Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-21
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Special Report of the superintendent
of Instruction.

I IL 80
special report, giving an outline of the con-
dition of the schools of the city, My pur-
/ pose was TO ~acquaint the new members of
the Board with certain of the more promi-
nent facts pertaining to our educational
affairs, that they might the more readily
comprehend the duties which would claim
their attention. As the Board ordered the
publication of that report, l judge that a
repetition of that service will meet your
acceptance.
AS a general truth, It may be said that
the schools of our city are doing well. 4
/ very large proportion of the teachers are
| competent. faithful and successful to a
degree highly satisfactory. The opening of
twenty-six additional school-roems within
the past twelve months has greatly relieved
the pressure upon the schools in certain
parts of the city. Very much has been
done within a year or two 10 improve the
grading Of the schools and the classifying
Of pupils. In the way of system and uni
formity Of operation great advancement has
been made, and in those districts which are
not greatly deficient in school accommoda-
! lions, the school machinery is running with
as much quiet and efficiency combined, as
can be found in the best schools in the
country, West or East. Still, in all our
schools there is room for improvement,
None of them have reached perfection
some of them are in conditions far from
satisfactory. And until certain hindrances
are removed, a high order Of excellence
should not be expected in all the schools.
But you will more easily understand the
/ situation of our schools if I present them
| somewhat more in detail taking the wards
separately, though, as you are aware, the
wards and school-distriets are not C snterm-
/ inous.
First Ward.-In the buildings on Eagle
and Prospect streets, there are IL schools
and II teachers. The territory is compact,
the rooms are convenient, the schools are
appropriately graded, but one Of the rooms
is crowded, and all the schools are in good
/ condition.
Second Wdrd.-The only school house in
this ward is that upon Rockwell street, con
tanning 5 schools under the charge of 6
/ teachers. So far as the building will admit,
the schools are in good condition. But the
| house is small, inconvenient and badly Out
of repair. 1t should give place to a larger
and better planned building at the earliest
day practicable. Owing to the smaHness Of
the house, the districting of the ward is
necessarily bad. A part of the ward has been
annexed to the West ST. Clair street district
a part to the Middle st. Clair, and a part to
the Brownell stree: district. Thus i ap-
| DcdIo ludl Tue CullNTtu VI Nuib Out hdIu al
sent to schools in four wards. 1t so hap
pens that the member of the Board of Edu-
cation and both members of the City Coun-
Gil from this ward, reside without the Rock
well street district.
Third Ward.-In the West st. Clair and the
Bank street buildings there are Z schools,
with s teachers. The buildings are in good
| condition, though some Of their furniture is
unfit for further use. The schools are do
ing well, though q part of the lower rooms
are considerably crowded. These schools,
as a whole, have forfeited their historic re-
putation for disorder and lawlessness. l re-
! greet to be obliged TO add that the Principal
to whom Is due the chief credit of their i'm
proved condition, has for some weeks been
detained a. his house by dangerous illness,
Fourth Ward-The new Brownell street
building contains Is schools, under the care
of II teachers. The house has been occu.
pied six months, and the schools are now in
very successful operation. These schools
have one decided advantage over the other
schools Of the city, in the fact that the Prin-
cipal is allowed to devote one-half of his
time to general supervision. In a large
school this plan is practicable, but not in
our smaller schools.
Fifth Rard-The Middle st. Clair and
the East Sc Clair ool-houses are in this
ward, though their respective districts en-
brace large portions of the Second and
Seventh Wards. In these buildings there
are IL schools and u teachers. The
rooms and furniture are in good condition.
and the schools in good working order, ex-
cept that some of the rooms for the lower
grades are greatly crowded. Four addi-
tional rooms are needed for the proper &C.
eommodation of the pupils now in atten-
dance upon the schools of the ward.
Sirh WdTd.-In this Ward are situated
the Hudson, May1ower and Perry street
Schools, the two schools on Kinsman street
and the Orphan Asylum school; in all, Is
schools and 20 Teachers. Most of the room:
in the Hudson street building and the two
upon Kinsmsn street, are utterly unht fol
school purposes. Some of them are scarce
ly capable of becoming worse. Yet these
miserable rooms are every day thronged by
hundreds of young children who find in
them all their educational facilities. In
one small room I76 children are taught by
a single teacher; one-half of them attend
ing in the forenoon and the other half in
the afternoon. Six of the rooms contain an
average of 100 pupils each. There are
hundreds Of children in the Ward who de-
sire to attend school, but cannot, simply be-
cause there is no room for them. No part
of the city is increasing in population SC
rapidly as the Sixth Ward. A large build
ing is needed at once on Hudson street, and
at least four rooms are required for the re-
lief of the Mayfower Street Schools. All
the schools of the Ward are doing
as well as should be expected. Some
of them are as good as our best.
Seventh Ward-The new building upon
Case Avenue contains 4 schools with
teachers. a primary school has beer
opened, this week, in a room, hired for the
purpose, upon St. Clair street. The schools
in this ward lave all been opened within
the last six months. All are doing well.
Eighth Ward.-In the houses upon Pear
and Washington streets, there are :
schools and 10 teachers. The Pearl street
schools Of the higher grades are but thinly
attended, while those of the lower grades
are crowded. The location of the new
house on Washington street is most unfor-
tunate, and as now situated it is impossible
to grade the schools of the ward as they
should be. The teachers faithfully dis
charge their duties, but under the present
plan Of distinction, serious difficulties must
oppose the progress Of the schools.
Ninth WGrd-In the buildings upon
Hicks street there are 7 schools and {
teachers. The rooms are all in admir-
able condition and the classification Of the
1 BhBAAo 10 d AtOA 10 dAI VI Jul oSApbAos "
teachers are free from those hindrance:
which are found in many districts, and all
the schools are in a prosperous state.
Tenth Wdrd.-In the Kentucky street
building there are 5 schools and 6 teachers
Most of the rooms are crowded, and addi
tional accommodations should be provided
at an early day. The districting is such as
to give dissatisfaction to many parents, asi
necessitstes sending their children to diff
ferent schools the younger going the greater
distance.
Eleventh. Ward-In the Penn street house
there are 9 rooms and2 teachers. The build.
ing is such that very many persons refuse
to send their children there; preferring tC
support private schools, notwithstanding
their expense. A suitable school-house j;
greatly needed, and l earnestly recommend
It's speedy erection.
In the Central High School there are {
teachers, and in the West 3. Both these
schools are in prosperous operation.
Thus it appears that there are 81 school!
under the instruction of, { including the
teacher of vocal music) ll6 teachers.
The following statement shows the pro
gress of your schools for the last fifteen
years.
1850. 1855. 1850. 1855. &c
Enumerated, from 5
TO p years of e sou 1905 1850 ls,O23
Enrolled in Public
sohoOIs----.--- 2,9Oi 400 4,9o2 7,5ss
Number Of Teachers
ReQuired-------- 81 q s. IS lit
These figures show how greatly the cares,
labors and responsibilities of the Bard and
the Superintendent have increased within
the last few years. 1t costs more effort, as
well as more money. to provide and super