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1857 


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http://www.archive.org/details/citydocuments5712roxb 


.—No.  12. 


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EXAMINATION 


it})  «f  $U*burg, 


FOE,    THE 


YEAE   1857. 


ROXBURY: 
NORFOLK     COUNTY     JOURNAL    PRESS. 

185  7. 


CITY  OF   ROXBUKY. 


In  School  Committee,  April  28,  1857. 

The  following  Committees  were  appointed  by  the  Chairman,  to  make 
the  Annual  Examination  of  the  Public  Schools  for  the  current  year  : 

High  Schools.  —  Messrs.  Geo.  Putnam  and  Nute. 

Grammar  Schools.  —  Messrs.  Shailer,  Brewer,  A.  P.  Putnam,  Cum- 
mings  and  Farley. 

Primary  and  Intermediate  Schools.  —  Messrs.  Robinson,  Morse,  Seaa'er, 
Pay  and  Allen. 

June  24,  1857. 
The  several  Committees  appointed  to  make  the  Annual  Examination  of 
the  Schools  of  the  City,  presented  their  Reports,  which  were  accepted. 

July  1,  1857. 

Mr.  Ryder,  the  Chairman,  presented  his  general  Report  of  the  condition 
of  the  Schools  of  the  City  for  the  School  Year  of  1856-7,  which  was  ac- 
cepted ;  whereupon,  on  motion  of  Dr.  Nute,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  the  Report  submitted  by  the  Chairman,  together  with  the 
several  Reports  of  the  Examining  Committees,  be  printed  as  the  Report  of 
the  Annual  Examination  of  the  Public  Schools,  and  that  the  same  be  dis- 
tributed among  the  citizens. 

Attest,  A.  I.  CUMMINGS, 

Secretary  of  the  Board. 


REPORT. 


The  School  Committee  of  Roxbury  hereby  submit  to  the 
citizens  their  Report  for  the  year  185G-7. 

NUMBER  OF  SCHOOLS. 

The  whole  number  of  Public  Schools  in  the  City  is  41. 
These  represent  65  Divisions,  and  are  under  the  care  of 
67  Teachers.  Three  of  these  Schools  are  graded  as  High, 
5  as  Grammar,  1  as  Intermediate,  and  32  as  Primary  and 
Sub-Primary.  The  High,  Grammar,  and  Intermediate 
Schools  are  the  same  in  number  as  last  year;  the  Primary 
Schools  have  increased  two  since  our  last  report. 

NUMBER  OE  PUPILS. 

Last  year  our  Public  Schools  contained  2864  pupils. 
This  year  they  contain  3287,  and  they  are  distributed  as 
follows : 

High  Schools,  .         .         .         .  136 

Grammar  Schools,        .         .         .         .         1328 
Primary  and  Intermediate,  .         .  1823 

This  is  for  the  year  a  decrease  of  22  pupils  in  the  High 
Schools,  an  increase  of  158  in  the  Grammar,  and  an  in- 
crease of  287  in  the  Primary  and  Intermediate. 

The  whole  number  of  persons  in  the  City,  between  the 
ages  of  5  and  15,  May  1,  1857,  as  returned  by  the  School 


4  CITY  DOCUMENT.— No.  12.  [May, 

Census,  was  3969 — males  1989,  females  1980;  born  of 
foreign  parents  1796,  foreign  born  323.  Of  these  there 
are 

In  our  Public  Schools,  .         .         .         3287 

Attending  Private  Schools,  .         .  252 

Not  accounted  for,  ...         .  430 

COST  OF  THE  SCHOOLS. 

The  entire  cost  of  the  Schools  to  the  City  for  the  year 
1856-7,  exclusive  of  New  School  Building,  has  been  thirty- 
five  thousand,  six  hundred  and  seventy-seven  dollars, 
seventy-eight  cents.  And  this  money  has  been  paid  out  by 
the  City  Treasurer,  — 

For  Salaries  of  Teachers,  .  .  $24,323.44 

"     Contingent  Expenses,  .  .  5,997.14 

"    Fuel,            .     '    .         .  .  2,282.20 

"    High  School  for  Boys,  .  3,075.00 

NEW  SCHOOL  HOUSE  ON  WINTHROP  STREET. 

The  Primary  School  House  erected  on  Winthrop  Street, 
last  year,  proves  to  be  a  very  suitable  and  substantial 
building,  and  is  satisfactory  to  the  School  Committee.  It 
is  constructed  of  brick,  and  cost  five  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  nine  dollars,  and  sixteen  cents. 

SCHOOL  HOUSE  ON  CENTRE  STREET. 

The  School  House  on  Centre  Street,  near  the  West  Eox- 
bury  line,  —  an  old,  inconveniently  located  and  unsuitable 
building,  —  has  been  sold  by  the  City  Government,  and 
they  are  now  putting  up  a  fine  house  on  Heath  Street, 
which  will  be  ready  for  use  at  the  commencement  of  the, 
September  term. 

SCHOOL  HOUSE  ON  MUNROE  STREET. 

The  loss  by  fire  of  the  School  House  on  Munroe  Street, 
lias  rendered  it  necessary  to  erect  a  new  building  in  that 
locality.     It  is  but  just  to  the  teacher  to  say  that  she  is  in 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  5 

no  way  responsible  for  the  burning  of  the  building,  as  the 
parties  who  set  fire  to  it  have  been  arrested  and  confessed 
their  guilt. 

SUMNER    STREET. 

The  lower  room  of  the  old  School  House  on  Sumner 
Street  is  now  occupied,  temporarily,  by  a  portion  of  the 
Sub-Primary  School  on  Eustis  Street.  The  Committee 
very  much  regretted  the  necessity  of  re-occupying  it,  as  the 
place  is  really  unsuitable ;  and  they  would  not  have  done 
so  could  they  have  done  any  better.  One  hundred  and  six 
pupils  presented  themselves  at  the  Eustis  Street  Sub- 
Primary  School,  and  they  must  be  accommodated  some- 
where ;  and  as  no  other  room  could  be  obtained,  this  was 
necessarily  taken.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Committee  on 
Public  Property  are  arranging  for  the  immediate  enlarge- 
ment of  the  Eustis  Street  Building,  so  that  by  the  Septem- 
ber term  it  is  expected  that  the  Schools  in  that  vicinity 
will  be  well  accommodated. 

DUDLEY   AND   HIGH   SCHOOLS. 

Nothing  has  as  yet  been  done  for  the  better  accommodation 
of  the  Dudley  School.  One  Division  of  it  is  in  the  new  Pri- 
mary School  House  on  Winthrop  Street,  and  two  Divisions 
of  it  are  still  in  the  uncomfortable,  not  to  say  unhealthy 
rooms  of  Octagon  Hall.  The  School  Committee  have  not 
proposed  any  changes  in  school  buildings  for  the  relief  of  the 
Dudley  School,  because  they  have  not  themselves  settled 
upon  the  best  policy  in  the  premises.  Several  topics  are 
involved  in  the  decision  of  this  question.  (1.)  Shall  the 
High  School  for  Girls  be  removed  from  the  Dudley  School 
building  on  Kenilworth  Street,  and  the  entire  premises 
from  Bartlett  Street  to  Kenilworth  be  devoted,  as  hereto- 
fore, to  the  Dudley  School  ?  (2.)  If  this  is  done,  a  build- 
ing must  be  erected  for  the  use  of  the  Girls'  High  School, 
as  there  is  none  now  constructed  suitable  for  that  purpose  : 
but,  (3.)   instead  of  spending  so  much  money  for  the  ac- 


6  CITY  DOCUMENT.— No.  12.  [May, 

coniniodation  of  one  High  School,  would  it  not  be  better 
to  expend  a  little  more,  and  thus  erect  a  building  which 
would  be  sufficiently  ample  to  receive  all  the  High  Schools, 
thus  securing  a  more  thorough  classification,  with  English 
and  Classical  departments,  and  considerably  lessening  the 
cost  of  the  High  Schools,  even  with  the  interest  on  the  pro- 
perty deducted?  The  time  has  fully  come  when  these 
questions  must  be  met,  and  as  the  whole  subject  is  now 
receiving  the  careful  attention  of  the  members  of  the  Board, 
it  is  expected  that  some  plan  will  be  fixed  upon  which  our 
successors  may  be  able  to  carry  out. 

NEW  SCHOOL  HOUSE  ON  TEEMONT  STREET. 

It  will  be  imperatively  necessary  to  erect  next  Spring  a 
building  for  Primary  Schools,  at  some  point  on  Tremont 
Street,  near  the  Eailroad  Station.  The  Schools  adjacent 
to  this  locality  are  full  to  overflowing.  To  relieve  the 
pressure  in  that  neighborhood,  a  new  Division  was  organ- 
ized last  year,  and  placed  in  a  room  over  Mr.  Worthen's 
Grocery  Store,  on  Washington  Street,  opposite  Hollis 
Place,  that  being  the  only  room  at  all  suitable  that  could 
be  obtained.  Of  the  58  pupils  now  in  that  Division,  all 
but  two  reside  on  Tremont  Street,  or  in  the  places  leading- 
out  of  it.  No  portion  of  the  City  is  so  poorly  provided 
with  school  buildings  as  this.  Ward  III.  contains  1124 
children  between  the  ages  of  5  and  15,  and  818  under  five 
years  of  age.  Some  three  hundred  of  this  number  —  four 
or  six  Divisions  —  can  best  be  accommodated  near  the 
point  mentioned  above. 

SINGLE   SESSIONS. 

The  importance  of  some  rule  in  regard  to  single  ses- 
sions of  the  Schools,  on  what  are  called  stormy  days,  has 
been  often  urged  upon  the  notice  of  the  Committee  during 
the    year,  both   by  teachers  and  parents.      The  printed 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  7 

Regulations  of  the  School  Committee  require  that  "  The 
Schools  shall  be  kept  three  hours  in  the  forenoon,  and 
three  in  the  afternoon  of  each  day,  Sundays  and  the  holi- 
days and  vacations  hereinafter  specified  excepted.  "  (The 
Girls'  High  School  is  also  excepted.)  Chap.  3,  Sect.  2,  p. 
17.  It  has  however  become  customary,  especially  among 
the  Primary  and  Girls'  Grammar  School  teachers,  to  keep 
on  stormy  days  but  one  session  per  day,  and  to  make  up 
for  the  time  so  lost,  to  detain  the  pupils  in  the  morning- 
one  or  two  hours  beyond  the  time  for  dismissing  the 
school.  The  Committee  have  not  thought  it  proper  to 
object  to  this  custom,  inasmuch  as  they  are  fully  aware 
that  there  are  days,  both  in  warm  and  cold  weather,  when 
one  session  of  the  Primary  Schools  and  Grammar  Schools 
for  Girls,  would  be  better  than  two.  They  think  it  impor- 
tant, however,  that  there  should  be  more  uniformity  as  to 
the  practice  of  single  sessions,  and  it  is  but  reasonable 
.  that  the  teachers  should  desire  to  know  what  the  pleasure 
of  the  Committee  is  upon  the  subject.  First  of -all,  it  is  of 
course  expected  that  the  teachers  will  conform,  as  far 
forth  as  is  practicable,  to  the  letter  of  the  Regulation  of 
the  Committee ;  but  in  case  of  a  very  stormy  day,  when, 
in  the  judgment  of  the  teachers,  it  would  be  improper  for 
the  children  to  come  out,  and  when  they  would  not  be 
likely  to  leave  their  homes  if  they  did  not  attend  school, 
the  teachers  are  authorized  so  far  to  depart  from  the  letter 
of  the  Regulation,  as  to  keep  but  one  session.  But  in  such 
case  the  teachers  are  directed  not  to-  detain  their  pupils 
beyond  the  regular  school  hours.  Three  hours  is  long 
enough  for  one  session,  especially  of  a  Primary  School  ; 
the  scholars  will  learn  little  or  nothing  beyond  the  hour 
for  closing,  and  had  better  return  to  their  homes,  ready  to 
perform  any  useful  service  which  may  be  required  of  them 
there. 


