Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-04-10
aa6e


commoaate, without any
change whatever 900
1855
This is in the Centre School District;
and besides these, the city owns thirteen
other school houses, yet hire room for
one school on Providence Street.
Hitherto, no mention has been made
Of the teachers. 1t is proper for
vour Committee to state in regard to
them. that, by the new and proposed
arrangement, such a number of teach
ers can be employed as are necessa-
ry for the scholars as many rooms
can be occupied as are wanted, and no
more: when one is full another can be
opened, and teacher supplied for it,
and so on, till all the rooms are occu-
pied; and if by any good fortune our
population or our scholars shall increase,
we shall always be ready to. make
more room. Your Committee are each
Of The opinion that by this plan of giving
one teacher the sole charge of one school
of about fifty scholars,and filing one
room before opening another, (Which is
practicable the amount of instruction
received would not be decreased in pro-
portion to the decrease of teachers; on
the contrary, they believe that the whole
attention Of one teacher being devoted
to the school, which should be directly
and wholly under his control, even more
knowledge might be impaired and ac-
CURED; and the whole responsibility
devolving on one person, much better
habits of study and order, would be
likely to be cultivated.
1t is for this reason, therefore, that
your Committee refer to that point. 1t
will be recollected that we have in our
entire city, sixty-nine teachers; that in
all our schools, we have, on an average,
about twenty-five hundred scholars. Of
this number of teachers, seventeen are in
the District schools, which must always
be provided with one teacher whether the
schools are large or small, and allowing
thirty-6ve scholars to each of the Dis
trict schools, about six hundred of the
twenty-five hundred would be thus pro-
vided for; deducting four hundred for
the average attendance in Sycamore
Street under the instruction of eight
teachers, there would remain fifteen
hundred scholars in the Centre School
District, under forty-two teachers, or
fraction over thirty-fve to teacher. If
the new arrangement should be adopted,
it will not be difficult matter to de-
termine the number of teachers that
would be wanted, and the amount Of
money which would be saved to the city,
If, therefore, it can be demonstrated
that one teacher can take the charge Of
one school of about fifty scholars, and
can teach them as much by the new as
they can be taught by the present plan /;
if the alterations can be made at mod
crate expense; if, in the winter these
rooms can be rendered more nnmfnrta-
Die, and IN the summer not less so than
they now are, and, if in various ways,
which have not been mentioned, more
healthful air can be supplied, greater
amount Of knowledge can be impaired
and acquired, and still a reasonable de-
gree of economy be secured, we do not
see why the proposed changes should be
longer delayed.
Your Committee were instructed to as
certain if the present school houses could
be SO altered as to correspond, in a de-
gree, with the Sycamore st. school
house, thus to alter the whole plan OF
instruction by giving one teacher the
sole care of one school. In the dis
charge of their duty, they have obtained
all the information they could, in the
time allotted them for making this Re
port They have given the measure
ments in round numbers, as nearly as
possible, correct. They have the plans
which they herewith present they have
in no instance Intentionally exaggerated
any matter concerning the schools, and
with all the facts before them, they have
no hesitation in recommending all the
changes herein proposed, which in theil
estimation, can be made for the follow
ing sums, viz:
Walnut Street, $50; Thomas Street
$500; Ash Street, $3.50; Pleasant
Street, $50; Summer Street, $50; Paw.
ing Cellars, $500.
And they recommend to the City
Council the passage of the following
order: ee4 a
Ordered, That the Committee on Ed
ucation be authorized to cause the chang
es recommended in this Report to be
made in the several school houses in the
Centre District, as soon as may be,
without inconvenience or obstruction
to the schools. That sum not exceed
ing twenty-five hundred dollars be APP
propriated for this purpose, and that the
Mayor be authorized to draw his order
on the Treasury therefor, in such sums
as shall be agreed on in the contract to
be made for the performance of the
work.
All which is respectfully submitted by
WIN. DICKINSON,
~ d. WALDO LINCOLN,
FRANKLIN HALL.
WILLARD WARD,
GEORGE H. HARLOW,