The Portland daily press., 1878-03-06
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Annual Report Of the school Com mittee.

be most reasonable requirement that thos
who have held the important office of schoo
committee and had the supervision and care o
the public schools of this city for q yea
should at the expiration of that period rende
an account of their proceedings and observa
tions The present Board yields to the require
ment and respectfully presents the followin,
report:
AT the commencement of the municipal yea
which is now drawing to a close, the publ.
schools OF the city were In the main prosperou!
and 80 reported By the committee of the pre-
vious year. There were however, as that re-
port set forth, wants to be met and defects to b.
| remedied. To meet those wants, remedy those
| defects and advance orr school system to 8
higher degree of excellence and our schools to q
/ greater degree of perfectness have been the
/ constant aim and effort of the present Board
Immediately after their organization a sub.
committee on estimates was appointed to con-
| slider what sum would be needed for school pur.
poses during the year. This subcommittee
| sympathized with the general desire and pur-
! pose OF our citizens at that time, viz to prac-
tce most rigid economy in every department
l OF expenditure and retrench wherever retrench-
II ucub COulu W LuaQ6 W1l0Oub O6Gr1m6DC TO n
terests which were vitality important. Item by
Item this committee went through the whole
range of expenditures for school pur.
poses, proposing reduction at every point
where it seemed possible for reduction to
De made without injustice or injury. After
days of careful thought and investg alton
this committee made report in detail to
the Board. The Board received the report.
examined it carefully, and substantially ap-
proving OF the estimates made. asked the city
government for an appropriation accordingly,
which, after mature elaboration in that body,
was granted. The School Committee make
these statements, not for the sake of their own
justification or defence. cut that our citizens
may understand that the comparatively large
appropriation annually made for schools is not
asked for or made without much patient de-
Liberation and strict regard to economy. In
that estimate nothing was reckoned for the
erection of new schoolhouses and bat COM
paratively small sum for the alteration and
repairs of those then in use. The largest ex-
pendlturo made during the year for work of
this kind was 10 rearrauging the rooms in the
High School building and making the accom-
modatl0nS there more convenient for both the
High and Grammar schools This was effected
by putting substantial partition through each
of the four large rooms in the building as near
the centre as practicable. This, as the COM
mlttee were convinced by division previously
made IN one or two other large school rooms in
the city, would contribute to the better disci-
pine and more thorough instruction of the
several classes. Nor as yet have they found
their expectations in this respect disappointed.
But on the contrary, they are more and more
convinced that the measure was both wise and
judicious.
Another work to which the committee gave
early attention was the careful and thorough
revision OF the rules and regulations for the
schools. This had become more work of
necessity, from the fact that since the adoption
of the rules which had substantially been in
use there had been in the number and election
of the Board, in the appointment of the S1par-
intendent and in the general organization
OF the Committee and in the supervision of
the schools some important and radical
changes. To meet these changes and make
provision for improvements contemplated in
other respects required much labor and thought
aided and matured by the lessons gathered
from close observation and practical experience.
AT length new set of rules and regulations
adapted more particularly to our present sys-
tenn and organization was agreed upon and
Published by the Committee.
sUPERINTENDENTs.
In the month of May Mr.. Ephraim Hunt,
who Tor the third year had been elected Super
intendent of schools in this city, rendered his
resignation that he might accept of similar
position in Newton, Mass. Under the circum-
stances, especially as Mr.. Hurt believed that
his condition would be considerably improved
by TIE change, the Committee voted to accept
the resignation. The office which Mr.. Hunt
held in this city had, at the time Of his first
election, been but recently created and the
duties it demanded were in many respects
different from those which as practical edn-
Gator he had been accustomed TO perform. 1t
required time and patient labor for him to ad-
1ust himself to all the relations and necessities
of his new position. Such adjustment Mr.,
Hunt earnestly desired, and with a singular
fidelity and devotion sought to acquire. Leav-
ing US before the plans he had proposed to
guide him in his work were fully Completed, or
their operations matured it is not possible to
speak with certainty of ultimate success,
Much OF his labor was necessarily preparatory:
the sowing OF seed with reference to a future
harvest. 1t is due Mr.. Hunt to say that his
labor among us was appreciated and that he
retired from this field carrying with him re-
spect for his geDtlemanly department aud his
wide and varied scholarship.
The vacancy occasioned by the resignation of
Mr.. Hunt was filled shortly after BY the cleo.
ton of Mr.. Thomas fash to the Office, who
soon entered upon its duties. Mr. lash was
not altogether stranger among us, or to the
work which he was thus called to perform.
he had had much experience as an instructor
OF children and youth in this State, was for
several years principal Of the high School in
Lewiston, afterwards elected superintendent of
schools in that city, which Office be acceptably
and successfully filled until elected to similar
position ain Portland. He came to us, there
fore, as man of experience not merely in
teaching, but also in duties pertaining to the
office he was to fill During the months he
has been with us he has eviuced singular
adaptedness to his position and work, won the
confidence OF all who are specially interested
IN the prosperity of our schools and given
promise OF success which shall equal the larg-
est expectations of the Committee.
SCHOOLS.
In the general system of grading aud CLASH
hcation in our public schools there has been no
material change during the year. The Com
mittee. however, have sought to improve and
perfect the system in use, to the largest posi-
ole extent and secure increased thoroughness
OF instruction in every department and in all
the schools from the lowest to the highest
grades; while at the same stime they have
endeavored vigilantly to guard against over
taxing the pupils to either their physical or
mental injury. And we are happy to report
that though much remains to be accomplished,
there has been commendable advancement in
the several schools during the year. The teach
ers generally have labored earnestly and with
fidelity in seeking to instruct and benefit their
knowledge in regard To the theory and practice
OF teaching, and the best and most successful
methods of school discipline and government
and their labor in these respects has not been
without its appropriate reward At the recent
examinations conducted chiefly by written
questions prepared by the Committee and Su-
perintendent the results generally were highly
satisfactory, and equal at least, and in some
respects superior to those of any previous ex-
aminations. This to a considerable extent is
true of all the schools.
TEACHERS.
Some changes have occurred in our corps of
teachers deserving particular notice. Al the
close OF the last school year Mr. D. D. Pattep,
who for four years had been Principal of the
High School, notified the Committee that he
deemed it inexpedient to be candidate for re-
election. This course he considered advisable
in consequence of disability through continued
lameness, which rendered it announcement and
sometimes impracticable to perform all the
duties required of the Principal of 60 large
school. This reason appeared so obvious to the
Committee, especially in view of the division
and organization of the school as now arranged.
that they deemed the reelection of Mr, Pat.
ten inexpedent. In arriving at this conclusion
the Committee intended to express no dissatis-
faction with him as an instructor, but on the
contrary they were unanimous in expressions
of their high appreciation of his thoroughpess
and ability in teaching, and of his amiability
and gentlemsnly bearing in all his connections
with them, with bis assistants and his pupils.
To meet the demand thus created Mr. A. p.
Chase, who for several years had been first
assistant and classical instructor in the school,
was appointed acting Principal temporarily.
In this capacity Mr.. Chase served six months,
and in recognizing the several classes under
the present arrangement, in the discipline and