8  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

TREES. 
Most  of  the  trees  planted  about  the  school  buildings 
last  year  by  the  City  Council,  have  lived,  and  are  growing 
finely.     It  is  hoped  that,  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  those 
which  have  died  will  be  replaced  by  live  ones. 

SCHOOL    BUILDINGS  OCCUPIED   BY  SEWING  CIRCLES,  SUN- 
DAY SCHOOLS,  ETC. 

Some  of  the  teachers  have  reported  to  the  members  of 
the  Committee,  that  their  school-houses  are  occupied  on 
Wednesday  or  Saturday  afternoons,  or  on  Sundays,  by  Sew- 
ing Circles,  Sunday  Schools,  etc.,  which,  they  complain,  is 
attended  with  inconvenience  and  trouble  to  them,  in  disar- 
ranging the  school-rooms,  soiling  the  floors,  and  hindering 
the  sweepers  in  the  performance  of  their  duties.  Applica- 
tion for  one  other  of  the  Primary  School  buildings  for  a 
similar  purpose,  has  recently  been  made  to  the  local  Com- 
mittee and  chairman,  which  was  not  granted,  on  the  ground 
that  it  is  inexpedient  to  permit  the  public  school  buildings 
to  be  used  for  other  than  public  school  purposes,  if  indeed 
the  Committee  have  any  authority  to  grant  their  use  for 
any  other  object.  Such  a  decision,  while  it  exposes  the 
Committee  to  the  charge  of  partiality,  does  not  remove  the 
difficulties,  already  existing,  against  which  complaints  are 
made. 

It  does  not  appear,  from  the  records  of  the  School  Com- 
mittee, that  the  Board  has  ever  granted  to  any  one  the  use 
of  one  of  the  public  school  buildings  for  a  Sewing  Circle, 
Sunday  School,  or  for  any  similar  purpose.  On  the  con- 
trary, March  14,  1855,  a  petition  was  presented  to  the 
Board,  signed  by  influential  citizens  of  various  sects  and 
parties,  asking  that  the  hall  in  one  of  our  Grammar  School 
buildings  "  may  be  used  and  occupied  for  the  purpose  of  a 
Sabbath  School,  and  other  religious  exercises,  on  the  Sab- 
bath ;"  whereupon  it  was  voted,  that  "  it  is  not  expedient  to 
grant  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners."  Those  now  occupying 
the  public  school  buildings  for  such  purposes,  have  done  so 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  9 

by  sufferance  rather  than  by  direct  authority  of  the  Board 
of  School  Committee.  Who  is  answerable  for  the  use  of 
fuel  in  cold  weather  necessary  to  keep  the  buildings  warm, 
for  the  greater  exposure  of  the  buildings  to  fire,  and  for  the 
additional  labor  of  keeping  the  buildings  clean,  we  are  un- 
able to  state.  At  any  rate,  the  evil  has  become  sufficient- 
ly serious  and  troublesome  to  require  attention,  and  while 
the  Committee  regret  the  interference  with  the  benevolent 
labors  of  certain  persons  which  this  decision  will  occasion, 
they  feel  called  upon  to  give  notice  that  those  now  occu- 
pying the  School  buildings,  for  other  than  public  school 
purposes,  are  requested  to  vacate  them  on  or  before  the 
first  day  of  December  next. 

MONITORS. 

There  seems  to  be  a  growing  dislike  to  the  use  of  Mon- 
itors in  our  schools.  Parents  complain  that  they  do  not 
wish  their  children  to  serve  as  monitors,  or  be  reported  by 
them.  Doubtless  there  are  objections  to  the  system,  and 
our  teachers  are  desired  to  employ  monitors  in  the  govern- 
ment of  their  schools  as  seldom  as  possible ;  but  in  a  school 
organized  like  the  Washington,  where  there  are  three 
Divisions  in  each  of  the  two  large  rooms,  two  of  the  teach- 
ers of  which  must  necessarily  be  most  of  the  time  in  the 
recitation  rooms  attending  to  the  lessons,  it  must  be  nearly 
impossible,  without  additional  teachers,  to  dispense  with 
monitors  altogether.  If  the  City  Government  shall  see  fit 
to  alter  the  interior  of  the  Washington  School  House,  so 
that  each  Division  shall  have  a  separate  room,  according 
to  a  plan  which  has  been  presented  them,  and  at  a  saving 
of  some  $400  per  annum,  by  dispensing  with  the  services  of 
a  male  assistant,  this  objection,  in  regard  to  the  absence 
of  the  teachers  from  the  main  rooms,  will  be  removed. 

The  Committee  of  course  expect  the  teachers  to  do  the 
governing,  and  do  not  wish  them  to  call  the  pupils  to  their 
aid  except  where  it  is  absolutely  necessary. 
2 


10  CITY  DOCUMENT.— No.  12.  [May, 

REPORTS  OF  EXAMINING  COMMITTEES.  —  GEOGRAPHY. 

The  reports  of  the  Examining  Committees,  which  accom- 
pany these  remarks,  contain  a  somewhat  minute  statement 
of  the  condition  of  the  several  schools.  These  reports  are 
in  general  very  favorable,  and  reflect  credit  upon  the  con- 
tinued faithfulness  and  industry  of  the  teachers.  Geogra- 
phy is  less  favorably  spoken  of  than  any  other  study. 
This  is  an  important  branch  of  a  practical  education,  and 
special  effort  will  be  made  to  remedy  the  defect,  if  such, 
upon  further  examination,  it  shall  prove  to  be.  Geogra- 
phy is,  however,  contrary  to  the  general  estimate,  a  hard 
study  to  teach,  unless  the  instructor  be  thoroughly  familiar 
with  it,  and  has  the  ability  orally  to  communicate  her 
knowledge  to  her  pupils.  Arithmetic  must  be  understood 
by  the  pupil,  or  he  cannot  proceed :  so  with  Grammar ; 
the  teacher  is  constantly  reminded  that  the  pupil  does  not 
understand  the  subject ;  but  in  Geography,  where  so  much 
may  depend  upon  the  memory,  it  is  possible  for  him  to  go 
on  with  a  considerable  show  of  knowledge,  with  a  very 
confused  idea  of  the  "  description  of  the  surface  of  the 
earth."  Geography,  as  it  is  generally  taught,  and  as  the 
text-book  makers  appear  to  have  intended  it  should  be 
taught,  is  almost  entirely  a  matter  of  memory.  For  which 
reason  the  danger  is,  that  teachers  may  too  fully  rely  upon 
the  answers  to  the  questions  which  are  given  in  the  book. 
There  are  numerous  questions  in  Mitchell's  School  Geog- 
raphy, under  the  head  of  Geographical  Definitions,  which 
require  at  the  hands  of  the  teacher  the  most  careful  expla- 
nation, often  repeated  and  tested,  which  questions  must  be 
understood  by  the  pupils  before  Geography  can  be  profit- 
ably taught  them.  Of  this  class  are  those  which  relate 
to  the  general  arrangement  of  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
its  divisions  into  land  and  water,  and  their  various  sub- 
divisions ;  the  form  of  the  earth,  the  methods  for  fixing 
locality  —  latitude  and  longitude  ;  how  distance  is  measured, 
circles,  degrees,  &c.     None  of  these  things  can  be  taught 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  11 

children  by  definitions  alone.  The  definitions  may  contain 
the  idea,  -which  the  teacher  perceives  clearly  enough ;  but 
the  pupil,  in  committing  them,  will  get  nothing  but  the 
words.  It  is  the  business  of  the  teacher  to  put  the  idea 
into  the  words  —  to  explain,  illustrate  and  enforce  the 
definition.  Thus  broadly  viewed,  our  text-book  in  Geogra- 
phy is  not  very  faulty ;  but  upon  the  memorizing  plan  much 
of  the  time  given  to  Political  Divisions,  Races  of  Men, 
Stages  of  Society,  Government,  Religion,  Languages,  and 
the  twenty-five  pages  of  very  hard  Map  questions  which 
follow,  will  be  spent  to  small  profit. 

There  is  also  danger  of  giving  too  much  time  to  minute 
details,  in  attempting  to  have  the  pupils  remember  compar- 
atively unimportant  things,  such  as  the  names  and  location 
of  places  on  the  map,  of  which  places  very  few  in  this  part 
of  the  world  have  ever  even  heard,  after  leaving  the  school 
room,  if  indeed  many  ever  heard  of  them  in  it.  Of  what 
practical  importance  are  such  questions  as  these  to  the 
boys  and  girls  who  live  in  the  United  States  ?  What  river 
flows  through  Little  Bokhara  ?  What  island  east  of  Mant- 
chooria  ?  What  countries  in  Anam  ?  What  country  north 
of  Anam  ?  Which  are  the  five  principal  Oases  in  the  Great 
Desert  ?  Which  are  the  Mascarenha  islands  ?  What  is  the 
capital  of  Foota  Jallon  ?  Of  Ashantee  ?  Of  Kaarta  ?  Of 
Dahomey  ?  Of  Bambarra  ?  Of  Yarriba  ?  Of  Bergoo  ?  etc. 
If  the  pupils  shall  succeed  in  finding  out  the  answers  to 
these  questions,  and  in  committing  them  to  memory,  it  is 
not  possible  that  they  should  hold  them  long.  For  this 
reason  our  teachers  are  advised  to  pass  over,  as  they  gene- 
rally do,  such  difficult  and  needlessly  minute  questions,  and 
give  their  attention  chiefly  to  the  leading  topics  of  the 
science,  and  to  the  more  practical  bearings  of  it.  Schools 
so  taught  may  not  pass  as  good  an  examination,  —  be  so 
ready  in  their  replies  to  set  questions  selected  from  the 
text-book,  —  but  they  must  have,  if  their  teachers  are 
equally  competent  and  industrious,  a  better  knowledge  of 


12  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

the  general  subject  of  Geography,  than  if  their  minds  had 
been  strained  and  confused  by  such  profitless  details. 

Slow  and  sure  is  a  safe  rule  in  the  school-room  as  well 
as  elsewhere.  Teachers  are  very  apt  to  overvalue  the 
ability  of  their  pupils :  they  are  young  —  boys  and  girls  — 
they  will  be  men  and  women  by  and  by,  if  we  give  them 
time  to  grow.  Our  schools  are  organized,  not  to  teach 
words  but  ideas ;  not  to  fill  the  mind,  but  to  develope  it. 

