The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-08
Our Public Schools.


hoard "Wednesday evening. 1t is an elaborate
document and includes many valuable statis-
ties which have never before appeared in a. re-
part of this kind in this city. 1t was drawn by
Charles f. Libby. Esq. We publish pretty
full abstract: -sA 80 n
The school committee in presenting their an
nual report for the year ending March, 1872,
take pleasure in announcing that the condition
of our public schools is, in the main, prosper
our and not inferior to that of any past period
of their history Our teachers, as a body take
high rank in intelligence and culture, and
them manifest an enthusiasm for their
work, which is an earnest of future success. In
no department of pnblic instruction has there
been such an advance in the theory and prac-
tice of teaching, within the past twenty years
as in the lower primary grades. Education,
rightly understood, should adapt itself to the
wants of every scholar. No rigid rules or in
flexible system should cramp the growth of
young minds, whose plastic natures require pa
tent study and careful cultivation. Without
knowledge of the laws of mental develop
ment and the perfected theories of instruction
success in teaching is impossible, and the best
results are only attainable when teachers and
pupils are united by a bond of sympathy, which
lightens the teachers labors and transforms
irksome duties into work of love- ,7i
The system known as "object teaching has
much to recommend it; it is based on princi-
pie of a true psychology, and is simple and pro-
gressye in its methods In perfecting the sys-
TEN many changes have been introduced into
the old method of teaching the common
branches, and the order of exercises has some-
times been reversed. Children under this sys-
tenn are taught reading before spelling as the
more natural process; words are first taught as
symbols of objects, and not the names of letters
of which the words ape composed. 1t gain of
time be the test by which to determine the rel
alive value of the two methods. there can be no
doubt of the superiority of the new SYSTEM al,
Spelling, too, has undergone change. Chill
dren are now taught 10 our best schools to give
the sounds of tine lelteps as q guide 10 pYorun-
citation, rather than the names, which, in Ian
guage like ours always tend to mislead. A
knowledge of numbers and the simpler rules of
arithmetic is developed by means of the s'nu-
neral Frame and similar objects, and the use
ff text boe j Rpao9ea M LATE period sl in
prominent part In the school exercises, and
moral and physical culture receive due atten-
ton. M gHI irA
This report as the last did refers to the neces-
sity for a training school, in which such of the
lady graduates of the High school as intend to
adopt teaching as a profession, may be instruc-
ted! The plan sketched, recommends the en-
ployment of a female teacher, a graduate of a
Normal school, who besides instructing the
class, shall the first year devote twO-thifls of
her time to work in the different Primary
schools with the regular teachers and pupils.
The subject of improved school accommoda-
tions especially in the western part of the city
is discussed at length, and the erection of a
building similar to the North school house rec
commended. In regard to our school policy the
report says: m
Lox,a
pursued towards our public schools has been
justified by. the high esteem in which they are
held by all ranks of our citizens. They have
not been regarded as schools for the poor alone,
but as schools for the education OF the best
youth of our city, which should be maintained
at any sacrifice. 1t has been our pride to place
them in the front ranks of the educational in
situations of the day and to refuse no outlay
which their interests justly demanded. Such
we believe IS still the feeling of our citizens
and whatever money is needed for our public
schools will be freely given. While Portland
striving to develop her commercial advantages
is aiding with generous hand the railroad and
manufacturing enterprises OF the day, she
should not forget that her common school sys-
tenn merits her first care, and that no money is
more economically spent than that which in
creases the health and comfort of her school
children. Those who complain of the amount
annually expended on our public schools will
do well to compare the cost of public instruc-
ton in other cities of equal size before charging
us with extravagance. We think we are safe
in saying that no city can be found, the etfic-
iency of whose schools we should care to adopt
as standard, where SO much is effected at so
small cost as in the public schools of Port
land The amount annually appropriated for
our public schools is small compared with the
total amount raised by taxation. A glance at
the accompanying table of statistics for the
past ten years shows that while the general ex-
penditures of the city have more than trebl6d
since 1850, the expenditures for our schools
have little more than doubled in that time, and
that instead OF deyoting fourteen per cent, of
our annual tax to educational purposes as for
merly, nine per cent only is now appropriated.
