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


Report of the Sch0OI COMMITTEE.
Rev. Dr. Smaller makes the following report
for the School Committee:
| To the ceitize,aS of Portland:
| In accordance with just and time-honored
custom, the commi tee who have had the imme-
diate supervision of the public schools of the city
| during the past municipal year submit the fol-
| lowing as their annual report
| 1t is generally conceded that pubic schools
| are necessity;-a type and outgrowth of civili'
| cation. And the character of such schools in
| any community reveals and determines the
| character of its civilization The higher and
| more refined and better its civilization, the
| higher the more effective and excellent will be
| the public schools. For such civilization will
not be satisfied with. nay more, will not long
| tolerate the existence of poor, inefficient
| schools. Now, without much vanity, We may
| claim for this community q civilization so hi ID
| ard so broad as to demand that our public
| schools be of high order. No other will sat
isfy, or ought to satisfy our citizens generally.
| But to establish and maintain such schools re.
| quires much attention and a judcious and con.
| tinued expenditure both of money and of effort
| Even when established and put in operation
| they will not support and perpetuate them
| selves, but must be the objects of constant
| watchfalpess and care. In order to have good
| public schools several things are desirable, and
few indispensable.
1. There muSt be good comfortable school,
| houses. The building, the playground and the
surroundings should be made as pleasant and
attractive as possible. The rooms should be
we'll lighted, well ventilated, and well fur.
nished, so that the physical or bodily structures
CT the children will not be injured by the seats
they occupy or the air they breath. 1t is not
extravagance, but comfort ease, taste, whose
qualification is to be sought in the location,
the erection the arrangement, the furnishing
of hni nd nrOpida
buildings should be the aim and purpose of
every community that would have good public
schools. And these things, SO indlspensably
requisite, cannot possibly bs had and kept in
good repair without a considerable expenditure
of money and that too, where the wisest and
strictest economy is practised. To have good
schools there must be good schoolhouses, and
these everywhere require money to erect and
furnish them.
2 Nor can there be good schools acit1aOu aoeU
qualified teachers. 1t is evident that there may
be a very poor school, even in the most COM
Portable and costly building. A poor teacher
will have poor school anywhere, whether in
shanty or in palace. Hence, if we cannot have
teachers who intellectually and morally are
we'll qualified, who have an aptness 10 teach.
ing, uniform cheerfuness and self control, who
love their profession and are enthusiastic in the
pursuit of it, then public schools cannot posi-
bly, be 10 this community, or in any community,
of high order.
g. Nor can zoe expect that public schools aoiH
attain high degree of excellence aoithoH care
faL and discriminating supervision. No matter
what title is given to those TO whom such super
vision is committed, whether 1t be that ct
school committee, superintendent or superVis.
ors, somewhere and with some person or class,
the special duties of supervising and directing
public schools must be- lodged. Sometimes
such schools are spoken of as system, but
1T ls not system that will keep itself in order,
or successful operation, without intelligent con-
troll; so intelligent that authority and power
shall b. exercised and felt throughout the en-
tire system, as whole, and in all the variety
and minutig of its parts A supervision less
comprehensive and controlling than this CAM
not fully meet the demands of the case and
give the assurance CT good schools. There
needs to be correct and grand idea OF what
school adapted to the public wants is when
methods by which that idea may be carried out
to complete and sublime reality. Sometimes
indeed, men "build better than they know"
but not often in case like this, where reason
and observation both teach that it Is irrational
to expect that a ''stresm will rise higher than
its fountain"
4. Another requisite for good public schools is.
that the public itself appreciate the Importance of
such schools and manifest continued interest an
them. GuOd scboOlhouses, aud teachers, and
supervisors cannot succeed in making schools OF
the first order in any community ii that COM
munity is arrayed against them, or is indiffer-
ent in respect to their character. their prOsperi
ty and success. Aud especially is this true in
regard to the views and tone of feeling on the
part Of the parents and guardians of the chill.
dren attending such schools. Without their
cooperation and sympathy, the attendance
will be Irregular, and the pupils will be listless
and Indifferent. lacking that spirit OF emula-
ton and enthusiasm which is essential to per.
severing work and successful results in public
schools. The community must feel that these
Sch0ola hplonO n than that those whom
their care and supervision is Immediately COM
mitted, are their servants, seeking to promote
their Interests, and secure results which will be
conducive to their welfare, and hence are en-
titled to their confidence and hearty co-opera-
ton. In looking over New England, or any
portions of the United States where the public
schools are elevated in tone and in character,
performing the best work and securing the
poblest and grandest results, there will be
found a combination of the several particulars
thus named good schoolhouses, good teachers,
good supervisors, and the sym patty, the Coop
Grafton, and the support of the community at
large. With these things harmoniously blend
ing, it is almost an impossibiity to have poor
schools.
Concedipg the facts and principles thus
stated the School Committee of Portland have
performed their work during the past year, and
now make their report For full and specific
exhibit of statistics, and matters pertaining in
detail to the schools severally, the committee
tendent and the reports of several OF the teach
erS. 1t gives the Committee pleasure 10 say
that the schools of the city generally have dur
ing the year made cOmmendable progress, and
maintained the honorable rank which they had
previously acquired In no former year per-
hdps has more faithful labor been accomplished
or more satisfactory results been achieved. The
standard of excellence has become more ele-
waited, and in some respects decided advances
have been made towards its attainment. In
tho1 icht cf fofo ant md a nu Yrp.
scented we will look at the condition and wants
of our public schools.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
When we consider what the city has done to
provide suitable accommodations for our public
schools within the last few years, and espec-
tally since the great conhagration which laid
waste SO many of our private and public build
ings, and so diminished our finances, we have
no disposition to complain, but rather to ex-
press our surprise and admira ion, that SO much
has been accomplished. And we feel confident
that the energy and zeal which have already
achieved so much, and in the face of such finan-
cial embarrassments, will not be expended un-
proved Accommodations for our public schools
shall be met and supplied By the thorough
renovation and improvement of the house Oh
Bracket street which have been made during
the year, and the erection of the new house on
Pine street, which it is expected will be COM
plated and ready for occupancy at the COM
mencement of the next term, the more impor-
tant necessities for school accommodation in
the western part of the city will be removed
But in the eastern part the necessity of nonledi-
ate provision for the increased and increasing
number of applications for admission, especial
ly to the Primary department of our schools, is
most urgent. This necessity has bsen partial
ly met the past year by the establishment of
branch-schools in the ward-rooms of the first
and second wards. We say partially, for it is
bat partially that such necessities can be met
in this way, and only as a temporary measure
should it be attempted. And when we are
obliged to say, as we have been obliged to say
repeatedly during the past year, and are now
saying to children who are rightfully entitled
to admission and instruction in our public
schools, "We cannot admit you, every seat at
our command is occupied" it will be seen that
the case is urgent and not put too strongly in
the Superintendent report.
TEACHERS.
The teachers of our public schools are to be
commended for their fidelity to the trusts COM
mitted to them. They have shown during the
year an interest in their schools severally, and
given little cause for complaint on the ground
of neglect of any of their prescribed duties
Some of them have gone even beyond that, and
uo11 fol ilv ojvau time and labor which upara