The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-07
SUPERVISION.

all tue schools, special schools asslgneo
to them for immediate supervision, tor tne
working of which schools from day to day,
the management, the discipline &C., they are
beld individually in a measure responsible.
The duties of the Superintendent are of more
general character. His relations are the same
to all the schools: He is to visit them an,
learn their condition, make himself familiar
with their excelleuces and defects, become &C
quainted with the teachers confer with them
and give them counsel where he thinks counsei
is needed and such counsel as in his Judg menu
will meet the necessities OF eacn part'cu. To-
case. And this work he performs under the
general direction of the Committee and in mar
mOpy with them as they labor to elevate tuo
character and promote the interests and well
fare of all our public schools OF his laDors,
his adapedness to ms wore the ant haag nsr.
formed. the Committee can speak only In terms
of commentator His intercourse with tnem
with the teachers and pupils OF the seveIaI
schools, with the parents and guardians OF tne
children, has been that of well-balanced anu
cultivated gentleman, attentive alike to the
minute and the more general duties OF MS
office. Under the circumstances we think that
If our schools have failed of success the past
year. or failed of accomplishing the results
nifty warranted, the failure cannot justly be
attr buted to lack of constant and careful su-
| pervs'on.
INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS IN OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
This was.the fourth and last topic to which
reference was made in describing the indspen-
sible requisites for the higher order of the pub
lie schools. And much more depends upon
this than is generally supposed or imagined.
There is, we think, just pride in the commu-
nifty at large in having excellent schools,
wherever such schools exist and are contin-
ued. And hence every enlightened COM
munity desires to have good schools. The poor
49,, ~ tno;r nh; MA, OF
up 10 ignorance and shame, but be educated
for places of trust, of honor and responsibility.
They have no other legacy to leave to their
children. And parental instinct and affection
prompt them to make sacrifices that their OH
spring may be educated and thus fitted for some
sphere of usefulness in society And the rich
know that while treasures of wealth if left to
their children may be wasted or wrested from
them by fraud and dishonesty, treasure of
knowledge stored in the mind cannot be taken
from them SO that they will be left without the
means of a comfortable support. And they
who have no children of their own to educate,
desire from motives of philanthropy, for the
good of society, for the reputation of the city.
for the security OF property, that the young
may have facilities furnished for being in
str1cted and respectfully educated, and believe
that in DO way can these facilities be so gener-
ally and effectual1y furnished as though our
public schools. Hence matter that concerns
20 many families, that touches the interests of
MANY points, is not, and cannot be a matter OF
indifference to any class of our citizens. They
all see and feel the disturbances If not the me-
! cessity of maintaining schools open to all the
! children within the limits of the city. What
they have already done and what they are now
doing for purposes of education furnishes de-
monstrable proof on this point They desire
the maintenance of public schools, and they
desire to have these schools good, excellent, OF
the highest order and in all respects worthy of
| Ea tot Of QnlIOht1nR6 L.
gent community. But just here we meet that
old question of expense. for GOOD schools are
necessarily expensive. We cannot have good,
comfortable school houses, we'll located, well
lighted, well ventilated, we'll heated and In all
important respects well-furuishsd, built and
kept in good repair and condition, without
considerable expenditure of money yearly.
Nor can we have hundred and more good
teachers, we'll qualified to manage manage and
our school system and retain them in our
employ, without a large yearly expense.
These and more incidental but neces-
sary expenses for support of good schools IN our
city impose heavy tax upon our citizens. 1t
is fact that all should know and fully under
stand, that good schools are expensive, and
there is no economy, however strict and search
ing, which can do away this fact, SO but
that it will still stand before us as citizens,
good schools are erpenSiye, and it is no part of
prudence, or wisdom to attempt to ignore or
evade this fact, or to shrink from meeting it
fairly. And it should be met with this iu-
CURRY. Looking at the results obtained from
our schools in their bearing upon the social,
civil and commercial interests of the city in all
their breadth and comprehensivenes are the
results obtained commensurate with this year
ly expenditure? 1t is question to be c0nsid-
cred independently of any political Organiza-
tions, question above partizanship, question
for the citizens to decide, in view OF their Obli-
cations to the rising generation, and present
and prospective interest of the city where they
dwell. Aud cl0sely connected with this, are one
or two other questions which should be consid-
ered If, 10 the exercise of the wisest econO-
my, tie city cannot afford to have good schools,
can it afford to have either poor schools, or no
schools? 1t is principle generally conceded by
statesmen and the better writers upon political
economy, that the poorest government man
kind ever had is better than no government.
For the worst state to which nations or COM
munities can possibly be reduced, is a state of
anarchy. But it is by no means certain that
the principle is sound when applied to public
schools. There are many instances where
poor schools are worse than none. Their in.
fuence is positively injurious, both upon the
pupils and the community. and the injury Of
ten ia as lasting as mind itself. In such
schools the children shortly become demora-
liked and insubordinate, dsregarding proper
authority, despising wholesome disciDline and
restraint, acquiring neglectful and bad habits
of study. injuring school houses and the furni-
ture of the rooms, and gaining nothing valua-
evils. Good schools are necessarily expensive.
But in the end, considering the loose and evil
habits acquired would not the cost to the city,
in money aud reputation and in character, OF
supporting poor schools, be still more
expensive To attempt it would be hazard
GUS experiment, an experiment which we are
confident that the Intelligent citizens are not
prepared to make. They are all saying let us
have good public schools, let them be kept up
to the highest possible standard, observing
always, and in every thing the strictest econo-
my in expenditures by which such schools can
be sustained. We cannot afford to have the
salaries of our teachers so low, that the best OF
them will be culled out and bought off by those
who for equal or less services are willing to pay
much more, or to have the six thousand attend
ants upon the instruction of our schools, con-
fined for years to school buildings that are un-
attractive, inc0nveLient, uncomfortable and
injurious to health, both of body and of mind"
And with these views and feelings, tire school
committee who are themselves citizens and tax
payers, most heartily sympathize In common
with Others, they desire to have good schools,
and would recommend no measures to secure
them which do not accord with the wisest and
most rigid economy, and no expenditure for
them, of which they are not willing. to pay
their full proportion and part. They have no
interest in this matter which Others do not
have, no power to appropriate money for any
purpose only as it is placed at their disposal
by the city government. In the position they
occupy they see the condition and wants OF the
public schools for this is their appropriate bus
mess, and then as the result of their observa-
tion and study, make statements and recon-
mendations to the citizens in regard to what,
in their opinion, the necessity of the schools
require. And having done this truthfally,
honestly, clearly and earnestly, their official
responsibility for the year, comes to an end.
And hen ce, to the citizens this annual report,
together with documents accompanying it, is
most pecfally submitted by the Committee.
superintendent Tash's Report.
The report of Superintendent fash is docu-
ment of 20 pages, from which we gather the
following:
The new Pine street school house is nearly
completed, and will accommodate, at the be-
ginning of the next school year in September,
the Park street and Bracket street Grammar
Schools, leaving these two buildings for pri-
maries. Thi. will accommodate the Western
part OF the city. More primary school rooms
a.e needed in the Eastern part Of Portland,
where there are two colonies in Ward rooms
and the other schools overcrowded and still
many children refused admisson. II
A full and detailed report of the various
schools comes next, and they are in good con-