ANNUAL REPORT'

OF TilE

Towu TroasUfor, Soloctmou,

TOWN OF BELMONT,•

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YEAR ENDINO MARCH " '877.

I..\COS(A, x. II

, L01l/s J. 7i'lI!,rI/,!. /J,,,,k, Job alt,! Addrus Crr'! prilltN'11877

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SCHOOL REPORT.FEI.LOW ('lTIZEN~, in obedience to the requirements of

law and the observance of previous ,cost ours, I beg leaveto submit the following report of the standing and con-dition of the various schools of your town, together withsome ideas that have occured to me while in the dischargeof my official duties. It gives me great pleasure to statethat so good progress has heen made and that the generalaverage standing of the various schools is so high. Every,school during the year may he called successful, someperhaps more so than others from various attendant cir-cumstances, Experience in common school teaching hasconvinced me of its fourfold nature; that like a complicatedmachine, no one part alone and independent of the otherscan work the result which might reasonably he expectedfrom all the parts working in harmony and to a definiteend. Parents, Prudential Committees, Teachers andScholars, have each a part to perform and the neglect ofone cannot he 1111delip hy any or all of the others. 'Thefirst duty devolves upon the parent to learn the child thelesson of obedience. to teach their children respect forparental authority. to inculcate in them due reverence forthe authority of the teacher, to impress upon them thepositive advantages of education. hy precept and exampleto show them the advantage, the imperative neccessity ofmental improvement.

The parents duty does not end with furnishing' schw.lsand school-houses, hut in the higher duty of the parentand teacher combine. 1. The-y ~hotlJd visit their !"choo1smore and therebv show to both scholars and teacher t heirlot) mpathy, l'()nli~{1 co-oper.uiun and hc'~t 'n~hcs for theirMW('t'SS, Haying dw interest at stake that yOU do \'011•• ~.1

should not as is !-iO often the ('41S4;; ahl'lL"nt yourself from thesrhool-room for P:;lrS together. The greatest di~(·rl.'tjonshould he exercised in the selcction of Prudential Com-mitces. Select ~tI('h men only as have a "roper esthnat«of the advantage» of education: such only as have honestyenough to serve the district rather than personal cnds :who understands in some degn:e the wants to be 111et inthe selection of a teacher (or hi- pm tit ular district: \\'1"0

will sustain an. I encourage the teacher in all propermeans. in everv effort (or the benefit of tho ~ChOHI. Thevshould engage 'IlO teacher simply because they can ],~hired (!IL'tl/', remembering that a ('!UtlP artic/t: is dear (tt

a nv pri('t',\"ith regard to what constitutes a good teacher and the

essential qualities of successful teaching, I have not thetime 'and I fear not the ability to accurately describe.Abler pens .than mine have been called into requisition,abler minds than mine have been engaged in solving theproblem, and yet it remains unanswered. Perhaps 1 maysay as hriefly as possible that the teachers should first of allfully understand what they attempt to teach. that theystudy to adopt their instruction to the mind of the pupilwho is to recieve it. The5' should enter upon teaching astheir profession and not as a convenience for the timebeing, They should study the science of teaching, thebest method- of imparting instruction, together with themost improved methor ls of government. Thev shouldrealize that the future man and W01l1Un is for 'the timecommitted to their charge; and upon their effort dependsin the greatest degree the standard of intelligence andmorality of the communitv. To them it is given to train

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the minds and develop the faculties that are to rule the na-tion, which under the blessing of God is to rule the world.They should seek to find in it something higher than mereemployment or a stepping stone to some higher usefulness,which is fancied to lie beyond. To the scholars whom Ihave met in the various schools of the town, perhaps afew words to you may not be inappropriate at this time:Do you fully realize the advantages which our commonschool system confers upon you? Do you fully realize theinfluence which education is to exert upon your character,your social standing and influence in after life? Are youexerting yourselves to the utmost to ma ke a proper use ofthe means within your reach? Have you during the yearthat has passed made all the advancement that was desir-able or even possible? Answer these questions each foryourselves and enter upon your next term with a deter-mination to exceed in diligence and consequent improve-ment any preceding term. Submitting these few sugges-tions for the consideration of parents and pupils I reportthe several districts in their order.

I liSTRICT 0, J _--Arthur S. Ladd, Prudential Commit-tee, Summer term of ten weeks and \\1ioter term of thir-te~t1 weeks were taught by Miss Carrie A. Smith. This was1\'1iss Smith's first attempt at teaching. and , am pleasedto report U1HIStlnlJy good success. She seemed to havein mind the quality rather than the quantity of her workand the dosing examinations showed good progress in the

, various hr.inches of study pursued.l)t~TRICT No. i.-Andrew Young. Prudential Commit-

tee. Fall term of ten weeks taught by T\lj,..s flora E. Lee.Miss Lee has taught in the schools of this town previousto this term. and brought to her aiel in this school herformer eXl'elience. This is one of the best schools intown standing .o. ~. in point of numbers, and containingSOBle excellent scholars. The progrt'ss (luring the termwas alike nrofitable to the scholars and creditable to theteacher. A school of the energy and ability of this one

17is really entitled to more than ten weeks of school in a year.

I>ISTI<IC I' No. !l.-S.JloJ1 F. H ill. I'rudemial Committee.Surnmcr term of eight weeks taught ltr ~ris.; S ir.ih E.Maxfield. Her first attempt at tcachi ng, hut with goodSlH't'csS nevcrthvless. Her method of in-truction was verycommendable hdng thorough and analyiiral in ~J11thestudies pursued. 1\li~s ~Ia,fidd is n'r), Jf.1in~taking anddesirous to succeed and with experience ( doubt nut willbecome a verv successful teacher. "'intt'" term of elevenweeks, Miss I:, Jennie Currier teacher. ~1iss Currier is areacher of acknowledged ahility and large experiencehaving taught many terms in the schools of tlus town.During' this term she fully mantained her former reputationand the closing exunination showed good -ae lvancement,especLtlly in reading and grammer.

