Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-06-06
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COM.
MITTEE.

ioi eight hundred and fifty scholars.-
There is one school for coloureI children,
seven are Primary schools, one lniermed-
ate, three Grammar schools and two of
higher grade, answering to Whit are COM
monty called English High schools. To
one of these last, as well as to one of the
Grammar schoos is appended an in,erme-
date department, with an assistant teacher.
The school roo MS are, in general, com
Portable and well venlils;ed. The primary
school room, in Grdl y street, is decided
exception. Two new and commodous
rooms III an airy situation, on Bridge street
have been fitted up and leased by the Com
Tittee, for term of yeas, and are now
occupied by schools, which, for long
while, have suffered for want of suitable
ley street be properly repaired, or bet
ter one. iii that neghhorhood be procured,
aid some considerable repairs he made on
the brick school house in Mill street, the.e
would be no occasion for comp alnt on the
subject of fitness in the school rooms.
Daring the year, now closed, there has
been decided advance, in most, il no, in
all he schools. Attendance has been more
punclual discipline has been more enec-
tive, though by no means, more severe
the moral tone has been improved /; AMI as
both a cause and consequence, parents
have c,lnccd deeper personal interest in
the Schools, winch were held IN tie State
House, in April last, and rhe high g'a,if-
caion expressed in the result, by all, who
were pic-ent, Trove that our common
schools are taking that strong and deep
hold on the affections of the people, to
which tn y are entitled.
1t was believed lha, there were many
of our youth, whose nccessi,i, compelled
them to lab"ur daily for their support, who
ye, rc2ded and would gladly receive III
slruclion, " hch should better quail iy them
for the duties of life, if Opportunity we're
alluded, at times not devoted to work
and the Committee :eso,ved TO hazard the
experiment of a u.hl school. The result
proved the soundness of Their impress ons.
Some fifty scholars attended The school, for
three months, with marked advantage 10
themselves. 1t is behived, that there viii
be a demand, next winter, for simi ar
school for males, no, only, but also one for
females, which j, is hoped will be able to
supply.
BY a ref renee TO the ,reasurer's report
annexed, it viii lie seen, that considerable
out ay has been necessary for school lurni-
turc, and for repairs. The Committee res
pectlnily ienew suggestion of their pre-
decessors, that these items ofexrense ought
not to- he an lncumbrance on the appropra-
tions f,r Education, for an emergency
may arise, which would 50 drain the re>0ui-
ces OF the Committee rs to cripple their
means of successfully carrying on the
main work entrusted to their oversight,
and debt here is always to be deprecated.
The condition of the br elk school house
in Mill street, (before alluded TOY is such
as mperiously demands a considerable oat-
lay, no, only for the comfort and health of
the children, but also for the credit Of the
town, and the preservation of the pub ick
property.
1t is believed, that in our publlck schools,
as at present conducted, youth may obtain
an education much IN advance of that
which was furnished in past years But
in this stage of our country's progress in
Literature, and Science anI the Arts, with
the example of other towns around us and
nraI us, and IN view Of the sad condition
Of the masses IN other lands, As contrasted
with those in our own, the Committee are
fully com inccd aud believe, that their lel-
low citizens are convinced, that the time is
come in which our own Newport ought no
longer to be behind her neghbors, in fur
uishing The means of education, which sha ]
fit her Suns aud her daughters for any de-
parlment ofpraclical life. The Commit
tee do not ask the direct action of the town
in the establishment of hat is technically
called High school, for they believe, We
have what is virtually the same thing,
though not fully grocn The authority TO
add to the branches taugh, in our schools
has ever been exercised by your Commit
tees, and is, by the laws of the Common
wealth, vested in them, controlled, howev-
er, by the people, in their power Of giving
or Withholding the means. But respond
ing to the reference made to them, at the
town meeting in April ast they would yrs-
pecifuly say, that under the present range
of studies, they cd a considerable in
crease Of room. The number Of pupils,
from variety Of causes, has so increased,
that many are Of necessity refused admit.