"Second,―The large proportion of those who have not, yet at least, complied with the requirement of attending two terms.

"The Board of Visiters having decided, and, considering the organization of the school, I think wisely, that the terms of attendance need not be successive, a simple declaration only can be taken at entrance, of an intention to return, at some future time. But the practical mischief is, that those who have been here a term or even less go out as Normal Scholars. And in many cases of reported failures, I have found that the individual concerned had been here but fourteen weeks, and often less. One instance I have heard of, in which an individual claimed to be from this school, when, after some investigation, it was found that he was here only for a day, or perhaps more, as a visiter.*

"The returns show great numbers as leaving the school, in certain terms, before its close. This is an evil; but I must either permit it, or refuse to receive many who could attend the greater part, perhaps almost all the term, before their schools commence. The terms have to be arranged with respect to four epochs, namely, the opening and closing of the winter schools, and the opening and closing of the summer schools; and these periods are, by no means, uniform in different districts.

"As to the time of attendance, perhaps enough is presented in the returns to show the extreme disadvantage of the rule adopted.

"One fact more I will mention; there were forty-five scholars present the 12th Term. Of these four only attended the next term; so that of an entering class of 25, only three were members of the school the succeeding term. I need not surely point out the effect of such an irregularity of attendance. If I may offer an opinion as to the remedy, I would say, that, although a back step is always disadvantageous, compared with starting right, in my judgment it would be wise, for the cause of Normal Schools, to fix a rule that none should be received for less than a year.

"I do not mean to imply that the school has been without advantage to its pupils. I do not think so. I have been too interested an observer of the struggles and sacrifices made by many to get such assistance as the school could render them. I have seen many devoting all that they received as teachers, during season after season, to pay their expenses here for such time as their money would permit. I could present to the Board very interesting facts as to the exertions which have been made by individuals of both sexes to remain here for even a few weeks. But while I know and sympathize with, perhaps more warmly than any one, who has not occupied a similar situation, can do, the longings for a fit training of very many who become teachers; and while I acknowledge that many would be deprived of all advantage of the

* "When I passed, a few days since, through Fall River, Mr. Perkins, one of the examining committee of schools, told me they had lately rejected a young man from my school. On inquiry, I found him to be one who had been at the school only about two weeks."

school, yet for the sake of the Normal System, I would urge that, at the very least, one year's continuous attendance should be required.

"As I come into contact with these young minds, I find many of them longing, "hungering and thirsting" after knowledge,—they earnestly desire, with an earnestness too, that those do not know who have always had every advantage of instruction, to become fitted for teachers. Very many enter on the office with a pure desire to do good, and a high estimate of the requirements of the situation, which make me ashamed of the little that I can do for them. I see and know the difficulties in the way; probably I tend to allow them too much weight; but I do believe that if the mind, not of the community, that never will be, but of some carnest men, should be turned to this subject,-if even a few should believe that this earnest longing for the means of educating others ought to be gratified, it will be done.

"There is connected with the school a Library of about 300 volumes, consisting chiefly of works on Education, books of reference, histories, biographies, travels, and some of the best popular treatises on science.

"We have also an apparatus, tolerably perfect in some departments. A great deal of the apparatus has been purchased with the donations from friends of the school. Some pieces have been presented. I would mention in particular an elegant pair of high-mounted Globes given to the school by a friend in Boston.

"By the assistance of the same friend, I have been enabled to furnish the school with almost all the class books used, for the use of which I receive from the pupils a small sum, which enables me to keep the books in order, to supply their places, when required, and also to buy occasionally a volume for the library, or a piece of apparatus.”

LEXINGTON NORMAL SCHOOL.

LEXINGTON, Nov. 6, 1844.

To the Massachusetts Board of Education: Gentlemen,-You are well aware, that there are still some persons in the community, who doubt the utility of Normal Schools. The inquiry is made whether the beneficial effects produced by them have been enough to warrant any further appropriation for their support. As yet, however, they have not been so long in operation, that their effects can be fully ascertained. Some of your own number, Gentlemen, have been so situated, that probably you have had no personal acquaintance with any of the teachers, who have been trained in these seminaries. I have, therefore, thought it to be incumbent upon me, to put you in possession of the information on this point, that I have been able to gather.

Having had charge of one of the Normal Schools, during the last two years, it will not be doubted, that I have been desirous to know, and somewhat care

ful to inquire, whether the school was operating efficiently to the end for which it was established. And now that I have resigned that charge, I assure you, Gentlemen, I did so, not because of any distrust of the usefulness of the institution. Far otherwise; I was brought to perceive its practical influence upon our Common Schools to be so important, that I thought it ought to be in the charge of one, who has had much more experience, and who possesses much more skill than I do, in the art of teaching.

There have been 243 pupils admitted into the school, formerly located in this town, since it was opened, July, 1839. Of this number, there are 64 now in the school at West Newton; and 25 left at the close of the last term, August 14th,-of whose success or failure as teachers, we may not expect yet to hear. Of those who have been admitted into the school, twenty have not remained long enough to complete their course; and of those who have gone through the studies and the discipline prescribed, thirteen have, for various reasons, never engaged in teaching. These deductions from the whole number that have been admitted, leave 122* of the pupils of this Norinal School, who have been and are teachers of schools in different parts of our Commonwealth and country. From their success or failure, the utility of Normal Schools may, in some measure, be fairly inferred.