From  nothing  said  in  any  portion  of  these  remarks,  or 
in  the  Reports  which  accompany  it,  should  it  be  inferred 
that  our  Schools  are  below  those  in  any  town  or  city  in 
the  Commonwealth.  The  Public  Schools  of  Roxbury  will 
bear  criticism :  our  teachers  are,  as  a  body,  industrious, 
energetic,  capable,  —  of  which  they  have  given  renewed 
evidence  in  the  results  of  the  late  annual  examination. 
From  a  personal  acquaintance  with  the  teachers,  and  with 
some  knowledge  of  what  each  has  done  during  the  year, 
as  well  as  the  degree  of  fidelity  with  which  the  Sub-Com- 
mittees of  this  Board  have  attended  to  the  duties  assigned 
them,  we  take  great  pleasure  in  reassuring  our  fellow  citi- 
zens that  our  Public  Schools  are  doing  a  good  work  for 
our  City,  and  that  they  promise  well  for  the  future. 

W.  H.  RYDER, 

Chairman  of  School  Committee. 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  13 


HIGH  SCHOOLS. 

G.  PUTNAM,  )  n 

T    E,    NUTE    \ Commtiiee- 

The  Examiner  of  the  High  School  for  Boys  reports,  that 
the  exercises,  which  he  attended  in  the  upper  Divisions, 
were  highly  satisfactory,  and  that  the  present  condition  of 
that  portion  of  the  school  is  such  as  to  maintain  the  well- 
established  reputation  of  the  institution ;  and  that,  if  the 
appearance  of  the  lowest  Division  is  in  some  respects 
slightly  less  gratifying,  it  is  owing  to  causes  of  a  tempo- 
rary character.  He  thinks  the  school  worthy  of  all  the 
confidence  it  has  hitherto  enjoyed. 

The  Examiner  of  the  Girls'  School  reports,  »that  the 
recitations  were  in  many  instances  excellent,  and  in  some 
imperfect  —  in  a  few  instances,  failures;  that  there  is  good 
evidence  of  a  healthy  intellectual  and  moral  tone  through- 
out the  school,  and  of  a  broad  and  generous  culture. 
The  school  seemed  to  make  an  honest  exhibition  of  its 
merits  and  defects,  the  former  preponderating.  The  lower 
Division,  on  account  of  many  of  its  members  having  been 
imperfectly  fitted  to  enter  school,  has  necessarily  been 
occupied,  through  a  great  part  of  the  year,  with  studies 
that  should  have  been  completed  in  the  Grammar  schools. 
In  this  Division,  however,  there  is  a  fine  spirit  of  mental 
activity  prevailing,  and  much  evidence  of  efficient  progress 
and  a  well-spent  year. 

We  abstain  from  more  extended  remarks  on  the  state 
of  these  schools,  because,  on  referring  to  the  Report  of  last 
year,  we  find  a  very  complete  and  faithful  account  of  them, 
which  really  covers  the  whole  ground,  and  which  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  repeat  so  soon.  There  has  been  no  mate- 
rial change  in  the  condition  or  numbers  of  these  schools 
since  the  elate  of  that  report.     The  teachers,  with  one  ex- 


14  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

ception,  are  all  the  same ;  the  studies  the  same ;  the  statis- 
tics nearly  the  same. 

The  Committee  will  take  the  liberty  to  remark,  that,  in 
their  opinion,  the  standard  of  admission  to  these  schools, 
though  high  enough  according  to  the  printed  rules,  is,  prac- 
tically, put  too  low.  The  work  that  properly  belongs  to 
the  Grammar  School  has  to  be  done  here.  Many  pupils 
are  admitted  who  are  by  no  means  qualified  to  enter  upon 
the  proper  studies  of  a  High  School.  The  error  should 
be  corrected  by  more  strict  examinations  in  future.  The 
High  Schools  should  be  devoted,  strictly  and  only,  to  High 
School  studies.  Whatever  reduction  of  numbers  might 
follow,  this  principle,  we  are  confident,  ought  to  be  firmly 
adhered  to.  The  Grammar  Schools  should  be  permitted 
and  required  to  accomplish  their  own  appropriate  work. 
Grammar-  School  studies  should  be  completed  there ;  and 
then,  the  few  who  have  time  remaining  for  further  study, 
are  the  subjects,  and  the  only  legitimate  subjects  of  High 
School  instruction.  Necessaries  before  luxuries.  Read- 
ing, Writing,  Arithmetic  and  Grammar  first;  and  then,  if 
there  be  time,  Algebra,  Geometry,  Philosophy,  French, 
Latin,  Botany,  etc.  We  must  renounce  the  pride  of  num- 
bers in  relation  to  our  High  Schools.  If,  instead  of  a 
hundred  and  fifty,  there  are  only  half  that  number  qualified 
to  be  members  of  them,  let  us  honestly  confess  it,  and  let 
the  public  see  the  fact ;  and  then  let  us  see  what  we  can 
do,  through  the  greater  efficiency  of  the  Grammar  Schools 
and  otherwise,  to  increase  the  number.  [Upon  the  princi- 
ple here  recommended,  we  think  the  Girls'  School,  the 
next  year,  would  not  exceed  fifty  in  number,  and  that  it 
might  be  well  accommodated  in  the  upper  room  alone, 
leaving  the  lower  room  for  the  use  of  the  Dudley  School.] 

The  Latin  School  is  not  under  the  control  of  this  Board ; 
one  of  this  Committee  has,  however,  taken  occasion  lately 
to  visit  it.  It  is  free  and  public,  like  all  our  schools.  Its 
business  is  to  prepare  boys  for  College.     It  may  interest 


1857.]  SCHOOL   EXAMINATION.  15 

a  portion  of  our  citizens  to  know  that,  in  our  opinion,  it  is 
in  all  respects  a  first-rate  school  of  its  class ;  and  that 
better  instruction  of  its  kind  is  not  to  be  obtained  in  any 
school,  public  or  private,  in  Massachusetts. 

The  Committee  have  been  led,  in  the  performance  of 
the  duties  assigned  to  them,  to  give  some  attention  to  the 
subject,  lately  broached,  of  the  consolidation  of  our  High 
Schools.  They,  however,  abstain  from  any  expression  of 
opinion  at  present,  as  that  matter  has  been  confided  to  a 
Special  Committee. 


GRAMMAR  SCHOOLS. 

The  Committee  to  whom  was  assigned  the  Annual  Ex- 
amination of  the  Grammar  Schools,  respectfully  submit  the 
following  Report : 

Our  Grammer  Schools  are  five  in  number  —  the  Wash- 
ington and  Dearborn  for  Boys ;  the  Dudley  and  Comins 
for  Girls ;  and  the  Francis  Street  School  of  one  Division 
for  Boys  and  Girls. 

Although  within  a  very  few  years  two  new  buildings 
have  been  erected  for  Grammar  Schools,  we  have  yet 
insufficient  accommodations.  The  Dudley  School  needs 
immediately  additional  room  for  two  hundred  pupils,  more 
than  can  now  be  accommodated  in  the  building  which  the 
City  appropriates  to  it.  For  the  present,  one  Division 
occupies  a  room  in  a  Primary  School  House,  at  considera- 
ble distance  from  the  school,  and  a  room  which  may  be 
needed  in  the  Fall  for  the  Primary  School;  and  two  Divi- 
sions occupy  a  hired  building,  which  is  in  every  respect 
ill-suited.  There  will  be  still  another  Division  for  the 
school  at  the  beginning  of  the  Fall  term,  which  suggests 
the  absolute  necessity  of  immediate  measures  to  supply 
the  deficiency. 


16  CITY  DOCUMENT.—  No.  12.  [May, 

Your  Committee  are  fully  convinced  of  the  wisdom  of 
putting  the  Girls'  schools  under  the  charge  of  female 
Principals.  By  careful  observation,  to  compare  them  with 
the  Boys'  schools,  they  find  them  to  bear  the  same  high 
relative  standing  as  when  they  were  under  the  charge  of  a 
male  Principal. 

For  the  purpose  of  having  all  of  the  schools  pass  under 
the  examination  of  each  of  the  members  of  the  Committee, 
the  studies  pursued  were  divided  into  four  departments,  to 
correspond  with  the  number  of  the  Committee. 

THE   DEPARTMENT  OE  READING,  SPELLING,  DEFINING, 
AND    DRAWING. 

There  is  little  to  be  said  except  in  commendation  of  the 
Reading  in  the  several  schools. 

Obviously,  careful  attention  had  been  given  to  the  first 
principles  of  good  Reading,  and  the  many  examples  of  ex- 
cellent reading  gave  evidence  of  intelligent  and  accurate 
instruction  in  this  branch  of  study.  Perhaps  a  word  should 
be  said  in  commendation  of  the  increased  attention  which 
has  been  given  to  exercises  in  "  Yocal  Drill,"  which  may 
have  contributed  to  the  more  distinct  enunciation  of  all 
the  syllables  and  obscure  parts  of  words.  In  this  exer- 
cise the  teachers  have  been  essentially  aided  by  the  assist- 
ance of  Mr.  D.  S.  Smalley,  who  has  to  some  extent  been 
employed  in  our  schools. 

With  the  Spelling,  so  much  satisfaction  cannot  be  ex- 
pressed. There  were  certainly  too  many  errors  in  a  large 
number  of  the  classes,  —  in  several  amounting  to  fifty  per 
cent,  of  the  words,  both  from  the  reading  lesson  and  the 
spelling  book. 

This  large  per  centagc  was  confined  to  the  lower  classes. 
But  the  failures  in  Spelling  were  too  many  in  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  Divisions.  Possibly  the  Spelling-book  is  not 
sufficiently  prominent.  It  should  be  the  aim  of  our  Gram- 
mar Schools  to  make  perfect  spellers.     The  Committee 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  17 

feel  bound  to  insist  upon  the  eminent  importance  of  Spell- 
ing. They  commend  the  practice  of  writing  Spelling  les- 
sons, which  was  observed  to  some  extent,  and  they  would 
also  commend  any  other  good  appliance  of  the  teachers, 
which  will  tend  to  give  the  very  desirable  result. 

The  Denning  of  words,  practiced  in  the  higher  Divisions? 
was  very  satisfactory.  Perhaps  it  should  be  introduced 
into  more  of  the  Divisions.  Scholars,  as  soon  as  they  read 
words  readily,  ought  to  give  attention  to  their  definition. 
It  should  be  an  exaction  of  the  teachers,  till  it  becomes 
the  habit  of  scholars,  not  to  pass  words  in  any  of  their  les- 
sons which  they  cannot  define. 

Some  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  first  principles  of 
Drawing,  under  the  thorough  instruction  of  Mr.  Bartholo- 
mew. And  it  has  obviously  been  a  profitable  exercise. 
Not  that  our  Grammar  School  scholars  have  acquired 
much  skill  in  Drawing ;  but  its  beneficial  effects  are  seen 
in  the  Penmanship,  in  the  habit  of  accurate  observation, 
in  the  just  notions  of  proportions  and  relations,  as  well  as 
in  the  ability  to  sketch  the  outlines  of  objects  according  to 
some  orderly  method.  It  is  surely  an  exercise  of  much 
utility,  and  should  have  its  proper  place  in  our  schools. 

