tially as follows:-Towns containing fifty families or house- mation, it contains the reports of nearly one hundred schoo holders are required to maintain a school or schools for terms committees in as many towns, respecting the actual state and of time which shall together be equivalent to six months in each year, in which children shall be instructed in orthogra- condition of school-houses, teachers and schools. In reading phy, reading, writing, English grammar, geography, arithine- these, we have selected and classified under appropriate Leads tic, and good behavior, by teachers of competent ability and many suggestions, which, while they show "how deeply decay good morals. has eaten into the vitals of the school system" of Massachu setts, will serve as a mirror in which we may study the features of our own system. We know not where to find more valuable matter for our columns. In towns of one hundred families or householders, schools of the same kind are to be kept for terms which together shall be equivalent to twelve months. In towns of one hundred and fifty families or householders, schools of the same kind, and not less than two, are to be kept for terms not less than nine months each, or three or more schools for terms together equivalent to eighteen months. SCHOOL HOUSES. Holden. The committee feel constrained to say a word respecting In towns of five hundred families, similar schools, not less school-houses. Some of these they regard as any thing rather than than two, are to be kept for twelve months each, or three or places of comfort. Some are exceedingly cold in winter, and most of more such schools for terms together equivalent to twenty-them are excessively warm in summer. Some are not even plaster. four months; and, in addition to the above, they are required ed, and the committee know, from experience, that there can be no to maintain a school for the benefit of all the inhabitants of comfort in them in a cold day. But few of the houses have either a the town, ten months at least, exclusive of vacations, in each shutter or a blind, or even curtain, to prevent the entrance of the full year, in which the history of the United States, book keepin that the scholars will be killed by this excessive cold and heat; perblaze of the scorching sun of July and August. It is not expected, surveying, geometry, and algebra shall be taught by a master haps they will not materially suffer in their health; but, nevertheof competent ability and good morals. And if the town con-less, it must prove a serious hindrance to progress in know edge. tain four thousand inhabitants, the teacher shall, in addition The committee regard the construction of the seats as decidedly to all the branches above enumerated, be competent to in- bad. They are generally much too narrow. When religious meetstruct in the Latin and Greek languages, general history, rhetoric and logic. materials. Most Let us take, for instance, the house in District No. 1. It is one ings have been held in these houses, complaint has often been made of the difficulty of sitting an hour on such seats. If it be so, then The schools provided for by the law are open to children of how can scholars sit on them six hours a day, for three or five all classes, and the expense of maintaining them is paid by a months in succession. Sometimes small scholars are placed on tax on the people, raised chiefly on their property.. Each seats not more than four or five inches wide, and raised so far from town is made responsible for the execution of the law within the floor as to prevent the possibility of their reaching it; and then, its own jurisdiction; and it is the duty of the school commit-because, that, in the course of half a day, they move to and fro a tee (which consists of five persons chosen annually by the little, the little creatures are thought to be made of very rest ess town) to overlook the schools, to visit them at least once in Fall River.-Children spend so large a portion of their early life six months, to employ and approve the instructors, and to di- in the school house, that the general condition of those buildings, and rect in the selection of school-books. their influence upon young minds are topics of prominence and magThe school committee are further required to make annual-nitude. The construction and comfort of school rooms are closely ly a detailed report of the condition of the several public connected with the love of study-with proficiency in study--with schools in their respective towns with suggestions for their health, with anatomical formation-and with length of life. These improvement, which report must be read in open town meet-a e matters of great interest, and suggest important duties. ing and an attested copy thereof transmitted to the Secretary of the public school houses in this town are of recent construction, of State, together with official returns showing the number or and wel fitted to the purpose of their designation. name of every school-he whole number of scholars in each. Kingston.-There is not a single public school house in town that in summer and winter-the average attendance-the length is not a disgrace to us, and a sure and inevitable cause of much of each school-the number of teachers, their sex and com- sickness and continued ill health to many of your children. pensation-list of books, and amount of money raised by tax of the bleakest, and most exposed situations in the district;-perched to support schools, &c. &c. The income of the school fund is apportioned and distribut-upon a sand hill, with but little more than half the land it stands on ed to each town according to the number of children between liable at any time to be cut down by the surveyor-without an inch belonging to the district,-projecting s x feet into the highway, and the ages of four and sixteen, on condition that the above requi- of ground around it for the children to exercise upon. sitions of the law respecting the school returns and reports Confinement is never pleasant under any circumstances. Who is have been complied with, and