ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF COMMON SCHOOLS. Windsor, Kennebec County, ME ----------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. Transcribed and submitted by Tina Vickery, 10:40 1/15/00 ----------------------------------------------------- REPORTS OF THE AUDITORS AND SUPERVISOR OF THE TOWN OF WINDSOR, FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 1856. AUGUSTA: STEVENS & BLAINE, PRINTERS 1857. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF COMMON SCHOOLS. The Supervisor of the town of Windsor respectfully submits the following Report of the schools in said town, for the year ending March 9th, 1857: The whole number of schools taught in town were twelve during the summer, and thirteen in winter; making twenty-five in all. The summer schools were all taught by females; and eleven of the winter schools by males, and two by females. District No. 1. BENJAMIN F. KEENE, Agent. Summer Term-Louisa Jameson, Teacher. This school was under Miss J.'s instruction about eight weeks, when she was obliged to close on account of ill health. Although this was her first school, she gave entire satisfaction to your Supervisor, and it is believed, to the District generally. Winter Term-Mr. G. W B. Sawtelle, Teacher. This was the teacher's first school. At the first visit the order and method of instruction were such as seemed at the time to insure success. There was some dissatisfaction among some of the members of the District; the interest of the school was not kept up, and the school closed sooner than was expected. It is thought that this teacher would succeed better in some other District. District No. 2. MR. L. STIMPSON, Agent. Summer Term-Ann Springer, Teacher. The teacher of this school appeared to labor for the interest of her pupils, but did not succeed in establishing as good order as was desirable. At the final examination it appeared that several of the classes had made considerable improvement in their studies. Winter Term- Taught by your Supervisor. I would say for this school that it is in a very flourishing condition, and is a very pleasant school to manage. There was a good degree of. interest manifested, on the part of both scholars and parents, to have a good school this winter. There are some good scholars in this District, and with the continuance of good teachers it cannot fail to rank among the best in town. May their motto be excelsior. District No. 3. MR. STEPHEN F. PIERCE, Agent. Summer Term - Mary A. Hanscom, Teacher. This school made excellent progress. Miss H. is a thorough and faithful teacher, perhaps second to none who have taught in town. Good order was prevalent throughout the school, maintained by the law of kindness. A constant resort to the black- board and other modes of illustration wore the characteristics of this school, and were crowned with happy results. Winter Term-Joseph W. Chadwick, Teacher. Mr. C. is a good scholar and excellent instructor. The instruction was thorough in all the branches taught. The scholars appeared to be interested, both in their studies and their teacher; who, from his aptness in teaching and familiarity with the branches. taught, is at home in the school-room. The order was very good for so large a school, and the progress of the scholars highly commendable. District No. 4. Mr. GEORGE W. CASWELL, Agent. Summer Term-Ruth B. Pierce, Teacher. The government of this school was not so good as was desirable, yet the method of instruction was quite satisfactory. The scholars generally were studious; prompt and ready to answer questions, in the different classes. At the close of the term quite a degree of improvement had been made in the several branches taught. It is thought Miss P., with experience, may become a successful teacher. Winter Term.-Eugene W. Whitehouse had the management of this school. It is believed this teacher discharged his duty with fidelity and had an ardent desire to improve his pupils. The interest manifested by the teacher was reciprocal on the part of most of the scholars. The discipline and mode of instruction were such as could not fail of success. District No. 5. MR. JOHN MURRAY, Agent. Summer Term-Frances A. Tyler, Teacher. At the first examination it appeared evident that the teacher took pleasure in her -vocation, and although young and inexperienced, possessed a very good faculty of imparting useful and valuable knowledge. At the second inspection of her school the order was good and the advance of the pupils was fair. Winter Term-Sarah M. Keene, Teacher. This school was so small as to render it a hard task to create a very high degree of interest, but the teacher succeeded well in this and in advancing, her pupils in their studies. The manner of teaching, pursued by this teacher was such as to meet the approbation of your Supervisor. A class in grammar and another in geography, instructed orally, did themselves and their teacher much credit. District No. 6. MR. DANIEL JACKSON, Agent Summer Term-Taught by Sarah M. Coombs, a member of the District, who devoted herself to the work with a tact and energy worthy of a more experienced teacher. The results which followed were good. At the close the scholars, as a general thing, were diligent and attentive to their studies, and the teacher faithful in the discharge of her duties. This is considered to be a profitable term. Winter Term-A. Little, Teacher. This was Mr. L.'s second school in this District. He is a fine scholar and a thorough teacher. This school is still in successful operation, with that interest on the part of both teacher and scholars as to warrant a successful term. District No. 7. MR. FLORENTIUS REED, Agent. Summer Term -Julia A. Fletcher, Teacher. This school appeared well at both inspections. There were good reasons to believe that this teacher was faithful and discharged her duty with fidelity, and the good of those under her care evidently sought after by her. The different classes gave evidence of good instruction. With a little more experience Miss F. will take a place among our best female teachers. Winter Terms-Josiah Priest, Teacher, This school was commenced by an inexperienced teacher, who failed to awaken an interest in his pupils. The order and general management were not satisfactory. Much dissatisfaction arose and the school was closed at the end of five weeks. Mr. Cobb succeeded to this school, and was enabled at once to get up an interest, and what is said of his former schools can be said of this; he got the affections of his scholars, and led them on by the law of kindness, and succeeded in establishing good order without any punishment. The scholars seemed determined to make up for lost time. All the classes bad made good improvement for so short a time. I marked especially a large class in Greenleaf's arithmetic, which bad been nearly through and were thorough fine class. The reading in this