DISTRICT No, 4. john F. Fogg, Prudential Committee. Summer term of seven weeks taught br l\lis~Marion E. Lyford. ~fiss Lyford i!o\ a good teacher andappears very devoted to her work. Sh« is n:rr thoroughin a11her school duties but seven weeks is tuo short a timeto reasonably expect a \'err manifest improvement in ~lnyschool. \\'inkr term of eight weeks. ~I i~s Isale l Scavevteacher. J consi.Iere. 1 ~Ji~s Seavcv everv war tit1l'd fu'rthe position she assumed in this Sd,ool arId had no reasonto expect otherwise than a profitable school; but I fearthat there was not that hanuony of action and unity ofpurpose, that j" indispeu-ihly necessary to secure a good~Ch()D1. Conlbl co-operation of parents. scholars andteacher is one of the prime e~...enrials uf MtccC~S.

DlSTklCT, No. ;'.-~roses Sargent. Jr .• I'rudential COJll-rnittee. Summer term of seven and \\'inter term of tenweeks taught by S. L. French. ~[r. French is so wellknown in the town and in this particular district that ~ay-ing he is a good teacher would seem like repeating ··thrin:told tales." Suffice it to sav-that he maintained his form-er good reputation and that his school in all points showedthe fashioning hand of the master-workman.

DJ. TRILl' No. H,-Chas. Huntoon, Prudential Commit-

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tee. Sum mer term of eleven weeks taught by ~(jss EllaG. Chandler, a teacher of some cxperi. nee, and herschool appeared well in 1113Uy things. I would recommenda closer attention to logical analysis counting it as of theutmost importance to success in teaching. Fair progressmade and order well sustained. Winter term of eightweeks taught by Miss Sarah E. Maxfield. This schoolappeared well at the commencement and I expected apleasant. and profitable term and r doubt not that such W4lS

the case. 1 did not visit it at its close as the closingexamination came on that terribly stormy day 1)ec. Uth.

I )lSTRICT No. i.-Isaac Bennet, Prudential Commit-let. Summer term of six weeks and Fan term of sevenweeks, taught by Miss Mary C. ROUiJ1S01J, a teacher of111\1ch experience. only one in town having had more.Her method of instruction is very commendable still inthis particular school I would suggest the advantage ofmaking haste very SI{J1C'~l·. Here arc some fine littlescholars in the school and with time, patience andthorough instruction will rank with the best.

DISTRICT No. ~.-l\Jollroe Philbrick, Prudential Com-mittee. Summer terrn of six weeks taught by J ulia V.Sanborn. This was Miss Sanborn's first attempt and Idoubt not she endeavored to do her dutv to the best of herabilitv, but she did not meet with that" success that wasdesirable. Order somewhat deficient. [quote from theregister as follows: "An seem to have absurd ideas withregard to order. Persuasive measures fail in nearly everyinstance. Found compulsion indispcnsible to secure evena moderate degree of order. Fall term of eleven weeksWalter S. Peaslee teacher, Under Mr. Peaslee's chargethe school manifested great improvement in the matter oforder. His vigorous discipline brought order out of theformer confusion. He was prompt in the discharge ofthe duties of the school-room, dear and logical in hismethods of instruction and I pr(lSUll1e his school wasvery satisfactory, but being absent from town I did notvisit it at the close.

Iff

I )(~l"RICT ~O. H.~J oseph S. Leavin , I'rudcntiul Com-mittee. Fa II term oi eleven weeks taught by ~Ii~s I )or:1.P. Young. Thi ..•i~one of the largest and hcst schools intown and [ antivipated .1 pleasant and profitable term :Hthe commencement hut t he success of the school wass.idlv marred hv a lack of harmon,' between the teacherand 'some of tl~e largvr ~cholars, 'Let me advise that inthe future vou IJ" a~itle cverv thin~ c rk-ulated to disturbthe peace and prosperity of 'your ~chool aru 1 join handswith YOllr teachers to regain the good name! which your~•.hool has formerly enjoyed. I did not visit this schoolat the close as I did not receive notice. It was not thet~HIIt of the teacher however as she sent notice hut I didnot receive it.

UI. TRtc r No. 10.-RuftlS L. Farrar, Prudential C0111-mittel'. \\'inter term of twelve weeks taught hy Miss Lot-tie E. Payne. an experienced teacher and who has taughtmany terms in th 's district. In all things requisite to makea good school this was Jl110ng tile best in tOWI1.

DISTRICT No, ll.-Xicholas n. Garmon, PrudentialCommittee. Summer term of six and F~lI1term of sevenweeks taught 1)), lfiss Frances ~1. Heath. lfiss Heathevidently belongs to the '-regular army," having taught inthis district seventeen terms. Having been thus honoredin her own district I gh'c her In)' unqualified approval.

DISTRICT No.1 :!.-lIrs. Joseph Badzer, Prudential Com-mittee. \\Tinter term of ten weeks taught by )Irs. JosephBadger. The smallest school in town. only four scholars.I should thi nk that it would trouble. the teacher more tofind something to do than it would to do it. So fewscholars are not enough to arouse much competition inscholarship and hardly enough to keep each LIther corn-panr. Let us hope thnt what they lack in numbers theywill make uu in zeal. I fonnd in the school the perfec-tion of order and satisfactory progress in study.

Respectfully submitted,SOLO.:. T F. HILL, School Committee.