a sum equal to one dollar and there, that would accept the wealth of the Indies in exchange for twenty five cents, for each person between the ages of four fresh air and the free use of his limbs? And yet you crowd from and sixteen, has been raised by taxation for the support of forty to sixty children into that ill-constructed, miserable shell of a schools, including only fuel, wages and board of teachers. building, there to sit in the most uncomfortable seats that could be The Board of Education composed of the Governor, Lieut. contrived, expecting that, with the occasional application of the birch, Governor, and eight others appointed by the governor and they will sit still for six hours in the day from four to six months in senate are required to make out an annual abstract of the the year, and then come out learned in all the mysteries of knowledge, school returns, and to ascertain and report to the legislature educated for manhood or womanhood. Now it is a fact beyond dis the actual condition and efficiency of the common schools pute, that in a room of that size, (say 16 by 24 feet) 35 children will render the air unfit for breathing in 45 minutes. To be sure, some and other means of popular education, and to diffuse as wide-fresh air is admitted by the numerous cracks and crevices all ly as possible, information of the most approved and success-around, but, allowing one fourth for this, and after one hour, the ful methods of arranging the studies and conducting the edu- children are injured by every breath they draw. The injury at each cation of the young. To accomplish this the Board are au- breath is smail, we grant. But who, that has been confined in a thorized to appoint a Secretary, who must once in each year crowded school.room, or any other room, has not felt the want of attend a meeting of such teachers, school committees, and fresh air-an article with which the Almighty has supplied us in friends of education in each county as may assemble on invi- greater quantities than any other, but only in proportion to our tation from the Board. ABSTRACT OF THE MASS. SCHOOL RETURNS, FOR 1838-9. We are indebted to Mr. MANN for a volume of 340 closely printed pages octavo, with the above title, which was prepared by him, and laid before the Legislature, in January last, in compliance with the requisitions of the law. It is the most complete a useful document of the kind which has come under our notice. In addition to the ordinary items of infor * * wants. Who has not felt the dull headache-the pressure of the brain, as it seems, (when in fact, it is cruel oppression,)—the dizzy, sleepy drowsiness of a school-room atmosphere? Who does not remember the new life and animation, the renewed strength and courage he has often felt when he has emerged from one of these real prisons, to breathe the pure air of heaven? NORTHFIELD. In District No. 3. there is a very small, inconvenient house. Children, teachers and many parents, complain of its inconvenience and uncomfortableness. In winter the air becomes hot, impure and unpleasant; while some are suffering from heat, others are suffering from cold. There are not seats enough to accommodate all conveniently, nor is there room for any more. When the school attends to writing, it is necessary to make a great change in order to accommodate the writers. This causes confu. sion and loss of time, every day; besides, some of the forms are loose, and easily joggled. The building and the room present no attraction to the young, but rather the contrary. RICHMOND. To pass by some of the school-houses, in this town, during the winter, look at the broken windows, and see a small load of green beech or chestnut wood before the door; and then, too, to think of the cold air rushing through the windows, and in the pleni. tude of its power, putting a "veto" upon the efforts of a mall fire, which is making tremendous struggles to be cheerful, is enough to make any feeling parent shiver, to think how the mortality of his chid must ache, before such wood can be made combustible. Are these things as they ought to be? Two of our school houses are of brick, pleasantly located, and affording that comfort and convenience which serves as a pleasant stimulant to those childern who go there. But the other three look as though the wrath of the elements had been poured out upon them without stint or measure. * * When we think of these tottering frames, uneven floors, broken windows, and, above all. the polar breezes which reign within, can we not find some excuse for the reluctance of the children to attend school, or, what is far worse than reluctance, their willingness to attend it for a wrong motive and for wrong purposes? EDGARTOWN.-There is not a single district school-house within the bounds of the town, that is anything like what such a building should be, in order that the children and youth attending the schools may reap the full benefit of the money, we raise yearly for their maintenance. In one district, there is a house nearly new and of sufficient size; but it is so badly constructed within, that your committee would deem it quite a sufficient purishment for almost any of the less offences against the state, to be obliged to occupy one of its seats for one short week, six hours in a day; and the conveniences are less, or rather the inconveniences are greater, for children than for adults. In all other districts, the houses are old, very deficient in size, and almost altogether so, with respect to the proper means of venulation. To say the most we can in their favor, they are very unsuita. ble for the purposes for which they are used, except in the milder seasons of the year, and they but poorly answer those ends, even then. TEACHERS-EXAMINATION of. FRAMINGHAM.