Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-04-14
VILLAGE DISTRICT.
Years Work FavorabIy Spoken Of
By Board Of Directors.
rsanoe OF Ieachers-Reporis From Them
lxpendi urss and Needs.

ora an teachers reports as follows:
The directors feel warranted in saying
that the work of the schools the past year
ha. been uniformly excellent, and that good
nrogress has been made by all the classes OF
The district The teachers have labored
diligently ard well, in stimulating and in
stracting the expanding minds of their pu-
Mia for time and eternity.
Al the beginning of the present school
wear in September last, it was deemed ex-
ne1ient to consolidate the four classes in
The Cusknoc Heights school into two. The
classes Of Misses Erskine and Russell
we're dispersed and given to the care of
M.ses Choate and Enright. Misses Ere
kline and Russell were given leaves Of ad-
serce. At the beginning of the second
term in January, Miss Enrights class
urinary was so largely recruited by new
,cb9l4rs, that it was found necessary to di-
vide it, consequently another class was
formed, and given to Miss Elizabeth NJ
LeProhon, who was formerly one of the
teachers in the evening school.
The convent school, conducted by the
Canadian French people for their own
children, has had the effect Of reducing very
materially the attendance at our pubic
schools. Miss j. Carrie LeProhon has o
large and fourisFing class of French-speak-
ing pupils on Laurel Hill, and her sisters
clss4, above mentioned, is composed of a
few scholars speahing the same tongue.
At tha time of the eaijconlinusncc of Miss
Russell's class, that lady wa. suffering from
in health. She afterwards went to New
Mexico IN the hope that change of climste
wond b. beneficial; but in February the
intelligence came that she had died Mis-
Russell was an estimable Young lady, and
one of our most highly priz teachers. Her
death is mournea by all who knew her, and
especially by the school circle Of the village
district
On the 10Th Jay of January, 1894, came
the sudden death of an eminent friend of
tire village district schools, Mr.. Will N Il.
smith, who previous to his retirement fir, m
lae board of dir, ctors abau. four years ago,
hat tc-n officially Identified with our schools
for more than fifty years. He always sus-
taiacd ecp,unseli~h interest IL all .hoot
matters oar present graded school sy St m
owes grea, dral to his efforts. In grateful
recogniti N Of his educational services the
district at meeting in 1891 conferred
his name upon tie principal grammar
school. During a long and busy life he
was not unmindful of the duty incumbent
upon all of us, of doing some unrequited
service for the good of humanity.
Yet sgsin-a third time since the last ar
nual meeting-has death invaded the school
Tanks and removed from the board of di-
reetors a highly useful and efficient mem
ber. Our honored and beloved associate,
Rodney B. Cspen, died March 18th, 1894,
after a service of three and three-fourths
years as director. He was positive
anl steadfast friend Of our schools, sem i
bic and discreet in matters touching their
administration. of valuable experience as a
public instructor, wise in counsel and agree
able In conference. The vacancy, caused
in the board of directors by Mr.. Capep' s
death, has been filled by the election of
Mr.. c. B. Chick.
The expenditures the past year have been
considerably more than usual. Four of
the rooms of the VIM. Il. Smith school
were refoored with hard wood at a
cost of $50. The other four floors in the
building ought to be replaced this year.
Quite extensive repairs were made in con-
rection with the Grove street schoolhouse.
The school property of the district is now in
excellent condition, and excepting the new
floors above referred to, will not need many
repairs the present year.
It has not been deemed advisable by the
directors to take any steps toward erecting
the new schoolhouse on the lot at the cor
ner of Sewall and Capitol streets, which
was in contemplation when the lot was pur-
chased in 1892. The schoolroom capacity
of the district is ample since the withdrawal
from the public schools of so many children
of Canadian-French parentage. The Ken
dali street Schoolhouse has not been used
luripg the year and there is one room vacant
In the Cu,hnoc Heights schoolhouse and also
another in the Laurel Hill house. The total
expenditures authoriz ed By the directors be-
tween March 81, 1898. and Marcn 81, 1894,
amount to the sum Of Sl5,24l.2l.
The census of 1921 completed April 10th.
by Mr.. VIM. II. Holmes, Jr., gives the
names of two thousand and fifty-one (205l)
children and youth as being entitled to ad-
mission to our schools the present year.
Following is a brief sketch of Principal
Chamherlain's report
My labors commenced with the beg l.
ming of the school year, September, 1898.
then found your schools in a most excel
lent condition; and this condition was. in
my judgment, largely due to my worthy
predecessor. Mr.. q. A. Robertson, whose
untiring services for twenty-five years
have been most effective.
81 have found my associate teachers, the
most of whom have been in your service
several years, most willing to cooperate
with me in securing the greatest good to
the greatest number of pupils. To theft
faithful, conscientious, psinst liking labors
is due in large measure the success of the
present year.
with few exceptions these teachers have
been punctual in meeting their respective
classes; and day by day they have striven
most earnestly to teach and train thei'
pupils well.
As have observed from day to day the
work of each grade, | have noted the sd
Nsrcement which has, in almost every sub
Ject' been highly satisfactory to myself and
alike creditsblv TO both teachers and pupils
Miss L c. Desring as teacher of music
reports as follows:
Having been in your schools "a teacher
of vocal music since February ls., it i.
hardly possibly for me to make an extended
report. With the exception of a few Sigh
variations have continued the methods Of
the Normal music course, formerly intro