The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-28
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


The last regular monthly meeting of the
School Committee was held last evening.
Messrs. Hill. Burgess, Fobes, Smaller, Chadwick
and Libby were present. In the absence of the
| mayor DIR. Smaller was called to the chair
The petition of master ONei to.be reinstated
in the High School was referred to DR.. Chad
| wick for further investigation.
Mr.. Burgess presented the annual report of
the Board written by himself, for approval. 1t
was accepted. The following is an abstract Of
the report:
The report opens with discussion of the
general condition OF our schools, and the con-
cusion is that they have not fallen behind
| that in former years; they are well CLASSIFIED; ;
| with.teachers who for the most part aim to DO
| good and substantial work; hygiene is attended
| 10 as faithfully as the knowledge OF the teach
ers allows. That the public believes the
schools are satisfactory is SHOWN by the feWneSS
of private schools.
Speaking of school accommodations the
committee repeat their suggestions of last year
that there will soon be a necessity for large
oatlays in repairs aud rebuilding. The faults
in some of our school houses are so glazing
and annoying that they should not be repeated
nor continued, and it would be a wise policy
for the city to begin at once the consideration
of some plan for distributing the burden of
During the past year the proficiency of the
pupils has been very satisfactory in many res
poets, the semi-annual examinations showing
good average rank aud in some special cases,
notably in the use of Leigh's type in the lowest
grades in the Primary schools a very gratifying
progress has been made. That the quality Of
the work done in our schools has been good is
shown by the report of the Centennial Commits
soners upon the work of the pupils of the
Portland public schools, recommending a d.
ovhIh Of fha oito nhnn1
system and its fruits in the work of the pupils"
In drawing and music very commendable
progress has been made. Mr.. Shaylor has
continued in charge of the writing department
as special instructor, having in addition the
supervision of drawing in the Primary Schools.
Mr.. HAZEL has been unremitting in his en-
deavors to make the study and practice of mu
sic success, but it will not be till those who
have been drilled in the Primary Schools adj
vance into the Grammar department that the
full result of his abors will be seen.
The success attending the modes of instruc-
sion and government of the teacher" is discuss
ed at a considerable length. 1t is found that
many pupils who are proficient in their recita-
tions fail when subjected to written examna-
ton where thought has to be exercised and
memory alone does not suffice. One of the
most important causes of this is to be found in
the character and qualifications of the teacher.
The opinion is too prevalent that fair average
intellect is competent to teach school, but the
On substratum of knowledge there
must be a saperstructure of tact, energy
aud wisdom. A fruitful source of misap
prehenslon in our own schools is the
prevalent belief that the course of study in our
High School fits one to become teacher.
Hence the files of applicants for positions as
teachers in the public schools are filed with
petitions from those who have not fitted them
selves specially to teach.
The next topic discussed is truancy Or alb
snntanigu1 which tho 10
evil in our schools. Whatever teachers may do
in the way of looking up absentees is usually
done at the expense of pupils who are general
~ employed as messengers in such cases, and
but little can be done in this manner. 1t re-
qulreS hearty cooperation on the part of parents
to secure the best attendance and in many cases
outside influence must be used, and the services
OF the truant officer are required. But the or
dinance creating the truant officer gives no
control to the school committee over his acts
and therefore his labors cannot be performed
in conjunction with the efforts of the school
committee in similar direction. Inyestica-
tions shows that the number of truants out of
school unbeknown to their parents is but
small par. of the whole number of absentees,
yet is not few, and some prompt and efficient
measures should be taken to secure better
state of things
For many reasons, but chiefly because it
failed to accomplish the object intended, the
committee abolished tbs intermediates School
and placed all the rooms formerly devoted to it
under charge of DR.. Dole grading the school
from the Sixth Primary up as high into ram
mar grade as pupils were found to be fitted.
The plan has worked well
The committee have established the school
for deaf mutes in accordance with the order of
the City Council and secured the services of
Mrs. Mary Ell. True as teacher The choice
has proved most fortunate one for she has
brought to the work an ardor and devotion and
rare adaptablity which eminently fits her for
the position. The method of instruction used
10 the school like that in the Boston deaf school
OF which Miss True was the first teacher is
that of Prof. Bell, by which deaf mutes are
taught to use articulate speech. Although the
number OF pupils under instruction is unex-
pectedly small, the committee does not hesitate
to say that the school should be continued
even should the number not increase.
The committee think the residents of Long
Island do not derive all the advantage from
the public schools which they are entitled to-
mere mention of few atistics shows how
far they fall short of this. The whole number
of pupils on the island is 1876; between the
ag es of and Is inclusive, 100; who e number
who have attic nded school during the past year,
81 average attendance, 30; seating capacity Of
the school house, 80.
The report says much injury has beeu done
to our schools owing to manifest desire on the
part of teachers (not wholly uuassisted by the
committee perhaps) TO fit the largest percentage
of pupils for the High School. the tendency of
which has been to induce pupils to study for
highest marks in daily rectations rather than
for good results of thorough study. The true
relationship of the High School to the lower
schools is manifestly to incite pupils to more
thorough work and not to encourage superficial
training, and under different idea both classes
OF schools have suffered Many pupils have
been received into the High School not proper
~ prepared, and thus the standard has been
lowered To remedy this evil this year the COM
mittee gave notice of higher standard of ad-
mission. and the committee trust the result will
be all they anticipate for good. If the hold of
the Grammar Schools could be longer upon pu-
pills the High School would be greatly benefited
and the wants of a large class of scholars sup
piled who now enter the high School because
the Grammar Schools have not furnished what
they required, merely for the purpose of study
ing one or two branches taught there An ad-
ditlonal yea, could be added proftably to the
Grammar school course, making practical ap-
plication of studies already taught and adding
others. Practical bookkeeping, applied aritl-
metic and geometry, drawing of working plans
study OF artistic designs study of some 81 stem
OF shorthand would be ofincalulable benefit to
the pupil, and in many cases would be pre-
ferred to the High School course.
The meeting adjourned to Saturday evening