The Portland daily press., 1871-06-28
Examination Week


The week OF torture for a large majority of
the pupils of our public sch )ols began yester-
day by the examination al the High School,
Generally, the exercises here call out a very
large attendance of the parents and friends of
the graduating class, but perhaps the interest
will centre this year upon the graduating ex-
ercses at City Hall this afternoon. Certainly
there but few listeners to the recitatons yes
terday. We cannot of course speak of the ex-
ercises in DETAIL for at the same hour recita
tons were going on in half dozen class rooms
and one must form his iudgmen. of the whole
from what came uader his own observation
but in passing from room to room, presided ov-
er by different teachers and in various branch
es, proper idea is formed of the progress of
the classes and the general advancement of
the school, Our own observations were ex-
ceedingly gratifying. There was remarkable
readiness in response, and departure from
the text of the book ks; while the idea was we'll
expressed, and the principles of the science
carefully brought out, which showed that the
teachers, in imparting instruction, had aimed
to iDstil the spirit instead of the letter into
the minds of the pupils. The digressioDs and
practical expositions of the study under consid-
GRAFTON were very happy; and we may say
with truth, after several years attendance up
on the examinations of this school, that the
teachers and pupils never acquitted themselves
with greater credit. After the exercises of the
day were concluded, the whole school was col
lected in the girls room, where addresses were
made by Mr.. True, President of the Board,
and Messrs Cofiu, Smaller and Gordon, in
which judicious commentator was given to
both teachers and pupils. II we may be al
lowed to point out any features of the day, we
would refer favorably to the piano duct in the
forenoon, by two of the pupils, and to the song
of Miss Webster at the close of the afternoon
session. The statistics of the school are as
follows:
Whole number pupils enrolled. ..156 2l3 369
Average number belonging tor the
term. ..........................l49 200 $40
Average attendance. .............145 1874 $40
Per centage OF attendance. 9S 81 97.5
Boys. rls. Total.
Number not absent during term. 20 60
Average Scholarship. ......... 1886 3763 1851
Average Rank. .................. 1882 1882 1882
Number Of days in term. 1900. 90
Twenty girls and seven boys attained 4-the
highes. rank OF scholarship. Three boys and
several girls-how many we did not observe
belonging TO the graduating class, have not had
an absence mark during the four years course
OF the college class of boys, four will enter at
Harvard and three at Bowdoin.
The annual exhibition will take place at
City Hall this afternoon, beginning precisely
at two o'clock. The programme will be short
err than last year, and will probably conclude
about four o'clock. The order of exercises is
as follows:
1, Glass Song.
2. Salutatory, (Latin ....... Frank s, Gerrish.
3. Weaving, Glass Essay. Florence G: Curtis.
4. Mems Rights. .....t.......E Emily A. Whittier.
8. Upwards and EDWARDS, ian original Greek Es-
say).......-................ Henry Preble.
g. Song. Home by the River.
7. Every Man the Architect OF his Fortunes
G, M. Cushman.
g. Muitum non Multa. ............Ada B. Curtis
9. Heading of the Omega class paper,
j e. Chapman, Jennie K. Gibson
49, french Recitation, La paiz &c La guerre,
Miss Butler
II. Galop Brilliante. Misses Dana and Sparrow
- Lhe Heroism OF Young Men. g. A. Deering
H. LAZY lies be- ond the Alaps, Valedctory,