be made for prolonging our schools and elevating their character. May the time soon come when we shall have first-rate teachers, well paid, and for a sufficient length of time,—and a good library connected with every school.

*

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-HORATIO FLAGG.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 328-In Winter, 402. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 262-In Winter, 314.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 425 —No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 25.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 53. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 91 mths.-In Summer, 51 21-In Winter, 39 7. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 14.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 8—F. 6. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $20 31-To Females, $1041. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $7 00-Of Females, $5 26.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $13 31-Of Females, $5 15. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $550 00.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $700 00.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 1.-Aggregate of months kept, 43.-Average No. of Scholars, 40.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $200 00.

(15) Income of Surplus Revenue appropriated to Schools, $191 87.

BOOKS USED.-Spelling-New National. Reading-American First Class Book, Rhetorical, Popular and Young, Child's Guide, Bible, General Class Book. Grammar-Smith's. Geography-Malte-Brun's and Parley's. Arithmetic-Sinith's, Colburn's, Adams' and Emerson's First Part. All others-Colburn's Algebra, Goodrich's History of the U. S., Parley's 1st and 3d Books of History, Webster's Dictionary, &c.

SELECTION FROM REPORT. * * Several meetings have been held during the winter, by the friends of education. Some of them have been sustained with considerable interest. Where we have met with the hearty coöperation of the prudential committee, and other friends of the cause, a system of visiting the schools, by parents and others, has been partially introduced, which, we trust, will aid in maturing something of the kind far more important and effectual. *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-JOHN CLARY, AUSTIN RICE, E. D. HAMILTON.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 417—In Winter, 434. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 314-In Winter, 330.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 541.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 21.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 35. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 101 mths. 7 days.—In Summer, 61-In Winter, 40 7. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 17.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 7—F. 8. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board—To Males, $21 00—To Females, $11 35. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $7 14-Of Females, $5 75.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board—Of Males, $13 36—Of Females, $5 60. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $811 50.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $507 67.

(12) No. of incorporated Academies, 1.-Aggregate of months kept, 12.-Average No. of Scholars, 30.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $775 00.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 8.-Aggregate of months kept, 15.-Average No. of Scholars, 61.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $75 00.

BOOKS USED.- -Spelling-Webster's and Franklin Primer. Reading-Popular and Improved, Political Class and General Class Books, Bible. Grammar-Smith's. Geography

Olney's, Malte-Brun's, Parley's and Brinsmade's. Arithmetic-Adams, Smith's, Emerson's and Colburn's. All others-Comstock's Philosophy, Angell's Series, Nos. 2 and 4, Child's Second Book, Coffin's Book-keeping.

SELECTION FROM REPORT.

And here your committee would add, that he is sorry to find so few good readers in our schools, especially among the boys, who are generally behind the girls in this branch of study.

This is a subject which ought to engage the attention of parents. Instead of being suffered to spend all their time out of school in play, the lads (as well as girls) ought to spend some portion of every day in learning to read at home. In this way, with attention, almost every person may become a respectable, if not a good reader. But with the little time devoted to this branch in school, it is next to impossible to attain to any good degree of perfection in this art. I therefore repeat it, parents should pay more, far more, attention to this branch of their childrens' education, at their own fireside. *

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-WM. M. RICHARDS, POMEROY BELDEN.

ERVING,

{{

(1) Population, 309. Valuation, $58,785 00.
Number of Public Schools, 3.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 92-In Winter, 48.
(3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 69-In Winter, 36.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 80-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 6.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 8. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 14 mths. 7 days.-In Summer, 11 7-In Winter, 3. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M.-F. 3.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 1-F. 1. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $25 00-To Females, $10 22. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $7 00-Of Females, $4 46.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $13 00-Of Females, $5 76. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $150 00.

BOOKS USED

-Spelling-Emerson's New National. Reading-American First Class Book, Popular. Grammar-Smith's new. Geography-Olney's and Malte-Brun's. Arithmetic Adams' new and Colburn's First Lessons. All others-Comstock's Philosophy and Chemistry, Day's Algebra, Parley's History and Watts on the Mind.

NO SELECTION from Report.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-NOAH W. PACKARD, ASA H. ALBEE, FORDYCE ALEXANDER.

(1) Population, 798. Valuation, $180,386 00.

Number of Public Schools, 6.

(2) No. of Scholars of all ages in all the Schools-In Summer, 195-In Winter, 247. (3) Average attendance in the Schools-In Summer, 147-In Winter, 193.

(4) No. of persons between 4 and 16 years of age in the town, 239.-No. of persons under 4 years of age who attend School, 7.-No. over 16 years of age who attend School, 30. (5) Aggregate length of the Schools, 38 mths. 7 days.-In Summer, 19 21-In Winter, 18 14. (6) No. of Teachers in Summer-M. -F. 6.-No. of Teachers in Winter-M. 3-F. 3. (7) Average wages paid per month, including board-To Males, $21 67-To Females, $12 55. (8) Average value of board per month-Of Males, $5 67-Of Females, $5 88.

(9) Average wages per month, exclusive of board-Of Males, $16 00-Of Females, $6 67. (10) Amount of money raised by taxes for the support of Schools, including only the wages of Teachers, board and fuel, $400 00.

(11) Amount of board and fuel, if any, contributed for Public Schools, $220 00.

(13) No. of unincorporated Academies, Private Schools, and Schools kept to prolong Common Schools, 1.-Aggregate of months kept, 2.-Average No. of Scholars, 25.-Aggregate paid for tuition, $1200.