Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1855-04-06
ANNUAL REPORT
Ofhe S"perintending Srhoot Committee
for the 7omn oC EHsv0yfh.

JOr the 1o1n of Eiisv0rfh.
The whole number Of Scholars re.
TUNED TO the Selectmen. Nav ls5i
were 1925. being an increase of I2l
since 1850. The amount Of money re.
= quired by law for the town to raise is
e 2,5 dollars.
The mean average attendance at the
the summer and winter terms was 4t
per cent, being less than one half OF
the Scholars in town.
The largest average attendance was in
District No. one.
The least average attendance was in
District No. six.
The shortest term for the money ex-
pended was in District No. g.
The best schools in town were in Dis.
trct No. 3, in charge of Mr. J " Butter
field; IN District No. by Mr. Perkins,
and in District No. 5 by Mr. Luther
Lord.
In the last school difficulty sprung
up during the term, which involved a
change OF teachers. The school, howey-
er. IS now in successful operation.
The poorest schools IN town were the
primary schools III District No 3
The most Superficial schoo! in town
was the winter term OF the lst school, in
District No. l5.
Your committee are happy to report
favorable on the school in District No. |
by Mr. Lord In District No. 5 by Miss
Hall. No. 6 by Miss Donnell. No.
by Mr. Hastings. No ii by Miss Mayo.
No 10 by Mr. Hill. No. Is by Miss Nc
Gown. No. IS by NJ Hiram Bartlett
and No 10 by Mr. E r Thurston. These
were all good schools and reflected much
credit ON teachers, pupils and parent.
for interest manifested.
Among the negative, or adverse intln-
ences which attaches ID your public
schools and TO a very considerable ex.
teut.m District No. } is a manifest wan,
of interest by parents, for their success.
In this District, being the best to grow
boys aud girls, the schools show with one
exception, the least average attendance
IN town; beng no more thln one third
part OF the scholars in the district.
Gentlemen seem to think their duty
to the schools closes with raising gen
erous supply of money for their support,
and if they do not afterwards, actually
lembarras the school discipline, they rare.
ly ever Cooperate with teachers.
Gentlemen are wont always to visit
their ship yards, their saw mills and OH
. er bu>lnes, operatlous-Ladies are con.
stanlly seeking objects OF charity, bnl
never visit their schools, to mark ,heiI
progress, or inquire INTO the culture OF
their children.
Mr. Lord, the State Superintendent o
the public schools, IN alludlng to Ellis.
worth IN his Annual report, uses this
language:
"ln a fourishing village with 901
names OH IT'S roll Of scholars, there was
not a visit from single parent, in any
! one OF the five village school during the
past summer sess,on-eNcepllng the Off
cial calls of the committee, and the gra
tuitous visit OF the clergyman"
Another evil attending the schools is
the superficial instruction given to schol
! arS.
Ii is not uncommon to find scholars IL
: Towns 4lh Reader, who are not SO goo,
readers as those in the Bird Reader.
Many are found hurrying over Tho
simple rules of Arithmetic, for the hiche
branches OF mathematics.
Others again are found studying ,h'
classics, when they ore unable to con
struct an Edglish sentence.
:. No one should marvel then that Sc
i many OF the young men aud girls Oh en-
,ering the daily business OF life, should
l find themselves unable to write an intel
: igible letter, or even spell correct thei
own names.
y Another evil, and one which is tn,
$ bane Of all schools, is the vac Hating at
tendance of the scholars.
r Both parents and children seem to &C
in this matter, on the principle that alter
nate attendance in their juddgnen. i
x sufficient; and hence the remark oitel
made by teachers at the commencement
Of the terns, "that these scholars hav
been sadly neglected in their previou
e studies"
moreover, the teachers get no creo'
d for their efforts Nor the town for IN
e expenditure.
h With these remarks OH the evils of ,h
schools, it may not be out Of place to re
fer to the remedy.
i The Importance of the subject nee
y hardly be discussed,
1t commends itself to the serious cor
,r sideration of the town.
= On this point the Committee will nc
s. seek to disguise their ambition that
of vigorous effort be made 70 raise the stand
IS ard of your public schools, and takin
If hold Of the subject with strong hant
y. adopt such measures as shall tend
h bring the young To love OF books. 9Th
Ie chosen repositories Of the Thoughts an
J. the opinions Of the in,elligen. and n
a yirtuous."