Miss Martha Ann Dudley, left the Normal School in August, 1841. She has been engaged in teaching most of the time since. She has kept three different schools in South Reading, and has now the charge of a primary school in Boston. She has had three hundred different children under her care, and has in no instance made use of the rod, and she expresses strongly her conviction of the sufficiency of moral suasion. The following is a copy of the certificate given her by the school committee of South Reading: "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: "This may certify that Miss Martha Ann Dudley has taught school in this town for the last two years. The subscribers take great pleasure in saying that she has discharged the responsible duties of teacher, with great faithfulness, ability and success, giving entire satisfaction to the committee, and securing the lasting gratitude of parents, and the warm love of the pupils. LILLEY EATON, THADDEUS SPAULDING, South Reading, Feb. 1844. School Committee." Miss Isabella A. Bowthorpe, left Lexington, and has since kept school the greater part of two years in West Roxbury. She has sent me the following certificate: "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: "WEST ROXBURY, Oct. 3, 1844. "This certifies that Miss Isabella A. Bowthorpe, formerly a pupil of the Normal School at Lexington,-taught for many months one of the primary schools in this village, with distinguished success. Her method was excellent, and the results of her government and teaching were such as entirely to satisfy the committee. THEODORE PARKER, Local Committee of the W. R. Primary Schools." Miss Louisa A. Spiller informs me, that soon after she left the Normal School, in 1840, she was appointed to the office of Principal of the lower Department of the West Female School in Salem, in which there were between 80 and 90 pupils. This school, with one assistant, she conducted for nine months, when she was removed to the "East School for Boys," and made teacher of Arithmetic, First Course. In this situation she still continues to labor. The following is a certificate of her success: "SALEM, October 11, 1844. THE statement of Miss Spiller is a correct representation of her employment in our schools. She was selected to occupy the station she now holds in the East School for Boys, on account of her unusual proficiency in Arithmetic, and her attachment to this particular study. Her ability, as a teacher, is highly esteemed by the committee. S. C. PHILLIPS." Miss Betsey L. Canedy left Lexington, April 21, 1842, and, as she informs me, on the 2d of May took charge of a school in Walpole, which she kept four months. She then removed to Fall River, where she has been engaged in teaching with eminent success, as the following extracts from the printed Reports of the school committee abundantly testify. In the Report for the year 1842-3, page 9th, I find the following-" District No. 14, Census 58: Winter School.-Taught by Miss Betsey L. Canedy. Miss C. has recently returned from the Normal School at Lexington, where she spent a year. The committee have been particularly pleased with the general appearance of this school. At the annual examination, the committee noticed with much pleasure, the truly admirable order and system with which every thing was conducted. A visit to this school is quite sufficient to convince an unprejudiced mind of the importance of public institutions, for fitting teachers for the successful discharge of the duties of their office. The committee could wish, that every female teacher in town would spend at least one year at the Normal School. It is to be hoped that an enlightened Legislature will continue to foster these Schools for Teachers, since there is no doubt, that, if they are properly sustained, they will rank among the most valuable institutions of the State." In the Report for the year 1843-4, I find the following notice of the same young lady: "District No. 12. First Primary, taught by Miss Betsey L. Canedy. This school was opened last winter, in consequence of the crowded state of the Primary Schools in this district. The children in this school are kept under an admirable discipline, neither too rigid nor too lenient. Study and amusement are so happily blended as to avoid most of that uneasiness which so generally prevails in Infant Schools. The mode of teaching is such as to render the schoolroom attractive to the scholars; and the consequence is, that the children learn, and love to learn. This is decidedly the best governed, and the most successful Infant School in this town." Miss Sarah A. Lord left the Normal School, April, 1842, and immediately engaged in teaching. She has taught two schools in Northfield, one in Templeton, and one in Winchester, N. H. From the school committee of each of those towns she has received certificates of excellent success, copies of which are given in her letter. Miss Sarah E. Locke, who left the Normal School, April 19, 1841, informs me that she immediately took a school in Randolph, which she kept from May 3d to October 13th. She had 86 pupils between the ages of 3 and 14. The committee gave her a certificate, in which they say "she has proved herself thoroughly qualified for the employinent." She afterwards kept a yearly school in Lexington, of 64 pupils, from 4 to 14 years of age. And afterwards she kept a district school for six months, consisting of 37 pupils between 3 and 13. The school committee of Lexington say in their certificate, "that she has given to all interested perfect satisfaction." Miss Locke is now teaching a Primary School at Woburn, consisting of 75 pupils. The following is a copy of the certificate of the Woburn committee: "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: “Miss Sarah E. Locke, a former pupil of the Normal School at Lexington, has been employed for a year past as instructress of a Primary School in this town. The school, when placed under her charge, was not of high character, was large and of irregular attendance. Against these difficulties, Miss Locke was obliged to contend, and she has done it most successfully. The committee award her the highest praise. Her labors have been very arduous, yet always she manifested much kindness and gentleness of manner, and much firmness of command. Her method of instruction is most excellent and thorough, and the committee feel pleasure in saying, that many of her classes have shown as great improvement as any classes