The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-01-31
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

The thirteenth Annual Report of the Board of Edu-
cation just submitted to the Legislature represents that
the question of the utility of Normal Schools is regard
ed settled, and that hencelorward they will be pac
ed among the established agencies in the work OF edu
ton.
Six Teachers Institutes have been held in as many
different parts of the State during the past year, each of
six days duration. It's believed that they have accom-
plish much good, and the Board propose twelve to be
holden during the present year. The practice of al.
lowing the Prudential Committee of school districts to
select and contract with the teachers is made subject
Of complaint leading to the employment of incompe-
tent persons. The Board recommend the employment
ofteachers in all by the School Committee of the
town.
On the LIST of December 1919, the Massachusetts
School Fund amounted to $S76, 0S2, 20 On the LIST of
January, 1849, it was $64S, 276,17 OF the present
amount, $72l O75,O6 is in funded property, yielding an
income of about $4,000. This amount is distributed
to the towns for the support of schools The late Hen
ryTodd of Boston has left, by WILL the sum of $4,000
to be applied in aid of the Normal Schools.
The West Newton Normal School had, at its first
term last year, 10 pupils; I'd, 80; Sd, 1OS. The
Bridgewater Normal School has given instruction to IS
pupils during the period. The Westfeld Normal
School has been attended with much success During
the Winter term, it had Sc students; Summer, II;
Fall, 40. Whole number, 14S; of whom 100 were
females, aud As, males. Average age, 81 years The
number of pupils represented by the Board of visitors
to be constantly increasing The total expenses ofthese
three schools amount to 5,9690l; dvidedas follows
Newton, $1,616,97; Westfeld, 2,063 49, Bridge
water, g. 2S7,41.
The most of the Secretary's time for the past year
has been spent in observation in different parts of the
State and he declares that the difference between the
best schools and the poorest is as great as that seen
among in different stages of civilization
Boston raised by taxes for the support of public
schools, $2S2, $780, Salem, S1S,613,75; Lyan, S1O,-
900; Charlestown, $24,S55; Cambridge, $ls,249,-
62; Lowell, S30,492,62; Worcester $780, North
ampton, $4,000; Springfield $1,000; Chicopee, 81
400; Pittsield, $780, Roxbury, $l9,s77,27; New
Bedford, 900.
The entire number Of children in the State between
the ages of and Is years. is 215,926; mean average
attendance school, 134,794 There were last year
3,749 public schools in the Commonwealth, and O47
incorporated Academies.
The number of scholars of all ages, in all the schools
of the Commonwealth, was, in Summer, 1869 in
Winter, l91,7l2 Average attendance in Summer,
l20,512; in Winter, l42967 The number ofchildren
in the State under years Of age who attended school
was 1926; over l6years 10,452. The average length
of the schools in the State was months and "a DAYS
OBITUARY Dedat Northbrdge, on the 10Th at the
house of Mr.. Joseph Dudley, his brother-n-law, REV
JONATHAN LoNGLEY, of James Longey Esq o.
Boyston, aged 60. Mr. L. man of strong mind sounf
learning, and noted worth, with more modesty than wal
convenient for himself and therefore more merit thar
could be appreciated by many others. Having know
him much from his boyhood onward through life, We
speak with the more freedom and the riner confidence
He had an everyday conscience pervadng all his con
duct more reliable man is not often found He haf
much more and better schoarshpthan the possession
of most professional men, for more than most he love,
learning and patient of thought He entered Har
ward University in 1911 and took high stand in tn,
class of Sparks, Paey Francis, Parsons Harris, an,
others well known for their attachments in learning but
from failure OF pecnniary means, compelled
through life to regret his uncompleed liberal education
He studied theology with the Rev. Dr. Emmons, b,
whom he was much esteemed, and afterwards was prin
cpa of several respectable Academies in this State
New York His familiarity with Jewish and Aineri
can history, political and ecclesiastical was such as
many would covet, but few really possess. His men,
DRY like book than thar of any man we have
known. 1t was surprisingly and conscientiousy accI
rate With multitude of opportunities to test his
knowledge Of the Scriptures, we can think of no in
stance when he needed any other concordance than his
own memory whether the passage cited, osnqured for
was in the Old Testament the New, and whether
doctrina, preceptive historical or whatnot Probably
in this respect, to in New England in his dav.
could these lines in the quaint epaph on John Cotton
be 50 truly applied.
"a living, breathing Bible; tables where
Both covenants at large engraven were
Gospel and law in IS heart had each a column.
His head an index to the sacred volume"
He read his Bible so much to remember It's words
as to understand its truths and keep them in his heart
He Of course died as he lived--a good man. A.
FIRE AND Loss OF LIFE. At New Bedford. on
Monday evening, the dry goods store of Mr. George
Eddy, was discovered to be on fire. The interior q
the store including large stock Of goods were much
njred and we panied to add that Mr. Timothy Tall
man, an aged citizen of about 20 years. was sulfocaec
to death by the smoke in the third story of the build
ing.
HEALTH AMONG THE SHAKERS. The beneficial