Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-09-03


guages.
1 nave designated four male teachers for
the Adams street schools because, as these
schools are exclusively for boys,I deem
it an improper and d~isagreeable location
for a female teacher, and therefore recon-
mend that a male be substituted for the
female teacher who has heretofore taught
the primary school there.
The art of speaking and writing the
English language with grammatical accu-
racy is very important TO every one who
uses this language as his -vernacular
tongue. Inasmuch as but comparatively
few pupils attending the public schools
can spare tbs mou of time
necessary to pass through all the grades,
1 have deemed it expedient to introduce
the study of English grammar in at least
one school-room of each school building,
so as to impart information in this art as
early and as widely as possible. Until
last yeaTs this study was pursued, i be-
lieve, in only three o. four schoOl-rooms
Ia the city schools, viz: two IN The female
schools of Court street n perhaps two
IN the male schools of Adams street. All
other pupils living at a distance from
these central schools were debarred from
acquiring any knowledge of English
grammar, however well prepared by age
or scholarship they may have been to
commence its study. The consequence
was hat many entered and left our
schools to engage in the practical duties
of life without the least scientific knOwl-
edge of their mother tongue.
The superintendent of the Cincinnati
schools, in his report for 1868 (p. 237) says:
'# introduction in this branch
(grammar) cannot be delayed till the
scholar arrives at the highest grade, where
bad habits in speaking and writing have
been so firmly established that the best
instruction IN grammar and the greatest
energy of the teacher will not be able to
extirpate them" Thus another argu-
ment for the early instruction of grammar
in our schools is furnished by the Super
intendent of Cincinnati.
English grammar was taught last year
in ten schol-rooms, viz: Three in the
Court street schools, two in the Adams,
two in the Linden, n in the Alabama,
one in the Peabody and one in the Chelsea
schools. The ext book used for The
grades below the 1st and I'd was
ola primary character, but was
the best tobe had at the time,
being Green's First Lessons in Gram
mar" Having since become acquainted
with an Elementary Grammar OF the
English Language, by G. Orge E. Holmes,
LID, Professor, etc, etc, in the Uni
versity of Virginia" l am satisf ed that
it is the most suitable text book for be-
ginners in grammar that the Board can
adopt, and hope that its use in our
schools may be authorized. II is enough
to say of this W rk t at { bears the I'M
p~rinsGtur OF the Virginia University Pub
fishing Company, who would not issue
a book OF any subject that la { not SUI
peTiOr excellence. To quote from the
authors preface: "The work has been
so arranged as to furnish a knowledge OF
the principles of English grammar in a
very narrow compass; to afford a familiar
acquaintance with Them in their applica-
tions without entering into minute detail
and to provide the teacher or b adj
vanced student with such explanations
as seemed.requisite, without cOnfounding
these with what was sufficient for ele.
mentary instruction." The work, on ex-
animation, will be found to come up fully
to this description of it.
In the annual reports of Superintend-
enGs that reach our office, I notice that
different ext books on the same subject
are frequently used in the same schools,
In Syracuse, for instance, "Clark's FRS,
Lessons" and English and Green's Eng
lish" are in use for grammar.
Without, then, asking the Board to dis
place our present text book (Covel) on
grammar. I beg permission to USE
Holmes Elementary Grammar in all the
grades in which this study may be proper
ly introduced below the first and second,
Drawing was introduced into our
schools during the last year, and in some
of the school rooms very good results
were attained. The Boston Publishing
Agents of Bartholomew's Drawing Series
sent out, at different times, two teachers
of drawing, that they might impart in
struction in this highly important art OF
our teachers and pupils; but their stay
with us was so short that little more was
done by them than to initiate the good
work. / must award to the sprightly
youths in charge of Mr.. c. II. Braun mo.
2, Adams) the credit of making the best
progress in drawing, as we'll "a in the
sister art of ~psnmanship. If the Board
of Education could afford TO employ a
teacher of drawing and penmanship for
the mex year il would be money proita-
bly, spent.
No enrolment of the colored schools
was made in the beginning of the schO-
lastic year and 1 am, therefore unable to
specify the number enrolled in these
schools. Mr.. g. w. Silsby and Mr. Edgar
Pierce will furnish, at my request, re-
ports ON the schools a. Lincoln and
Phoenix Chapels, with which they ara
proftably connected as teachers; and the
Board is referred to them for more de-
tailed information as to these particular
schools, which contain near three-tourths
of the pupils attending our colored
schools. These schools will be graded so
soon as they are provided with the same
text books as the white schools.
There is a probability, according to pub
lie rumor, that lincoln Chapel will be
used hereafter as a normal school. The
attention of the Board is directed to this
rumor, that other rooms may be provided
for the accommodation of the pupils who
have attended this school building.
Since the diminution of the city limits,
Phoenix Chapel is within two hundred
Yards of the corporation line, and is far
from the central focus of the colored pop
ulatiOn, who send their children to thut
school. A location on South street would
be much more central; and perhaps a
suitable building can be procured on on
near that street, at as little expense as the
Board is now paying annually for the
ground rent of Phoenix Chapel. If so, II
would be a %judicious movement to aban-
don Phoenix Chapel TO the Freedmen's Bu-
reau, which still claims it.
Several reports of the superintendent
of other cities, now on file in the office OF
the Board, contain special reports OF
pr~incipalsi in relation to the schools under
their supervision, which are embraced in
the more general reports of the Superin-
tendents. This plan, or custom, has
struck me as a most excellent one; and
accordingly, several principals of our
schools have kindly furnished me with
reports for the schools under their charge,
to which the Board is referred for more
detailed and specific information, and as
supplementary to the imperfecti0ns OF
this report.
II is with much pleasure that I can here
testify to the faithfulness and eminent
ability of the corps of teachers in the en-
ploy of the Board for the last year. II
was our misfortune to lose one by death,
to-wit: Mrs. Jennie Teager, principal OF
the Alabama street schools, whose death
was suitably and properly noticed by the
Board and teachers Al the time of its oe-
currence, in January last.
The health of the pupils attending the
Memphis city schools has been generally
goode though al epidemic of both measles
and smallpox prevailed in the city dur
Ing the months of both winter and spring.
Much of the loss in the per cent. of attend
ance is attributable to this cause, and
still more to the picnios of May and the
hot weather of June.
Not more than four deaths among the
pupils of U schools have been reported
by the teachers on their abstracts.
During the past year l have literally
complied with your rule. which requires
that your Superindent t'shall devote his
entire time during school hours to visit
ing the schools" In the reports Of other
superintendent l observe that some
specify the number of visits made during
Scholastic year. The Superintendent OF
San Francisco reports tina largest number
that I have noticed, who say "during
the last year he has made 1920 visits TO
the different public schools, being a
monthly average of ILL.," According to a
very accurate diary kept by your super
intendent, he has made last year 1867
visits to the schools under your charge,
lto-wit: 1l74 to the white, and 1873 TO the
colored schools.
. Ofthe 1926 transfers ofpupils made upon
examination a large proportion of them
wers made by your superintendent. The
frequent changes in the principals that
occurred last year, made this work of
transfers more heavy upon the Superin-
tendent In the higher grades lie process