J.  S.  SHAILER, 

For  the  Committee. 


GRAMMAR,   WRITING  AND   COMPOSITION. 

The  examination  in  these  branches  occupied  five  half- 
days,  and  was  generally  satisfactory.  There  is,  however, 
a  very  marked  difference,  in  both  the  manner  of  teaching, 
and  the  degree  of  proficiency  and  interest  in  the  several 
schools,  as  well  as  in  different  divisions  of  the  same  school. 
In  Grammar,  especially,  those  schools  composed  of  Girls 
rank  highest,  as  a  whole.  This,  in  our  judgment,  is  gene- 
rally true,  while,  in  some  other  branches  of  study,  boys 
3 


18  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

generally  excel.  Among  the  teachers  we  find,  as  is  ever 
the  case,  that  some  have  not  only  a  particular  love  for  and 
interest  in,  but  also  peculiarly  felicitous  methods  of  teach- 
ing Grammar,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  give  to  the  pupil  a 
clear  knowledge  of,  and  a  love  for,  language  in  its  pure 
and  elegant  formation.  Others  have  a  love  for  Mathe- 
matics, or  some  other  branch  of  science,  and  consequently 
are  liable  to  neglect,  to  some  extent,  at  least,  Grammar, 
or  other  branches  of  study. 

Another  general  point  to  which  we  should,  perhaps, 
refer,  is  that  of  Text  Books.  One  class  in  the  Washing- 
ton School,  (the  1st  Class,  4th  Division,)  commenced  with 
Tower's  Elements  of  Grammar.  They  have  been  only 
eight  weeks  engaged  in  the  study,  and  have  had  but  two 
lessons  per  week ;  and  yet,  in  our  judgment,  this  class,  of 
twenty-four  pupils,  have  made  more  actual  progress  in  ac- 
quiring a  knowledge  of  the  composition  of  language,  pro- 
portionally, than  any  other  class  in  any  of  the  schools. 

Analysis  in  Grammar  is  as  necessary  to  a  thorough 
comprehension  of  the  elements  of  any  language,  as  in  Math- 
ematics, or  any  other  branch  of  science.  Butler's  Grammar 
is,  in  many  respects,  a  very  excellent  work,  but  is  better  fit- 
ted to  be  useful  to  advanced  classes  than  to  those  who  are 
commencing  the  study.  Too  little  time  is,  in  our  opinion, 
given,  in  many  of  the  Divisions,  to  the  study  of  this  impor- 
tant branch.  The  lessons  are  thereby  rendered  so  infre- 
quent, as  to  cause  the  pupil  to  forget,  in  a  measure,  at  least, 
what  he  has  previously  learned,  and  also  to  cause  him  to 
lose,  to  a  great  extent,  his  interest  in  the  study.  One 
lesson  each  day,  at  least,  it  would  seem,  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary to  a  good  degree  of  progress,  especially  for  those 
commencing  the  study;  and  if  sufficient  time  for  this  cannot 
be  allowed,  it  is  better  to  postpone  the  study  to  a  future 
time,  when  it  can  be  allowed. 

The  comparative  standing  in  Grammar,  of  those  schools 
which  are  composed  of  pupils  of  one  sex  only,  and  which 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  19 

are  graded,  are,  1st,  the  Dudley;  2d,  the  Comins;  3d,  the 
Dearborn ;  and  4th,  the  Washington.  In  this  comparison, 
the  above  schools  are  each  taken  as  a  whole,  and  not  by 
Divisions.  It  is  but  justice  to  say,  in  relation  to  the. 
"Washington,  that  some  of  the  Divisions  —  especially  the 
First  —  bore  an  excellent  examination ;  but  the  Second 
Division  was  comparatively  the  least  worthy  of  compli- 
ment of  any  Division  examined  in  any  of  the  schools.  A 
change  of  teachers  may  have  been,  to  some  extent,  the 
cause  of  this ;  but  apart  from  the  comparative  duluess  of 
most  of  the  pupils,  the  order  was  very  deficient  and  unsat- 
isfactory. Your  Committee  has  the  highest  confidence  in 
the  excellent  Principal  of  this  school,  Mr.  Kneeland;  and 
his  labors  and  interest,  as  well  as  his  indefatigable  indus- 
try for  the  good  of  the  pupils,  were  rendered  very  appa- 
rent by  the  examinations. 

The  Dudley  School,  as  usual,  appeared  remarkably  well, 
and  never  was  it  more  evident  to  us  that  Miss  Adeline 
Seaver,  the  Principal,  is  worthy  of  our  highest  confidence 
and  esteem,  than  during  this  examination.  Long  may  the 
pupils  of  that  school  enjoy  her  instruction,  and  her  kind 
regard  for  their  welfare,  heretofore  so  valuable. 

All  the  classes  in  this  school  appeared  to  have  made 
excellent  improvement,  and  their  thoroughness  and  readi- 
ness in  answering  questions,  gave  ample  evidence  that  the 
labors  of  their  teachers  had  not  been  in  vain  to  them. 

The  Comins  School,  under  the  care  of  Miss  Sarah  A.  M. 
dishing,  we  are  happy  to  say,  bore  an  excellent  examina- 
tion as  a  whole.  The  pupils  in  the  First  Division  are,  on 
an  average,  younger  than  those  of  the  Dudley.  The  first 
class  of  the  First  Division  consists  of  only  seven  in  this 
branch,  but  they  were  found  to  be  fully  equal  to  the  aver- 
age of  the  same  class  in  the  Dudley  School.  Miss  Cush- 
ing  has  labored  hard  and  successfully,  and  is  worthy  of 
high  commendation  and  the  full  confidence  of  the  Board. 
The  other  teachers  in  this  school  have  been  successful  in 


20  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

their  labors  for  the  advancement  of  their  pupils,  at  least  in 
the  department  of  Grammar. 

The  Dearborn  School,  which,  as  a  whole,  stands,  in  our 
opinion,  next  to  the  female  schools,  bore  a  very  good  ex- 
amination in  all  its  Divisions.  Mr.  Long,  the  Principal, 
has  for  some  time  felt  the  need  of  an  Assistant,  to  enable 
him  to  give  more  time  to  the  other  Divisions  under  his 
care,  and  for  the  welfare  of  which  he  is,  to  a  great  degree, 
held  responsible,  and  we  are  not  sure  that  an  Assistant 
may  not  profitably  be  employed  in  this  school.  Having 
the  entire  charge  of  the  First  Division,  the  Principal  can- 
not judiciously  leave  his  pupils  often,  or  for  any  length  of 
time,  and  if  he  does  so,  it  must  be  to  the  detriment  of  his 
Division  necessarily.  We  suggest  to  the  Board  the  expe- 
diency of  providing  an  Assistant  for  the  Principal  in  this 
school.  The  examination  revealed  a  good  degree  of  im- 
provement in  the  several  Divisions,  and,  as  a  whole,  in  this 
branch  of  science ;  and  we  believe  the  Principal  and 
teachers  are  doing  a  good  work,  and  commend  them 
accordingly. 

As  regards  the  Washington  School,  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  it  is  but  justice  to  the  Principal,  and  female  As- 
sistants, to  say  that  they  have  been  indefatigable  in  their 
labors,  and  were  the  Second  Division  as  well  regulated, 
and  as  good  in  proportion  as  the  others,  it  would,  as  a 
whole,  rank  fully  with  the  Dearborn  in  Grammar. 

The  Francis  Street  School  is  the  only  mixed  school  in 
the  City ;  and  if  the  members  of  the  Board  will  visit,  and 
examine  thoroughly  that  school,  we  think  they  will  find 
there  a  strong  argument  for  mixed  schools.  More  emula- 
tion exists  among  the  pupils  of  that  school  than  we  have 
been  accustomed  to  find  in  most  of  the  Divisions  of  the 
other  Grammar  Schools  of  the  City.  The  influence  exert- 
ed by  the  sexes  upon  each  other,  are,  in  our  opinion,  in 
many  ways  salutary.  In  the  first  place,  a  strong  desire  is 
manifested  by  the  pupils  to   answer  the  questions  of  the 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  21 

Examiner  correctly,  that  their  blunders  or  failure  may  not 
subject  them  to  the  criticisms  or  the  mortification  of  a 
triumph  over  them  by  those  especially  of  the  opposite  sex : 
thus  rendering  them  more  careful  to  answer  correctly. 
Again,  in  point  of  deportment :  this  school  excels  in  the 
respectful  and  kind  manner  in  which  the  pupils  conduct 
themselves  towards  each  other  and  towards  their  teacher. 
We  might  enumerate  other  points  of  interest  observed, 
arising  from  the  associating  of  the  sexes,  but  have  not 
room  to  spare  in  this  Report.  The  teacher  of  this  school 
is,  in  our  opinion,  admirably  adapted  to  the  place  she  oc- 
cupies, and  the  intelligence  and  general  praiseworthy  con- 
duct of  the  pupils  give  ample  evidence  of  the  value  of  her 
labors,  and  especially  in  the  department  of  Grammar. 

The  whole  number  of  pupils  in  all  the  Grammar  Schools 
engaged  in  studying  this  branch,  (Grammar,)  is  Jive  hundred 
and  six ;  distributed  as  follows,  viz.:  in  the  Dudley  130, 
Dearborn  124,  Comins  59,  Washington  169,  and  in  the 
Francis  Street  24. 

As  a  whole,  the  schools  have  made  commendable  pro- 
gress in  this  branch.  The  knowledge  of  the  pupils  seems 
to  be  thorough  and  practical,  so  far  as  they  have  advanced, 
and  we  believe  that  in  no  previous  year  has  the  general 
standing  of  the  schools,  in  this  branch,  at  least,  been  more 
encouraging  and  satisfactory  to  the  Examiners  than  at  the 
present. 

It  remains  only  for  us  to  speak  more  fully  on  one  or 
two  points,  already  noticed,  so  far  as  this  branch  is  con- 
cerned. 

We  wish,  if  possible,  that  Trior e  time  could  be  devoted 
to  this  very  important  branch  of  study.  Two  lessons  each 
week,  as  we  found  in  some  cases,  at  least,  to  be  the  extent, 
are  not  enough,  even  to  keep  up  the  interest  of  the  pupil ; 
and  he  will  necessarily  forget,  from  one  lesson  to  another, 
much  which  he  has  previously  acquired.  Again  :  the  study 
should  be  rendered  practical  by  the  teacher,  and  the  pupil 


22  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

should  commence  parsing,  or,  what  is  very  much  better, 
analyzing,  as  early  as  possible.  It  is  not  necessary  that 
all  the  parts  of  speech,  and  their  connections,  should  be 
learned  previous  to  commencing  to  render  the  lessons 
practical,  and  the  mere  study  of  the  parts  of  speech,  etc., 
without  a  knowledge,  to  some  extent,  at  least,  of  how  they 
are  to  be  applied,  cannot  but  be  dry  and  uninteresting. 
The  Analysis  of  language  should  be  attended  to  early,  that 
the  pupil  may  learn  in  what  manner  he  shall  need  so  many 
parts  of  speech,  etc.  Grammar  may  be  as  advantageously 
taught  from  examples  on  the  Blackboard,  as  Mathematics. 
For  years  we  were  accustomed  to  teach  Grammar  in  this 
manner,  and  used  the  Text-book  only  as  a  work  of  refer- 
ence for  rules,  etc.  After  pupils  become  interested  in  this 
branch,  it  is  generally  a  favorite  study  with  them,  and  they 
then  make  rapid  progress ;  but  the  first  few  lessons  are 
generally  dry  and  uninteresting. 

