State and country need good men and women, and a teacher has the opportunity to impart Scripture truth, honesty, integrity, purity, temperance, and all the virtues and graces of the soul. Teachers can and should suppress profanity, vulgar and coarse conversation, and so ever keep before the pupils the highest standard of moral excellence. Thus while teachers succeed in advancing the children in knowledge, they may save them from moral corruption, dissipation and ruin, and lead them to be true, noble and good in life, conferring a blessing upon them and the world.

Ability to Govern.-The teacher who lacks the ability to govern had better not apply for a school, and trustees should not seek to employ such. Better let the school-house be closed and leave the money in the treasury. I have found that where the teacher succeeds in government, the school is a success, but a failure in this, is a failure of the school to accomplish its designed work.-C. L. FROST, Superintendent.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN. - Weakness in Government Fatal.-Some teachers may have been deficient in the matter of government. This quality is sometimes wanting in our otherwise best teachers. We do not find perfection in any person, trade or calling in this world. But it is nearly impossible for a school to properly succeed, when its teacher does not have the power to govern with firmness and discretion.-J. G. CLARKE, Chairman.

WARWICK.-The Teacher's Authority to be Maintained.-Parents who have experienced the difficulties attending the management of two or three children must know that when one teacher has twenty fold as many to regulate and control to the degree required to secure proper attention to the lesson before them, that teacher has no easy task to perform. Successful as the teacher may be, times will come when the control of the pupils must depend upon the authority of the teacher alone. "Sire," said an old English pedagogue to his king, "if you do not remove your hat while in my school, my scholars will learn that there is a greater than I, and will cease to respect me." So in the home, if the child hears constant criticism and complaint of the course of discipline maintained in school, he will soon learn to criticise and doubt the propriety of the teacher's every act, until obedience becomes a question of debate, and the authority of the teacher is made to rest upon the immediate judgment of the pupil. If, however, at home it is assumed that the teacher is presumed to know best, the authority becomes intuitive; the child learns to recognize it as a patent force whose dictates demand an unhesitating obedience. Should an unworthy teacher abuse the trust reposed in him, the way is plainly provided to make known the troubles ard to take steps necessary to cause the evil to be eradicated.

Manners.-Manners are something with every one, and everything with some." By many it is feared that reverence is becoming a lost virtue, and yet childhood or youth can never be truly beautiful without it. Deference and respect are in no wise servile; on the contrary they bear witness to a noble spirit. The young soldier reveres the old general, and the pupil should respect the teacher. The Bible teaches children to honor and obey their parents. The graces of courtesy, good breeding, and politeness have especial appropriateness in the school-room and should be diligently cultivated. "Politeness is like an

air-cushion; there may be nothing solid in it, but it eases the jolts of this world wonderfully."-D. R. ADAMS, Superintendent.

WESTERLY.-Corporal Punishment Reduced.-There has been no cessation of the effort to keep the number of cases of corporal punishment as small as possible. The same plan of reporting, outlined in my report of last year, has been carefully followed.-E. C. WILLARD, Principal.

DUTIES OF PARENTS AND CITIZENS.

BRISTOL.-Benefits of Frequent Visits.-If parents would make it a rule to visit the school where their children attend at least once a term, more frequently if possible, it would be a benefit to teachers, scholars, and last, but not least, to the parents themselves. Parents would get a better idea of how the schools are conducted, and would see with their own eyes that their children are not always perfect in school, either in behavior or in their lessons.-J. P. REYNOLDS, Superintendent.

CHARLESTOWN.- Selfish Indifference.-Some are indifferent because they have no children, as though they had nothing to gain or lose in the general weal or woe of the community; or as though no one had any call to interest himself in the affairs of the school unless they seem to promise him some private advantage. If public sentiment will uphold what the public welfare demands in the matter of education, we may expect a steady gain in the condition of our schools.

Petty Quarrels.-There is no greater drawback to good schools than the petty quarrels, which, beginning in some outside matter, are brought into the district affairs, and there grow until the district is divided against itself. Then the officers are elected, and the school is run without any regard to the wishes of those opposed to their election. Those who are not suited with the teacher engaged refuse to send their children to school, and the school and children suffer in consequence. We are willing to acknowledge every one's right to quarrel whenever he wants to, but we hope it will be kept out of school affairs.-G. C. CROSS, Clerk.

