Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-03
Report OF the Special Committee ON schools
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The Committee have been anxious to. give the sub
ject thorough investigation; and to pass by nj
charge suggestion that might be made by am
person either in regard to the general system th
practical operation of these Important institutions
They accordingly examined the numerous publica
tons in the newspapers of the city upon this sub
ject eonversed freely in private with many citizens
and extended a general invitation to the public L
come before the committee, and present such com
plants suggestions as any person might have Il
make.
SO far as the committee have been able TO ascer
tain from these sources the objections urged agans
the present system and management Of the Public
Schools, may be stated as follows
LIST. Ii Is charged that the Public Schools are
shamefnlly defcient in imparting TO pupils an ele
mentary knowledge of reading, grammar, geography
and arithmetic.
ID. That there are frequent and unnecessary
changes in the text books used by the pupils.
4 Sd. That books are purchased by the Board OF
Education at one price and sold to the pupils at a
higher price-that favortsml exercised in the sale
OF books to pupils, and no accounts kept of books
| thus sold.
4th That the financial transactions of the school
department and the manner Of keeping the accounts
afford easy opportunities of defraudng the CorpO-
ration Of large amounts Of money.
9Th. That the powers Of the Superintendent are
too large, to-wit in fixing salaries of teachers sus-
/ pending them, making charges in books. &c, and
that he has financial duties which he should not
/ have.
9th. That there is unnecessary extrayagances in
the management of the schools.
9TH. That pupils are admitted 70 the schools who
are not entitled under the law to attend them.
The committee believe that the above classified
ton embraces all the complaints and objections they
have heard made against the management of the
Public Schools. They viii proceed to take them up
Item by item and state the conclusions the commit
tee have arrived ST. The first charge in the list is
more important than all the balance as shameful
deficiency in imparting an elementary knowledge Of
reading grammar, geography, and ARITHMETIC, would
defeat the very object for which the schools were
created, and would render them an expensive nui-
sance. The committee accordingly spent more than
week in visiting the different schools, and gave
them the most thorough examination they could in
that length of time. The pupils were examined by
the teachers, by visitors and by different members
of the committee. The committee were aware that
public examinations are generally very poor tests
OF scholarship, aud consequently avoided, much
possible the routine usually followed on such oe-
casons. The object was to test the thoroughness
Of the teaching and how far the pupils understood
the subjects they had studied. The questions were
not confined &c those in the book, and were
calculated to show how far the pupils have been
taught not only the rules laid down in the text
books, but which is more important, the reasons of
those rules. The committee were well pleased with
these examinations; of course not equally so with
all the schools, some exhibited more thoroughness
in teaching than others But take them altogether,
the committee have hesitation in saying that the
public schools of Nashville the best schools that
they have been acquainted with. The reading was
remarkably good-the children almost universally
enunciate in clear, distinct and natural tone OF
voice and with very little of that hesitation so COM
mon in young readers. The spelling very good.
In grammar, arithmetic and geography, as well as
algebra and the other more advanced studies, the
pupils well instructed. In some OF the looms
the committee were delighted with the accurate and
thorough knowledge displayed by many of the pupils
in these branches. OF course there are some chill
dren constituted that they will not or cannot
learn anywhere, and there doubtless such cases
in the public schools, but the above remarks apply
to the great of the pupils. The committee was
less pleased with the writing than anything else
they The copy books are kept with great
neatness, but except in few OF the rooms, there
was not such improvement in writing as the COM
mittee would like to see. The committee was well
pleased with the order kept in the schools the neat
Tess and cleanliness of the rooms the cheerfuness
manifested by all the pupils and their readiness TO
submit to the examination. Some OF the rooms are
too much crowded, and some Of the teachers pro0a-
bly, have more pupils than they do full justice
to; but this it is said, will be remedIed when the
Howard School Building is finished Upon the
whole, there is nothing of which Nashville has
more cause to be proud of than her public schools
and the committee would earnestly recommend 10
the citizens Generally to visit and TO examine them
for themselves. They satisfied that many of the
complaints made against the schools, originate with
persons who seldom On never visit them, and are
ignorant of the mode of teaching actually pursued.
