Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-15
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


u.nal complete and exhaustive statistics of our
educational system. The school fund, estab
li.bed in 1884, makes on the treasurer's books,
with the interest which will have accrued
thereon on first day of June next, the follow.
ing exhibit
OOO annual interest at five per cent S93 $50 90
4S)O62 annual interest at six per cent, 25.S0S "a
3765O0, W. X. r. shares, eig hit per cent 3ol20 W
Il Sal 10 mos. interest at six per cent, 2-5S2 O5
1900 annual interest at 81 per cent, 1,045 90
$780, no income
I,588,628. Total income, $4,000 70
On the first day of August last, the sum of
S5l .64l was carried TO the credit of the fund
from the proceeds of the sales of lands in the
Rack Bay, made in December, 1860 This is
the first and only payment from this source
to the school fund. Portions of the lands yet
unused have, however, been set apart for the
benefit of this fund, thus carefully guarding
it against diminuton, and re-afirming The lib
eral policy of the legislation of 1859 in regard
tolt.
The secretary's summary of statistics for
186O-6l, show that there were in the CON-
monweath 1861 public schools, giving enl-
ployment to 5343 teachers, and instruction to
900 Ol0 scholars. The number of persons in
the state, on the first of May last, between the
ages of and Is years, was 23l ,480. Of those
who attended school 10, l04 were under 5, and
24,9OO were over Is years Of age. The amount
raised by taxes for the support of these
schools, including only wages, board, fuel
care of fires, and school rooms, was 81, 475,-
94S 76, or an increase for the year of Sat-
472 a. The aggregate returned as expended
on the schools, exclusive of expense of repair
ing and erecting school houses, and of the cost
of school books, was S1,612,S23 rs, or an in
ereaseof SAT ,720 over the aggregate of the pre-.
ceding year. The number OF incorporated
academies returned was 3d. with an estimated
attendance of 3425, and of private schools and
academies 638, with an estimated attendance
Of 16 400 scholars.
The abstract of school returns from the va
rious towns and cities, together with the grad
uated tables that accompany them, open an in
teresting field for analysis and comparison. In
the table showing the comparative amount of
money appropriated by the different towns for
the education of each child between The ages
of five and fifteen years in the town, Brookline
stands easily first at so 10, and is followed at
short distance by Nahant, Belmont, Dor
chester, and lew other suburban towns.
Twelve towns only exceed in their appropria.
tons SO for each child. Worcester is number
81 in rank at Sc so; Fitchburg 81 at So 63
Milford 2l7 at SO 90 while Bernardston,
Southwick, and few other distant mountain
towns bring up the rear at 81 80 per child. Oh
the towns of Worcester county Lancaster
stands at the head at 81 So Harvard comes
next, Worcester third, Clinton fourth. while
Blackstone, Douglas, and West Boy lston close
the list at the other extremity, giving from
81 so to SO 90 head. OF the counties Nan
tncket stands pre.eminent, Suffolk, Norfolk
and Middlesex falling little behind.
Comparing these tables, which give onl,
one phase of the question, with the percsntag
of taxable property appropriated by the sew
eral towns for the public schools, the rank o
the towns is essentially changed, many OF til,
humber ones, Florida, Truro, Orleans, We'll
feet, and the like, rising into conspicuou
places, while the choice and favored towns o
the borders of the metropolis sink out of sig IN
In this last regard Barnstable and Nantuck
stand first of the counties, and Suffolk las
Rutland leads the towns of Worcester coun
at S0026l; Athol, Hubbardstou, Upton, Dan
and the rest follow within speaking distanct
OF the principal towns Westborough stan
I'D on the list, Fitchburg 20, Worcester {
Blackstone 40, Royaston So and last. OF t
towns showing the larger ratios of attendant
which is often the best sign of healthy scht
organism Dunstable, Tyngsboro, Warwit
etc., stand at the head. In Worcester coun
Royalston, which stood at the foot of the
as respects its percentage of taxable prope
appropriated, stands first in its ratio of ate
ance, and eighth in the state, showing
honorable ratio of SO 10. Worcester ho
the SD place in the county and the 269lh pl
in the state. Lancaster, Mendon, Da
Athol, Auburn, Boyston, Oakham,
Spencer, all of them hold high rank, show
an average attendance of 80 per cent. g
upwards. The mean average attendance
the whole state was 170875, or IA per cent
ages of five and fifteen years.
This report is the first submitted to
Hon. Joseph White, who was appointed to
post of secretary of the board upon the rel
nation of ex-GoY. Boutwell,, year or
since. The present secretary has given Ii
self to his new duties with great energy
discretion, and is doing excellent service
the line of the educational interests of
commonwealth. He closes his report with
fusion to the qualification he has experien
in finding in every section of Massachus
most cheering manifestations OF undated
terest in our public school system. The fe
trials through which our free institutions
passing have turned the public mind with
wonted interest to the primal sources {
springs Of our social and national life
brought into clear and bold view the vital
latlons OF free schools to the public we
Happy indeed will be the augury for the
ture If the records OF our towns and citi
burdened as they will be by unprecedent
taxation, shall show that they have within,
from those schools no part of that support "
which they have been hitherto so penerou
maintained.
GUNS AND STRATEGY WANTED. Nearly
the newspapers copy what purports to b
dispatch from Gen Mcclellan to the c.