NEWTON.

Drawing in the Day Schools.-Instruction in this department of study has proceeded during the year according to the schedule published in detail in the last annual report. Although sufficient time has not elapsed since entering upon the present prescribed course to fully develop the plan on which it proceeds, yet enough has already been accomplished to fully warrant the wisdom of entering upon it, and to justify and urge a steady adherence to it until it shall have been fully expanded. The "Smith System," so called, as taught in our schools, is not for the purpose of making artists of all the children, any more than arithmetic is studied to make them all mathematicians. This is an important point, and should be always borne in mind when objectors to this study assert that it is of no use because it is impossible to make everybody an artist,-a result which nobody anticipates, and which probably no one desires. But, nevertheless, the reasons for pursuing it remain intact, and entirely in harmony with both the spirit and theory of our school system, which is intended to serve the double purpose of training the mental faculties, and imparting useful information; and this to the end that thereby the intellectual condition of the people may be elevated, and their brain-power utilized for the common good. The selection of studies will, therefore, keep these two ends in view. It will, of course, include the common essentials; and then, since there is not time for everything, it will carefully and wisely select such other studies as will help to train and discipline any faculties which might otherwise remain uneducated, and impart useful information not otherwise obtained. Such a study is drawing. It educates certain faculties, especially the perceptive, not otherwise likely to be reached by the studies pursued in our schools; and, what seems of more importance to the great majority of our children, it imparts valuable information not otherwise obtained, and adds largely to their producing capacity. It makes them more useful in every walk in life; for there is almost no condition in which the power to draw well is not of practical value. In any store or shop or factory, the man who can draw has a power in his right hand which distinguishes him above his fellows, and which very frequently paves the way to fortune. Drawing, as taught in our schools, is intended to be a practically useful study. Its aim is not to make artists, but artisans, whose work and wares of every sort shall be better for their true relations of form and color, and more profitable on that account. A mug of homely shape will hold water as well as one of graceful outlines; but will not the latter, though of the same material and price, find a quicker market? So of calico and cloths, of coats and dresses,

of furniture and paper-hangings, of houses and grounds, of carriages and boats, of everything almost, of either use or beauty; its artistic qualities enter largely into its profitableness; and, as the people are becoming better educated artistically, the truth becomes more and more apparent. If our children would not fall behind in this busy age, they must go forth with their minds well furnished in this particular as in every other. To this end the system we are pursuing deals mainly with principles. It does not aim to teach the pupils to make pictures, but to teach them the principles on which pictures are made; and not this only, but to teach those underlying principles of beauty in form and color which must enter into any good work to which beauty has any relation. The results already attained in this department are most gratifying. A careful examination of the work done in the several classes has shown a rapidly increasing excellence in the quality and firmness of the lines, in the regularity and gracefulness of the forms, and in the variety and beauty of the original designs.

Writing. The methods of instruction in this department have been fully set forth in former reports, by our late special teacher in writing, Mr. O. H. Bowler, and need not be further explained at this time.

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Mr. Bowler's years of service in our schools were of great value. He labored faithfully and well. He loved and thoroughly understood his work, and passed away at last in the midst of his labors, by a somewhat sudden termination of a long and painful illness. He died on the 21st of October, 1874. The schools were dismissed as a mark of respect, and to enable the teachers to attend the funeral; and, at the next regular meeting, the school board unanimously adopted the following resolutions, viz. :

"Resolved, That in the death of Mr. O. H. Bowler, the writing-teacher of the city of Newton, the city has lost a most faithful servant, and a teacher highly successful in his special department, and the community a high-toned gentleman and useful citizen.

Resolved, That we extend to Mrs. Bowler our sincere sympathy in this her heavy affliction."

School Committee.-I. N. TARBOX, BRADFORD K. PEIRCE, ERASTUS BLAKESLEE, JOHN A. GOULD.

Drawing. It is useless to decry drawing, as now taught in our schools, as unworthy of a place there, and as a waste of time and money. It is a narrow, contracted view which can look only at the past, and reason from that, that the introduction of new subjects of

For several years previous to his permanent engagement in Newton, Mr. Bowler was employed as instructor in writing in the State Teachers' Institutes, and I desire to add my testimony to that of the committee alike to his high qualities as a man, and to his conscientious, faithful and able discharge of his duties as a teacher. His memory will be affectionately cherished by his associates in labor who survive him.-J. W.

study is unwise. It is like that "class bias" of which Herbert Spencer speaks in an article on Sociology, which makes the military man believe that English national safety depends on the maintenance of an army organization, like that in which he had been brought up and retained his rank. Akin to this is that prejudice or class bias which would shut out from the schools of to-day that which not was found in them twenty years ago.

The time now assigned to drawing in the Primary classes is threequarters of an hour per week: in the lower two classes of the Grammar School one hour and twenty minutes per week; and in the upper four classes one hour a week. This time certainly does not seem too much to devote to a subject so important, and, if never exceeded, there would doubtless have been no complaint. The trouble, however, seems to come from an ambitious desire to accomplish too much, by which the time belonging to other matters has been trespassed upon, and children, eager to work out elaborate designs, are encouraged to do too much of such work at home. Let every teacher firmly resolve never to exceed the prescribed time, and, in accordance with the wishes of the drawing teacher, not to encourage the working of too elaborate original designs, and probably no objection would be raised by fair-minded persons to this study. The special report on drawing is given elsewhere. It is a matter for congratulation that our schools enjoy the services of so earnest, so enthusiastic and so competent a teacher.

