Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-04

~NcPOFt OI the board OF Education.
his report, presented to the legislature last
week, opens with some remarks upon the useful
ness OF school superintendent. This agency.
the board believes, is "now exciting more DOW.
erful influence than any other instrumentalitv
IN perfectins the character and giving efficiency
10 the schools" More than forty cities and large
towns now employ superinlendents Most Of
the Others cannot afford the expense, but these
need superintendent most since they cannot
employ SO able and experienced teachers as the
larger and richer towns, and have fewer persons
oil education who can give time to school super
vision. The last legislature appropriated ten
thousand dollars for the salary and expense OF
agents 10 undertake the work of supervision
bat the hoard has found it difficult to procure
gentlemen fitted for this duty. One SPECIAL
agent was appointed as the director of art edu.
cation, whose lab0rs have met with gratifying
success, and one special agent was engaged for
the western counties. If the plan has the sue
cess that is anticipated, the board express the
belief that it will lead to the establishment of a
system Of county and district agents, who will
not assume any Of the powers now possessed bv
the school committees, or relieve them of any of
their duties, but cooperate with them whenever
their services are required, by suggesting plans
and locations for school houses, organizing
schools, comforting with the teachers, holding
meetings for the discussion of school topics and
advising in the classification and grading of
schools.
vi the normal schools, the buildings at Salem
and Bridgewater were enlarged last year, and
VIII now receive two hundred pupils each. The
new boarding houses at Blidgewater and Salem
have proved useful, and there is now as much
need for the enlargement of the former as there
was for its construction. boarding house is
also recommended for the Westfield school.
For the new normal school in this city the
ground has been selected, the plans agreed
upon and the contracts made and the build.
lngs VIII probably be ready for use before an
other year. These schools together make pro
vision for nearly one thousand pupils, and can
graduate more than two hundred yearly: d an
thelr capacity to educate trained teae,ed y 'u'
= not keep pace with the irc-o soia -'oheIs uoes
.-sa lvuu9 pY SoIns,efease of the popula-
non. 10 Increase the number ofnormai schools
on the present plan so as to train all the teach.
ers needed in the state would be very expensive
If It were otherwise desirable, as the board tbint
It is not Two plans have been suggested
TO meet the difficulty One coptemnla,cs
the establishment Of several normal schools
with course Of three or six months devoted
strictly professional instruction in the art OF
organizing, governing and teaching schools
The other plan is TO introduce normal instruction
into high schools and academies. This is III,
A41y Yprr md h,e
Each plan has merits, and the board does moi
express decided preference for either. The 10
port speaks hopefully of the prospect of beneh
from the instruction in drawing now required b,
law Mr.. Walter Smith, late art master of tb
school at Leeds, England, has been employed b,
the board as a professional adviser and teaehe
in the matter of art education. He has alrcad
delivered lectures in several cities, and gver
practical demonstrations and addresses on TN
saoleet at teachers institutes. The board arr
aware That the present provision is inadequate
su' nope soon to procure the services Of suita
o'SpV'Son Fith assistants, to visit the cities ant
so"us "uu give aid and adyice for the successful
introduction Of this art into all the schools.
nan 'nelueome OF the school fund, SIS 74s %
IS now disbursed for the summon, ~ Iii,
schools without a specific appronr,o,,o0 H.
each city and town 500 is paid. and ,hs ra,.,i.
der Is apportioned according 10 the nnmhor =
chldren between the ages Of Ave and 6l,ec,
years The sum thus apporiioned gives MIN,
teen eents 70 each child the whole sum divide
on luis basis would give each child thirty.ty
cen's' The other half Of the income is appn
pf'a'ed " other educational purposes whis