HOPKINTON.-Demand for Regular Visits.-In each district many improvements might be made, perhaps none more general than that of regularly visiting the school in its every-day sessions, but how shall it be brought about? How can it be made popular? Perhaps some one who knows will tell how new fashions are introduced, or old ones revived. If so, the problem is solved at once. I believe no greater favor could be conferred upon our schools than by frequent visits made by the patrons of the schools, that they may sanction the work of the teacher, and suggest improvements.-P. M. BARBER, Superintendent.

NEW SHOREHAM. - Public Indifference. - Supposing that our school-houses were provided with good blackboards, maps, globes and apparatus, what is the next requisite? The answer is: "Public and parental interest and enthusiasm."

In this the people here are more deficient than in any place I was ever in without exception. There are doubtless some who will take exception to this statement, will regard it as too sweeping, and will say that, even granting its truth, it should not be stated in so public a manner. But, believing as I do every word I have said with regard to this matter, I conceive it to be my duty to call your attention to it plainly and openly. The surgeon's knife, despite the suffering it causes, is often not only the most humane but the sole remedy for the patient. The citizens of the town vote, every spring, to raise a sum equal to the State appropriation for the support of the schools, but I confess to being oppressed with a doubt whether this act is not, perhaps unconsciously, more an effort to secure the State appropriation than it is, primarily, to furnish a fund for the proper instruction of the children. In other words, if there was no State school fund, no State taxation for the support of public schools, I should anticipate at our next town meeting an organized and determined, if not successful, opposition to any appropriation for the support of free schools.-C. E. PERRY, Superintend ent.

NORTH PROVIDENCE.-The Fathers.-The registers do not show as many visits from the parents as is desirable. One might think from the names there found that these children were fatherless, as the names in many instances, excepting only school officers, are those of the mothers and other ladies.

Doubtless many a father who does not enter the school-room where his child attends school is anxious for its progress, but thinks he may be out of place in the school-room or that he cannot spare the time. There is another class of parents (and may their number be small) who seem to be indifferent to the needs of the child in regard to that education which is to prepare it for the great duties of life. The parent who violates the law by not procuring proper clothing, shelter and food for his child is condemned by everyone. But very often the same parent violates the law by depriving his child of the needed education which is to prepare him for the ordinary duties of life. A child may in the future forget the want of food or clothing of to-day, but that child will never forget the deprivation of an early elementary education.-J. C. COLLINS, Superintendent.

NORTH SMITHFIELD.-Parents Responsible.-Parents are almost as much responsible for the efficiency and success of a school as are the teachers and school officers. Parents should uphold the teacher in every right and just measure used to control the school. They should never allow the spirit of grumbling to possess them or prejudice to control them in any attitude or action toward the teacher and school. In short, to make the school what it should be for the children, they should take an interest in their school and teacher, in the school-house and grounds, and in all the pupils. Be fair, just, generous and helpful in all that can be done to build up the school.-G. R. SMITH, Superintendent.

RICHMOND. Criticisms. -All should cooperate with the teacher by often visiting the school, by encouraging teacher and children; and they should never criticise the teacher before their own or their neighbors' children, and never take the child's part when corrected by the teacher.-C. L. FROST, Superintendent.

WARREN.--Home Influence Most Potent.-There are many influences which tend to shade and modify the effect of our school training upon the scholar, but

the spirit pervading the family, the home interest in what the child is doing, are among the most potent. Parents and friends seldom realize how powerful as an encouragement or stimulus to good work on the child's part is a positive interest manifested in the home. The child, whose school is largely his world, and yet who almost never hears in the home allusion to the actual tasks he is performing, must find his best and only inspiration in the school itself. Scarcely any influence can tend to enhance the effectiveness of our school training like keen thoughtfulness on the part of parents and friends. The work of the child should be observed in the school-room and talked about in the home. Parents could render a great service by providing this needed inspiration.-W. N. ACKLEY, Superintendent.

EDUCATION.