-Viewing it as now a settled maxim that, as is the teacher so is the school, and that the only method by which to ele. vate the character of the schools, and the standard of education, is to raise the qualifications of those who instruct, the committee have esteemed it one of their first duties to be exact and faithful in the examination of instructers, requiring of those who profess to teach that they be themselves thoroughly taught,-equal to the work they assume, and the just responsibility they bear. BRIMFIELD. In their examinations, both for the summer and winter schools, they have been minute and particluar, and have been very careful not to approbate any, who did not, on examination, give evidence of being thoroughly furnished for their work. They have acted upon the principle, that they would not employ one to teach the children of their neighbors, to whom they would be unwilling to commit their own children, for instruction. WANT OF WELL QUALIFIED TEACHERS. ANDOVER. One of the greatest "defects" in our present "means of education," is the want of capable and well. qualified teachers. The town has, indeed, been favored in this respect during the past year. But many are aware what a loss of time and money is often occasioned by the ignorance and incompetence of instructers. The committee would gladly defend the town from this evil, but to do it entirely is beyond their power. It is impossible for them to decide, in all cases, even after a rigid examination, that a candidate will be successful in the management of a schoo!. The person may be thorough as a scholar and have ample recommendations, and yet utterly fail in the energy, and good government essential to a well. regulated and profitable school. But this deficiency sometimes can. not be known until it is too late-until the teacher has obtained a certificate of approbation, and has a right to insist on the fulfilment of the contract; and then the committee do not feel authorized to interfere, except in extreme cases. And it is a truth not to be deni. ed or concealed, that many teachers, some of whom are quite acceptable and useful, are nevertheless sadly deficient in their qualifi. cations. If the committee were always to insist that teachers should be fully qualified, in all respects, it would sometimes inconveniently delay the instruction of a school, if not altogether prevent it schools must sometimes go untaught for the want of such teachers. The surest remedy for this deficiency which the committee can suggest, is to provide for the proper qualification of the sons and daughters of our own inhabitants, and then to give them the prefer. ence as teachers. HAVERHILL. One of these obstacles is found in the character of the teachers. The rate of compensation granted to teachers, both male and female, in this town, has thus far been less in general, than could be obtained by the same individuals in other employ. ments, for which no expense of education is necessary to prepare one-which are in themselves equally reputable with school teach. ing, less confining, and by no means more laborious. The inevita. ble consequence has been, that those engaged in the business of in. struction have engaged in that service for a short time only-and that they often fail in two very important particulars,-aptness to teach, and capacity to govern. Furthermore, the character of a teacher in these two particulars is only to be ascertained by experiment. Hence it will sometimes and that too not infrequently occur, that an individual appears well upon his examination before us, and subsequently fails in these very particulars. * SHARON.-It may be a father has a son or a daughter whom he wished to have teach the school; an uncle, a nephew or a niece; or there is a cousin in a neighboring town, who wants the school; or some one in the district sent his scholar to a person, and the scholar learned wonderfully; or the prudential committee has no time to look up a better teacher;-still, when brought before the examining committee, he wishes him to pass, and thus, the son, nephew, or cousin, is palmed upon the district. FRAMINGHAM.-The want of thoroughly-furnished teachers is the great want of our schools. The public demand, in this respect is yearly growing louder, and is more particularly attested by the in. creased liberality with which the labors of competent and skillful teachers are remunerated. HARDWICK.-The ninth and last, but by no means the least defect in our common schools, is the employing of cheap but incompetent teachers. The consequences of such economy are too plain and evident to need description. It is but starving and stinting and dwarfing the youthful mind, for the sake of saving a dollar in the price of the teacher's wages. This is a kind of economy which no wise man adopts in other matters. If a horse is to be shod, or any other work to be done, it must be done by a workman. If a colt is to be broken and traired to the harness, it must be done by a horse. man, well ski led in the business; but any bungler, who will work cheap, will do to teach and train up children. RUTLAND. But the committee are obliged to accede to the uni. versal complaint of a want of able, faithful and devoted teachers. Enterprising and thoroughly educated young men can do better in almost any other kind of business, than in that of teaching. And till teaching in a common school becomes an honorab.e profession, we may despair of our schools being nurseries of vir.ue and of intelligence. FACULTY OF GOVERNMENT NOT TESTED BY EXAMINATION BUT BY TRIAL. SHIRLEY.