-45-
"Some
of the schools- not more than half
the whole number, are furnished with outline maps. This
furniture is
valued by your visiting committee as a most estimable aid of
the
scholar in his learning of geography. It were well for every
school to
have them.
"No
district has a school library. Such a
furnishing might not be without its good effect.
"In our schools have been taught all
the
usual branches and in addition there is in some of the
schools Algebra
and some higher mathematics.
"Your visiting committee here speak of
the
schools as in a respectable condition. A very little
exception if any
may be made to this general expression. The teachers
employed for both
Winter and Summer terms are worthy of respect in their
position and
usually the scholars attending are entitled to our
approbation for
their attention, their performance, their proficiency, and
their
deportment.
"The number of scholars generally in
our
schools is small - necessarily so, our schools must
necessarily be less
prosperous. Of the result of the school of Higher Order we
do best to
mark it was attended by ... 30 scholars engaging themselves
in all the
common branches -- Algebra and the higher mathematics, Book
Keeping and
Lattin, resulting in the customary success.
"Your visiting committee desire a full healthy prosperity
in
our educational departments - a prosperity imparting
intelligence,
invocating to intelligent to the full extent of the
population of our
limits. For this reason we recommend that worthy persons be
employed to
teach, that the schools be kept a full length of term and
that a prompt
and punctual attendance be given.
Signed by
Nathan J. Wilcoxson,
John N. Marvin
Miles D. Northrop
School
visitors.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* *
* * * *
The
following year, 1857, Wilcoxson gave
the annual school report and commented on the attendance
records of the
students.
"Our scholars generally enter school
and on
the school register the scholars name is written, but when
we look
after the average attendance we find the number there to
fall
considerably below the number registered -- probably one
thrice less
than are registered. This we mark is greatly retarding
the... scholars
advancement. In the prospects of success of the scholar, as
all must
know, a steadfast perseverance is all important, as much so
as in the
prosecution of any business whatever. The time of a person
is never
worth more than when employed in school.
