Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1853-06-09
REPORT
OF the school Com mittcc.

never better than now, and that our
Public School system il outliving more
and more the old idea OF being mainly a
provision ior the poor, and by the econ
omy and efficiency, at once, Of the in.
instruction furnish d in the rudiments
OF knowledge, and in the advanced stu
dies most essential to the young Ameri-
can, Is recommending itself more and
more every year to all classes in the
community,
A leading difficulty with the Commit
tee this year, as, indeed, tor several
years, has been to secure and distribute
school room, go rs to meet the contin-
ued pressure of application. This has
caused them great perplexity. The
demand Tor commodous and convc-
nient school rooms is by no means fully
satisfied yet. And the Committee are
convinced that if parents could spend
half day in several OF our primary
school rooms and then in the airy, roomy
and every way admirable building oc-
cupied by the pupils OF the Senior de-
partment, some provision would at once
be made to extend this 1--WE will not say
luxury bu) necessity farther and far
ther, till all the schools should share The
same advantage. Next to good teach
ers, or rather not less than good teach
ers, II is oi prime Importance to have
good, that is well ventilated, well siiua-
ted, well-ftted and furnished places for
study. Nor should the primary schools
(Which are not secondary in Importance
though often treated SOY be regarded as
having anywise an inferior claim in this
respect.
The Committee, in tlis cxlgency,
have taken II step which will afford con,
siderable relief, and which indeed was
contemplated by their predecessors, who
obtained from the Town last year an
additional appropriation for the pur-
pose, by filling up the vacant half Of the
noble room OF the Boys senior depart
ment, with the more advanced classes
Of tho Grammar Schools in Mill Street
and Farewell Street thus easing great
iy the pressure upon the Primary and
lnterme Jiate Schools, and, at the same
time, introducing fifty or more addition
al scholars to the privileges Of the am
pie building in Clarke Street. And this
change, by reason Of the consequent r
duc,on OF the salary in the Farewell
ST. School, and the breaking up OF the
one in Marlborough street, is made with
very little difference Of cxpence, the
salary oi the Marlborough Street school
being transferred to raying the assist
ant in the Clarke Street SCHOOL, and,
indeed, the change may be said to be
an economical ore when it is consider
ed that we thus use room which was ly-
ing idle.
lC SOtHUlNtCC WUul hIso Wy
way OF obviating a feeling which, there
is reason to think, may have arisen IN
some minds, that in taking this step,
to which, us has been said, they were
compelled, they have not in the least
reduced the grade, restricted the range
oil studies, or diminished the opportuni-
ties of progress, in the school Of the Sc
nior Department. Provision will still be
made for such advanced branches as
may find candidates desirous Of pursu-
ing them, while, at the same time, the
Committee cannot withhold the express
sion Of their conviction that, as a gen.
eral thing, too little comparative atten-
ton has been paid to the grounding Of
pupils in the rudments Of good COM
mon school education.
The Committee cannot well close their
Report without urging upon Parents
and all concerned IN Education the de-
sirableness Of their taking occasional
opportunities OF visiting the Schools, at
least on the days Of Examination, that
they may verify in some degree, per-
sonalIy, the Reports Of their Committees
especially what is said oC the excellea-
ces, as well as wants OF the present sys-
TEN, and be led to appreciate and assist
as far as possible. the arduous and often
perplexing labours Of those, Teachers
or others, who have the more immedi-
ate charge oil this important branch OF
the public interests.
There arc now, in all, sixteen public
schools in the town, VIZ:
Two Senior Departments. one
male and the other female, each un.
der two Teachers, seating, togeth-
er, 200
Two Grammar Schools, two for
Boys and two Tor girls, under si1
teachers, with seats for 292
Two intermediate Schools, one
for Boys and the o,her for Girls,
each under one Teacher, seating 100
Seven Primary Schools, each
with one Teacher seating 40