-It is a fact not to be denied, that teachers have sus tained themselves honorably when examined for approbation to inment, have shown that they were entirely unqualified to perform the struct your schools, who, in consequence of their failure in govern. arduous and responsible duties of a teacher. In view of these considerations, your committee unanimously resolved, that they would, under ordinary circumstances, approbate no persons to instruct your schools, who had previously instructed, unless they could produce satisfactory evidence, that they had succeeded in governing the schools which they had taught, to the satisfaction of their employers. Your committee feel that the more strictly they adhere to this resolution, the more profitable will your schools be to all connected with them. But while they regard an adherence to this resolution as indispensable to the welfare of your schools, still it does not, and cannot reach every case. FEMALE TEACHERS AND SUMMER SCHOOLS. the best interests of learning among us, do not most imperiously re BRIMFIELD. Your committee would respectfully inquire, whether quire a change in the customs of the people on this subject; and whether we shall not be induced to make an effort, the approaching what they should he, nurseries of sound learning, rather than conseason, to raise the character of our summer schools, and make them vert them into mere pastime, or substitute an empty form, for the real substance. We are the more desirous of increasing the number in attendance, and raising their character, as they are uniformly taught by females, who, other things being equal, are, in nine cases out of ten, better adapted to promote the improvement of our children in learning, than teachers of the other sex. Indeed, if more females, of suitable qualifications, should be employed to teach our winter schools, we believe, that, ordinarily, more good might be accomplished and at much less pecuniary expense. The greatest improvement that has been made in any schools in this town, during the past winter, as the committee fully believe, has been in the schools taught by females. RANDOLPH.-The younger boys and all the girls might attend LOWELL. One of the strongest arguments in favor of placing it at once on the most permanent and respectable basis, is, that it may draw to its halls the children of all classes; that it may be the place where the rich and the poor may meet together; where the wall of partition, which now seems raised between them, may be removed; where the kindlier feelings between the children of these classes may be begotten; where the indigent may be excited to emulate the cleanliness, decorum, and mental improvement of those in better cir. cumstances; and where the children of our wealthier citizens will have an opportunity of witnessing and sympathizing, more than they now do, in the wants and privations of their fellows of the same age; where both insensibly forget the distinction which difference of circumstances would otherwise have drawn between them, and where all feel the conscious dignity of receiving their instruction as a right, to which, as the children of citizens, they are entitled, and which cannot be denied them. schools kept by competent females, and thus all might receive the benefit of a longer school term than they now do. Your committee are decidedly of opinion, that female teachers are far the most preferable to be employed in such schools. They are endowed by nature in a much higher degree than males, with those feelings and sympathies requisite for the proper management of younger children of both sexes. An organization of our schools upon this plan would be less expensive than on the present. RUTLAND.-There has been less failure on the part of female teach ers, indeed they have generally excelled, and, in some instances, have taught as good schools as we have ever visited. Three fourths of the pupils could be taught better by them than by our most able male teachers. Let two or more districte unite, according to the provisions of a late statute, and put their first classes under the care of an able male teacher, and provide female instructers for the other classes; and not only would our children be better educated, but there would be a great saving of expense, so that such MEDFORD. Last not least, we come to speak of the High School, compensation could be offered as to secure the most able teachers. ranking probably with the first academies in the commonwealth; GARDNER. As is usually the case, the summer schools have in the pride and hope of its friends; where are developed not the general succeeded better than the winter schools. There is an powers and faculties of the mind only, but the better feelings of the aptness to teach, and a faculty of gaining the good will and affec. heart; a community governed by virtuous principles and kindly tions of children in the female character and disposition, which em- feelings-where profane, vulgar and obscene language is discarded; inently fit them for the successful management of a school. and selfishness, pride, anger, wrath, malice, hatred, revenge and FRAMINGHAM. The idea once so commonly entertained, that any all the baser passions are by law shut out; and forbearance, meekinstructer is good enough for young children, is now exploded, andness, patience, brotherly kindess and love are the acknowledged the conviction is becoming universal, that the twig must be bent principles of action;-a little republic, prescribing its own rules, with no unskilful hand, if the expanded and hardened tree is to be enacting its own laws, judging its own causes, and punishing its rightly inclined. The first, the elementary instruction of the young own offenders;-the teacher, a mere executive officer to enforce mind, is, doubtless, its most important instruction; and errors and the decisions of the majority against the lawless and disobedient faults contracted in the budding season of the mind may continue to of this self-governed and happy community. Such should be the grow and strengthen, without the power of correction, to its highest High School; to such a condition it is rapidly approaching, and to maturity. teacher and pupil we award our unqualified praise. GRADATION OF SCHOOLS. WEST CAMBRIDGE.-The separation of the younger from the older children, and the placing of the former exclusively under female teachers has, we think, contributed much, and will contribute more, to the correct discipline of the schools and the progress of the chil. dren in learning. AMHERST.