The Portland daily press., 1873-06-25

the motto, "Flowers are the smiles of nature"
Among the distinguished visitors present were
Mr.. Crofts of the Boston Board of Education,
Mr.. G. 7, Fletcher of the Eastern Normal
School at Castine, and Rev. Mr.. Baird of War
rem
The following are the term statistics:
Boys. Girls. Total Sd
Whole number of pupils enrolled; 1853 Z0i oo'
Average number belonging for tine ,ro o,o o.,
term. .........'..'''''''' 40 oI2 9eo
Per centage of attendance .''''' % '''z $40
Number not absent during the term " ss 100
Average Scholarship. .............. 3.45 1853 3.52
Number of days in ternl .....................10 .103
The class graduates 81 boys and 80 girls. of
the boys none have attained four, the highest
rank. in scholarship. OF the girls six have
been SO fortunate as to secure the coveted
rank.
With this term the Principal, Mr., A. P.
stone, closes his connection with the school,
after eight years of arduous and profitable
labor.
After the school and the visitors were as
sembled in the girls school room, Mr.. Stone
spoke substantially as follows:
The work of the term and the examination
is done, and l, too, am done. And yet this is
fact that / cannot myself yet fully realize So
accustomed have my feet been for the past
nine years to wend their way to this building,
and so much have my thoughts boen centered
on my labors here, that hardly realize that 1
now stand on this platform for the last time as
teacher. 1t is nearly nine years since 1 came
to Portland almost an entire stranger. From
that time to the present have given what L
may, perhaps, consider some of the best years
of my life to the Portland High School, With
how much pleasure 1 have 1abored here, and
how much sympathy and cooperation I have
received from the friends of the school and
from the public, i am not able in any language.
fully to express 1 shall be glad to be able to
feel that my labors have contributed to the
usefulness and welfare of my pupils, and to
the good of the community. L shall ever
feel deep interest in the success of the Port
land High School, and l make no apologies for
being enthusiastic in its behalf, for l have
learned to appreciate it and to love it.
why then, L am frequently asked edo you
leave the schoolY' Certainly, it is for no fault
of the school, nor of Portland-I have been
teaching about twenty-five years, and have, as
! think, stood up pretty substantially to the
drum-head of my profession. Neither i'll
health nor the vote of parish committee ''to
supply my desk during my Absence" have sent
me abroad for rest have had no respite, ex-
cept the ordinary school vacations; and yet l
cannot say that am particularly worn out in
the business, nor particularly tired in it. But
the business of continuous teaching is very ex-
hausting and sooner or later, literally grinds
ont the soul and the body of those who follow
it-Hence, have thought for several years.
that when 1 made change, il should be to
superintendency of schools, rather than TO a
position as teacher in any other place. Re
Gently, very favorable position, as / regard it,
for such change, has been offered me, and TO
secure such a change in my labors, i have decid.
ed TO leave the Portland High School If
shall find in the place to which am going, as
pleasant field of labor as many kind friends.
and as pleasant home as i have found in Port
land, shall be abundantly satisfied. And
now, to the pupils of this school, TO their parents
and friends, to the citizens of Portland, to the
school committee, and TO my fellow teachers, l
must kindly say goodbye.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Stones remarks the
chairman of the Board of School Committee,
Mr.. Lewis b. Smith, addressed the scholars in
behalf of the committee, congratulating them
upon the progress they had made and felicitat-
ing the teachers upon the good work accom-
plished. He then turned to Mr. Stone, and
said:
Mr. Principal Il have indulged the hope
that to some other year in the future should
come the time, if come it must, when your re-
lations to the Portland High School as its prin-
cipal should be severed; that upon Others
speaking for myself, should have been placed
the duty of selecting person to discharge the
duties, which hitherto for these eight years of
your service you have performed so faithfully
to the pupils, so acceptably to our citizens and
so satisfactorily to the committee With the
close OF this examination and its attendant ex-
ercises, the relations you have SO long sustain
ed as principal of this school will cease, your
official relations with our committee close. You
need 10 words of mine to assure YOU of the
confidence and esteem in which you have been
held by our committee and our citizens, nor
will utterances of regret at what to you has ap-
peared call of duty, taking you to other fields
OF service. change your purpose or add to the
value OF the service you are to render to the
community whittier you go; that these relations
would not have been severed by the action of
the committee speak for to-day, is the evil
dence of the worth with which we regard you,
and by which you may measure the regret we
feel at your going. l am sure / express the
opinion OF the gentlemen l represent to day
when say for them and myself that the high
position which this school has attained here at
home, the reputation which it has in the State
and in New England, is largely due to your per-
sonal efforts in its behalf to your constant over
sight and watchfulness. You may rightfully
claim for yourself the honor of leaving this
school in a higher state of excellence and eff
cheney than when you came to it.
L stand here to-day and give you this hand as
the token of our appreciation of the value of
the service you have rendered this school for
the eight years you have had charge of it :as the
acknowledgment in behalf of the educational
interests of our city and State of the aid YOU
have given to all its departments of learning.
the fruits of experience in other fields as we'll
as this; as an expression of thanks of the faith
ers and mothers whose sons and daughters have
received their schooling at your hands; for that
large number of pupils graduated under your
supervision now scattered all over our good
land; for these who go out to-day and for those
who remain as the token of their kindly and
affectionate remembrance of the hours spent
with you-ln these rooms. Giving it to you,
give you also the assurance of all those who
have mentioned, these teachers who have shared
these labors with you through and by whose as
sistance you have accomplished so much that
our best wishes that success attend you in
this leaving; that for yourself and family we
shall ever cherish pleasant recollections and
tender regard Onr hope for you, Mr.. Stone, is,
that in the city to which you go, you may re-
ceive from those who superntend the schools as
earnest and sympathetic support, as it has been
our purpose at all times to cheerfully accord,
and that you and your family may find in that
community as warm and devoted friends as
you will leave behind you here. Mr.. Stone, for
myself, for those for whom / speak to-day, L
say good bye, and God prosper and bless your
going from us as l believe He did and has your
coming to us
After Mr. Smiths remarks, Mr.. Stone re-
turned his thanks for the kind words, he (Mr
Smith) had spoken, and remarked that it was
a source of great satisfaction that his labors in
Portland had been so well appreciated and rec
well of their High School An institution that
has four hundred intelligent pupils, with twelve
teachers laboring with them ten months in the
year, graduating an average of fifty pupils per
year, is an institution worthy of their support
The High School Exhibition takes place at
City Hall at 2.30 p. m. to-day. The parents of
the pupils will be admitted to reserved seats at
1.45 p, M, and the general public at p. m. In
the evening Mr.. Stone gives reception to the
graduating class at his residence.
The class song is written by Jessie L. Thurs
ton. The salutatory is delivered by Charles d.
Smith, and the valedictory by Frank w. Rob-
inson. The class poem is by Isora S. Hatch,
and Latin ode, to be sung by the class has
been written by Emily D, Small. The exer-
cises promise to be more than usually interest
ing.
A Visit to ScarbOrO' Beach.
Mr.. EDIToR:-Permit me through your COL
ums to pay tribute to the beauty and attrac-