Primary Schools.-The work in our Primary Schools during the past year has been in the main very satisfactory. The work in reading is especially commendable. Some of the little children read with a style and expression which we rarely find in the higher classes. The introduction of the "Nursery " into all the schools as a regular textbook, auxiliary to the reading-book, has been a great help in securing intelligent reading.

Oral Instruction.-The importance of oral instruction in the Primary Schools can hardly be overestimated. It has been, however, neglected, partly from the fact that no definite work had been laid out, and partly from a very natural timidity on the part of the teachers, in attempting work for which they have had no especial preparation. During the fall vacation I visited the schools of New York, where the oral instruction is probably more systematized, and more practical, than in any other schools of the country. From personal interviews with the superintendents, especially with Superintendent Calkins, who has charge of this work, and has made it an especial study, from conversations with some of the best teachers in the Primary grades, and from a careful personal examination of this work in those schools where it is carried on most successfully, I was convinced that with the coöperation of our own Primary teachers, equally good work could in time be done

in our schools, without neglecting other subjects. "Calkins's Manual of Oral Instruction" was at once put into the hands of the teachers, and, with their assistance, certain definite work was laid out which they are now doing with success.

Various criticisms are passed from time to time upon our schools, sometimes such as are just, by those who know something of them from personal observation; more frequently by those who hear a little adverse criticism, which is in accord with their own imaginings; and straightway they pour out a volume of abuse based on-nothing. They speak of the good old times, when scholars could do any example and puzzle in the arithmetics, when they could spell every word in the spelling-book, when they could parse and analyze with great fluency, and could give their list of rivers, towns and capes, with equal rapidity and accuracy. All this they could do and―little else. Now they say our schools are doing nothing because every scholar is not an expert in these mechanical performances, entirely ignoring the fact that his training has more thought in it, more breadth, more vitality. If they prefer to make children absolutely perfect in the mere tools of knowledge, rather than to give them such a start as will be of true value in the coming years, we can only say that thoughtful men do not agree with them.

Superintendent.-H. M. WILLard.

SOMERVILLE.

Primary Schools.-The schools in this department are doing excellent work, and some of them may be regarded as model schools. Since no discrimination is now made in the salaries of Primary and Grammar School teachers, there is less inducement than formerly for a transfer from the Primary to the Grammar department, and consequently we have a much larger number of experienced teachers in our Primary Schools at the present time than at any previous period. A teacher who is eminently successful in a Primary School possesses a combination of qualities rarely found in the same individual, and should receive the maximum salary, and be retained, if possible, in this department. Too great stress cannot be placed upon the importance of correct and thorough instruction in these elementary schools. If the opportunity for laying a good foundation for an education during the years assigned to the Primary School is lost, it is forever lost. Would we have the tree symmetrical and beautiful at maturity, it must be carefully pruned and nurtured in the early periods of its growth. Omit the appropriate work of the early spring-time, and we shall surely fail to rejoice in the possession of an abundant harvest when autumn comes.

Grammar Schools.-The Grammar Schools occupy an important place in our system of public instruction, and absorb a large share of interest and attention. They contain about one-half of our pupils, and from them a large majority of our youth enter at once upon the active duties of life; consequently they demand and receive our best efforts to render them as efficient as possible. Great care is exercised in the selection of teachers, and in the arrangement and apportionment of studies that will be of the highest practical value in all the various avocations of life. We omit no inducement at our disposal to influence pupils to complete the Grammar School course and receive certificates of graduation.

It is a cause of constant regret that so many of our youth fail to avail themselves of all the excellent facilities furnished them for obtaining a good education, and to secure the benefits that would accrue, were all their advantages improved. We are not unmindful of the fact, however, that to the parents of many of our pupils life is a severe conflict with penury, and that, consequently, the prospect of even small gains from the earnings of their children is a strong inducement for their withdrawal from school at an early age. Would parents thus circumstanced submit for a while to personal sacrifices, and heroically endure hardship, and absolute want even, that their children may enter upon the duties of life furnished with all the advantages for success that a good education secures, they would thereby rear for themselves towers of strength and security for future refuge. Their burdens might press heavily upon them for a season, but their reward would be sure; for it rarely occurs that well-trained children fail to appreciate the sacrifices of parents in their behalf, and to reciprocate the kindness received. Bread cast upon the waters will return again in due season, with its full measure of increase.

The work committed to our supervision, when considered in the aggregate, oppresses by its vastness. But for each day's duties the day is given, and if each separate task is faithfully performed in its allotted time, the labor of the year will be complete. With many misgivings we meet the responsibility of guiding an agency which so largely conduces to mould the character and decide the destiny of the rising generation, but are cheered by the consciousness that we have the coöperation of an intelligent community, whose interest and solicitude are enlisted in our work, and the assistance of a corps of faithful, devoted teachers, many of whom have had long and successful experience, and all of whom are anxious to adopt the best methods, and to secure the most valuable results.

By means of educational publications, essays, lectures, discussions; the interchange of annual reports, teachers' conventions, superintend