"We have labored persistently for two years to ascertain the present residence and occupation of all the graduates of the school, but as yet only about one-half of them have been heard from. I have gathered the desired statistics from the replies of those who have been heard from, beginning with the first class and coming down to 1870. Of the graduates of these years (1840 to 1870 inclusive) 657 have been heard from; 95 per cent. of them have taught, and their average time of teaching was 6.33 years. I have good reason to believe that were the whole number of graduates heard from, these proportions would be materially altered. Α "I take great pleasure in giving these figures, and hope that they may prove a convincing answer to those persons who think that Normal Schools do not furnish teachers to the State. very large percentage of this large amount of teaching has been done in Massachusetts, but almost all the States in the Union, and several foreign lands, have had a share in it. "It gives me great pleasure to say that I think the school is in a sound and prosperous condition. The number of pupils is larger than ever before since the removal to Framingham, and a spirit of earnest studiousness seems to prevail amongst them." C. C. ESTY, C. C. HUSSEY, JANUARY, 1876. Visitors. WESTFIELD. The Westfield Normal School continues under the able and efficient supervision of J. W. Dickinson, A. M., who has been for many years its popular and accomplished principal, and who has labored with indefatigable zeal to promote its interests. His associates in the board of instruction have all attended faithfully and successfully to their work, and the school has experienced during the past year unusual prosperity. The new heating and ventilating apparatus, together with the comforts found in the new boarding-hall, have furnished for the students the means by which health and happiness have been secured to a greater degree than ever before known in the history of the school. The number in attendance has been larger than for many previous years. The statistics of the school are as follows: --- The number of students admitted during the year was : Occupation of parents or guardians of those in the entering classes: Farmers, 38; merchants, 7; blacksmith, 1; painter, 1; carpenters, 5; agents, 2; teachers, 6; mechanics, 7; clergymen, 2; manufacturers, 5; railroad employés, 2; laborers, 5; clerk, 1; government officials, 2; unknown, 10. Total, 94. The increase in the entering classes is partly due to the increased facilities offered to the pupils in the new boardinghall. This Normal home has accomplished for the students even more than was anticipated. Here are furnished by the accomplished matron and her faithful assistants all the comforts and refinements that are to be found in the best private families. The boarders really constitute a private family on a large scale. That state of things which sometimes arises from a desire to make money, is absent, and every one is interested in the prosperity of the whole. The students are now so related to those who have charge of them, that their health, their manners, their mental and their moral culture, need not be neglected. For these reasons the school now offers to those who resort to it for professional training, the best facilities that can be furnished. During the year Secretary White has given to the school some interesting lessons in the history of our government and in civil polity. With this exception the teaching has all been done by the regular teachers of the school. Rev. Mr. Mayo, of Springfield, gave to the school two interesting lectures. The health of the students was never before so good as during the past year, and the per cent. of attendance was never higher. As a result of good health and constant attendance upon the duties of the school, the spirit of the students has been good, and their success in study has been marked. The school has suffered a great loss the past year in the resignation of Miss E. Mole, one of its teachers. Miss Mole entered the school as a pupil in October, 1869, and graduated in July, 1871. She became a teacher in the school in September, 1871, and resigned her position in January, 1875. She possessed rare qualities for a teacher. She was a good scholar, and had a happy faculty of teaching to others what she herself had learned. Her uniform cheerfulness of temper made her very agreeable to her associates, and gained for her the love of all who knew her. Through the untiring industry of Mr. Scott and Mr. Diller (teachers), large additions have been made the past year to the cabinets of natural history. These gentlemen are sparing no pains or expense to make themselves masters of the departments they teach, and they have been very successful in collecting objects to be taught. There is great need of increased facilities for teaching chemistry in the school. Those preparing to teach chemistry should have an opportunity of preparing for the work by doing with their own hands in the Training School, what they will be called to do in their own future schools. To this end there should be fitted up in every Normal School house, a room supplied with a sufficient number of tables, and sufficient apparatus to enable every student in the chemistry classes to perform for himself all the experiments necessary to illustrate the topics to be taught. Some of the schools have already been thus supplied. We would suggest the propriety of asking of our next legislature the appropriation of a small sum to be expended in fitting up a room for the teaching and study of chemistry in the Westfield School. The graduates of the school find ready employment, and are generally successful. It has been found that nearly all those who graduate teach in the schools of Massachusetts, and nearly all perform faithful and satisfactory work. All the Normal Schools in the State have now two entering and two graduating classes each year. We suggest that a change can be advantageously made without loss, so that at least there shall be but one graduating class in a year. If this could be done, a great amount of labor would be saved to the teachers of the schools, to the visiting committee, and to the public who desire to attend the examinations. The Hon. Henry L. Dawes has the past year presented to the school many valuable books and maps. Thanks are due to him for his gifts which he has continued to bestow upon us for many years. WILLIAM RICE, |