The Portland daily press., 1888-03-01
our SCHOOLS.
Abstract Of superInte endent Tash's
Report.

Mr.. Tash's, the Superintendent of Schools,
report is very lengthy document. 1t takes
up twenty-nine pages Of closely written let
ter paper, and reprint.
Under the head of school accommodations
he states that the Carroll street primary
school has been constructed the past year, as
well as the inexpensive school house on
Crotch Island, both supplying long felt
need Considerable money has been spent
on the Peaks Island house and grounds, and
the High school. A brief history is given of
the Carroll street primary, the redistrieting
of schools, to embrace the new school, and
states that six out Of the eight rooms have
been sufficiently well filed for classification.
He speaks highly of the building and hopes
the lot may be graded to conform to the
building. The Long Island school has had
three terms Of summer and one of winter
school, and the school has increased in size
and efficiency. Miss Georgia Pinkham has
taught the Crotch Island school very salts
factorily. The Peaks Island school re-
ceived proper sanitary improvements, but
the roof still leaks and it can't pay to reslate
unless second story. which is needed shall
be added Furnace heat should replace coal
stoves. In speaking Of the High school, Mr..
Tash says, the condition of the school house,
while it has been greatly improved, is not
yet entirely satisfactory, and that three con-
ditions should be considered in the question
Of heating and ventilation. First, the ill
contrived interior with its drafts and its loca-
tion of stair-ways and water closets second,
the large and increasing grammar school in
the third story; third, the attachment to the
boiler of the Chestnut street school steam
have boiler of its own and the grammar
school building of its own.
A recommendation follows for new
school building for the use of the Cumber-
land street Grammar school, and the reasons
are that the High school needs the whole Of
its building; that the stairways are circuit
Gus and in case of panic would be danger
GUS; that it is a violation of the laws Of
health for pupils from u to II years old to
climb these stairs several times day; some
of the rooms are poorly lighted, and more
rooms will be needed in September
Marked attention is paid to languages,
ItuuiH5, opcllluGs Eh6uol 6lduliiidA duu CUM
position. Arithmetic mas been carefully
taught and good progress made, the text
books now in use being better than those
employed before. Colburn's First Lessons
have been used with good effect in the gram
mar and first two classes in the primary
schools, but in the third classes he considers
tie effect Of its use, positively bad as the
children are under ten years of age. Book
keeping has been very successfully taught.
In geography there have been more changes
this year than in any other. A heavier text
book has been used. Mr. Tash thinks some
forms Of map drawing a waste Of time and
effort when arbitrary lines are employed, but
where the outlines used are those of merid-
ians Of longitude and parallels of longitude
there are advantages obtained. So with free
hand drawing where prominent features like
mountains, rivers, etc., are located. History
is satisfactorily taught in the grammar
schools, and it would be well if each school
could be supplied with 80 copies of some one
OF the recently published excellent brief his
tories of England. Supplementary readers
in United States history would be of equal
value. The teachers are using due diligence
to familiariZe themselves with the new
is hoped an appropriation will be made to
provide all that are needed The
effects of alcoholic drinks, stimulants
and narcotics, on the human body
must be understood thoroughly now by the
students in the study of physiology and hy-
giene, and their future habits largely infiu-
enced by that knowledge. The morning ex
ercises in this branch have been thoroughly
satisfactory
A long discussion Of the subject of manu-
al training occupies large part of the re-
port. The superintendent thinks that
the schools should be carefully scanned by
those who are their patrons, to see If the
school work is the best calculated to fit the
pupils, mentally, morally and physically for
their-life work. The ques+ p-is-- nc ..cc-f longer
''Shall manual training -.,.,e place." but.
ofwhat shall it consist" ITO what extent
carried" and "h0w managed in connection
with the other work of the schools" Every
one sh ould be so trained in early life that he
should understand the dignity and value of
the part acted by others. Every one gets
the most pleasure and profit from a produc-
ti0n who has acquired skill in the same or
kindred arts of which the production is a re-
suit. 1t is conceded that II we would see the
graduates OF our schools seek other employ
ments than those Of clerks, bookkeepers and
teachers they must be diverted to other lines
Of thought and have opportunities to prac-
tiee the elements of other activities.
More than year since fifty or sixty per-
sons who represent largo per cent of city
property, united in a petition to the City
Council to make a moderate appropriation,
sufficient to establish manual training in con-
nection with tie first classes in the Grammar
Schools. These men who affixed their names
to the petition in question, knew what they
were asking for, and fully aware that from
their own resources large proportion of the
expense must come. As some Of them re-
marked, This IS an etfeort to educate In the
tight direction" Eve wish all our city ex-
penditures were as satisfactory as the teach
ing of our boys the use of the ordinary car
penter's tools would be-" The wishes of
these petitions may even now be met by a
limited appropriation.
The examinations for promotions in the
grammar and high schools the past year,
have been only two. Another common test
was given in October to ascertain the cOndi-
tion of the newly promoted classes. Promo
| tions have not only been made upon two ex-
| aminationS, but these examinations have
| been less exacting than they were formerly.
| when the tendency in graded schools was to
| rely very much in the fixing of grades upon
| seventy in questioning both in oral and Writ
| ten tests. The tendency Of the last decade
| has been towards the amelloration OF these
| tests. 1t is the opinion Of many educators,
| and in this we fully concur, that promotions
| in q system of schools may safely be made
without any ranked tests whatever. Writ
| ten and oral tests are valuable in many ways,
but whether the marking of pupils work to
| scale in such tests is OF any addition to
| their value admits of serious question. AT
any rate, the experiment of dispensing with
] ranked tests is in progress In some excellent
| schools of the country, and the experiment
| is likely to be extended. We believe we
may safely risk promotions in our own
| schools, if allowed to do so by the board,
upon the fitness of pupils as determined by
the Judgment of the teachers. superintend-
| ent and committee.
The teachers work is praised, and many
| good words said for them. The rule for re-
cesses should be more strictly observed, or
they should be given up altogether. The
| following recommendations are made:
1. To solicit OF the City Council the early cree
| ton of a building for the use Of the Cumberland
g To ask for a suitable boiler for the Chestnut
| street school.
3. To requestl some means Of ventilation for
| the North and Centre street schools, and addi-
| tional improvements IL the Peaks Island school.
| A. 10 ask an appropriation for the introduc-
tnn of manual training In the FIRST class of the