The Portland daily press., 1883-03-29
THE SCHOOLS
AS Seen From Massachusetts Point OF
View

View.
The Brookline Chronicle has an article on
the schools, which is as applicable 10 Maine as
to Massachusetts. 1t reads as follows:
Notwithstanding the fact that much of the
| inaugural OF our new governor, touching the
school question, seems absurd aud unauthentic,
still there are points in it worthy our consider
alton, and that will set adrift raft OF theories
concerning this great problem Is II not fact
that the statutes governing our educational
| system, and under which our State board of
education act are defective and fail very wide
| " OF reaching the requirements of the times?
1t may not be possible to enact laws In these
matters which Shall bear equitably upon every
| town in the commonwealth. III this be so,
| then the largest liberty should be provided
each city and town for enacting such laws as
! shall meet their various wants and constantly
! changing condition. Each city and town OF
| the State shall make this all important ques-
| ton more of study than at present, and not
leave it altogether to board or committee, al
ready oyertaxed by their individual cares, and
| hampered in their duties by q set Of statutes
almost If not altogether, imperative.
Take our own Brookline schools rs an exam
| pie, than which perhaps there are none better,
| as whole, in the State. The State laws de-
mand the support OF a High school, with
| teacher to give instruction in the Greek, Latin
and French languages, etc. The past year, out
about 100 pupils, less than eight per cent. or
only about eighty-five as an average, reached
our High school. Again, out OF our appropri-
alton for schools for years past, the High school
has absorbed nearly, il not quite, 0ne-hfth IL
the whole amount for the eight per cent. OF at
tendance. In other words il costs the town
vi 40 per head foi the pupils in the grammar
ana primary departments, as against $T6 per
mead Tor the advantages Of High school,
which the State demands.
Take one step further. The range Of sala-
ries paid our teachers is from $3.50, the first
year IN the primary departments, 20 $500 per
annum, the salary OF the principal OF the High
school, This latter salary is paid for the privi-
lege of maintaining teacher Of Latin and
Greek, or the keeping up OF the SO called Col.
iege class npon which the principal Is sup
posed 70, and unquestioaably does, devote the
bulk OF his care and energies.
We have stated that but about eight per cent
OF all our pupils avail themselves OF this High
school course; and now what is the status OF
this college class? On turning TO the commit
tees report In the past reports OF the town we
get but very little light upon the work OF the
High school, two or three lines suffics. Pages
are given TO the Grammar and Primary de-
partnenfe in the able report OF the Superin-
tendent but his care does not extend to the
musty shades of the classics, and our commit
teemen are awed TO dumbness, so that IL is on
ly by impertinent inquisitiyeness that we learn
that this college class for several years has not
exceeded four or five pupils, that last year 1t
had but two and this year but one single pu-
Pill, and be one OF the two OF last year who
was unsuccessful in his college examinations
and returned on conditions
No criticism is intended in this article upon
the merits or dement's of any teacher. Ii is
our system that's under discussion, and not
persons. But it would require no great decree
OF headwork TO demonstrate from the above
that It would be money IN the town treasury 90
transport every classical pupil in our schools TO
Boston or elsewhere and pay for their tuition
For, outside the single study OF Greek, there
are undoubtedly tlveRty teachers today in our
Brookline schools who are abandantly quail
lied to teach every other study now taught in
our High school, teachers who are del wing aud
struggling with mere pittance for an income
as compensation for the valuable time, labor
and vital strength employed, and yet compe-
tent to ill any position IN our public schools.
With the above facts before US we say ia
our case, our high school course as now insti-
tuted is a failare and useless, aud | believe
every school committeeman who has had any |
experience with our high school would ac-
knowledge, IL he would give an unbiased opin- |
ion. that the conduct of its affairs has given |
more anxiety than oil the other schools In |
town, and still remains riddle. What then |
Is the solution OF this question, SO far as |
Brooklne is interested, so that the greatest |
good may accrue 20 the greatest number, and |
the real purpose to DO attained of common |
school course. Not, we should say, By the use |
OF any less money, but By using it where it |
will DO most directly felt by the mass Of pupils |
whose only chance OF an education to fit the IN |
for their LIES work must be attained through |
the common schools.
Experience has taught every one who has |
had anything TO do with onr school system that /
the principal work must be and Is done In the /
primary department A first class Primary /
school teacher Is more valuable and more diff |
cult 10 find than any other grade Of teachers /
Find town or city in which the primary |
schools excel, and you will as surely find the l
grammar departments there showing a correS |
bonding superiority. There is no work done |
in our public schools ia Mookline SO labOrious, |
50 brain and nerve taxing, and withal SO poor /
~ compensated, as the teachers in the primary |
department First Of all, then the kindergar- |
ten should be at once engrafted into our school |
system. Another year should be given 70 the /
grammar course in which the higher English
branches, bookkeeping and perhaps the ele-
ments OF Latin should be taught, and the pres
ent cumbersome and expensive High school L
system should be abolished. The extrayagant
and useless salaries thus eliminated should be
added to tbs ray OF teachers in the primary de-
partments, where the real sud lasting work is
done. 1t Is 10 be hoped that our present Lagis-
lature will, at least, so far revise our education
al system, as 10 leave some discretionary pow
er with the various cities and towns, and rot 4
as nov force them TO maintain course after
il shalt have become so unwieldy, useless aud /
extrayagant As the present High school de- |
partment Of Broukline.
These reflections will seem sacrilege and al. /
most high treason 10 some who have grown TO 1
regard the maintenance OF our High School as 1
a public necessity. But the time has come /
when these questions should be understood and L
discussed by the people, and some OF the old |
baruacles which have retarded jndcious pro-
ggess sI0nghed off. And If the present Gov L
ernor Of Massachusetts, Is successful 10 arous-
ing public attention TO some OF these minor |
evils, which have become encFusted upon the Il
body polite Of the State his administration, /
after all, viii not have been in vain.