The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-03-02

| hepalrs and lnSuranCe......-.- 600 90
| Permanent repairs,
| South Primary ......,..... c0tU
| w hlue- ....t....... 10
| Board Landing. ............ 4oO
| Hayford. d................,... 800 ,325 90
| Free High school. 1000 90
Free text books. Observation-Disclosures. 700 90
The committee explained that the South
Primary building has no cellar and is heat
ed by stoves and poorly ventilated. They
| recommend that cellar be placed under
the building, better heating appliances put
in, and ventilation provided The White
and Hayford schoolhouses are badly out of
repair and need a general overhauling. The
latter was built in 1S4S, and it was said that
it has never been renovated. The Board
Landing house is in the northern part of the
district, and there is but one pupil north
of the Upper Bridge settlement it is recon-
mended that the building be removed to
that place.
The annual report of the Superintendent,
F, S. Brick the report of II. D. McLel-
Ian, principal of the High school; of Mrs.
Emma B. Pitcher, music teacher; and of
Robert Waterman, truant officer, were pre-
sented and referred to committee composed
of Messrs. Howes, Hayford and Winslow.
Following is a summary of the reports
SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
The report of Superintendent Brick covers
the various departments of school work
both as to work done and plans for the fu-
ture He divides the functions Of school
work under three heads-first, to furnish
practical know ledge second higher develop
ment of the mental powers, trained to correct
habits of thinking, quicker perception, etc. ;
| third, developing the moral nature in an
ethical aud cultured sense, or the formation
of character In the work Of the year now
closing the work under the second function
the rst and third.
Changes of teachers in the city system are
noted as follows: Miss Marion Hayford,
assistant in the Brick school, succeeded
Mrs. ID, G. Greenlaw, nee Piper, in South
Primary, grade /, Miss Putnam engaged
for grade ., North Primary, TO succeed Miss
Walton, who was promoted to grade 3 in the
same building.
Beside the general repairs incident to the
school year a new wing was built on the
North Primary to make room for the new
grade established there. This makes the
North Primary building the best in the city
both as regards ventilation and room.
The superintendent recommends the fol-
| lowing repairs and Improvements in the city
ba b,,;J
and heating the building by furnace instead
of stove; new platform and rail at the
High school building repairs to the slatlug
on the roof repainting all the buildings, and
new hlackboards in some
1t is now nearly two years since the nine
grade system was adopted and the plan has
proved entirely satisfactory, and there has
been no friction in developing it from the
Old plan of eight grades.
Truancy is reported as reduced to very
low point under the thorough system Of
reg ular visitation employed and as result
there is a change for the better in the atti-
tude of the parents of the former dein-
quents towards the school department..
There has been an Improvement in the CO.
ot'AehA4oh VI uHV poithto fioii uiiC ooaoutIo
and consequent better individual work
among the pupils by the teachers. The
teachers in their work recognize the indi-
vidual rather than the class. The Super
intendent calls the attention of the commit
tee to late hours kept by many of the pupils.
The general plan, as outlined in last years
report, for promotion has been closely fol
lowed this year. Pupils in the first five
grades were promoted on the recommended
tion of the teacher, sustained by the work
shown by the records. In grades and
examinations are still required, but count
only one-hfth, recitation work counting
four-ifths. In the Upper Grammar, the ratio
is to L. and in tie High school l to 3. Last
year 40 pupils We're deficient and made up
their lessons during the long vacation. 1t
was intended to reduce the number this
year, but the scarlet fever breaking out in
terfered with the plan. To prevent the
spreading of the disease no pupils were re-
ceived in school who lived in a house where
the fever existed, whether in the same fam
lily or not. No books were allowed taken
home for study by pupils so quarantined,
and school books found in such houses were
burned. AS a result of the fever a large
percentage of absences existed during the
fail term and reached as high as 20 per cent
Therefore the number of deficiencies prom
lses to be greater this year than ever. To
remedy this the Superintendent recommends
summer school, through July and August,
for the benefit of scholars who may be be-
hind in their work
Subjects of study which have received
special attention this year the Rational
Method in Reading, Natural System of Yer
tical Writing and more accurate drill work
IN arithmetic and history. The Superin-
| tendent shows the working of the phonic
method of reading and comments on the
need of improvement in spelling. The
work in arithmetic this year has been done
with view to increasing accuracy and
| rapldity. Mental arithmetic has been in
creased and special drill cards issued for all
| grades. Some changes have been made in
the teaching of history.
| In regard to an evening school Mr.. Brick
| says; II believe such school properly con
Quoted is necessary in every well regulated
city where pupils leave the schools for work