Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-04-06
I For the Massachusetts Spy.1
WORCESTER CENTRE SCHOOLS

present general system oil instruction IN lhe
Public Schools in the Centre District in Wor-
cester went into operation, under the direction
of the Board of Overseers appointed by the
District. The same Board being re-apponted
for another year, they have thought proper to
publish, for the information of the District and
OF the several Instructors whom they have en-
ployed, such notifications of the organization
and course of study first adopted, as they have
either matured or reduced to practice. They
feel gratifed that their system has proved so
acceptable and beneficial, and that years
experience has shown so few alterations to be
necessary.
The Latin Grammar School being under the
direction of the Selectmen of the town, the
Board Of Overseers do not think themselves
authorized to interfere in its concerns, except
at their request. They anticipate, however,
such cooperation between the two Boards
as shall prove mutually advantageous in the
distribution and government ofthe pupils.
The number of larger boys, except for a
short time in winter, has not been so great, as
to render it expedient to have an English Mas
ter's school kept for so long period as was
at first contemplated. Three months are
deemed sufficient to answer all the useful
purposes of such school; and circumstances
may make it best to continue the Primary
School substituted for it, through the year.
And as the character Of the English Masters
school, while it is kept, must depend on the
previous attachments of the pupils, which
probably will be very various, no precise
course of study for It is now prescribed.
This state of things has made it necessary to
give more elevated character TO the three
remaining schools, which are taught by fe-
males, in order to complete the course Of edu-
cation originally contemplated. These schools
are denominated respectively, the First or
Primary, the Second, and the Third schools.
Two Primary schools are to be kept through
the year; namely, one at each extremity of
the District and an additional one for at
least three-quarters of the year, at the centre
school-house.
To the Primary schools the following books
are assigned -
Kelley's Instructor,
Lees Spelling Book,
Leavitt's Easy Lessons in Reading,
New Testament,
Murray's Introduction to the English Read
er, and
Cummings First Lessons in Geography
and Astronomy.
And in case it should be necessary to re-
tain pupils in the Primary schools after they
have become well versed in these books, they
may study the Abridgment Of Murray's Gram-
mar, 4" by Teacher of Youth. "-They shall
be questioned also, according to their capacity,
from Colburn's First Lessons in Arithmetic
each Teacher in these and the higher schools
being required to possess a copy of this work,
for the purpose. No pupil under the age of
eight years is permitted to write. Work is
permitted in these and in the higher schools,
only to such extent as not seriously to inter-
fore with mental improvement.
The Books to be used in the Second school
are,
Cummings's Spelling Book,
New Testament,
American Preceptor,
Geodrich's smaller History of the United
States,
Murray's Grammar, abridged Shy Teach
er of Youth"
Daboll's Arithmetick, through Reduction,
and further if the Board so direct,
Morse's School Geography and Atlas, to
South-America, and further at the direc-
ton of the Board the Geography now
in use being allowed to those who
have it.
The Third School will use
Walkers Dictionary, abridged, for spelling
and defining words,
The Bible,
Murray's English Reader,
The Columbian Glass Book,
Newspapers, as may suit t. convenience Of
the Instructor,
lror1o Murray -. tlo l,roor &c tl,e
pupils have it,
Daboll's Arithmetick,
Morse's School Geography and Atlas,
Iytler's Elements Of General History,
Blair's Rhetorick abridged, and
Watts Improvement of the Mind; and
when parents or guardians request it
Blake's edition of Conversations on Nat
ural Philosophy-and, Conversations OIL
Chemistry.
Writing will be attended to in the Second
and Third schools as heretofore directed
Scholars in Arithmetck will transfer their a.
| rithmetical operations from the slate to suit.
able book. Those who are qualified for it, in
the Third school, will attend to composition.
When parents or guardians object to their
children's studying Geography, il may be dis
PShSSu "''N D"lS All iCSdIG " ILLS anu LC
other studies, no pupil is permitted to com
mence in higher school what, but fol such
objection, he would have studied in one be-
| low.
As the graduation of schools was established
principally for the convenience of instruction.
and as in order to equalize the schools in re-
gard to numbers, it may sometimes be neces.
sary to raise from the Primary to the Second
school, and from the Second to the Third
school, children not thoroughly versed in the
books assigned TO the former,-in such cases
| class may be formed in the latter school, which
shall be confined to those books, until they
shall be qualified to use with advantage those
which are appropriate TO the school into which
they shall have entered.
The scholastic year is to end with the last
Saturday in March. There will be four vaca.
tions in year, of fortnight each the first
from and after the last Saturday in March, the
second from and after the last Saturday in
June, the third from and after the last Satur
day in September, and the fourth from and az
Ter the last Saturday in December.