-They have no doubt at all, that great benefits would be experienced at once by all the pupils in the common schools, from a classification and separation of the older and more advanced, from those who have proceeded but little, if at all, beyond the rudiments of education. No reasoning, and no array of facts, can make this posi. tion plainer than it must appear on its first statement, to every intelligent mind. It is a principle perfectly well settled, and invariably acted upon in all large towns and villages and wherever the numbers in any district are so large as to require a division of the school, while the territory is not so large as to make a division of the district expedient. This town has for many years been divided into eight school dis. tricts. This arrangement enables the inhabitants of all parts of the town to send their children of all ages, to schools within a convenient distance of their several residences. But it should be borne in mind, that while the younger children find it quite as much as they can do, without excessive fatigue, to walk the distances that some are required to do; the older pupils can, with much less inconvenience or injury, travel twice or even three times as far. So that if the present accommodations are not lessened to the younger classes of pupils in the schools, the advantage of a classification of scholars may be obtained, by bringing the older, who are well able to come, from a greater distance. It is obvious, that in this way, the same advantages of classification, substantially, can be reached, as from the division of one school, and the establishment of its two or more branches, in the same building or neighborhood. PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS. GLOUCESTER. That all education beyond the mere rudiments of learning taught in the district schools ought to be confined to the families of a few fortunate citizens, who can afford to send their children out of town to school, is a proposition so aristocratical and justly odious, that it would not be listened to for a moment; yet such is the practical consequence of the neglect, on the part of the town, to provide higher schools. CHARLESTOWN. The design intended to be pursued in these upper schools, is to give all the pupils thorough instruction in all the com. mon branches, and as they are well grounded in these, to give additional instruction in the higher branches. It has been the prevalent mistake of academies and other seminaries, that exclusive attention was paid to the higher branches, to the neglect of the common studies. Our free schools should never fall into so fatal an error; in them the solid foundation of the common studies should be preferred to a superficial overlaying of the sciences. The scholars should be occasionally obliged to review the arithmetic, the geography, the grammar, the spelling and the reading book, as long as they remain under tuition. SOUTHBOROUGH.-We have in our schools a considerable number of scholars, so far advanced that they need a school of a higher grade. The number of different studies already pursued in our common schools, is quite too large. No teacher, in schools so promiscuously assembled as our common schools, can profitably attend to so great a variety of studies The common school is not the proper place for pursuing the higher branches of an English education. Yet our talented and ambitious youth ought to have all the facilities possible for acquiring a finished education, And this ought to be afforded to all classes, without distinction, to the females as well as the males, the poor as well as the rich, the black as well as the white. Hence the cause of education among us, requires a school of a higher order, so arranged as to afford to all our scholars, sufficiently advanced in studies in our common schools, an opportu nity of acquiring at home a thorough English education. Many of our scholars, who would gladly press forward in their studies and rise to very distinguished usefulness, are kept back, and kept down, because they cannot afford the expense of obtaining an education abroad. PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES. WEST NEWBURY.—It is generally believed that academies have done much indirectly to injure the district schools. Now, subscription schools do the same injury on the same principle. The poor cannot well afford to send to subscription schools. In many districts the sentiment is prevailing that they want all the town money for the winter school. Hence in inany distric's there is no school open for the poor, during the best period of the year. Con. sequently if, summer after summer, the children of the poorer fami. lies are kept from school, is there not a strong reason in human na. ture, why these same children will not like to stand side by side in the winter schools, with those whose suinmer advantages in sub. scr.ption schools, because their parents were more able, give the latter children so much pre-eminence? Not to have summer schools of the best character is wholly anti-republican, if not illiberal. RANDOLPH.-The superiority of academies and private schools over our common schools is attained by the better qualifications of their teachers and the manner of their organization; the interest feft both by the teacher and the parents of their pupils, for their efficiency and prosperity, and their independence of any interference by parents with their government and mode of instruction. Were our common schools supplied with teachers of equally good qualifi. cations, their government as free from interference of parents, and their organization reformed, they would be able to compete suc. cessfully with academies and private schools. The great inconvenience which these now suffer, by having children of all ages placed under the same instructer, should be remedied by a separation of the older from the younger. Such an organization would lesson the number of classes, and render their government more simple and easy. And it is believed there are few, if any, districts in the town, which cannot adopt this arrangement, either by themselves, or by two or more of them uniting for the support of a winter school for their male children, who are too old to attend upon the languages were taught. Of course, in order to give any attention, instruction of female teachers. not to say to do any justice to them, the smaller scholars must be neglected. * EXAMINATION