years

The "Minns Normal School" was succeeded for several by monthly meetings of teachers under the direction of the Board of Education, but these died out in 1869.

In 1872 the Board established another Evening Normal School, which was continued two years, with the following corps of teachers: Principal, John Swett; Assistants, Joseph Leggett, Mrs. Mary W. Kincaid, and Theodore Bradley. Since 1873 there have been no teachers' meetings, associations, or normal schools.

13. Educational Hobbies.-In early times Colburn's Mental Arithmetic was a favorite hobby, and for many years afterward arithmetic was the leading branch of study to which more than half the school-time of pupils was devoted. In some cases, four hours out of the five were devoted to the favorite hobby of the oldtime schoolmaster. Of late years, about one-fourth of the time is given to this study.

The epidemic of self-reporting prevailed from 1859 to 1862. "Map drawing " was fashionable from 1860 to 1871.

In 1868-70 education consisted mainly of "oral instruction." In early times "exhibitions," "May festivals," and "dancing parties" were in fashion. "Calisthenics and gymnastics prevailed from 1856 to 1860.

"Written Examinations" and "Percentages" were the rage from 1863 to 1875; they went out of style during the Centennial

year.

'Phonography," in the higher grammar grades, was the hobby of 1872 and 1873, but was ridden to death in 1874.

"Mark's Geometry," for the 3d and 4th grammar grades, was the experiment in 1869 and 1870; it failed in 1871.

"Cosmopolitan Schools" became the rage in 1872 and 1873;

The

there was a reaction in 1874, when French and German were abolished during a revolutionary period of four months. "restoration" soon followed by act of the Legislature.

The twin hobbies, with Boards of Education from 1854 to 1864, were the annual examination of teachers and the annual elections. Indeed, "annual elections," like bull fights, were in 66 until 1870. vogue Investigations" raged in 1872 and 1873, while the favorite hobby of the Board of 1874 and 1875 was "rules and regulations."

14. Merits and Defects.-The marked merits of the city schools

are:

1. Convenient buildings.

2. Good discipline.

3. In general, hard-working teachers.

4. Good instruction in Music and Drawing.

5. The purely secular character of the schools.

The marked defects are:

1. Too many pupils per teacher.

2. Too rigid classification.

3. Too much cramming of text-books.

4. Too many lessons for home study.

5. A complicated system of daily recitation records and monthly reports.

6. A lack of professionally trained teachers.

7. The lack of a City Normal School.

8. A lack of thorough inspection.

9. Short terms of office of Superintendent and School Directors.

15. Address of President Davis.-The address of the President of the Board, Andrew McF. Davis, Nov. 14, 1875, sets forth in detail some of the marked features of the city system. The following are extracts:

It is fitting and proper that I should avail myself of this opportunity to say to this audience a few words concerning what this Board, whose term of office is so nearly closed, has done, and also relative to the graded system upon which the schools of the Department are organized.

Under the customs which at present prevail, no report is made by the Board to the people. The only published report concerning the affairs of the Department which reaches the public is the report of the Superintendent. That officer being elected directly by the people, and being only in a measure responsible to the Board, and no report being submitted in published form by the Board, or its

Model of three buildings, 1870-71. Cost, $30,000, each. Wood. Capacity 1000 pupils.

Committees, I shall offer no apology for taking advantage of this occasion to say a few words which, under a different organization of affairs, I should have preferred to present elsewhere. *

*

The objects and purposes of this school, as originally organized, were substantially what they are to-day. The means at hand to reach these objects and effect these purposes have largely increased, and the school to-day has before it an enlarged field of usefulness, the circle of which not only expands with the increase of the population of the State and City, but the cultivation of which is vastly aided by the generous sympathies of the public.

The necessity of the school is to supplement the graded system of teaching which prevails in the lower divisions of the Department. To accomplish this, the course of study in the school itself must be elastic enough to aid and encourage in their labors:

I. Those who have successfully passed through the Grammar grades and wish to pursue a higher course of study, whether scientific, literary, or classical.

II. Those who have passed through the Grammar grades successfully, and wish to round off their education in a shorter period; to gather in and appropriate what they can, but who are especially desirous of pursuing with diligence for a short space of time certain scientific or mathematical studies.

III. Those whose education has been acquired outside of our city schools, and whose percentages may show a decided falling off in some of the studies, and an unusual prominence in others.

And finally, those who, from some constitutional incapacity, are unable to pursue with success certain studies beyond fixed points, but who are able to reach a certain grade, yet cannot get beyond it, if the inexorable law of percentages is rigidly applied.

For all of these, and perhaps for others, must a place be found in this school.

Because a young man, with a copious diction and a delicate literary taste, can only achieve the pons asinorum by memorizing the demonstration, shall we keep him lagging behind the army in its advance, or shall we try him now in this place, now in that, until we find the place where he can do the best work and where we can work him to the best advantage?

Because the graded system demands a certain percentage for promotion, shall we keep a pupil, year after year, in the first grade of the Grammar department, who from some mental deficiency is held back from promotion by absolute failure in some especial study? Is it not better to recognize this as one of the defects of a system, excellent in some respects, which is to be supplemented as far as may be by this school?

In order to realize what the defects are that need to be supplemented, it is essential to look at the organization of our schools and observe of what different materials they are composed. We see, side by side, the children of professional men, merchants and laborers; children whose every step is carefully watched, and those whose normal condition is absolute freedom from restraint; we see the rude and the polished; black and white; rich and poor; all patronizing our schools.