Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-07-15
Rsport Of Public SCHOOLS.
10 the Board qf EdvcatiOa I;

TO the Board If Edycation'
Ihave the honor Of submitting for your con
sideration my second annual report
The total enrolment for the year just closed
was 800; average weekly enrolment 293 -
per cent Of attendance "a; per cent Of pune
tuality, 90. The corresponding statistics for
last year are as follows Total enrolment, 37l
average weekly attendance, 2G0; average dat
ly attendance, 25l, per cent Of attendance,
"a; per cent OF punc.uality, 9S.
These figures show an increase over last
year, as well as preceding years, In every par
ticular, except the per cent OF attendance,
which is the same. This results from change
in the method of calculating the per ceht-
Formerly, 1t was calculated on the actual days
present and not on the average weekly enroll
mcDt, as now by the same method OF calcu-
lation, am satisfied the per cent. of attend
ance this year would be at least one greater
than 1t was last,
On examining the last report Of the State
School Commissioner, find that the four
largest towns of the Reserve, near the lake
shore--not including the city of Cleveland
viz Painesville, Elyra, East Cleveland AMI
Qberlin, report total enumeration 4lS7 to-
tai enrolment, 277G; total daily attendance,
1856. The average enumeration of these four
places is l047; average enrolment, GOA aver
age daily attendance, 446; average per cent,
of attendance, 025 ; average number of weeks
schools were in session, 81. The report of
Athtabula, as given by the Commissioner is
entirely incorrect. 1t is as follows; Total
enumeration, $780, enrolment, $40; average
daily attendance, 25i; per cent of attendance,
o.; number of weeks school when in session,
3S.
In the four towns just named, the average
enrolment is GO per cent of the average enu-
meraton; the average daily attendance, GA
per cent Of the total average enrolment, 1928
pr ct Of average weekly enrolment. In Ashta-
bula the total enrolment is 55 per cent. OF the
enumeration the average daily attendance,
G5 per cent, of the total enrolment, and 94
per cent, of the average weekly enrolment 1t
will be seen from these statements that our
village stands above the average of these four
towns, in each of the particulars mentioned,
except the per cent, of enrolment on the total
enumeration. / apprchend this difference
arises from the fact that these places have
more foreign pupils enrolled in their schools
than we have.
From the above comparison, It ia safe to
say that we have as strong hold upon our
pupils, after they are once enrolled, as our
neghbors, and in the particulars mentioned,
compare favorably with them.
The Commissioners report is deficient in
many items that are of interest in comparing
one school with another ] would be glad to
compare the cost of tuition in our schools,
and especially the high school, with that in
other schools but l have not the data, ] am
satisfied, however. from correspondence with
other Superintendents, that although our
schools are smaller, the cost is quite below the
average.
So far as given in the Commissioners re,
port, the cost per pupil of the years eXpendi-
ture ranges from $5 to $40; the average for
r the towns reported being little over $21
, the expenditures for new buildings, repairs
. fuel teachers wages, &c, are all included in
this calculation. The cost per pupil of last
years expenditures, including our neW build
ing, was $13 80, basing the calculation on the
total enrollment; basing it on the average dai
ly attendance, the cost per pupil was $40 20.
If we deduct the cost of the new building
from the total expenditure, the cost per pupil
calculated, as l suppose it is in the Commits.
sioner's report, on the total enrolment, will be
only $11, but little more than half the av-
erage for the State.
l am happy to be able to state that the re-
school are good, and in some very good Thi:
(. "a. SD,
: pupils who were members of the school at the
close of the year, only % failed to be romo
= ted; some of these stood within four OF five
per cent. OF the required Standard and may
| make up their deficiencies during the vaca
r tion. OF the % who failed OF propotion,
f had never atteaded our school prior to thG
[ last term. leaving but 10, or about per cent
of the whole school that failed to accomplish
the work laid out.
This may not be very strong evidence o!
6 good results to the minds Of many, as il
would be an easy matter for teachers to favol
pupils in their examinations, and to combine
$ with the Superintendent 10 make show o
good results. l think the teachers and pupils
! also, will bear wltpess that this has not been
the case, in fact, teachers and pupils both have
I complaiped tAat the test questions were tot
hard."
f The teachers in the first and second PrimG,
ry and the first Intermediate schools have
been left to conduct their own examinations
= The work in these rooms, consisting mainly
of reading and spelling, was easily and quick
ly tested, when thought it necessary. In the
second intermediate, Grammcr and High
Schools where written examinations are re-
quired. the questions for all the classes. ex'
S cept those reciting to me. were prepared by
y myself The questions for my own classe:
a were prepared by the principal Of the Higl
: school
t These questions were pot so easy and short
:. that any one could answer them. but were as
G full as could be answered in the time allotted
= and sufficiently difficult 10 form very fail
e test on the work done for the month.
These questions and answers have beer
: kent on file to satisfy apy who might object tC