Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-06-06
ANNUAL REPORT
or the School Committee Of the Town Of
Newport, for the year ending June, 1914.

dongs expenses and wants. that they adopting a.
course which quite this Town but so far from deem
ing apology necessary this they have e that
view of the condition and prospect ofthngs justice to their
cowczcns required them make not only certain special
suggestions but general remarks the important subject
entrusted to them,-tle subject of Public Education
/ The circumstance Just alluded that any thing than
statistical and specific Report the Schools rather novel
this place leads Committee naturally to begin upon
the state and prospects public education in the town In
doing this they will naturally present those circumstances and
which have induced them give their report the
! shape is to
Il The Committee happy that they clearly per
increased interest within year two on the part o
our community the of Education and that they can
bear witness the improved condition of the Schools both in
the culture of the mind and the culture of the manncs-
They particularly happy remark that the very important
subject of discipline is receiving wholesome attention and
although bccn undoubtedly occasional on
that score they feel confident that hereafter parents will have
/ no Just occasion of complaint.
/ The committee must however protest respectfully and
earnestly against any charges complaints being brought against
the excepting through the committee themselves who
will cndcavo examine all such calmly and decide upon
them as Justice and humanity require.
The committee certainly Of opinion that all pupils who
disciplined by degree Of severity short of cruelty
ought be cmaded to their parents and not be entrusted to
other hands They repeat however, what they believe all who
have the habit Of visiting the schools will sustain that
both in mental and moral discipline great Improvement is per-
cepbc and they repeat general that community seems
have been awaking within few years. of the
importance public education 1t perhaps of much i'm
poancc inquire into the of the improvement
alluded to- The committee however, but think that
much ascrhcd the awakening influence of surround
ing example and they respectfully suggest to their fellow c
collectively and individually the reasonabcness and adj
anage OF studying the which furnished of the
educational dongs in other states and towns published orI
the Boston Common School Journal the perua of
which cheap semimonhy would amply repay any family n
entertainment instruction and wonder. They would aso
the volume (eccny presented to the
cdwood Library of District School Journal edited by Mr.
Henry Barnard formerly agent of other States and
poyed by own Legislature, gentleman who, by his rich
excellence sober enthusiasm sound Judgment and steady cncr
gy the cause doing work amongst which every good
citizen should awake appreciate The committee would
also Horace Mas last Report of his personal OBJ
sevaton of the European Educational Systems perhaps the
moving document written the great subject and
which citizen of free country should could possibly
pcrusc, without being provoked noble emulation
But the committee would return the point from which they
have for dgesscd whatever have been the
Of our improvement such improvement they submit
has taken place. and they would say regard it, that
while suggests encouragement also suggests admonion
What has been done reminds of what may be done and ought
be done. We are town, yet somewhat slow and back
ward in apprccang the importance Of this opubc cd
cation There is great diffusion Of intelligence, of mind in
this community, but the public spirit regard to intellectual
bears small proportion to the Of intellect
and noma,ion wisdom and experience which exists in scat
tered form among czens We understand the power of
the social element in Politics, and in Religion but nearly
well i'll matters pertaining mental Improvement In this
important the scattered sparks suffered run
together and kindle into general blaze of social
The Committee would respectfully inquire of their fellow
citizens what subject of general interest of importance
than the general education OF the people and their children Is
Politics But where your children learn be good
citizens what safety is there for free sac but (undcr God
the Free School what efficient ntidoc the dcmagoguc
than the pcdagogue Who look back who look around
him own land and say that politics constitute anywc
momentous subject than the early education of the c
zen Will be said that home is the proper school Without
insisting the great advantages of letting the future
mlngc with the future in the little world Of the Public
School, will say parents WOULD the first place, and, in
the second place if they be the educators of their chill
dren happy But the question is, what under the cir
and necessities of condition is the paramount
crcst We say and confidently public education Who
can look out thoughiiy this multitude of children that
hrong Streets aud wharvcs and growing up take the
places Of manhood who think of the question whether these
rcmbc and feel that this of Public Education u
has knowledge enough of history, say nothing of things
always passing the world around that religion itself
without accompanying mental discipline may easily become
the producer promoter and percuator of the widest enorm
tics of error and of crime. II