school is good. The spelling and defining deserves praise. All the exercises were carried on with spirit. There are some smart scholars in this District, and with their good schoolhouse and a succession of good teachers, they cannot fail to take a high rank. District No. 8. MR. PLUMMER, Agent. Summer Term- Miss Sarah M. Keene, Teacher. This is the same teacher that taught the winter school in District No. 5, to which I would refer for her reputation as a teacher. Winter Term-Stephen Doe, Teacher. This school at the, commencement appeared fair, and the future prospects quite promising. Owing to a misunderstanding in regard to the length of this school it was not visited the second time; therefore, no report upon the utility of the school is given. District No. 9. MR. JAMES ASHFORD, Agent. Summer Term-Sarah E. Williams, Teacher. This teacher succeeded in awakening a good degree of interest among her pupils. At my second visit I found the interest had been kept up, and a fair advancement made in the different branches. The Winter Term was taught by Mr. Hiram R. King, who bringing to his task many years of successful experience, did not fail to create a high degree of interest in the studies pursued in this school, and proved himself well qualified for the work. Order was the first law with this teacher in the school-room, and in the establishment of the same, if he might not have received the sympathy of all his pupils, yet when wise measures are taken, it will prove in all other schools, as it in this, that the greatest amount of knowledge is gained where there is the most wholesome discipline. District No. 10. MR. WILLIAM LAMSON, Agent. Summer Term - Ellen M. Pierce, Teacher. This was the teacher's first school. At the commencement it bid fair to be a profitable term. The order of this school when visited was fair and the classes well arranged; closing sooner than was expected, it was not visited at its close; no further report is given. Winter Term.- Not yet closed, but under the instructions of your Supervisor. District No. 13. MR. THOMAS FARNHAM, Agent. The Summer Term was taught by Miss Julia A. Marsh. This teacher having taught this school before with general satisfaction, by maintaining her standing as a teacher, she would insure to herself an agreeable, as well as to her pupils a profitable term. In this she succeeded. Miss M. was faithful in the discharge of her duties in the school-room, as usual, sparing no pains to interest and instruct her scholars. With such a teacher, if scholars are studious and diligent, the results cannot fail to be good. This was a good school. Miss Marsh is an excellent teacher. Winter Term-Stephen Cobb, Teacher. This school was taught by an experienced teacher, who, with untiring zeal and faithfulness, sought the interest of his pupils. The discipline and method of instruction; were of that character which makes success certain. All appeared interested and happy. The scholars evinced a love for their teacher and studies, which is ever desirable. The interest in this school was kept up to the close. This term was short but profitable. Mr. C. is a successful teacher, and it is hoped he may be found in some of our schools another year. District No. 14. MR. DAVID CUNNINGHAM, Agent. No Summer School. Winter Term- This school was taught by Winslow W. Jameson, an inexperienced teacher, which gave much pleasure on visiting near the commencement. The scholars were diligent and attentive, the teacher using his best endeavors that their time might be improved to the best advantage, which was an assurance of a profitable term. What was anticipated at the first visit, was fully realized at the second. The recitations were evidence that the teacher had given good instruction. The classes in reading were thoroughly drilled, and advanced decidedly. A class in grammar was well attended to. Those in arithmetic gave evidence that they had been well instructed. District No. 16. MR. JOSEPH LINSCOTT, Agent. Summer Term-Miss Ann Bryant, Teacher. Although this was the teacher's first school, yet she devoted herself to the work with tact and energy. This District being small and not having the privileges of long schools, the scholars as a general thing are rather backward; but under Miss B.'s instructions they made good progress in all their studies. Miss B. bids fair to become an efficient instructress. Winter Term-Miss Laura J. Heath, Teacher. Miss Heath will rank among our best female teachers, possessing a happy faculty of imparting in a pleasing manner useful and valuable knowledge. The government of this school, and the unusual faculty of the teacher to gain the good will of here pupils were particularly pleasing. The improvement was of a superior kind. CONCLUSION. Our schools, during the past year, have generally been satisfactory, and in some of them great advancement has been made; but in some instances, a deficiency of government and irregular attendance of scholars, and a want of interest in parents for the education of their children, and other causes, in a great degree, have prevented our schools from making that improvement desirable; it is to be regretted that there are some who allow their children to be irregular in there attendance at school. Circumstances may render it impossible for some scholars to attend the school constantly, but it is too much the case that children are allowed to be absent from school upon slight and trivial pretenses. Considering that our public schools are the only places of instruction which many children are permitted to enjoy, and just as they leave school them must take their places as members of society, we can but regret that some are permitted to allow the time of school to pass, without receiving its benefits. Parents and friends of the young should give an impulse to the cause of education among us, by visiting the schools, thus encouraging the teacher and animating the pupils; especially, if they have fears that a school is not well managed. It is much better to gain satisfaction by personal inspection, than by listening to the complaints of the children. The great need of our schools is a corps of teachers thoroughly prepared for the work. Some such as we have, but there are some of a different class. It should be a matter of forecast with agents to secure the best teachers, to whom they should cheerfully pay high wages. Such teachers are competent are not always obtained from motives of economy, as is supposed; the economy, however, of hiring poor teachers because they are cheap, is more than doubtful -- it is a waste of money. A teacher with only a dead book experience and dormant energies, is not fit to enter a school-room, or associate with scholars. The teacher should be full of bright, living thoughts, full of sympathy for the child, and of enthusiasm in his work. Respectfully submitted, by CORNELIUS A. MERRILL, Supervisor of Windsor.