WRITING. 

The  pupils,  in  all  the  schools  of  this  grade,  attend  to 
Writing,  and,  as  in  all  other  branches,  their  proficiency  is 
variable,  some  making  rapid  progress,  and  some,  seemingly, 
very  little,  if  any  advancement.  The  time  given  is  twice 
a  week,  and  this  is,  it  would  seem,  sufficient,  in  proportion 
to  the  time  allowed  for  other  branches.  Girls  generally 
write  better  than  those  of  the  other  sex,  but  we  found 
many  excellent  penmen  among  the  boys.  As  a  whole,  (for 
we  have  not  room  to  particularize,)  the  improvement  in 
Writing  was  very  satisfactory,  and  in  many  instances  meri- 
torious. The  writing-books,  as  a  general  thing,  were  found 
neat  and  clean,  showing  much  care  on  the  part  of  their 
owners. 

Some  specimens  of  beautiful  Map  Drawing  were  shown 
us  at  the  Dearborn  School,  and,  though  not  belonging  to 
the  Department  assigned  for  our  examination,  we  cannot 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  23 

forbear  to  say  that  they  were  not  only  beautiful,  but  re- 
markably accurate,  and  deserve  notice  and  commendation. 
"We  think  this  form  of  Drawing  should  be  encouraged  in 
all  the  schools,  as  it  is  certainly  a  very  useful  and  practi- 
cal accomplishment,  and  affords  opportunity  for' recreation 
as  well  as  improvement.  We  hope  other  schools  will 
follow  the  Dearborn,  in  this  respect,  and  that  we  may  in 
future  have  specimens  often  presented. 

COMPOSITION. 

This  is  the  last  branch  upon  which  it  devolves  upon  us 
to  report.  The  comparatively  few  compositions  present- 
ed for  our  inspection,  or  read  in  our  presence,  in  the  seve- 
ral schools,  were  sufficient  evidence  to  us,  that  if  more 
time  and  attention  were  given  to  this  very  important 
branch,  the  pupils  would  be  much  the  gainers.  Although 
considerable  time  and  attention  are  given  to  this  exercise 
in  the  several  schools,  there  is  still  great  room  for  im- 
provement in  this  respect.  In  the  Dudley  School  we  heard 
several  read,  and  perused  a  few  personally,  which  were 
highly  creditable  to  both  teachers  and  pupils,  and  which 
would  do  no  dishonor  to  many  whose  effusions  are  ushered 
into  the  world  by  the  press.  In  the  Comins  School,  also, 
we  read  a  few  of  the  same  character.  The  same  may  be 
said,  to  a  limited  extent,  of  the  other  schools.  Several 
letters  to  the  teacher  were  shown  us  at  the  Francis  Street 
School,  which  did  honor  both  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the 
writers.  In  the  "Washington  School  a  form  of  Book-Keep- 
ing  has  been  introduced  in  the  First  Division,  in  which 
each  pupil  keeps  an  imaginary  account  with  the  other 
members  of  the  Division,  and  occasionally,  especially  if  one 
of  the  pupils  is  to  leave,  all  the  others  make  out  their  re- 
spective bills,  from  their  Day-Book,  against  him,  for  settle- 
ment. The  charges  are  of  course  purely  fictitious.  Many 
of  the  books  thus  kept,  and  the  bills  made  out,  were  very 


24  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

neat  and  accurate,  and  of  course  are  matters  of  great 
interest  to  the  pupils,  as  they  are  all  subjected  to  the  crit- 
icism of  the  Principal  or  some  teacher. 

We  approve  heartily  of  this  plan,  as  by  it  the  pupils 
learn  Writing,  Arithmetic,  Book-Keeping  and  Composition 
simultaneously.  The  Compositions  of  the  Dearborn  School 
were  many  of  them  very  excellent.  We  wish  more  atten- 
tion could  be  given  to  this  valuable  exercise,  since  the 
want  of  practical  knowledge  in  this  respect  frequently 
renders  even  epistolary  correspondence  irksome,  and  not 
unfrequently  subjects  letters  thus  written  to  ridicule,  on 
account  of  their  numerous  errors  and  faulty  style,  or, 
rather,  no  style  at  all.  The  examination,  as  a  whole,  in 
this  branch  was  very  satisfactory. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

A.  I.  CUMMINGS,  Examiner. 


HISTORY  AND   GEOGRAPHY. 

The  examination  in  History  and  Geography  was  com- 
mitted to  the  undersigned.  In  consequence  of  previous 
engagements,  that  could  not  be  deferred,  I  was  unable  to 
make  the  examination  entire  in  all  the  schools,  at  the  pre- 
cise time  required ;  and  I  am  happy  here  to  acknowledge 
my  personal  obligations  to  the  Reverend  Chairman  of  the 
Committee,  who,  at  my  request,  very  kindly  consented  to 
take  charge  of  the  examination  in  History  in  the  First  Di- 
visions of  the  Dudley  and  Comins  Schools,  and  in  Geogra- 
phy in  the  four  Lower  Divisions  of  the  Dearborn  School. 
That  duty  was  readily  and  cheerfully  performed  by  him, 
and  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  say,  that  it  was  well  and 
faithfully  discharged,  and  the  results  of  his  examination  I 
give  in  his  own  language  : 

"  Some  three  hours  were  spent  in  the  lowest  four  Divi- 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  25 

sions  of  the  Dearborn  School,  upon  the  topic  of  Geogra- 
phy. The  pupils  had  some  knowledge  of  this  important 
branch  of  study,  and  gave,  on  the  whole,  correct  answers 
to  the  question  put  them.  About  the  average  progress 
has  been  made.  There  was  nothing  very  striking  about 
the  recitations, —  some  of  them  dragged  a  little,  and  out- 
side the  text-books  there  was  less  clearness  than  within 
the  limit  of  the  definitions.  A  comparison  of  the  Divisions 
with  each  other  will  hardly  be  expected. 

"  My  examination  of  History,  in  the  First  Division  of 
the  Dudley  School  occupied  half  a  day.  Of  the  twenty- 
three  pupils  belonging  to  the  class,  eighteen  were  present, 
and  though  somewhat  wearied  from  the  hard  week's  labor, 
were  in  good  spirits,  and  entered  upon  the  work  cheerfully. 
Of  the  result,  I  am  compelled  to  speak  more  qualifiedly 
than  I  could  wish.  Important  facts  and  dates  had  passed 
out  of  the  minds  of  the  pupils,  so  that  they  did  not  go  on 
as  they  had  expected  to,  and  as  their  teacher  had  reason 
to  hope  they  would.  While  from  one  point  of  view  the 
examination  in  History  might  be  justly  styled  a  failure, 
from  another  it  was  very  successful,  for  no  exercise  which 
I  have  witnessed  in  this  school  has  done  more  towards 
deepening  my  conviction  of  the  faithfulness  and  competen- 
cy of  the  Principal  of  it,  or  of  the  diligence  and  conscien- 
tiousness of  the  pupils.  And  while  I  state  these  facts  in 
reference  to  the  examination  on  the  afternoon  of  the  21st 
of  May,  because  of  that  time  and  occasion  they  are  facts, 
it  is  but  simple  justice  to  say,  that  I  am  fully  satisfied  that 
there  is  as  much  knowledge  of  History  in  the  Dudley 
School,  as  can  be  found  in  any  corresponding  Division  in 
the  City,  and  our  schools  are,  all  things  considered,  second 
to  none  in  the  Commonwealth. 

"  I  visited  the  Comins  School  May  22d,  and  asked  a  few 
questions  in  History,  but  the  examination  was  too  superfi- 
cial to  aiford  data  for  a  report." 

The  same  reason  prevented  me  from  examining  the  three 
4 


26  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

lower  Divisions  in  the  Dudley —  (though  I  have  since  then 
examined  two  of  them)  —  one  Division  in  the  Comins,  and 
the  Francis  Street  Grammar  School ;  and  I  am  happy  to 
record  my  obligations  to  Drs.  Nute  and  Cunrmings,  who 
readily  consented  to  add  this  to  their  other  duties  assign- 
ed to  them  in  the  annual  examination. 

The  Divisions  in  the  Dudley  School,  examined  by  Dr. 
Nute,  are  represented  by  him,  verbally,  to  me,  to  have 
given  satisfaction. 

Dr.  Cummings  says  of  the  Comins  School,  "  The  Division 
examined  has  but  just  commenced,  and  the  lessons  have 
been  from  the  outline,  maps.  The  examination  in  this  Di- 
vision was  very  satisfactory." 

Of  the  Francis  Street  School  he  says,  "  The  answers  were 
given  promptly  and  accurately,  in  most  cases,  and  show  a 
thorough  drill  on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  The  proportion 
of  correct  answers  were  full  eighty  per  cent.  I  doubt  if 
many  classes  have  made  more  real  advancement  in  Geog- 
raphy than  those  in  this  school." 

The  Second  Division  of  the  Dudley  School  was  exam- 
ined by  me  in  History.  Considerable  progress  has  been 
made  since  the  last  quarterly  examination  in  this  branch 
of  study ;  and  I  am  happy  to  report  the  condition  of  this 
Division  as  satisfactory. 

One  entire  afternoon  was  spent  in  examining  the  First 
Division  in  the  Washington  School,  in  History.  The  result 
of  this  examination  was  entirely  satisfactory,  and  pre- 
sented evidence,  that  neither  the  teacher  nor  the  pupils 
had  been  unmindful  of  what  might  be  expected  of  them  in 
the  discharge  of  their  respective  duties.  Important  facts, 
dates,  circumstances,  and  general  details  were  well  re- 
membered, clearly  and  accurately  stated,  to  disconnected 
questions,  put  outside  of  the  text-book,  in  different  periods 
of  time,  and  clearly  demonstrated  that  the  labors  of  teach- 
ers and  the  efforts  of  the  scholars  had  been  well  directed, 
and  that  their  success  was  well  deserved. 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  27 

History  forms  no  part  of  the  studies  pursued  in  the 
Dearborn  School.  The  particular  reason  for  this  omission 
I  am  unable  to  present  to  the  Committee ;  and  as  this  is  a 
matter  more  particularly  under  the  direction  of  the  Local 
Committee  of  that  school,  my  duty  will  be  sufficiently  dis- 
charged by  a  simple  statement  of  the  fact,  without  comment. 

The  examination  of  these  Divisions  was  conducted 
orally. 