OF SCHOOLS BY COMMITTEES. SHARON. While present, [in schools] the object has been, to watch the internal operations of the schools and teachers and their progress, to suggest such alterations and improvements in studies, books and method of teaching, as were deemed necessary. To do this, it has been found necessary, sometimes, to allow the teacher and scholars to proceed in their regular course, at others, to take the labor of hearing the exercises, and at others, to intersperse questions of our own with those of the teacher. FALL RIVER. In our monthly visitation, it has been our practice to inquire into the abuses, wants and deficiencies of the school;-to examine the progress of the scholars, and the discipline of the teachers; to enjoin upon the former obedience, diligence and the principles of sound morality; and upon the latter, fidelity, promptitude and decision; and in all respects, as far as was practicable, to strengthen the hands of the teacher, and to encourage the efforts of the pupils. With the government, order, instruction, progressive improvement and general management and condition of most of the public schools of this town, your committee were well satisfied; and we are quite confident that our schools are taking a position very considerably in advance of what they have held in former years. BOOKS. LINCOLN. The number of books in several of the branches is far too numerous. In the opinion of successive committees, this circumstance operates as a powerful impediment to the general progress. It unnecessarily consumes an undue proportion of the time; it increases the labor of the instructer, without yielding a corresponding advantage; it is a serious inconvenience. All experienced school committees and judicious instructers agree, that uniformity in books is of the greatest importance. And this uniformity cannot be dispensed with, but at the expense of the good of the schools generally. FALL RIVER. The lack of suitable books in a few instances, forms another serious ground of complaint. As well might our artizans be required to build complicated machinery without tools, as our children to acquire education without books. MIDDLEBOROUGH. In consequence of the almost endless variety of school books in present use, scholars have oftentimes been kept at school under great disadvantages. * MEDWAY.-We think it an evil for children to commence the study of history, astronomy, philosophy or chemistry, before they are able to read with fluency and propriety, and are well versed in com. mon arithmetic, grammar and geography. If they pass to the higher branches, before they are sufficiently familiar with the lower, they will not only be embarrassed in their progress by ignorance of principles involved in the subjects of their investigation, and which the student in these branches is supposed to know, but they will be likely still to neglect, through all the future circumstances of life, what they refuse to learn at the proper time. The commit. tee see no good reason why those scholars, who are sufficiently familiar with the lower branches, should not be permitted to advance to the higher; but they find that many, who are not prepared to do this, are inclined to do it, and the indulgence of one in this course,. renders many more desirous of pursuing the same. PRIMARY STudies. WEST CAMBRIDGE.-Far better would it be that even more pains should be taken in future than has been in times past to make the children correct in spelling, intelligent as well as fluent readers, emulous to acquire the beautiful accomplishment of a fair hand-writing, and a ready and thorough knowledge of arithmetic. MIDDLEBOROUGH.-Our teachers have paid too much regard to the higher branches of education, to the neglect of first principles. They have been too eager to study rhetoric, philosophy and the languages, before they have obtained a thorough knowledge of reading and spelling. One very general failing of our teachers, arises from this very deficiency. They have not studied sufficiently, those very branches which they are required to teach. The consequence is, that they cannot thoroughly instruct what they have not been thoroughly instructed in themselves. Reading and spelling should be thoroughly taught in our common schools. They are branches of education, in which every teacher should be competent to instruct The same may be remarked of the first principles of arithmetic, grammar and geography. If a scholar is permitted to come out of the district school, without this foundation laid, he will always suffer by the defect. This every body knows. * * If a scholar leaves the district school a poor reader or a poor speller, he is likely to remain so all the days of his life. He has very little prospect of making up the deficiency any. where else. Some scholars were in the habit of using old, antiquated books, while others were suplied with more modern books. Some scholars were supplied with one author and edition, while another scholarly would be likely to have another author or another edition. Every different kind of books has been for years accumulating in our schools. This great variety, in the opinion of the committee, so far from diminishing, had every prospect of increasing. New books from new authors were constantly appearing, in our schools, and classes, almost as numerous as the scholars themselves, were obliged to be formed to accommodate, not the instructer, but the books. They were unanimous in the opinion, that one regular system of school books might be adopted, with great advantage to the town. It may be proper, also, to notice, that the committee authorized the town treasurer to purchase a certain number of each of the books prescribed, for the use of the town to be sold and accounted for by him. They directed the town treasurer to furnish these books to any scholar in town, desiring to purchase at the cost. This regulation, the committee have the highest confidence, will prove a great benefit to the town. * * TOO MANY STUDIES. DANVERS. We allude to this variety for the purpose of express. ing the