Worcester daily spy., 1859-03-11
STATISTICS OF EDUCATION.

The twenty second annual report of the
Board Of Education, just published, furnishes
a complete and interesting statement of the
present condition of the educational system in
this State. The Normal schools are in thirty
ing and prosperous condition, and are unable
to supply the demand which even now exists
for cultivated teachers. The general aspect
of the public schools is cheerful and encourag-
ing. The statistics show that during the year
1858 more money was raised for schools than
ever before; that teachers are better paid,
that the number of schools has been augmen-
ted. and that the number of scholars attending
school was greatly increased. On the impor-
tant subject of physical education, the Secre-
tary remarks that sUhoui life, as usually con-
Quoted, is physically injurious, and children
are often pezmitted to live in daily and uni
form neglect of the most essential truths OF
physiological science and the facts OF human
experience. The deficiency is most marked
among girls, and among youth of both sexes
in cities In this case as in many others, it is
easier to find the difficulty than the remedy.
The Secretary does not propose any specific
method of relief
The whole number of public schools in the
State is 4,42l, in which 2lS, 1913 youth are edu-
Gated by 1913 teachers. Worcester county is
fourth in proportion and wealth, first in the
number of schools, second in the number of
teachers and scholars, and in the ratio of atten-
dance tenth in the salaries which she pays to
her teachers, fifth in the amount of money
raised by tax for school purposes, and ninthy
in the comparative amount appropriated for
the education of each child between the ages
of 5 and 10 years. There are 70 private
schools in the county-a larger number than
in any other county except Essex.
Referring to the towns, an analysis of the
tables is still more interesting. On the list
showing the comparative amount appropriated
for each child, Nahant stands at the head and
New Ashford at the foot-S20 being the max
imum and 81 SO the minimum. Worcester
stands twenty sixth on the list with an appro-
priation of 81 50. The year before last we
were forty-ninth. The towns Immediately
following Nahant are Brookline, West Rox-
bury, Dorchester, Somervile, Brighton and
Dedham, whose schools are known for their
excellence throughout the State. In this
county, Worcester stands at the head of the
list Clinton comes second, and is immedi-
ately followed by Harvard, Fitchburg, Warren,
&C. West Boylston is at the foot of the class,
where it has been for two or three years.
Just above it are Berlin, Grafton and Holden,
III oh
Among the towns which have made the most
marked and rapid progress are North Brook
field, which has gone up from the fifty fourth
to the tenth place; Boylston, from the fortieth
to the fifteenth; Athol, from the thirty eighth
to the SIXTEENTH and Sterling, from the thirty
fifth to the seventeenth. Among those which
have retrograded, are Upton from the fifth to
the twenty eighth; Lunenburg, from the sew
enth to the thirtieth Grafton, from the thirty
second to the fifty-sixth; Leominster, from the
thirteenth to the thirty. second; Webster, from
the seventeenth to the thirty-fourth; and
Millbury, from the eighteenth to the thirty
seventh.
In the table showing the per centage of tax
able property appropriated for school purposes
Clinton is the first in Worcester county, and
New Braintree the last. Since 1857, Worces-
ter has ascended from the twenty y-sixth to the
thirteenth rank; North Brookfeld from the
twenty-fifth to the third; and West Boylston
from the thirty-ninth to the twenth-sixth.
With reference to the average attendance,
Warren stands easily first, with the perfect ra-
ito of 100. Webster is the lowest with ra-
tio of 52-24 Worcester is the ffty-fourth in
the county, and the too hundred and .tJty-sirh
in the State
The remaining tables are suggestive and in
teresting In our limited space we cannot fol-
low out the trains of thought which they sug-
gest. We desire, however, by these few fig
ures to inspire the towns with more enthusias-
tic emulation and generosity in the field of
public instruction, and to induce our own
county to reform in those particular courses
which lead her to present SO sorry figure in
the annual reports.