The Portland daily press., 1894-02-27

great loss to the schools of Portland.
1t is thought, however. that worthy
successor to Mr.. Scnuerch has been op-
tanned in the person of Mr.. VIC. Holden,
who comes here from Cleveland, having
had considerable valuable experience as
an instructor in manual training, under
the same system that has been intro
duced into our schools.
While the boys have been absent from
their rooms in the manual training
classes, the girls have, in most cases,
been occupied with
Some Form of Easy Sewing,
under the direction of their regular
teachers. 1t is recommended that during
the coming year an effort be made
to supply more systematic instruction in
needle work, and, if possible, to intro
duce a department of cookery. These
branches can both be added at moder-
ate expense, and they are both in line
with the advance of the best schools III
our large citiesr.
1t is hoped that means will be. soon
provided for procuring suitable house
in which the deaf school pupils can all
be lodged under one roof and enjoy the
constant supervision of their teachers.
The Training school, with the large
opportunities now afforded, is steadily
increasing III usefulness, under the
vigorous and intelligent management q
Miss Sarah M. Taylor, one of the most
accomplished and successful teachers to
be found anywhere The rule in this
school is hard work and persistent effort,
the benefit of which is evident when re-
suits are counted up at the end OF the
year.
With the experience gained last year,
the committee were able to greatly In
crease the efficiency of the evening school
during the present term. Mr.. j. A.
Milliken was made the principal and he
was furnished with competent assistants,
most of them regular teachers in the
day schools. Under these trained in
structors the pupils have advanced rapid
~ and the committee are well satisfied
with the progress which has been made.
In temporary rooms in the City build
ing, it cannot attain It's highest
efficiency, hence it should be given a
regular place of abode, where every
opportunity for growth in all directions
can be afforded it. Mr.. Milliken, the
principal, furnishes the following sum-
mary of the evening school work: The
evening school opened October 9, 1883,
with 70 pupils, and steadily increased III
numbers until l04 pupils were regular at
PENDANTS We have registered 261 pupils,
16S male and % female. Our course of
study is reading, penmanship, spelling.
arithmetic, American history, practical
language work and bookkeeping. We
have endeavored to give such instruction
as is best suited to the uses Of ordinary
business life. Particular attention has
been paid to reading ana explanation of
the Constitution of the United States, in
which the older mem bers of the school
have shown marked interest. Glasses
in book keeping for both men and women
have been organizedswith good success.
twenty-five of the former ..and eighteen
of the latter pursuing this study. The
department for women has been unusual
" efficient this year and the attendance
has been gratifying. Requests have been
received from several pupils for instruc-
tion in algebra, but on account of lack
of room we could not start such a class.
With suitable permanent place for the
school it is though that the attendance
would be inreased fully so per cent"
Great progress has been made this year
in the
Department of Drawing
in the grammar and primary schools. At
the opening of the fall term, Miss Lucy.
G. Bedlow, who was specially adapted to
this work and who had besides taken
the regular course in the Training school,
was made an assistant to MIR. Shaylor.
Instruction in drawing was extended to
ali the classes in the primary schools,
except the lowest or first year pupils,
Miss Bedlow teaching in the primary
schools and Mr.. Shaylor retaining charge
of the more advanced classes lin the
grammar schools. The results for the
first year have been very satisfactory,
but the full value of the plan will not be
apparent, until the lower primary classes
have reached the grammar schools, when
they will be trained in the first principles
and ready to take up more difficult
work. Mr.. ShayIor has continued his
valuable instruction in penmanship in
both grammar and primary schools as
before.
Mrs, Merrill, our teacher of music, has
done excellent service the past year.
Lastssyear Superintendent Lord recon-
mended that sets of measures for dry
and liquid measure, foot rule and a
yard stick for long measure and scales
for avoirdupois weight be placed in each
of the primary school rooms above the
fifth grade. This was not done, but it
should be attended to next year, as soon
as the new school board is organized.
Lord also called atten-
tion to the value of
Some Form of Nature st udy
in the primary schools. He suggested
that each teacher, two or three times a
week, take into her class room some
familiar natural objects, such as leaves,
flowers, plants, etc., sufficient in num-
Der, if possible, to give each pupil one
and have him observe and state the
features of the object In
order to make success of this work it
is requisite that some competent person
instruct the teachers what to do and
how to do it. 1t was suggested that Mr..
Caswell of the High school, could do
this. if he had an assistant to aid him
in his regular duties in the High school |
classes. In view of the fact that Mr.. |
Caswell has now too much to do and |
must have help, it would be well to con-
slider the question of whether he cannot
assume charge of the proposed nature
study in the primary schools, as soon as
an assistant is procured for him.
Last fall a proposition was made to
discontinue the Centre street school and |
distribute the pupils among the other |
schools nearest at hand. This plan met
with opposition, and it was therefore
decided to continue the school as before.
The wisdom of this course has been
demonstrated by material increase in
the attendance there over last year.