The weekly Arizona miner., 1878-07-05
PRESCOTT FREE EACADEMY-RErOR OF
 THE ExAMBNI>G COMMITTEE.
To the Honorable Bodrd ef Trustees cf SchOoy District No. of iacapai County:


 to submit the following:
 We found the School in excellent work ing condition under the able and admira- ble management of the present corps ol teachers, comprising Professor NJ. H. Sher- man, Principal; Miss Lucy fl. sherman, Preceptress of the Intermediate: Miss Anna Kethro, Preceptress of the Primary, and Professor Neumayer, in charge of the Musi- cal Department Each Department is divi- ded into three Grades.
 THE HIGH SCHOOL
 Examination (written) lasted one week. Twenty questions were placed on the black boards, in each study or subject, and the pupils were required to give answers on paper, without assistance from any source. These papers your COmmitte has examined and graded. with the following results First, we heartily commend the manifest improvement in penmanship and spelling, as shown by comparison of these papers with those of six months ago. These two studies we are sorry to say are too often neglected in schools and we were much pleased to find that with few exceptions 'he pupils of the High School have devoted themselves protitably to these elimentaTy branches. and that their advancement l. very marked. Secondly, We remark that these papers disclose an accurate knowl- edge of the rudaments of Arithmetic, Read ing, English Grammar and Geography, that pleased the Committee very much; and iD Algebra, Physiology, and English History, with few exceptions, good advancement was shown. Some of the papers are abso- lutely perfect. So far as we were able to obsere, it occurred to us that the school
 frf tiplicity of recitations, which must be a severe tax upon the energies and time oi the teachers, as we'll as tine pupils, and the wonder is that it is possible to hear them all Another difficulty is plainly maifesl | from an examination of thc School record and consists in the unavoidable change> that are constantly taking place conSequen upon the removal of families to and from the country. This is prolific source ot disorder in the arrangement and maiDtaln- ing of the various classes. but 1t is one fol which there is no remedy, ald therefore must be endured. In the
 INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT The examinations were oral, and as they were quite largely attended by the parents and friends of the pupils, and as the Com mittee did no more than to act as interested spectators of the Examination, which wa, conducted by Miss sherman in person, il | perhaps enough to .ry that We erdorse fully the general verd ct of those who at- tended in non-utficIal :apacity. viz, thu th pupils evinccd d remarkable degree oi intelligence, and showed by their answer. in all the branches taught III their Depart m-nt that they had been carefully trained in each particular study. and thao they are interested in the work, making 1t rather a labor of love than disagrceaJlc task In the
 PRIMARY DEPARTMENT
 the same remarks are applicable as in the Intermediate Miss Kethro is certainly mistress of the situation, and. like her assO- ciatc teachers. has the faculty of attracting the pupils to her and to their studies more by the regard they have for her than from the fear of punishment Here tine Exami nation was also oral, and conducted by tn, teacher, in presence of the Committee and d larga number of the ladies and gentlemen of Prescott, all of whom were especially pleased with the ready and intelligent an swers to all questions propouuded. The 1 Exercises in the
 ! MUSICAL DEPARTMENr,
 | under Professor Neumayer, ran through all 1 the Departments. and was d pleasant fea- ture. The pupils readily answered all questions as to staffs flats, Sharps, etc, etc, and sang beautifully, which led your Com mittea to the conclusion that the Musical | Department is a necessity in the School, and that the pupils are acquiring the rudi- meats af musical education with facility. CLOSING REMARKS.
 A little less than four years ago the | Chairman of this Committee, in company with Col LA Bigelow and other g-ntie- men first visited Prescott Public School. then the oniv school organization within 1 Yavapai County, whereas now thcre are 1 some ten or more districts. At that time 1 the highest classes in the school were in | the Fourth Reader and Long Division. '" , and when the classes in the Trimmer and First Reader were called up they took in nearly the whole school. The records show 1 that during the first two years of school, under Professor Shcrman's management, one hundred and three children were taught i their A. B. G.
 In speaking of the efficiency of Prescott l Free Academy. it becomes our duty to congratulate you. a> Trustees. upon your i able management of the affairs of the Dis : trict, and especially upon securing and re- | taiaing so able and eiicien. a corps of teachers. and will close this report by en- clorsing the remarks of Chief Justice French after having spent day in this School last Winter, in company with the Chairman of this Committee Ilc said "I an surprised to find here in Arizona such an excellent School I know of nr place East or West. of the size of Prescott, that has better ad- vantages for the education ot youth than this" The testimony qf General Wilcox was to the same effect during this eNtmiua- tion: and, in fact. 1t is q matter of surp"Ise to all strangers, who visit Prescott. to find in this remote region school facilities equal to those of tine larger cities and ccnters of population. The position of school teacher is an arduous one and these have succeeded admirably in giving almost universal -atis- faction to an eAactH9 constituency.
 All of which is respectfully submitted. T. !. BUTLER,
 J ? HaYG, Tx Com.
 CLARK CHURCHILL
 Prescott. July }. 1878.
 COMNUNICATED.
 EDITOR MrSER:-The promoters. of mis-