they have ever seen. The committee feel it their duty to award Miss Locke their unqualified approbation. Woburn, Sept. 30, 1844. A. H. NELSON, Chairman af School Committee." Miss Caroline B. Flint, left the Normal School in the Spring of 1842. The ensuing Summer she taught a school of 30 in the north part of Lincoln. During the Summer of 1843, she taught the school in the centre of the same town, 40 pupils. In the Summer of 1844 she was engaged in teaching the same school, when she was invited to become an assistant in the high school at Cabotville. The following is a copy of the certificate of the school committee of Lincoln: "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: "Miss Caroline B. Flint, lately engaged in teaching the Centre School in this town, being about to leave us, we cheerfully offer to her, her employers, and all concerned, this simple statement, as the most satisfactory testimony in her favor. Two years since, she taught the North School with such success,* * that the committee for the Centre District employed her for the last season, and again for this; and she now leaves us amid the regrets, and with the best wishes of all,-pupils, parents, and also of LINCOLN, July 12, 1844. ABEL WHEELER, School Committee." * Without corporal punishment. At the expiration of the first term, at Cabotville, she received the following certificate: "Miss Caroline B. Flint has for the last three months been employed as assistant teacher in the Grammar School under my charge, in which capacity she has fully sustained her previous reputation, viz., that of an able, faithful and successful instructer. CABOTVILLE, Mass., Oct. 14, 1844. WM. K. VAILL, Principal of School No. 2." Miss Almira Locke left the Normal school in 1840, and has been engaged in teaching almost all the time since. services have been desired again. has used corporal punishment but good order, cheerfulness, and an appearance of ease. In every district where she has taught, her In the whole course of her teaching, she twice, and her schools have been noted for "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: "This is to certify, that Miss Almira Locke taught one of the schools in North Haverhill, of which I had the oversight in 1843; that her success was such as to give entire satisfaction to all concerned, and was creditable to herself and the Institution in which she received her preparation for teaching. Her examination before the committee, and her whole management of the school, was such as to lead us to estimate highly the institution of Normal Schools. G. W. FINNEY, One of the General School Committee." In the printed Report of this Committee, I find Miss Locke highly commended in two instances. "The Summer School in No. 4, was taught by Miss Almira Locke, from one of the Normal Schools. The term of 15 weeks was conducted throughout in a manner highly creditable to the instructress, and satisfactory to all concerned." Again; "In District No. 13, there was no school in the Summer, but a very good one in the Winter, under the charge of Miss Locke. Few male teachers could have accomplished more in the same time." Miss Rebecca M. Pennell, and Miss Eliza Pennell, left the Normal School in Dec. 1840. The former has been engaged in teaching ever since, short vacations of two or three weeks only excepted. The latter taught three years. They have kept schools in Franklin, Mansfield, Walpole and New Bedford. In each town they have been invited to continue their services. Their schools have, in every instance, been larger than the average; and they have governed them without the rod. Miss R. M. Pennell, in her letter, dated Oct. 14th, 1844, when she had been teaching three years and nine months, says, "dur ing the whole of my teaching, I have never resorted to corporal punishment, but in one instance.” After she had been keeping in Walpole, for four months, a school of 52 children, under 8 years of age, the school committee in the Annual Report alluded to her services in the following paragraph: "Teachers have learned that their great business is to convince children that knowledge is within their reach,—that they can attain it, and have a sufficient motive to strive for its attainment. When this conviction is produced, a new life and activity are excited in the scholar's mind; his way is seen to lie clear before him; and he feels a sufficient inducement to walk in it. We have been particularly struck with the increase of healthy intellectual excitement; and regard it as, at once, the evidence and the pledge of improvement. The second division of the Centre School has exhibited, in this respect, decided and most gratifying proofs of progress. In this school, we have seen what no words of ours can adequately describe, viz., the superiority of a good instructer over a poor, or an indifferent one. The one is hardly worth having at any price; and for the other, scarcely any compensation is too liberal. * * * * * In the character of the school just spoken of, we have seen what learning and aptness to teach, and entire devotion to the work, can do in the business of elementary instruction. Such a teacher is cheap at almost any price." Miss Pennell and her sister, afterwards, both taught in New Bedford. The following are certificates given them by gentlemen of that place. "NEW BEDFORD, Oct. 8, 1844. "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:"Miss Rebecca M. Pennell, and her sister Miss Eliza Pennell, were employed in one of the largest and most important public schools in this town, for about two years; and as teachers, they exhibited a tact in governing and an aptness in teaching, which caused them to be looked upon as among the best teachers in our service. Their school was orderly, quiet and attentive; and we believe that none have ever succeeded better in gaining the love of their pupils, or the esteem of the parents of such as were put under their care. Miss R. M. Pennell subsequently filled the place of assistant in our high school. In that station, also, we believe she acquitted herself to the entire satisfaction of the committee. If the Normal Schools can furnish such teachers for the children of the Commonwealth, they deserve, and will receive the support of every friend of popular education. WM. H. TAYLOR, BENJ. T. CONGDON, Late School Committee of the town of New Bedford." "NEW BEDFORD, HIGH SCHOOL, Oct. 11, 1844. "1 am happy to state to whom it may concern, that Miss R. M. Pennell, while |