The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-12-30
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Business Transacted at Yesterdays Meet
ing-Report on Discipline in the High
Schoo1-The Exh ibition at Chicago.

School-The Exhibition at Chicago.
The monthly meeting of the school
committee was held yesterday afternoon,
the Mayor and Messrs. Bradley, Brown
son, MCGOWAN, Mcdonald and Blake be-
ing present.
Mr.. Brownson, for the evening school,
reported that it had so regular scholars,
and that it had been necessary to have
two more rooms in the city building de-
voted to it, Two additional teachers,
Mr.. Llewellyn Barton and Miss Lydia H.
Beck, had been engaged temporarily.
On motion of Mr.. Brownson they were
permanently elected.
Later in the meeting Mr.. Brownson
moved that the city government be
asked to appropriate $100to establish
separate evening school room for women
and employ another teacher. Mr..
Brownson was appointed committee to
recommend this to the city government.
For the Crotch island school, MI.
Blake reported that Miss Isabel Hughey,
the newly elected teacher, was sick with
the measles, and that Miss Kelley, who
has just been transferred from that
school to the North school, Is unable to
return to the island. Therefore, t was
decided that the Crotch island school
might be closed until Miss Hughey re-
covers.
Superintendent Lord reported that he
and Mr.. Brownson had investigated the
Hebrew parochial school, They found
five boys attending, and they were kept
from clock in the morning until 7
at night. Three others attended the
public schools, but came to the pa ochial
school mornings and evenings. The He
brew language alone was taught. The
committee recommended that the truant
officer compel the attendance of these
children at the public schools.
The resignation of Miss Kate S. Batty,
special teacher, was received and ac-
cepted.
The question of the exhibition of the
Portland schools at the Chicago EXPOSE
ton was brought up by Superintendent
Lord. 1t is proposed to select the 100
best 'papers taken from the classes in the
grammar schools, in each study, and
have them bound into volumes, which
are to be taken to Chicago. A fine grade
of paper, of uniform size, must be fur
nished, and this, with the binding, will
cost upwards of $500. There was con-
siderable debate, as the school apprO-
priations are exhausted. Someone jo-
cosely remarked that the agency might
be drawn on, whereat the Mayor report
ed that that institution took in 5000 Sat
urday. before Christmas. 1t was finally
decided to lay the matter of money for
the exhibition before the city govern
ment.
Mr. Mcdonald, for the committee APP
pointed to investigate discipline in the
High school, made the following report,
which was accepted:
Your special committee appointed to
| investigate the recent encounter between
| one of the teachers and a pupil at the
High School find it was the outcome of
continued disorder ON the part of some
members of class over which the teach
| er in question acts as monitor the latter
part Of the school session. Repeated adj
monition proving futile said teacher be-
came exasperated and resorted to a dis
play of physical force, selecting pupil
whom he regarded as one of the culprits.
A scuff1e ensued during which the pupil
received bruised eye, the weight OF ev-
| idence going to show that the injury was
received by coming in contact with a
piece of furniture in falling.
While resort to such a method to en-
force discipline should not be sanctioned,
vet it is evident in the case in question
that the teacher had much cause for dis
play of temper and the loss of good judg-
ment the exercise of which would have
deferred him from resorting to such
means.
| Your committee recommends that the
| incident be regarded as an unfortunate
| occurrence and that measures be taken
| to preclude anything of the kind in the
| future. 1t appears best to first give the
pupils to understand that proper discip-
| line will be insisted on by the school
| board, but thatit is desired that scholars
obviate the necessity of prescribing pen
alties by voluntaril preserving the
good order which should characterize a
shool attended by pupils of such adj
vanced years, that they should of their
| own free will maintain that decorum ex-
pected of young gentlemen.
Should such an appeal be made in
vain, there should be adopted rule
making expulsion the penalty for flag
| rant misbehavior.