These facts show that our present high rate of
taxation is not due to the extravaganza of the
school department., f. whatever else tits to be
attributed. af
Instruction in drawing has been given the
past year in all the Primary aud Grammar
schools by the regular teachers, as an iiinova-
ton in the old programmes, requiring, extra la-
Dor and some special preparation. 1t could not
be expected that drawing would meet with inn
mediate favor from all teachers. The progress
thus far made is however encouraging. The
committee convinced of its value, when proper
ly taught as an educational agent, have given
it place among the required school exercises,
and their efforts are now directed to raise it in
the estimation OF both teachers and pupils, to
the dignity of school study. SOME Of the
teachers have shown no little skill in rendering
their instruction in, this branch an attractive
feature in the school programme, while others
have attempted bare compliance with the
regulation and the exercises have been devoid
of interest to both pupils and teachers.
OF the value of drawing in developing habits
OF observation, and diffusing purer taste for
art in the community, there can be 10 doubt.
Thus far only the cards have been used, but at
the commencement of the next term drawing
books will be introduced into all the Grammar
10 of oft md rIc will Ia
confined to the Primary schools,
The report says that the improvement in PEN
manship made in the various schools under the
instruction of Mr.. H. w. shaylor is marvellous
1t recommends that instruction in that art be-
gin during the last year of the Primary course.
The introduction of vocal music into the schools
is also strongly recommended. (fTAe
4 Among the most encouraging symphonic of
thefprosperity of our schools, confirmed by the
statement of all the teachers is the marked de-
crease of truancy within the last two years.
The change is due mainly to the efficiency of
our Truant officer who has labOred most ener-
getically to remedy this serious evil. His task
was an arduous one, and considering the extent
OF the field almost appalling, but the judicious
course that he has adopted has yielded the most
gratifying results. He has made the homes Of
the children special ield Of labor, striving by
the use of wise arguments to convince those
having the children in charge, of the wrong
they are doing, and to enlist their influence in
the difficult work of reform. Mr.. Wentworth
says that truancy in the North School has de-
creased IS per cent and Mr.. Files, principal of
the intermediate School, where truancy has
perhaps most hourished, reports decrease of
nearly 80 per cent. within the last two years.
-Four of the schools report ssnone at alls and
others only sporadic cases,
As another indication of the prosperity of
our schools it is Interesting to observe that
while the census returns show an apparent de-
crease of fifty-one this year in the number of
school children between four and twenty-one
years of age, yet the statistics of the schools
show that the whole number enrolled in our
schools is greater by three hundred and eighty.
five than last year, and that the average at
tendance is greater by one hundred and fifty.
These results are not altogether llHe to the de-
cline OF truancy, but indicate also o growing
appreciation of the value of our common school
system. n
PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
There are eleven city schools of the Primary
grade and two Island schools, which are taught
by one male and fifty female teachers The
schools is $21, $50, which makes the cost of tut
ton per pupil, based on the whole number reg
tstered, 10. 10; based on average number be
longing, $7.S4; based on average daily attend.
ance, 1919. From table of the general sta.
tistics of the Primary Schools, which is annex
ed to- the report, it appears that there were
1894 pupils registered during the year, exclu-
sive of the Island Schools, against 1904 for the
preceding year, an increase of 300; the average
attendance was 2,4S4 against 2,425 a gain OF
SO; and the per cent. attendance was SS against
49, In Primary No. the average daily attend.
ance exceeds by 16 the number of seats in the
school. +
BY another table 1t appears that the average
age of the pupils in the Primary schools is s
years and months, and in the first class OF
the same II years. The average of the ages
indicates that the progress of the whole school