Inc SCHOOLS ueceHN6 duSoQtlOn LDln Iley nave
heretofore received, and will amply repay any one
for the trouble of visit and examination of their
practical operation
1t is said that too frequent and unnecessary
changes are made in the text books used IN the pub
lie schools. The committee could not go into gen.
eral examination of the various text books to
report on the merit demerit of each change They
are satisfied, however, that the changes are net so
frequent many persons have supposed In
Biographies for Instance, it has been stated that
seven changes have been made, when, in fact only
two have occurred. To understand this matter, 1t
rs necessary TO state that the Biographies used IN
the Public Schools constitute series. Beginners
are first given a Primer of Geography, which is
easily understood and is intended the first
on the subject in the primary department. As the
pupil advances and after finishing the Primer, an
Intermediate Geography is placed In his hands ana
finally he completes the study in still more ddVanc-
ed Geography-the three books making one SERIES
The first series used IN the Public Schools was com
posed of Goodrich's Primer of Geography and ms
large Geography Morse's Geography being the In
termediate. In February, 1851, Cotton q fltchs
Introductory and Modern School Geography were
introduced in place Of the first and second OF the
the above series-ths the first change
In January, 1860, CcltOn u Fitch's were lald
aside and Warren smaller and larger biographies
substituted-this was the second and last change
The committee is of opinion that changes IN text
books should be made as seldom as possible anc
never without very urgent reasons 1t sometimes
necessary and proper. however, to substitute new
books for old ones and this is the case IN some
studies more than in others. In Geography, for IN
stance changes are continually being mace In the
boundaries of countries states and empires, and IN
the size of towns. Additions constantly being
made by new explorations, to our knowledge OF
Geography In other studies there is progress and
improvement; and new systems better arrangements
and classtcations of the subject make 1t proper to
introduce new books. The prOprety of each change
must be left to the good and discretion OF the
Board of Education assisted by the teachers and the
hoa N nm
subject. The Superintendent has no power TO In |
troduce book into schools, but this RESPONSE
bility is confided alone to the Board of Education
The practice of the Board, when it is proposed TO
change text book is to refer the matter TO commit
tee OF teachers and the superintendent, who examine
the new book compare it with the old one, and re-
port back to the Board This report is examined by
the Board of Education, the differences looked
into and if the utility of the change is apparent 1t
is made by order of the Board The committee |
know of no better plan to suggest than this. They
believe the power IS where it should be, and they |
have no reason to think that it has ever been nju-
diciOusly or improperly exercised.
The next charge is that books purchased by |
the Board of Education and sold in the schools at an
advance, Eand that favOritism in this way, is not
only possible but is actually shown in practice
There seems TO be an impression with some persons
that a regular speculation is carried on in the sale
of books, by the superintendent or some one else
connected with the schools. The committee is sat
ised that this is altogether Incorrect and that great
injustice has been done to the management of the
schools in this matter The general rule upon this
subject is to require parents buy books and they
are left to their own choice as to where they are
purchased-the schools do not buy books but leave
that matter TO the parents and booksellers. This is
the general rule. The exceptions 10 it are first
that INDECENT pupils who are unable to purchase, are
supplied at the public expense. When a class is
about to begin study, they directed procure
the necessary bOOks-it is by the teacher that
some of the pupils fail to supply themselves and
upon inquiry ne finds they unable to do The
teacher then sends order to the Superintendent
for the number required and he gives order
5ookstore-the books are purchased, charged to the
Board of Education and distributed by the
teacher among the INDECENT pupils for whom they
were intended. 1t frequently happens that some of
the pupils thus supplied. afterwards get the money
ard pay for the books. which money is handed by
the teacher TO the Superintendent and by him paid
over TO the Board OF Education. In this way the
Board of Education sometimes get credit in their
accounts with the Superintendent for items of So,
So $40, etc. The reason why account of stock
or regular account current of these matters is not
kept must be apparent from the bare statement OF
Al e.,