Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-03-29
REPORT OF THR BOARD oF PUBLIC RDu
CATION


counts OF the past year published according
TO the Act of the General Assembly, Tor the
benefit OF Public Schools, in Wilmington.
The Board occupy ten Sch" Houses, SIX
they have built viz Numbs IS 2. 8, 4, 6, I,
=, one they have purchased, No. 10, one they
received from United School District. No |;
two they hold under the City Council, Nos.
and 9. The Board have sold School House
and lot No. l, at the corner Of French and
Sixth Streets, ressrving possession OF boys de
partment until the vacation in July, and OF
girls department till April, 1867, aud Intend to
supply equal school accommodation, when the
necessity occurs
In these houses thirty fuur schools have
been kept during the past year. graded from
The Alphabet, through reading, writing, draw
ing, arithmetic, mental and written orthogra-
ply and defining geography, history, book
keeping, algebra and physiology. The schools
generally are PRIMARY, mprehsnding under
this term reading, writing, photography and
defining, drawing, geography, and primary
lessons in history aud grammar. All thai
Teachers are females. The Board heretofore
have carefully examined and largely discussed
the potbt OF the aptness ard ability OF Females
to teach schools OF the grade OF ours; their
conclusion was that for these schools they are
better teachers than males; the experience
and observation of years have removed doubts
OF those who at first hesitated, and oOrrobora' ed
the opinions OF those who upon clear testi
nony and what they deemed convincing rea-
soning, had reached this conclusion. The
teaching has been not only more economical
but better.
But the Board ':svu no doubi, that there
ought to be sch oola under the instruction 0t
male Teacher with competent assistants 10
cnnf-r higher grade of English education
such as every man y business shGnld receive,
and youth by the age OF sixteen or rarlier can
acquire. Our primary hoos arr Of incalcul-
abe value. No one can overeetimSte the i'm
porlanee OF forming in children early habits OF
school going, and saving them FROM the ruin
Gus effects of ssun.erine on the streets idling
In vicious compani0nship and other forms Ut
Innocence, but II is obvious, that the interest
OF our citizens, an a the cause Of education
require, that there should la in cur schools
provision for q higher grade OF instruction,
than has been yet introduced; this if indeed
The regular progress of our system; beginnng
at what was at first seen 10 bo necessary, aud
proceeding as our wants have untolded them
selves. Every youth Of our city should hav
in our Public Schools means OF a good BUSH es
education. There are many who have nave
been in them, that should he attracted b.
higher advantages than they have heretOfor
been able 10 ofter. The want OF lands and re
luotance to contract d-bt have restrained tn
Board from doing what they have felt the un
divided eenent of our citisens ami public We
fare Of our uity required When objection i
made on account OF the expense, We ask,
what subject of expsnd ture Is our city 30 d
reOtly interested, and on what il there so fu
and liberal requital tn the citizens, In goo
order, moral influence, and permanent pros
perlty, as the eduos lion OF our youth-pre
pariHg them for worth and usefulness.
By last quarters reports OF our Schools
December, January, February, q fair sampt
Tor the Year, it ia shown, that th.re we're i
the schools that gu after, twelve hundred an
slightly two boys, and thirteen hundred an
forty three girls, whole humber of scholar.
two Thousand six hundred and twenty nve
and fifty two teachers. principals and assis
tant5 The tune ol lour OF the principals i
necessarily devoted to the duties OF Superi n
tendeIce, there thus being forty eight teach
era of classes, averaging upwards of ffty~ilv
scholars to each regular teacher. In the thre
largest houses, Nos, ?, Q and :, each regula
clAss contains q in the Others except No 5
the average Ia lesr than 40. hut even As TIL
schools are graded, the whole energy of ever,
teacher IL required for the performance OF he
dutles There are existing Committees of tn,
Board for all tha schools; and IL is only luA
tice 10 the Teachers to declare our belief tina
NOR" faithful corps can where Ia found
To keep fresh In the minds o! the teacher
the kno @lcdge they have acquired and enoour
age them TO proceed TO higher proficiency, tn
Board have instituted for their benefit Nor
NAL school, open every other Saturday morn
ipg, from nine o'clock III IL nocn tauXh
BY member of the Board.
The salaries OF the teachers are limited b.,
tho means within tue power ., the Board =
They consider them too low, and would glad
ly Increase them. Seventeen t-caive a year
y salary Of two hundred and fifty dollar
nine salary OF two hundred aud seventy fv
dollars eight salary of three hundred do
lars SIX salary Of three hu rdred and twsnt
i've DO liars TOUR salary Of three hundre
and Ifty dollars three Il salary OF three hui
bred and seventy nvs dollars, three aalai
OF four hundred dollars; one salary OF Nv
hundred dollars as principal Of school houi
No. l, and Of two hundred dollars as princip
ot school house No 8, the lowest not sui
clent, the highest barely suficient, at prese,
prices, TO board and e!olhe them and this I
services faithfully rendered and deserviI
grateful remuneration,
1t is desirable to impress upon all ssnlil
scholars TO our schools, the Importance
punctuality and constAney Of attendance
Both these are essential to n scholar FORUM
love oil school, CT making satisfactory u,
grees. Absence for n halt day loses not on
the time vi absence, but part, and sou
times an important part, OF what had been
quired, besides putting the scholar 10 d's
vantage in his class. Being tRtdy may los
lesson, OF hinder preparation, and teudS
the forming OF careless. negligent habits.
der the strict rules OF the Board, there il
pEONchhchb VA oONu tuchb iunPFNtN' WV VI
needs greater improvement. For the trequ
aboence or hardness OF scholar cannot
TO discourage the teacher. These two fau
absence from school and tarliness Il attenli
OF which parents seem to think so little
which some encOurage, complaining ofthe n
which restrict :hsm, will greatly feet
grass Of learning and habits Of conduct wi
must have controllir. agency i'll rml
jor good or Tor evil the condition Of life.
Election n Msn6srs OF rae 5odri a EIIedt
by the Board of Public Educ4iiuu OF '
EinslCu,
ho,ol7td, Fiat Inc election ui N,u.ber
'o's Board ga the frat SATURDAY, ~ wit.
ss'eh'h day OF Arrii, 1866. tie hold at the
lowing places Ia and tor the several " i
ie"PetuNtly, w IN aud Tor tho FIRST
az school house No. a. 44 Washington Str
oetween second aud Third atr.et.. the Sec
ward AZ school GpGsr No d Valiant str
between Third and tuutth -.,reato RI
Ward at the Water Wltsh Engine bona.
Fourth Ward at srhccl house IA ,',,,,.
Sixth and French streets; aud tie rrJ, u
at school house No, ?, comet ot wa.hing
and Eleventh streets.
Attest JoHs =. ROsSsos, Sr,r.t.,
There is TO he elected 10 tbs First W ard
member for three years, tue term OF A
"awthrop expiring 10 the Second Ward
member fer three years, the time OF lie
McCali expiring, IN the Third Ward
Tor three years, and one for two Years
nG " a..