Let it be premised, however, that it would not be fair in the Legislature to demand, that all Normal pupils shall become successful teachers. It has been impossible to prevent the admission into these schools of some, who have been found, on trial, not to possess the tact or the temper necessary for imparting knowledge, although they may possess talents for acquiring it. Then, again, the term prescribed by your Honorable Body for the course of training to be pursued in the Normal Schools, has, in several instances, been found too short to develop, and bring into exercise, talents that have undoubtedly existed. It has consequently happened, in several instances, that pupils have completed the course prescribed, and have gone forth to teach, respecting whose ability we have felt doubtful; and yet have not felt that it would be right in us wholly to prevent their attempting to teach, by proclaiming our belief of their inability. They have, therefore, been furnished with certificates of good scholarship and good moral character, (of one or both as they have been deserved,) and allowed to go and succeed if they could. In some cases they have succeeded remarkably well. In others, they have failed, as we expected. But the failure of such ought not to redound to the discredit of this institution, because they have not gone from us with certificates of ability to teach. While I had charge of the Lexington Normal School, 54* completed the course prescribed, and left us; five of whom have not yet, so far as we are informed, engaged in teaching. Of the whole number, 34 carried from me certificates of my confidence in their ability to teach and govern a school.

*Five or six of these are dead.

+ This number does not include the 25 who left August 14th.

Only two of these have failed to realize my expectations, and one of these two is recovering herself. The other 20 went forth, some of them with certificates, in which no assurance, or only a qualified belief, of their ability to manage schools was expressed; several without certificates of any kind. Five of these are reported to have kept very good schools. The rest have, some of them, done tolerably well, and the others have entirely failed.

In order to procure the materials for this communication, I, last May, caused a sufficient number of copies of the following letter to be printed; and soon after sent one to each of the young ladies, who had, from the first, graduated from the Lexington Normal School.

Miss The patrons and friends of Normal Schools are, as might be expected, desirous to know, and be able to lay before the Legislature a statement of the effects already produced by these institutions upon the schools in our Commonwealth. I am, therefore, taking pains to ascertain how large a part of the pupils of this seminary have taught in our schools; how long a time they have taught; and with what success.

Will you be so kind as, at your earliest convenience, to write me a full account of yourself?

certificates

Where have you been engaged in teaching since you left Lexington? What schools have you taught,-what kind,-how large? What has been your success? Please send me a copy of any you may have received from those by whom you have been employed. If you have not engaged in teaching, be kind enough to state the reason why.

SAMUEL J. MAY."

To the foregoing, I have received eighty-three letters in reply. The whole file I gladly submit to your Honorable Body, in the assurance that, if you have time to peruse it throughout, you will derive no small satisfaction. But lest your engagements should not permit you to read many of these letters, I beg leave to lay before you extracts from a part of them. In my circular letter, you will observe, that I asked no question respecting the government of their schools. This I regret, as there has been consequently a want of uniformity on this point, in their replies. Quite a number have, of their own accord, stated that they have made no use of corporal punishment. Five of the eighty-three, who have replied, have stated that they have resorted to that expedient. The rest of them have made no allusion to the matter. Of these, however, I am informed by report, that many have succeeded in maintaining good order, without the rod.

Miss S. M. Cotton, who left Lexington the last of Dec. 1841, states in her letter, dated Sept. 9, 1844, that she commenced teaching in the Centre District in Boylston, and has continued to teach there ever since, excepting one term

that she taught in Leominster. Her schools in summer averaged 35 or 40 pupils; her winter school, 73. The following certificate was given her :

"This certifies that Miss Sally M. Cotton, since her return from the Normal School at Lexington, has been employed most of the time in this town, in teaching; and has carried into practice the principles of instruction,* inculcated in that school. And it gives us great pleasure to say, that she has been eminently successful. Her pupils have made unusual proficiency, and her examinations, which we have had the pleasure of attending, have given the fullest proof of the excellency of her mode of instruction.

WM. H. SANFORD,

Boylston, Sept. 9, 1844.

Chairman of the School Committee.

JOHN ANDREWS."

Miss Hannah P. Rogers, who left Lexington, March 17, 1841, writes that she has taught school in Billerica, during each of the summer seasons since, in all amounting to ninety-five weeks. The number of her pupils has varied from 57 to 80, between the ages of 3 and 16. She has uniformly governed her schools without the use of corporal punishment. The following are the certificates she has received:

"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

"This is to certify that the bearer, Miss Hannah P. Rogers, has been engaged at various times, as a teacher of our district schools, in which employment she has been eminently successful in instruction and discipline. I do therefore most cordially recommend her to those who may wish to employ her in that capacity.

MARSHALL PRESTON.

One of the School Committee."

Billerica, Sept. 9, 1844.

"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

"This may certify that Miss Hannah P. Rogers has been a successful teacher, for the four summers last past, in Billerica. Three of the seasons, she has instructed the school in the district of the subscriber.

"As a parent, and as a member of the examining committee, I have been often in her school, and at all times well acquainted with all its management; and I am happy to testify, that, to the parents of the district, and to the examining committee, her persevering industry, her mode of governing, and manner of teaching have given the highest satisfaction.

Billerica, Oct. 2d, 1844.

AMOS SPAULDING,

One of the School Committee."

* She has governed her schools without resorting to corporal punishment.