The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-25
OUR SCHOOLS.
Annual Report of the School Committee

In accordance with the statute which re-
quires the experimenting School Committee
to make annually "a written report of the con-
dition Of the schools for the past year, the pro-
fciency made by the pupils and the success at
tending the modes of instruction and govern
ment of the teachers" the School Board of
Portland submit the following
REPORT.
The school year begins the first of September
and ends with June, comprising two terms sep
arated by the February vacation.
The report of the Board is made at the close
of the first term. The city's financial year be-
gins ON the first Of April, at which time the
appropriations begin to be applied. Owing to
this want of harmony between the school and
financial year, it is difficult to give satsfacto
ry statement of the year comprised in this re-
port, which differs, as will be seen, both from
the school year proper and the financial year.
Teachers salaries begin with the school
year, and any changes made in them affect an
estimate and appropriation made or applied
the previous April. So also, with the ordinary
or incidental expenses of the schools. 1t is a
matter well worthy of consideration whether the
school year should not be made to correspond
with the financial year; the teachers to be
elected in March and salaries and incidental
expenses estimated for the year ending the
first of April. Since the annual report is made
in the middle of the school year, it must, of
course, include the statistics of part of two
years, and two reports must be consulted to
ascertain facts with regard to attendance, ex-
penses, &c., of any current school year. We
are obliged, also, in case of any important
changes in school organization, since these are
more frequently made at the beginning of the
school year, to report upon them for the first
time after only six months trial. These facts
should be borne in mind by the reader of these
reports.
The amount of money, exclusive of interest
account, expended by the city for the year
187S-1S79, was $769,576.57. OF this amount
SIG, 20 was expended for schools, $59,67O.S8
being for salaries and SIG, ,37S.S7 for incidental
or ordinary expenses.
1t will be observed that nearly ten per cent.
of all the money expenses for city purposes has
been spent on schools. The statement made in
our last report that "good schools are necessa-
rily expensive" cannot be kept too prominent
ly before the mind. Good teachers, good
school buildings, good scho | furnishings and
As the effect of the expenditure of this large
sum of money is felt with more or less direct
ness in every family of this city it is not sur
prising that much interest is manifested in the
matter; but it is perhaps to be regretted that
this interest is so often manifested by criticism
which is largely based upon misapprehension
or misunderstanding OF the facts upon which
the criticism is made.
In a matter touching so nearly the best in
terests of the community, there can be but one
dqcirQ and that IS tn for ALI pupig the
best results of best methods The matters in
vOlved are numerous, and many conflicting in
terests have to be harmonized and probably the
great divergence of opinions in reference to the
appropriate studies for common and high
schools and modes of teaching, would forbid
any confident expectation of entire harmony of
views; but nothing could be lost, while much
might be gained, by all parties working togeth-
er to secure the desired end
A careful examination of the schools and a
comparison with their condition year ago,
warrants us in saying that they have material
ly improved during the year. Not to so great
degree as we might wish for the best di-
rected efforts sometimes fail of entire success;
but while the former rate of attendance is fully
maintained, the schools in point OF interest
and general progress, stand to-day further ad-
vanced than year ago. 1t is general report
of the teachers, substantiating this view, that
classes have come up this year better prepared
than the year before.
The condition of the schools is greatly af-
fected by their surroundings. Satisfactory
progress must not be looked for among pupils
of overcrowded and ill ventilated rooms.
Alertness of mind and quickness of apprehen-
sion are not to be expected of pupils who
breathe, all the school day, air loaded with the
exhalations from the lungs and bodies of those
about them. Aching eyes, throbbing heads,
flushed or pale faces and irritable temper char
acteristic alike of teachers and pupils in too
many school rooms, warn us that it is not so
much "the course of study" which is sapping
their health and strength, as 1t is the want of a
course of pure air through the school room,
combined with late hours, improper diet and
outside lessons, as music, &C., on the part of
pupils
In the Superintendent's last report (page 90
of the Report for 1879 may be found some val
liable statistics with regard to this matter
which merit more attention than they have re-
ceived.
Some changes tending to improvement in
this direction, have been made; but much more
remains to be done. Reforms, however, pro-
verbally move slowly to be permanent; but SO
long as some reform is making we may take
courage.
The Bracket st. Grammar school for girls
and the Park st. Grammar school for bows
have been consolidated into the Butler school;
and the Fourth Grammar school for boys and
the Centre Grammar school for girls have been
in like manner consolidated into the Cumber-
land st. school. AS result of these charges
all our grammar schools are now mixed schools
with manifest improvement in many re-
spects.
While the crowded condition of the schools
in the western part of the city has been some
what relieved by the erection and occupancy of
the Butler school, the eastern part of the
city remains to be provided for. A request has
been made to the city council to build a new
school house on Munjoy Hill large enough to
accommodate four hundred pupils, and we
hope that such prompt action will be taken in
the premises as will give us new school house
so much needed, by September next at the
opening of the next school year.
Frequent examinations have been instituted
during the year by the teachers, superinten-
dent and committee, to ascertain the progress
and proficiency of the pupils. OF course it
must be understood that written tests or exam
nations to accomplish the above named OBJ
iects must follow very closely the line of study
pursued during the term. That part of the
course of study indicated by "Oral Instruction
or directed "To be read only" cannot fairly be
subjected to the same close and rigid examina-
ton as that part which has been pursued with
thoroughness during the term. Nor if, in Lat
in and Greek especial attention has been given
to reading those languages, should the exami-
nation be directed to grammatical construction
or pathological peculiarities of the language
In the studies under charge of special teachers
unless great care is taken in the preparation
of the examination papers the tendency is to
throw their branch of study into undue promi-
nence and give them place in our schools
winch they nave never been intended to fill.
The remedy lies in the hands of the commit
tee and deserves and requires close attention
on their part with the preparation of every Sc
ries of examination papers. 1t is question al
so which should have immediate attention
whether the written tests are not given too Of
ten, and whether they should not be restricted
to two each term Our schools are not univer-
sites, and the mental development of the chill
dren is immature, and too frequent written
tests do, without doubt, keep pupils unduly ex-
cited and at high pressure.
But, so far as is possible by means Of written
examinations the proficiency of the pupils DUR
ing the year has been tested by the committee,
with result quite satisfactory on the whole.
The effect of the grade and monthly teach
ers' meetings was noticeable in the uniformity
of progress in the various schools. One thing,
we regret to say, was too prominent to be al
lowed to pass without notice, that is, the great
amount of incorrect spelling. We sincerely
hope, for the good name of our schools, that
the often repeated saying that 'good spelling
is the test of accurate scholarship" is not true.
1t is almost inconceivable that a branch of
study, pursued without intermsson during a
ten years course, should produce such results
as are seen on our examination papers.
An examination of methods pursued in other
cities, where excellent results are said to be
obtained, shows that the combination of a clas-
sifed spelling book and spelling from the read
m hooIr ic tbnI Cd T.