The  examination  of  the  First  and  Second  Divisions  in 
the  several  schools,  in  Geography,  was  made  by  the  under- 
signed. Questions,  to  the  number  of  228,  were  prepared 
and  printed  on  a  letter  sheet,  and  distributed  among  the 
pupils  of  these  Divisions.  Some  four  hours  were  allowed 
the  pupils  to  write  their  answers.  The  papers  were  then 
gathered  together,  and  an  examination  afterwards  made, 
to  ascertain  the  number  of  correct  answers. 

The  result  of  the  examination  is  as  follows : — 

Dudley  School. 

First  Division — First  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  125,  or  55  pr.  ct. 

Second  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  114,  or  50  pr.  ct. 

Second  Division — First  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  117,  or  51  pr.  ct. 

Secoiid  Class. 

The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  95,  or  42  pr.  ct. 

Per  centage  of  correct  answers  of  the  two  Divisions,  48. 

Comins  School. 

First  Division  —  First  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  157,  or  69  pr.  ct. 

Second  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  130,  or  56  pr.  ct. 


28  CITY  DOCUMENT.  —  No.  12.  [May, 

Third  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  96,  or  42  pr.  ct. 

Second  Division — First  Class. 

The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  88,  or  39  pr.  ct. 

Per  centage  of  correct  answers  of  the  two  Divisions,  48. 

Washington  School. 

First  Division  —  First  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  190,  or  83  pr.  ct. 

Second   Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  163,  or  71  pr.  ct. 

Second  Division  —  First  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  103,  or  45  pr.  ct. 

Second  Class. 

The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  100,  or  44  pr.  ct. 

Per  centage  of  correct  answers  of  the  two  Divisions,  64. 

Dearborn  School. 

First  Division  —  First  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  85,  or  37  pr.  ct. 

Second  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  99,  or  43  pr.  ct. 

Second  Division  —  First  Class. 
The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  70,  or  30  pr.  ct. 

Second  Class. 

The  average  No.  of  correct  answers  was  83,  or  36  pr.  ct. 

Per  centage  of  correct  answers  of  the  two  Divisions,  36. 

Taken  together,  the  result  is  as  follows : — 

Average  number  of  correct  answers,  was    ....  114 

"             "         of  incorrect  answers 28 

"             "         not  answered 86 

Per  centage  of  correct  answers 50 


1857.] 


SCHOOL  EXAMINATION. 


29 


Perhaps  it  would  be  better  understood  by  the  Commit- 
tee, if  the  results  should  be  presented  in  tabular  form. 
The  following  tables,  therefore,  have  been  prepared,  and 
the  results  will  be  seen  more  in  detail. 

The  first  table  presents  the  result  of  the  examination 
by  Classes. 

The  second  table  presents  the  result  of  the  examination 
by  Divisions. 

The  third  table  presents  the  result  of  the  examination 
by  Schools,  and  also  the  result  of  the  schools  taken  to- 
gether. The  number  of  scholars  —  average  age  —  average 
number  of  correct  answers  —  average  number  of  incorrect 
answers  —  average  number  not  answered  —  and  the  per 
centage  of  correct  answers,  will  be  found  in  each  table. 

TABLE  I.— BY    CLASSES. 


KAME  OF  SCHOOL. 

CLASS. 

=  2 

Eo 

S02 

to 

2* 

<3  60 

>< 

< 

6« 

6tc  fe 

a>»- - 

< 

Co 

a  g  S 

611-  p 

fe  °  s 
>*< 

< 

O           ^ 

Dudley. 

(Girls,)  First  Division 

1st 

18 

141 

125 

35 

68 

.55 

u               a 

2d 

23 

13i 

114 

28 

86 

.50 

Second     " 

1st 

14 

13 

117 

46 

65 

.51 

K               a 

2d 

29 

121 

95 

31 

102 

.42 

COMINS. 

(Girls,)  First  Division 

1st 

6 

14 

157 

19 

52 

.69 

a             u 

2d 

13 

13i 

130 

34 

64 

.56 

u             a 

3d 

13 

12 

96 

27 

105 

.42 

Second     " 

1st 

17 

111 

88 

24 

116 

.39 

Washington. 

(Boys,)  First  Division 

1st 

29 

131- 

190 

21 

17 

.83 

u               u 

2d 

26 

12* 

163 

39 

26 

.71 

Second     " 

1st 

16 

124 

103 

45 

80 

.45 

n              cc 

2d 

25 

12 

100 

30 

98 

.44 

Dearborn. 

(Boys,)  First  Division 

1st 

23 

14 

85 

14 

129 

.37 

u               a 

2d 

12 

13 

99 

13 

116 

.43 

Second     " 

1st 

24 

121 

70 

20 

138 

.30 

U                     t( 

2d 

15 

12 

83 

17 

128 

.36 

30 


CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12. 


[May, 


TABLE    II.— BY    DIVISIONS 


NAME  OF  SCHOOL. 

So 
•A 

o 

bo    . 

<! 

o  +-■    . 

°  £  s 
snS| 

«<1 

6o 

""  r  % 
fci  9  ^ 

>^*  "Z 

-a 

»f  « 

c  i.  & 
p-i 

Dudley.           First  Division 
Second     " 

41 
43 

13? 

12* 

US 

102 

31 

38 

79 

8S 

.52 
.45 

Comins.            First 

Second    " 

32 

17 

13 
11* 

121 

88 

28 
24 

79 
116 

.53 
.39 

Washington.  First 

Second    " 

55 
41 

13 
12i 

177 
101 

29 
36 

22 
91 

.77 
.44 

Dearborn.       First 

Second     " 

35 
39 

133 
12i 

90 
76 

14 
19 

124 
133 

.39 
.33 

TABLE    III.  — BY    SCHOOLS. 


NAME  OF  SCHOOL. 

So 

3tB 

03 

6*j 

a  s-.  o 

go| 

o—  5 

6  o 

**» 

<u  o  ** 

■a 
a>  o  o 

£2«! 

o 

tj«S3 

c  ?  s- 
o  s 

fc 

< 

^ 

< 

Ph 

Dudley 

84 

131 

110 

34 

84 

.48 

49 

12^ 

110 

27 

91 

.48 

96 

128 

145 

32 

51 

.64 

74 

13 

82 

17 

129 

.36 

Total     .... 

303 

1265 

114 

28 

86 

.50 

Upon  a  careful  examination  of  the  papers  returned,  it  is 
seen  that  there  are  pupils  in  all  the  schools,  "who  are  enti- 
tled to  great  credit  for  so  large  a  per  centage  of  correct 
answers ;  the  best  averaging  from  seventy-five  to  ninety  - 
eight  per  cent.  That  they  have  been  laborious  in  their 
efforts,  the  written  evidence  clearly  establishes  beyond  all 
question,  and  it  is  exceedingly  gratifying  to  witness  the 
results.  But  while  these  cases  are  comparatively  few, 
there  are  far  too  many  whose  deficiency  is  too  manifest, 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  31 

to  allow  the  examination  in  this  branch  of  study  to  be  con- 
sidered as  entirely  satisfactory.  The  questions  prepared 
and  submitted  "were  principally  elementary  in  their  char- 
acter, embracing  general .  definitions  in  Natural,  Political, 
and  Mathematical  Geography,  which  the  pupils  in  the  two 
higher  Divisions  of  our  schools  ought  to  be  able  to  answer 
readily,  and  with  a  good  degree  of  correctness,  or  else 
what  they  have  learned  in  the  lower  Divisions  has  been  of 
little  benefit  to  them.  To  teach  this  science  successfully, 
a  great  deal  depends  upon  the  teacher  and  the  mode  of 
imparting  instruction.  We  should  not  rely  too  much  upon 
the  text-book  for  all  that  is  necessary  to  be  known  re- 
specting it,  for  many  of  these  are  based  upon  defective 
systems,  as  well  as  being  destitute  of  philosophical  ar- 
rangement. And  to  this,  perhaps,  more  than  to  any  other 
cause,  may  be  attributed  the  failure  to  accomplish  all  that 
we  desire.  Says  an  intelligent  author :  "  Hard  labor  may 
enable  the  pupil  to  learn  the  government  of  a  country,  the 
population  of  a  city,  the  length  of  a  river,  and  other  details 
equally  dry  and  repulsive.  But  Geography  is  something 
more  than  a  mere  collection  of  detached  facts ;  it  is  a  sci- 
ence founded  on  fixed  principles,  which  underlie  its  details, 
and  which  must  be  thoroughly  understood  before  the  lat- 
ter can  be  profitably  learned.  Its  province  is  the  whole 
earth ;  and  only  when  the  characteristics  of  the  earth,  as  a 
whole,  the  arrangement  and  distribution  of  its  elements, 
the  relations  subsisting  between  its  various  parts,  the 
agencies  constantly  at  work  on  its  surface,  and  the  phe- 
nomena peculiar  to  it,  both  as  an  individual  planet  and  as 
a  member  of  the  solar  system,  —  only  when  these  are  intel- 
ligibly fixed  in  the  mind  as  a  great  and  enduring  founda- 
tion, can  the  superstructure  of  facts  and  statistics  be  pro- 
perly reared." 

In  conclusion :  it  is  but  justice  to  say,  that  while  the 
result  of  the  examination  in  some  of  the  Divisions  is 
satisfactory,  the  result  of  the   schools,  taken  as  a  whole, 


32  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

falls  below  the  standard  which  the  Committee  have  a  right 
to  expect.  And  how  are  we  to  account  for  this  result  ? 
Has  too  much  time  been  devoted  to  other  branches,  and 
too  little  to  this  ?  Is  the  teaching  faulty  ?  Are  the  text- 
books used,  the  best  we  can  obtain  ?  These  are  questions 
which  it  would  seem  proper  for  the  Committee  to  consi- 
der ;  and  having  considered  them,  they  would  be  enabled 
to  propose  remedies  for  existing  deficiencies,  and  cause  a 
higher  standard  of  excellence  to  be  attained  in  this  highly 
important  branch  of  study. 

JOSEPH  N.  BREWER,  Examiner. 


ARITHMETIC. 


The  Committee  to  whom  was  assigned  the  duty  of  ex- 
amining the  Grammar  Schools  in  Arithmetic,  visited  most 
of  the  Divisions,  and  would  state  briefly  the  general  con- 
clusions which  he  formed  respecting  their  condition  and 
merits.  It  is  not  necessary  to  single  out  here  any  parti- 
cular Divisions  for  either  censure  or  praise.  Not  for  cen- 
sure, certainly,  when,  as  a  whole,  the  schools  appeared,  in 
this  branch  of  study,  so  well,  and  when,  perhaps,  every  ex- 
ceptional case  might  be  explained,  to  a  great  degree,  by 
other  causes  than  by  an  absolute  inability  to  perform  the 
examples  which  were  submitted.  When  all  proper  allow- 
ance has  been  made  for  the  natural  diffidence  of  some  of 
the  pupils  —  for  that  fear  which  others  have  that  they 
may  fail,  and  which  so  often  itself  ensures  the  dreaded 
result — and  for  the  fact  that  the  Committee  was  wholly 
unknown  to  most  of  those  whom  he  was  called  upon  to 
visit  —  it  may  be  said,  with  truth,  that  the  acquaintance 
with  Arithmetic,  which  these  Grammar  Schools  gave  evi- 
dence of  possessing,  was  highly  satisfactory.     There  were 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION.  33 

some  classes  in  Colburn's  First  Lessons,  which  appeared 
remarkably  well.  The  promptness  and  the  accuracy  with 
which  some  of  the  smaller  children  answered  the  questions 
which  were  put  to  them,  and  which  were  chosen  at  random 
from  every  page  they  had  studied,  were  admirable,  while 
the  familiarity  which  they  displayed  with  the  principles 
therein  involved,  attested  the  fidelity  of  both  teachers  and 
pupils. 

