The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-26
sCHOOL REPORTS.
Roeprt Of the President Of the Board Of Trus-
tees Of tho Rutland Graded School District
for the Year Ending March 9th, 1877,


for the Year Ending March 9th, 1877.
One year ago when the Rev. DE-. Harris,
the former able and efficient president of
this board, declined reelection. l was
chosen to all this responsible place. Hav-
ing lived in the state but year, and being
but little acquainted with it's school laws
and educational methods, entered upon the
duties of this office with great reluctance,
and not little misgiviDg. Whatever de-
fects there may have been in the service |
rendered, however, am conscious of q
deep interest in the welfare OF our schools, |
and of having earnestly endeavored to do |
all in my power for their advancement.
And now as the year closes, am glad of |
the opportunity which this report affords |
of calling attention to the condition of the |
schools, and what seems to be necessary to
INCREASE their efficiency aud usefulness.
During the year there have been in our
schools seven hundred and four scholars,
two hundred and seventy-four in the high,
grammar and intermediate schools, and Il g
remainder, four hundred and thirty, in the
primary and secondary departments. There
have been under the care Of sixteen teach
ere, giving an average of forty-four to each
enough surely. We have been fortunate
in that we had in the main most excellent
teachers, and IL is not too much to ssy of
our present corps Of instruction that IL will
not suffer by c. mparison with any of equal
number and grade in the state; and, giviog
earnest and faithful attention to the duties
OF their several positions, our teachers are
as natural result winning success.
There are, however, some difficulties In
the way OF the highest efficiency of the
schools. Let me call attention to them:
First-Our school buildings are made
quate In capacity. There are in the graded
school district one thousand five hundred
and thirteen children between The ages OF
i've and twenty years, while the aggregate
seating capacity of our school rooms is but
about one half of this number. AS might
be expected, therefore, nearly all
our departments are crowded. SCme Of
them. notably the grammar school, almost
to suf, cation, and yet but seven hundred
and four names are on the rolls, with an
| average attendance of little less than five
| hundred and fifty. That there ought to be
many more of the children in the public
schools none who recognize these schools
as fundamental to the prosperity, If not TO
the perpetuity, of free STATE, will deny,
and that more would be in the schools If
ample provisions were made for them, few
| will doubt.
| Second-Our school rooms are but poor
ly provided with means of ventilation. In
some of them no air can be admitted ex-
cept by the doors, or by windows in one
side, 30 that teachers and scholars must
either shut themselves up, for hours to.
| gether each day in rooms filled with what
ed air, thereby impoverishing and corrupt
ing the very fountains of physical health
and mental activity, or open the doors or
windows and thus expose themselves to
currents of cold air, which in this climate
is almost certain suicide.
Third-Instead of being all under one
roof as they should be, our schools are
scattered through the village at wide dis
ances apart, thereby making it impossi-
that they should have.
Fourth-The grading of scholars is not
in all cases as perfect as it should be. The
examinations for passing from one grade to
another are under the present system neces-
sarily made by different persons, and under
different circumstances, and so the results
are not always fully in harmony. Parents.
| too, somt times think their children fitted
for advancement before they really are, or
ask, without good reason, that they may be
excused from certain studies in the course,
thus embarrassing the workings of the sys-
tenn, and marring the unity and Efficiency
OF the classes, and in the end usually
bringing disadvantage and damage to the
pupil No parent or guardian should In
any way seek TO influence the grading of
their children, except by culivaing in
them those habits of industrious and faith
full study that will insure their early and
honorable advancement; nor should t. ey
wish them excused from any part OF the
course of study except for the best and
most cogent reasons.
Flfth-The course OF study, especially in
the English department, is not in all respects
what it should be. As far as it goes it is
we'll enough, but the curriculum is too mea-
gre in English history and literature,
while 1t makes no provision for teaching
the constitution and powers of our govern
| mCuty CltuCi lCuCiul VI b'dlCy VI tuC lCldtiOu
of the citizen to, and his duties aud privi-
leges under, the government. Every grad.
uate of our public schools should have at
least fair knowledge Of English history
from the lime of the Saxon conquest, in.
GLIDING full history Of our own country,
down 10 the present day. He should pos
sess general knowledge of the federal
constitution, and that Of his own state
aud should be able to define in gen.
eral terms the relations of the states tc
the general government, and what
are the powers of the legislature, Judicial
and executive departments of the govern
ment, severally and relatively. In short
he should have a good general knowledge
of the genius and practical workings OF
, the government under which he is to be {
citizen. This is among the things mos
important to be taught in the public
schools, and yet very little provision II
D made for it, and so our children come ou
| from the schools which the state provides
and supports knowing but little of the in
situations or character of the government
D under which they live, and IN which they
Y are to bear the responsibilities OF citizen
ship.
Vocalzation and vocal music and human
= anatomy and physiology should also have
,, place in the course Of study. Singing
should be taught for the purpose of train
: ing the vocal organs and as furnishing I
pleasant and profitable exercise in tn
schoolroom, If for no other reason ant
surely all graduates from the school
should have some good degree of knowl
edge of the anatomy of their own bodies
and of those vital physiological processe
y ny which life and health are conserved
a Instead Of this, while the public school
teach our children language, and geo
graphy, and history, and art. and science
9 they send them out almost as Ignorant o
e themselves as the brutes are. In our ardo
. after the objective we almost entirely ne
, glect the subjective. We teach the chill
dren things, but leave them ignorant o
8 themselves. This ought not to be.
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