BURRILLVILLE.-Schools Should be Confined to Their Own Grade of Work.-I have uniformly discouraged the introduction of studies of a higher grade into a school of a lower rank, but would rather make each school a model of its kind. Thus high school studies have been kept out of the different grammar schools as far as possible. The aim has been to fit each graduate of these schools to enter a high school and to pursue its studies with success. It is bad policy to spoil a good grammar school by attempting to make of it a poor high school. Rather we should keep them at their appropriate work and enable them to graduate students who will take a respectable stand in any high school. During the past year they have all done good, fair work. The greatest hindrance to their highest efficiency has been the fact that the majority of the scholars leave school before completing the course. This not only lowers the standard of scholarship but discourages the few who remain. Not unfrequently are classes entirely broken up in this way. Still it speaks well for the general character of our schools that some of our scholars every year are found fitted to enter the high school in Providence or elsewhere.

Foreign Elements Assimilated in the Common School.-The task of our teachers is often made doubly hard by the fact that we have in some of our schools a large French element. Children come who cannot even speak the English language. The teacher can make them understand what she says, only by an interpreter. Their progress must necessarily be slow; but if they are to remain here and in due time become American citizens, they ought by all means to have the elements of an English education. It is always dangerous to society to have a large ignorant class among us. Besides, there is no place where children of foreign parentage become so quickly assimilated to American thought and American life as in the common school. The common school is a great leveler; it is a genuine democratic institution. The rich and the poor meet together there on the same level; and fine clothes and aristocratic notions will not give dullness any advantage over a quick and ready intelligence, even though it be but poorly clad. It is a great misfortune both to them and to the community at large that they should be kept away from these nurseries of American citizens.

English the Only Language to be Taught in the Public Schools. -In district No. 7, Harrisville, the increase of population during the last ten years has been largely made up of Canadian French. As quiet, well-behaved, industrious residents, no one has aught to say against them. But there seems to be on their part a reluctance to assimilate to American ideas and customs. They seem to be unwilling to send their children to the public school. They wish them to be educated in French. Now we are an English speaking people. Our business is mainly transacted in English. All legal documents, like laws, bonds, mortgages and notes are in English. Our papers, our books, and our literature is English. The exceptions to this are so few, that the families living here who cannot read the English language are in a great degree shut out from the light of knowledge. This will close to their sons and daughters the best avenues to success in life. The law requires, moreover, that every child between the ages of seven and fifteen shall receive at least twelve weeks' schooling annually, in a school taught in English. A French school is not a legal school. Children attending such only are reported in the school census as having attended no school. No certificate can be given to a child to work in a mill, based on such attendance. In every aspect it is injurious to a child to withdraw him from the public school at the age when he ought to learn the elements of the English language, and put him into a French school. In the majority of instances it ruins his education. He knows neither English nor French. The Harrisville district furnishes an illustration of this. The school census reports in the district two hundred and seventy-eight children of school age. Quite a large number left one year ago to attend a French school. Recently they have returned to the public school, having been absent a full year. Twenty of these have entered the primary school, nine the intermediate, and four the grammar school. Not one is able to go on with the class he left, but all must go into a lower class. A few have made some improvement in penmanship and in numbers; but in reading and in spelling they do not stand as well as they did a year ago. Their French has injured them in this respect. So far as an English education is concerned they have more than lost a year.--A. H. GRANGER, Superintendent.

COVENTRY.-Increased Interest.-Our tax-payers have been generous in making an appropriation in excess of the amount required by law, and we have reason to congratulate ourselves that the people generally are awakening to the importance of educating the rising generation, to the end that we may have a more enlightened people who can more understandingly discharge the duties of citizenship, and appreciate the blessings of liberty guaranteed by our government.Committee.

NEWPORT.-Industrial Education.-This subject has engaged much of our attention during the past year. We have observed with great interest the success of the two schools established through private enterprise, one in carpentry for boys, and one in cooking, sewing, etc., for girls. We are thoroughly convinced of the great utility of such schools, not only for the distinct items of knowledge they impart but for the invigorating effect of their training in a practical way upon the regular school work. We have not been able yet, whenever the matter has been under discussion, to see our way clear to just the kind of coöperation which seems desirable between the common and the industrial