It  was  noticed,  that  in  some  of  the  Divisions,  those  who 
studied  this  book  had  been  always  accustomed  to  the  use 
of  their  copies  during  the  recitation,  while  in  others  the 
questions  were  repeated  from  simply  hearing  them  stated 
by  the  teacher,  and  were  *  faithfully  retained  in  the  mind 
until  they  were  solved.  In  the  latter  case  it  was  a  purely 
mental  process,  and  as  such  it  might  be  well  recommended 
to  those  Divisions  in  which  it  is  not  yet  generally  observ- 
ed. It  forms  better  habits  of  attention  in  the  pupil, 
strengthens  his  memory,  gives  him  greater  grasp  of  mind, 
and  quickens  the  play  of  all  his  faculties. 

A.  P.  PUTNAM, 

Examining  Committee. 


PRIMARY  AND  INTERMEDIATE  SCHOOLS. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  conduct  the  examination 
of  the  Primary  and  Intermediate  Schools,  close  their  la- 
bors with  the  following 

REPORT: 

The  importance  of  Primary  Schools  is  not  likely  to  be 
over-estimated.     It  is  in  them  the  foundation  must  be  laid 
for  a  good  education.     Here  a  large  proportion  of  the 
5 


34  CITY  DOCUMENT.— No.  12.  [May, 

children  of  our  City  receive  their  first  impressions  of  a 
necessity  for  neatness  and  order,  of  a  regard  for  those  ap- 
pointed to  rule  over  them,  of  a  reverence  for  law. 

The  home  influences  exercised  over  many  of  the  children 
gathered  here  for  instruction,  render  the  duty  of  the  teach- 
ers, in  many  cases,  arduous.  Not  only  is  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  elementary  branches  needed  by  them,  but  a 
facility  in  imparting  oral  instruction  upon  general  subjects 
which  children  can  comprehend.  Very  much  valuable 
knowledge  may  thus  be  gained  by  the  children,  which  shall 
serve  as  a  stimulus  for  gaining  more.  With  all  this 
is  needed  unwearied  patience,  that  can  give  line  upon 
line  and  precept  upon  precept,  repeating  and  re-repeating 
the  necessary  instruction,  until  the  proper  impression  is 
made  upon  the  plastic  minds  under  their  care.  This  the 
teachers,  in  general,  appear  to  understand,  and  the  good 
order  maintained  in  the  schools,  the  affection  in  many  cases 
manifested  between  teachers  and  pupils,  are  very  gratify- 
ing to  the  Committee. 

The  labors  of  the  Committee  were  sub-divided;  the 
Intermediate  and  Primary  Schools  Nos.  5,  6,  9,  10  and  25 
were  examined  by  Dr.  Morse.  They  are  "  all  in  a  satis- 
factory condition :  Each  school  had  been  drilled  in  the 
characters  on  the  charts  representing  the  elementary 
sounds  of  letters  and  syllables,  and  had  made  a  good  de- 
gree of  proficiency  in  the  analysis  of  words,  which,  when 
thoroughly  learned,  will,  from  the  clear  distinct  enuncia- 
tion of  each  syllable,  make  better  readers,  and  prove  of 
much  advantage  to  our  schools. 

"  The  teachers  are  faithful,  and  devoted  to  their  work ; 
some  have  been  more  successful  than  others,  but  no  more 
so  than  could  be  expected.  The  attainments  of  the  pupils 
of  a  school  will  vary  with  their  ability  to  acquire  knowl- 
edge, so  that  a  school,  with  the  same  teacher,  but  with 
different  pupils,  may  rank  high  one  year,  and  fall  consider- 
ably below  that  standard  the  next.     Good  order  is  main- 


1857.]  SCHOOL   EXAMINATION.  35 

tained  in  all  the  above  schools."     The  several  abstracts 
of  the  above  schools  are  herewith  submitted. 

The  Committee  are  gratified  to  learn  from  the  Mayor, 
that  an  eligible  lot  of  land  has  been  purchased  on  Heath 
Street,  ninety  feet  front,  and  extending  back  from  125  to 
133  feet,  and  containing  11,610  square  feet,  on  which  it  is 
the  intention  of  the  City  authorities  to  erect  a  handsome 
and  convenient  School-house,  suitable  for  two  Divisions  of 
scholars ;  when  this  shall  have  been  done,  School  No.  25 
will  be  removed  from  its  present  unsuitable  and  inconve- 
nient location  to  this  place. 

Schools  Nos.  17,  26,  27  and  28  were  very  thoroughly 
examined  by  Mr.  Eobinson,  on  the  14th,  15th  and  16th  of 
May.  Much  time  was  spent  in  going  through  with  all  the 
exercises,  and  on  the  whole  the  result  was  satisfactory : 
The  order  is  generally  good,  very  good  in  No.  17.  The 
abstracts  of  these  schools  are  herewith  presented.  The 
Committee  learn,  with  pleasure,  that  a  School-house  on 
Munroe  Street  is  soon  to  be  erected,  suitable  for  two  Di- 
visions of  scholars.  When  this  is  completed,  it  provides 
a  proper  place  for  No.  28. 

Schools  No.  18  to  24,  inclusive,  were  examined  by  Dr. 
Allen.  No.  18  is  divided  into  four  classes;  the  first  and 
second  classes  —  comprising  one  half  the  school  —  in 
Heading,  Spelling,  Arithmetic  and  Geography,  were  highly 
satisfactory.  The  order  and  general  appearance  were 
good.  No.  19  was  satisfactory ;  the  present  teacher  has  had 
the  charge  of  the  school  only  six  weeks,  during  which  time 
one  half  of  the  pupils  now  belonging  have  been  admitted. 
Many  of  them  have  not  attended  school  before,  and  belong 
to  families  in  which  very  poor  order  and  discipline  have 
been  observed.  The  number  of  scholars  is  too  large  for 
any  one  teacher.  The  success  of  the  present  teacher  will 
no  doubt  satisfy  the  reasonable  expectations  of  the  School 
Committee.  In  No.  20,  the  several  exercises  were  very 
good  —  order  and  general   appearance    unexceptionable. 


36  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

No.  21  —  the  Reading  and  Spelling  fair;  the  number  of 
scholars,  we  think,  is  the  largest  belonging  to  any  Sub- 
Primary  School ;  large  average  attendance.  Some  arrange- 
ment ought  to  be  made  for  further  accommodation  of  a  part 
of  the  pupils.  The  teacher  has  applied  herself  faithfully 
to  the  school.  No.  22  was  highly  satisfactory.  No.  23, 
Reading  and  Spelling  very  good,  order  and  general -appear- 
ance good;  average  attendance  is  small,  which  we  think  is 
the  fault  of  the  parents.  The  relation  existing  between 
teacher  and  pupils  are  of  a  happy  character.  No.  24  was 
very  satisfactory ;  good  order  and  attention  are  maintained 
here,  giving  great  pleasure  to  the  Examining  Committee. 
The  abstracts  of  these  schools  will  be  found  herewith. 

Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  29,  30,  31  and  32  were  examined  by 
Mr.  Ray.  In  3  and  4,  Sub-Primarys,  the  Reading  and 
Spelling  fully  answered  the  expectation — creditable  to 
the  pupils  and  their  excellent  teachers.  Nos.  1  and  2  dif- 
fer a  little  in  grade.  The  scholars  are  promoted  from 
Nos.  3  and  4  to  No.  2.  and  then  to  No.  1,  Reading, 
Spelling,  Geography,  Addition,  Multiplication  and  Punctu- 
ations quite  satisfactory.  Oral  Lessons  and  Singing  pleas- 
ing ;  order,  discipline,  and  cleanliness  good.  The  teachers 
deserve  high  commendation.  Nos.  29  and  30  is  beauti- 
fully located.  Since  the  opening  of  the  Winthrop  Street 
School,  it  has  been  relieved  of  a  part  of  its  scholars,  and 
greatly  to  the  advantage  of  those  that  remain.  The  ex- 
amination was  perfectly  satisfactory,  proving  the  faithful- 
ness of  the  teachers.  In  No.  29  is  a  class  of  six  or  eight 
pupils,  older  than  most  of  the  others  —  kept  from  entering 
the  Grammar  schools  by  request  of  their  parents,  appa- 
rently to  their  own  disadvantage.  The  propriety  of  com- 
plying with  such  a  request  may  well  be  doubted,  unless  in 
case  of  very  delicate  constitutions.  Nos.  31  and  32  are 
in  a  healthy  and  prosperous  condition  ;  the  pupils  sustained 
the  examination  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  Very  pleasing 
Oral  Instruction  is  here  given  by  the  teachers  as  well  as 


1857.]  SCHOOL   EXAMINATION.  37 

in  29  and  30.  The  introduction  of  Phonetics,  as  an  exer- 
cise, meets  the  approval  of  the  teachers  of  the  several 
schools  examined  by  the  Committee,  and  seems  likely  to 
succeed  well.  The  abstracts  of  these  schools  accompany 
this  Report. 

Nos.  7,  11,  12,  13,  14,  15  and  16  were  examined  by 
Mr.  Seaver.  No.  7,  though  considered  by  the  teacher  Sub- 
Primary,  appeared  to  the  Committee  to  rank  above  the 
average  grade  of  such  schools;  Reading,  Spelling,  and  all 
the  exercises  were  excellent.  No.  11  reflects  great  credit 
upon  teacher  and  pupils,  and  the  examination  was  highly 
satisfactory.  No.  12  presented  an  unfavorable  appearance  ; 
it  is  but  just,  however,  to  say,  that  the  present  teacher  has 
been  here  only  one  month,  which  may  be  an  excuse  on  her 
part  for  the  dulness  of  the  scholars.  The  Committee  con- 
sider her  competent ;  but  more  energy  is  wanted  to  wake 
up  the  scholars. 

No.  13,  a  Sub-Primary,  was  found  in  an  excellent  condi- 
tion; the  teacher  appeared  well  fitted  for  her  vocation. 

Nos.  14  and  15  passed  a  fair  examination,  "but  there  is 
abundant  room  for  improvement." 

No.  16,  formerly  taught  by  Miss  Crowninshield,  has  been 
under  the  charge  of  the  present  teacher  since  1st  Febru- 
ary last ;  it  is  Sub-Primary,  and  passed  a  very  fair  exam- 
ination. The  abstracts  of  these  schools  will  be  found 
herewith. 

