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FRAMINGHAM.

THE school at Framingham is in a very satisfactory condition. The teachers are working with great zeal, and with good results. There has been no change among them, except that a permanent appointment has been made in the department of history and literature, where last year there was a temporary teacher.

We have every reason to commend also the excellent spirit and good and faithful work of the scholars throughout the school. There seems no fault to be found in any of these respects. And if we had continued cause to regret that scholars, desiring to enter our normal schools, are not more fully prepared to avail themselves of professional training, we think there is some improvement in this most important direction. The number of scholars belonging during the year was 112.

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Of the class graduating in June, seven belonged to the advanced class.

Twenty of the graduates are now teaching; nineteen in Massachusetts.

Their success, so far as we know of it, is generally very good. We believe they endeavor conscientiously to put into practice the principles and methods learned at the school; and that they succeed in this quite as fully as can be expected, in view of the

fact that they are often obliged to conform to plans and rules not consistent with improved methods of teaching. Five of the graduates are taking the advanced course.

We have been favored during the year with lectures by Professor Atkinson, on Political Economy and on English Literature; by Rev. A. D. Mayo, on The New Education; by Mrs. Diaz, on Moral Training; by Miss Turner, on Reading; and by Walter Smith, on Art Education.

The Model Training-School deserves very high praise. The children sent to it are not above the average in ability and character; so that a fair opportunity is there given to show what thorough training may do for the scholars in our common schools. The good results gained at Framingham make us long to hasten the day when all children will be under the care of well-trained teachers. Then the money, time, and strength spent on our great system of education, will be used to the very best advantage. This can never be the case while so large a proportion of the teachers are allowed to gain their professional knowledge, often in the end but very partial, in the slow school of experience.

The appropriation of last winter provided for some changes and repairs in the system of water-supply and drainage. These have been made with the results expected. All is now in good condition in that department. The buildings are in positive need of repainting, for which, and for the renewing of the worn-out blackboards, we ask a proper appropriation.

Respectfully submitted.

DECEMBER, 1881.

ABBY W. MAY,
A. A. MINER,

Visitors.

SALEM.

WE are able, to report that this school continues under the same management, and without change in its body of instructors. The fact that the school has been for so long a time under the direction of the present principal, and that the great value of his services has been more than once before spoken of, ought not to lead us to omit altogether from these reports some mention of our continued sense of their worth. The marks of his care respecting all details of administration, and of his accomplishment in all that belongs to the work of a teacher, appear on every hand.

During the past year, more than the usual attention has been given to the subject of drawing; the senior classes, especially, have manifested great interest in the subject, and have made excellent progress in their work.

In the department of physics and chemistry a large amount of practical and intelligent work has been accomplished. Under the admirable instruction of Professor Osbun, whose method of teaching has attracted wide and favorable attention, the pupils have learned the art of observing, of stating in spoken and written language what they have observed, and of drawing conclusions from their observations. They have been required to repeat experiments performed by the teacher, to manufacture simple apparatus with which to present and illustrate subjects assigned to them for investigation, and in all respects to prepare for and conduct exercises as they would if they were in charge of schools. The results of this mode of instruction have been highly gratifying.

The school is steadily pursuing a thorough and systematic course in the study of the English language, including weekly exercises in practical composition, and the application of the principles of rhetoric.

The senior class, four days in each week, give lessons on

objects, systematically arranged, to classes of children drawn from one of the city schools. These lessons are found to be interesting to the children, and very useful to those who give them.

The statistics of the school for the year are as follows:

1. The whole number of pupils belonging to the school during the year was 263.

Of this number, Essex County sent 164; Middlesex, 63; Suffolk, 8 Worcester, 2; Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth, 1 each. The State of Maine sent 8; New Hampshire, 8; New York, 2; New Jersey, 2; Ohio, 1 ; Texas, 1; and Wisconsin, 1.

The number present during the term which closed Jan. 25, 1881, was 223; the number present during the term which closed June 28, 1881, was 221.

The whole number of pupils that have been members of the school since its opening in September, 1854, is 2,560.

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2. The number graduated from the regular course Jan. 25, 1881, was 23; the number graduated from the same course June 28, 1881, was 35. The whole number of graduates of the school (52 classes) is 1,169. Certificates for teaching drawing in high schools were awarded Jan. 25, 1881, to 14; and to 36, June 28, 1881.

3. The number that entered the school Sept. 7, 1880, was 67; the number that entered Feb. 8, 1881, was 36.

4. The average age of the class admitted Sept. 7, 1880, was 17.67 years; of the class admitted Feb. 8, 1881, 18.54 years.

5. The fathers of the pupils admitted during the year are, by occupations, as follows: Farmers, 23; manufacturers, 20; mechanics, 20; traders, 13; agents, 4; miscellaneous, 23.

6. The number that received State aid during the term ending Jan. 25, 1881, was 36; during the term ending June 28, 1881, 49. The whole num

ber of different pupils that received State aid was 61.

7. The number that received aid from the Bowditch Fund during the first term was 34; during the second term, 38. The number of different pupils thus aided was 56.

8. Of the class admitted Sept. 7, 1880, 10 had taught school; of the class admitted Feb. 8, 1881, 8 had taught.

9. The number of pupils connected with each of the classes during the first term of the year was as follows: Special, 5; advanced class, 7; class A (senior), 30; class B, 57; class C, 53; class D, 71.

The number during the second term: Special, 8; advanced, 6; class A, 44; class B, 55; class C, 60; class D, 48.

10. Of the 103 pupils admitted during the year, Lowell sent 11; Salem, 9; Manchester, 6; Georgetown and Gloucester, 5 each; Danvers and Haverhill, 4 each; Lynn and Somerville, 3 each; Beverly, Chelsea, East Boston, Everett, Groveland, Marblehead, Peabody, Rockport, Wenham, and Woburn, 2 each; Andover, Billerica, Boston, Bradford, Easton, Hamilton, Lunenburg, Melrose, Merrimac, Nahant, Newburyport, North Scituate,

Pepperell, Saugus Centre, Stoneham, Swampscott, Tewksbury, Topsfield, Wakefield, Waltham, Weston, and Winchendon, 1 each. The State of Maine sent 1; New Hampshire, 6; New York, 2; Ohio, 1; and Wisconsin, 1.

During the year, fifty-four books were added to the general library by purchase, and twenty-five by gift.

The text-book library was increased by the purchase of seventy-six books and by the gift of two hundred and seventy-two books.

Nearly all the graduates of the school find opportunity to teach; and they carry into their labors, to a very large extent, along with other fruits of their training, a thorough determination to make their own work creditable and useful to the Commonwealth, through whose wise liberality these normal schools are maintained.

JOHN W. DICKINSON,

CHAS. B. RICE,

C. C. HUSSEY,

Visitors of the School.

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