Year: 1879

Inc ScnOOl committee OF quincy, Wnen
they determined to try their experiment,
had definite object in view, in accomplish
ing which everything depended upon the
selection of superintendent Their object
was to improve the schools while not in.
creasing their cost-to get one hundred
cents worth of value for every dollar Of the
ter the Quincy committee were as whole
most fortunate. After some discussion of
candidates, they chanced across one who
had not only himself taught, but in teach
ing had become possessed with the idea that
it was science, and that he did not under
stand it. Accordingly he had gone abroad
in search of that training which he was un-
able to get in America, and at a compare
lively mature age he had made himself
master Of the modern German theories of
common school education. A self-educated
and self-made man, with all the defects as
well as the virtues of men of that class, he
was now eagerly looking about for an oppor.
tunity to put his theories in practice. That
opportunity was offered him in Quincy, and
under circumstances peculiarly favorable to
success. In the first place he found com.
mittee strong in the confidence of the town,
and holding Office with a degree of per
manence most unusual, the members Of
which were in singulsrly disgusted aE1
dissatisfied frame of mind. They had
reached the conclusion that the whole exist
ing system was wrong-a system from
which the life was gone out. Acting on
this conclusion, they had gone to work to
remedy matters; but, as usually happens in
such cases, they had succeeded only in de-
stroying the old system without developing
new one. Tney had bitterly attacked the
unintelligent instruction they found going
on, and they had made school after school
go to pieces by calling on overgrown children
to practically make use of the knowledge
they had been SO painfully acquiring. When
it came, however, to substituting better
method of instruction for that which they
condemned, they had their own affairs to at
tend to, and few spasmodic, half-matured
suggestions of something they did not have
time to think out was all they could do for
the discouraged and bewildered teachers.
1t gradually, therefore, had begun to dawn
upon them that they had taken larger
contract on their hands than they had at all
intended.


Realizing this-conscious of the fact that
they themselves were unequal to the work
before them--the members of the commit.
tee were also sensible enough to know that
superintendent to be successful must have
chance. He must not be continually ham,
pered and thwarted by unnecessary interfer-
ence. They were not, as under similar cir
cumstances is too frequently the case, jeal-
GUS Of their little authority. They had no
fear of losing their power, and no consequent
desire to make mere huckster of their su-
perintepdent by degrading him into pur-
chasing agent. They listened to his plans
as he submitted them, and gave them the
best consideration they could then, once
those plans were approved, he had a free
field in which to carry them out, with the
understanding that by the results, and the
results alone, would he be judged.


Meanwhile the members of the committee
had ideas of their own, as well as the super
intendent. Most fortunately-for it was a
single chance in hundred that it should
50 happen, and yet it did so happen. The
superintendent, while he brought radical
theories of his own work in hand, fully en-,
tered into and sympathized with the less
clearly defined ideas of the committee.
There was no conflict. His specially was
primary instruction; the later methods
and practical outcome of the system were
what they most severely criticised. The
result, naturally, was gradual but com
plete revolution, than which it may well be
questioned whether the common school
| system of Massachusetts, has of late fur.
nished a more interesting or instructive
study.


The essence of the new system was that
there was no system about 1t lit was marked
throughout by intense individuality. Ex
perimcnts were to be cautiously tried and
results from time to time noted The rev
olution, however, was all-pervading, Moth


ing escaped its influence; it began with the
alphabet and extended into the last effort
of the grammar school course.


The most noticeable change, however, and
that which has excited the most general in


terest was at the very begnning,-in the
primaries. The old "dame school" dis


appeared at once. In place of it appeared
something as different as light from dark


ness. The alphabet itself was no longer


taught In place of the old lymphatic, list


less schoolmarm," pressing into the mind.
Of tired and listless children the mystic sig


ni6cance of certain hieroglyphics by mere


force Of over-laying, as it were,-instead Of
this time-honored machineprocess, young
women, full OF life and nervous energy