Your  Committee  feel  it  to  be  their  duty  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  Board  to  the  fact,  that  several  of  the  Pri- 
mary Schools  have  not  been  visited  by  their  Local  Com- 
mittees during  the  current  quarter,  as  required  by  the 
Rules  of  the  Board,  and  by  the  best  interests  of  the  schools. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Per  order  of  the  Committee, 

J.  P.  ROBINSON,  Chairman. 


38 


CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12. 


[May, 


ABSTRACT 

Of  the  High  Schools  for  the  Yea?-  ending  May  23d,  1857. 


High  School  for  Boys. 
S.  M.  Weston,  Principal.    \ 
George  H.  Gorely,  Assistant. 
Total, 

High  School  for  Girls. 
Rob't  Bickforcl,  Principal.  < 
Martha  S.  Price,  Assistant. 
Total, 


16 

27 
34 

T7 


19 
14 
34 

"67 


15| 
26i 
33* 

751 


18 
13 
32 

~63~ 


.97 
.98 
.98 

^98 


.95 
.93 
.94 


.007 
.004 
.002 

^004 


.005 
.005 
.006 


.0051 


16} 

15* 

15* 


1^ 

16* 

151 


ABSTRACT 

Of  the  Grammar  and  Intermediate  Schools  for  Quarter 
ending  May  23d,  1857. 


s 
p 

03  «.Q 

sf 

£  a 
>  - 

o   . 

I'l 

<t  si 

P-iH 

o 

TO  to 
>< 

Dudley  School  for  Girls. 

Adeline  Seaver,  Principal. 
Ellen  M.  Haskell,  Assistant. 

1 

54 

48 

.89 

.016 

14J 

Caroline  Alclen, 

2 

50 

45 

.90 

.009 

13j| 

Ellen  A.  Marean, 

3 

56 

51 

.91 

.026 

124 

Clara  B.  Tucker, 

4 

53 

50 

.93 

.006 

11 

Caroline  J.  Nash, 

5 

49 

46 

.93 

.006 

1034 

Clementina  B.  Thompson, 

6 

50 

46 

.92 

.004 

9 

Helen  J.  Otis,  . 

7    48 

42 

.87 

.008 

9* 

Total, 

|360 

328 

.91 

.011 

HI 

1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION. 

ABSTRACT—  Continued. 


39 


Washington  School  foe 
Boys. 

John  Kneeland,  Principal. 
Harriet  E.  Burrell,  Assistant. 
Benjamin  C.  Vose,     . 
Anna  M.  Williams,    . 
Alice  C.  Pierce, 
Sarah  M.  Vose, 
Rebecca  A.  Jordan,   . 
Margaret  A.  Mathews, 
Caroline  C.  Drown,  . 

Total 


Dearborn  School  for  Boys. 

William  H.  Long,  Principal. 
Louisa  E.  Harris, 
Ruth  P.  Stockbridge, 
Louisa  J.  Fisher, 
J.  Ellen  Horton, 
Henrietta  M.  Young, 

Total 


Comins  School  for  Girls. 

Sarah  A.  M.  Cushing,  Prirtl. 
Mary  C.  Eaton, 
Elizabeth  W.  Young, 
Almira  W.  Chamberlain,    . 

Total, 

Francis  Street  School. 

(Both  Sexes.) 

Sophronia  F.  Wright, 


5h3 


60 
49 
49 
50 
49 
52 
57 
57 

4"23~ 


44 

48 
50 
48 
46 

274~ 


37 
46 

52 
54 

189" 


35 


59 

45* 

47" 

46| 

46 

50i 

55A 

54" 

4~oT 


37 
41 
46 
48 
44 
44 


260 


44 

47 
50 

176" 


31 


0h<J 


.98 
.93 
.96 
.93 

.94 
.97 
.97 
.95 


.98 
.94 
.97 
.96 
.92 
.95 


.002 
.004 
.010 
.016 
.011 
.008 
.005 
.009 

JH)8~ 


001    131 


.95 


.95 
.95 
.91 
.91 

193" 


.91 


.003 
.003 
.004 
.005 
.005 

Tool" 


.015 
.009 
.035 
.022 

^02l" 


13i 
12| 

ni 

n 

10* 
101 
10 

JL 

11 


12- 

Hi 
11 

qi 
H 


is1 
11 
ioi 

9 

lof 


.002    11» 


40 


CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12. 
ABSTRACT  —  Continued. 


[May, 


s 
o 

5 

|1 

H 

< 

6 

©  3 

611  •O 

£  a 

©  u 

•55 

OS 

©  ^ 

o  ^ 

< 

Intermediate  School. 

Delia  Mansfield, 

1 

48 

37 

.77 

.037 

11 

Nancy  L.  Tucker, 

2 

44 

35 

.79 

.045 

10 

Total, 

92 

72 

.78 

.041 

m 

OJ  the  Pri 


ABSTRACT 

rimary  Schools  for  Quarter  ending  May  23d, 

1857. 


TEACHERS. 


o 

So 
=  02 
Z 

|"  s§ 
< 

6 

,  « 
©  a 

©3 

!>  £ 

o  2 

o  = 

o    • 

si  1 

(2  H 

1 

48' 

45 

.93 

.04 

2 

49 

46 

.94 

.04 

3 

50 

45 

.90 

.08 

4 

52 

48 

.93 

.12 

5 

49 

44 

.89 

.on 

6 

73 

66 

.90 

•Oil 

7 

31 

27 

.90 

.03 

8 

9 

52 

45 

.85 

.09 

10 

59 

48 

.81 

.04 

11 

51 

45 

.88 

.02 

12 

48 

42 

.87 

.02 

13 

52 

44 

.85 

.04 

14 

55 

45 

.81 

•04 

15 

32 

28 

•90 

.07 

16 

50 

41 

.82 

.14 

Sarah  T.  Jennison,    . 
Eliza  Brown,     . 
Sarah  0.  Babcock,     . 
Julia  B.  Burrell, 
Elizabeth  A.  Morse,  . 
Margaret  E.  Davis,    . 
Maria  L.  Young, 
Vacancy.     . 
Harriet  H.  Fay, 
Susannah  L.  Durant, . 
Emily  Gardner, 
Sophia  L.  Stone, 
Cornelia  J.  Bills, 
Charlotte  P.  Williams, 
Ann  M.  Backup, 
Carrie  M.  Adams, 


54 


6^ 

u2 


6 

8 

7 

? 


1857.]  SCHOOL  EXAMINATION. 

ABSTRACT—  Continued. 


41 


TEACHERS. 

o    . 

j=  O 

Ho 

si 

»c  s 

CO  C  o 

fe  =  m 

QJ 

•a 

s-s 

a  * 

°  5 

o  u5 

"  a 

U-3 

=  31 

;za 

>£ 

QJ  03 

>< 

fc 

«! 

« 

Pu< 

ChB 

< 

Sarah  W.  Holbrook, 

17 

39 

33 

.85 

.10 

7 

Almira  B.  Russell,     . 

18 

51 

46 

.90 

.03 

8 

Carrie  Y.  Rice, 

19 

68 

62 

.91 

.02 

6 

Mary  A.  Waldock,     . 

20 

50 

46 

92 

.02 

8 

Harriet  L.  Macarty,  . 

21 

73 

68 

.93 

.05 

6J 

Elizabeth  Waldock,  . 

22 

27 

22 

.81 

.03 

% 

Henrietta  M.  Wood, 

23 

48 

36 

.75 

•06 

8 

Mary  A.  Morse, 

24 

37 

33 

.90 

•04 

6,1. 

Caroline  N.  Heath,    . 

25 

47 

33 

.70 

•10 

n 

Plooma  A  Savage,     . 

26 

35 

30 

.86 

.04 

% 

Mary  G.  Hewes, 

27 

39 

32 

.82 

.02 

5k 

Margaret  G.  Chenery, 

28 

24 

21 

.87 

.02 

7 

Sarah  A.  Dudley, 

29 

35 

31 

89 

.02 

ri 

H.  B.  Scammell, 

30 

39 

39 

.74 

6* 

Catharine  N.  Stowell, 

31 

42 

38 

.91 

.07 

H 

Frances  N.  Brooks,  . 

32 

55 

45 

.82 

.03 

7 

Total, 

1460 

1264 

TsT 

~05" 

"ef 

RECAPITULATION. 


TEACHERS. 

"5  £ 

u 
>-  a 

qj  — 

*  a  0 

<1 

6 
u 

•g 

^j  a 

■Sol 

Sa 

z$ 

<u  — 

c  Jg 

.   Ov 

< 

High  Schools,    . 
Grammar  Schools,     . 
Intermediate  Schools, 
Primary  Schools, 

2 

5 

1 

31 

144 

1281 

92 

1460 

138 
1199 

72 
1264 

.96 
.94 

.78 

.87 

.005 
.010 
.041 
.050 

I5j 

Hi 
10* 

63 

Total, 

39 

2977 

2673 

.90 

.030 

10 

SCHOOL  COMMITTEE,  1857. 


ELECTED    AT   LAEGE. 

George  Putnam,  William  H.  Ryder,  Julius  S.  Shailer. 

ELECTED    BY   WARDS. 

Ward  1. — Horatio  G.  Morse,  Henry  W.  Farley. 

"  2. — Joshua  Seaver,  Ira  Allen. 

"  3. — A.  I.  Cummings,  T.  R.  Nute. 

"  4. — Joseph  N.  Brewer,  J.  P.  Robinson. 

"  5. — A.  P.  Putnam,  Edwin  Ray. 

William  H.  Ryder,  Chairman.    A.  I.  Cummings,  Secretary. 


RESIDENCES   OP   THE   COMMITTEE. 

George  Putnam,  Highland  st. 

William  H.  Ryder,  48  Vernon  st. 

Julius  S.  Shailer,  Washington,  corner  of  Ruggles  st. 

Horatio  G.  Morse,  65  Zeigler  st. 

Henry  W.  Farley,  Eustis,  opposite  Plymouth  st. 

Joshua  Seaver,  Ruggles  st.,  corner  of  Sumner  place,  (Office 

Webber  Block.) 
Ira  Allen,  Cabot,  corner  of  Sudbury  st.,  (Office,  corner  of 

Ruggles  and  Tremont  sts.) 
A.  I.  Cummings,  121  Dudley  st. 
T.  R.  Nute,  163  Dudley  st. 


44  CITY  DOCUMENT.  — No.  12.  [May, 

Joseph  N.  Brewer,  37  Centre  st. 

J.  P.  Robinson,  Cedar  st. 

Alfred  P.  Putnam,  Mrs.  Field's,  Regent  st. 

Edwin  Ray,  Walnut,  corner  of  Dale  st. 


SUB-COMMITTEES. 

Regulations. — Messrs.  Shailer,  Nute,  Seaver. 
Books. — Messrs.  Ryder,  Shailer,  Morse,  Farley,  Brewer. 
Finance. — Messrs.  Seaver,  G.  Putnam,  Robinson. 
Filling  Vacancies  in  Primary  and  Intermediate  Schools. 
— Messrs.  Ryder,  Morse,  Shailer,  Cummings,  Ray. 


Curator  of  School  Buildings.  —  Jonas  Pierce,  Jr. 
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