Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-03-25
The Supervisors Report of the
Schools in Hancock.

remarks on the SuhleCI Ocioit u.s. .'o' VIII
not expect me to be wholly original ncith-
er will YOU expect ms 10 say things TO You
altogether new, for shall quote the lam
guage of Others to express my own ideas.
and shall probably reiterate what You
have heard many times. But i'll school
affairs as in ether affairs of life, we need
Zine upon line, precept upon prccept
here, little and there good deal more of
thc same sort
You will all agree with me when say
that our schools are not rs profitable as
they might be aud should be. Let Us then
ask ourselves the question, How are our
schools to be made better and more eff
cicn, And let the answer be practical
application Of this subject to each one eff
IL.
Ry furnishing in some districts better
houses better supplied With hlaekhoards
and other school apparatus; by securing
the services of first class teachers; by
manifesting sufficient interest in our schools
not only to visit them ourselves. but also
10 sec that our children are regular and
prompt in their attendance by casting
the weight Of our influence i'll favor Of sus-
tanning worthy teachers, maintaining good
order and the supremacy of school govern
ment. That there are defects in our school
houses, and a great deficiency in school
apparatus. no one will deny. \ good
comfortable and convenient room with
good blaekboarls, maps, blocks globe, etc.
are highly necessary to the proper advance
mcnt Of the pupil, and here l might urge
the necessity Of immediate action in this
department. You SEE also the importance
of employing the best teachers; those that
are teachers and enter into the work III
earnest But is there not something close
IL connected with the vitality Of eur COM
mon school system that we are apt To
overlook One SAYS, III the school room
the teacher Is the power on The throne,hNt
there is a power behind the throne which
often destroys the influence of teachers:
this is parental influenza power mighty
for veal or woe 10 the character of our
schools. And this brings before US the
Third consideration in our answer. The
interest and influence of parents. An IN
tcres; should be manifested in the school.
Let your children see that YOU place high
value on Their school privileges. and they
will soon learn 10 estimate them as yoa Do.
See tha. your children are puncfual in at
tendance. Scholars should commence with
the first day Of the school and be in attend
ance every day Of the session at the ap-
pointed hour for commencing the exercises.
|; is useless to send children to school an
less ;hcy attend regularly when they pre-
tend to 20. School. are laugh, IN class :.
and in every wei regulated school Tie
lessons are consecutive and progressive,
and If 4 scholar Is irregular in attendance,
much instruction IS lost. and that seao,. r
cannot 20 on with understanding, because
h. has no knowledge of the preceding
lesson. This Is one reason why many be-
eamc discouraged and study only when
driven 10 II. Here N many cases begins
,he dearth Of our schools. The teacher
may labor u keep lie there, = interest
the scholar but 70 h;tle purpose. Like
the wires OF an instrument u i,,.u at their
usual tension they discourse sweet music.
but when broken the vibration ceases. the
n,,,. = dies. One lesson in any branch may
M. renr2>, euted by link in a chain con-
pccrjn, the VII. NIe theory of thar branch :
when one link j. lei, mt the chain is discon-
nec.ed: there is something wanting which
spoil, the syme,ry and btau.' OF the
whole. This is one Of the greatest evils
that now work ruin in our schools. In this
connection let me suggest the propricty o.
50 amending orr school laws that the pa
rent or guardian shall be obliged 10 give
the teacher or committee some reasonable
excuse for the irregular attendance of the
children under their care, upon our town
schools. Here, too. is answered the qnes-
ton. why De not our children learn as fast
a children did when we went 20 school
Il is on account of want of interes; on
the part Of parents as well as children
We do not set that value on our school
privileges that our fathers did.
On account of the Importance which
should be attached to regular attendance,
lie, me repeat; Ii you wish your schools
to be profitable, see TO il that yoar children
are in the schoolroom all the time the
school is in session. The teacher has no
power TO compel the scholar 10 attend
school. The power lies wholly with the
parent or guardian, and If yon wish your
children to be interested IN the school You
must be interested. If you wish them to
obey. yoar influence must be on that side.
See your children often in the schoolroom.
, Look in often to let them know that the
parent and teacher are engaged in the
: same cause. Encourage the teacher by
your presence aud manifest interest in
the school. Above all utter no word OF
disparasemens in the hearing OF the schol-
ars however much yun may b., II SSafi Z al