opinion, that the course is not the most profitable for the pupils themselves, whose minds are so often turned from one subject to another; and also, that the school, as a whole, is by this means deprived of attention by the teacher to the common branches of study, to which it is equitably entitled. As is to be expected under the circumstances, we are unable to speak as well of the important branch, reading, in this school as in several others; the same is true, to some extent, of the recitations in geography and arithmetic. * * The variety of studies, (we say it to the praise of the school,) the variety of studies was less here [No 13.] than in most districts. We say, too, and perhaps it is a consequence of the fact just stated, that we have no where else found so few poor readers and reciters, -no where else found improvement extended more generally to every pupil, and in every branch of study. LEXINGTON. The scholars applied themselves to their studies, bat the great difficulty seemed to have originated in the multiplicity of the studies to which attention was given. With an average at tendance of thirty, there were twenty five classes. Ancient history, philosophy, chemistry, alg bra, astronomy, and one of the dead CONWAY.-Three or four years since, the committee became deep. impressed with the fact that the fundamental branches of educa. tion, viz. reading and spelling, were quite too much neglected in our schools, and from that time they have been making unwearied ef forts, in connexion with the examination of teachers, and visits to schools, to remedy the evil, and, in most cases, we are happy to say, the e efforts have been highly successful. But, while the spelling book has been more thoroughly and understandingly explored, the attention has not necessarily been confined to the first rudiments; scholars have been encouraged to advance in the acquisition of knowledge, and instead of pursuing the old mode of traversing the same ground, year after year, they have taken up particular studies, and when they have thorougly mastered them, their attention has been directed to some other pursuit; and in this way, many have not only become fair candidates for the higher departments of science, but have been successfully engaged in studies common to our academies and high schools; and, we have noticed with interest, tha: in those schools where the higher branches have received the most attention, the lower have been most fully appreciated and un. derstood. SPELLING. WESTPORT.-The common method of teaching orthography in our schools, is to learn a column or page from the spelling-book, and then have the words put out to them by the teacher and spell for places. The consequence of this is, that, though they may be kept in spelling classes from the time of their earliest combination of letters, up to the time of their leaving school, when they are called upon to write a letter to an absent friend, they will make the most egregious blunders. As we seldom or never have occasion to spell a word in the practical business of life, except it be to write it, we think this will indicate the true method of learning the art. CHARLESTOWN.-Whenever a pupil made a mistake in recitation, he was compelled afterwards to repeat that part of his answer cor rectly. Thus, if a word in spelling was given out, and it should almost go round the class. yet every one who had missed that word was obliged to spell it afterwards as corrected-no matter how much time it might take up. And this is going upon a correct prin. ciple. BRIMFIELD. While other branches may be, and should be, intro. duced, it should, we think, be a settled principle in our common school instruction, that the spelling book should never he abandoned by a scholar, be he ever so far advanced in years, till he is able to spell every word, and give a definition of the same, from "baker," to "ail, to be troubled," and answer understandingly every question from the beginning to the end of the book. To proceed to other branches without being able to master the speiling book, is like building your superstructure without having laid any sort of foun dation. READING. WRITING. RANDOLPH.-Hitherto the practice has generally been for the scholar to take his writing materials and pursue his exercise, wh te the teacher was engaged in hearing recitations, giving no attention to those who were writing, other than mending their pens, and hasty directions how to hold them. Experience proves that in this way, little if any progress will be made in acquiring the art. The immediate supervision of the teacher is as necesary in this, as in any other exercise in the school. It is therefore recommended, that, hereafter, a portion of time, perhaps one hour in a day, or one or WESTPORT-We have been generally impressed with the want two days in the week and in the afternoon, should be exclusively set of intelligence in the reading classes. In some instances, after apart for this exercise: and the remainder of the school be dismisshaving read several pages with all the formality of a school exer-ed, so that the undivided attention of the instructer may be given to cise, they have been, in numerous instances, unable to give any those who are learning to write. account of the subject, upon which they had just been reading. And as the principal object of learning to read, is, either to obtain WESTMINSTER.-One great defect in the course of instruction in knowledge themselves, or to communicate that knowledge to others, neither object is accomplished, when the black and white appear-our schools at the present day, is an almost total neglect of the history of our own country, and of the constitution and government ance of the book is the boundary of the reader's ideas. Imagine the effect upon ourselves, of reading what we do not un- under which we live. The object of education is, to qualify our derstand, for even one week. It would unfit us for any impressive. children for usefulness-for the faithful discharge of those duties ness in either tone or emphasis. But the youth in our schools have which will naturally devolve upon them. Our sons will soon bebeen allowed, from infancy until the time they "finish their educa. come citizens, and be called upon to exercise the highest preroga tion," to read what they have not been required or even expected tive of freemen--the right of suffrage. Being the depositaries of sovereignty, and having the destiny of the republic in their hands, to comprehend. when they arrive at age, they ought to obtain during their minority, a general knowledge of our form of government, the nature and character of our institutions and the duties of citizens. It HISRORY. NEWBURY.-As one of the defects in our schools, the committee think they have witnessed a disposition among some of the older pupils to go beyond their attainments, neglecting things of primary importance for the pursuit of some higher branch of learning. GEOGRAPHY AND BLACKBOARD. has been noticed in some of our schools, that the larger young men LEOMINSTER. It was thought, that a more thorough knowledge were unwilling to belong to a reading and spelling class, choosing to devote all their time to " cyphering," or other higher studies. of arithmetic and geography might be obtained if the scholars Now, in this calculating age, vour committee would not undervalue should be required to explain sums and draw maps. For the pura good knowledge of arithmetic,-it is essential to the education of pose of facilitating this course, blackboards have been introduced every New England young man; but in this age and under a govern. into all the schools where they were not already found. Children ment like ours, where the safety and perpetuity of our institutions have been desired to draw maps either upon the blackboards, slate depend upon general intelligence, the committee feel that an ability or paper, in all the schools. The success in this measure has The schools in town have excelled in this branch to read, understandingly, and with ease, can never be overrated. [been complete. And yet how few of our young men attain to the ability in our schools to read with ease and pleasure to themselves or others! How many on leaving the schools leave their books, and never re. sort to them as a source of enjoyment in after life! It is supposed, that if the art of reading could be more thoroughly taught in our schools, that a far greater number would become reading men, and our community would of consequence become very much more in. telligent. CHARLESTOWN.-It is necessary that the teachers should them. selves be good readers, so that they may teach their pupils to read naturally, intelligibly and with energy. The right culture and com. mand of the voice, so that it may express in the proper intonation and accent, the meaning and spirit of what is to be read, in the same distinct and natural maner as it is uttered forth in conversation, may, under skillful instruction, be easily acquired in early childhood. But if careless habits are then suffered to be formed, if the mere calling out of words in one monotonous tone, in a blundering manner, and without regard to the sense, be then allowed to pass for reading, the child, when grown up, will never be able to master this accom. plishment without great hardship and struggle. The pupils should have pieces assigned to them, adapted to their comprehension, and should often hear them well read by their teacher. After the reading of the lesson, he should often ask familiar questions concerning it, so as to insure their attention to the subject. And such is the course generally pursued in these schools. RowE.--A habit of reading in this low, incoherent and hurried manner, once contracted, is most difficult to overcome, and unless overcome in youth, destroys all chance of the person becoming a good, or even what we may call a decent reader. A person thus reading cannot accent or emphasize a word or part of a sentence, in the least degree; and without this all effect is lost, and, however interesting the subject may be, gives pain rather than pleasure to the hearer. ARITHMETIC. of study. SINGING. CHARLESTOWN.-The beautiful exercise of singing, too, has been generally introduced into these schools, and those who will take the trouble to visit one of them and witness the children, whose countenances are beaming with gladness, joining their pleasant voices in. some appropriate seng, will be convinced that in no better way fluences, combining together, have the effect to render the school. could a portion of the school hours be occupied. These happy in. minds more willing and in a more suitable state to receive inroom a pleasant place of resort to the young, who go there with struction. Singing also has its charms and its improving power here, in the upper school, as in the schools of the lower grade. The board have been inclined to encourage, to a proper degree, the introduc. tion of these new influences. They believe it to be their duty and the duty of the teachers, to do every thing in their power, consistont with the great object of communicating knowledge, to render the school room inviting, and to make it serve in reality to the young as a second home. SWANSEY. As soon as a child can master the putting of sentences together, he should be instructed in the knowledge of numbers. We believe nothing in our schools has been taught worse than arithmetic. Many a teacher, who has been through the book, and, as he will say, can do all the sums, understands nothing as he should, and of course can do nothing to explain the principles of this impor. tant art to his pupils. His practice is to tell the scholar to take his book and go on, and if he finds any sums he cannot perform, he must CHARLESTOWN.-It is in the power of these teachers to communicome to him. He sometimes partially gets the rules, and often not, cate orally much interesting and agreeable information upon various but of the whys and wherefores, he is in the most profound dark-common, though important matters. It is not to be expected that children, from 4 to 8 years of age, will spend all their school hours negs. ORAL INSTRUCTION. |