Superintendent's Report

To the Board of Mucation of the City of Ann Arlar : GmrTLSHXH - In accordanco with a rulo of your ]Joard, I herewitli eubniit for your consideration my eocond annual report, for tho yoar endiiig Juno 21, 1872. I ílrst invite your attontion to some gonoral statistics of onrollment, sulitries, and rcceipts for tuition : ■ Nuinber of children in the district of school age, 2,502 Number of boys enrolled in the Schools, 963 Nomber of girls enrolled in the Schools, 877 Number of non-resident pupils, 166 Number of children nol in the 1'ulJic Schools, 82S Number of children in Private Schools, 34 Number of children nét in any Schoei, . 488 Number of men employed as Teachers, 4 Ifumber of w-omen employed as Teachers, 3 Vverage salary paid men ii225- Vverage salary paid vromen, $ 3')i- rotal salaries paid Teachers 16.72S.00 ruition received from lumresi2.2SO-75 ruition from residente, in lftnguages, 43-25 Tuition from puiñls in drawing and painting, 92-75 rota] tuition received, ?-. 773-75 The following tablo is a summary of the onrollmcnt, attendanco, and otlior tenis for tko year, in tlio respective schools : " - N"umbcr"bf"Bupeiiiiiousr S--5 FS Aveïa.KO number of S S" $ 9 9 S I 5 ptlstoeaob teaoher. I Ñumber of teaohei. ■on ,3 A ■■ . i.u;ubcr"ojT-ceks . ;; 'j " " " iiiiM in Hchooi. www _? T - - - - to - -i 1 " l'erceut. oí' feaxdiueiM. K??.! i.:. ui' altcndi i SSSS3 j S , tudim-d. í Zí,Z SS I m d - m I r- W Averee SSS3SS8 Ig 5 Average number uf pupils ï 5 :i 2 Y. 2 IS 2 c'""HL1TLl-r. Sviio!.' humber ui pupils -SSSSs:" I? enrollwl. Numlvi ui sittiug. SS IS los the trachere in renmanahip, Drawuot umpl yol wholly 111 uny ou DoTihlelL, below, is a comparativo )xliiï)it of üuch items as indícate the lianges in growth and oporations of lic schools during the past iivo years. ÏABI.K II. ! 1 ! 1 ?fi I? ll.liriil I 'a '■ u y. h ,,:;- 10J 92 .19 1230 121 lii.'O 1868-0 1868 03 .7: 1201 L2Í 1677 1869-70 18(M M .Si Hs' !■■' ■■'"-■". 1870-1 ■! .5S 1182 U8 lstV iaa-2 184u J5; ,8i1206 Kiü.2774 ATTENDANCE. Notwithstanding an unuSual amount f sickness in the ward schools during he winter term, the por cent. of atendance is a littlo higher tlian that of uy precoding year. Tliis has not )con securod without spocial effort lt 8 ono oí' tho uuremitting dutios of evry teacher to requiro the most contant atteiidance that tho health of his v her pupila will pefrmit. In no other vay can tiloso high resulte in echolarhip be producod which uur patrons may justly domand of us. lt ia Bometimes claimod that tardinoss should not, liko absence, be folowed by suspensión. lint every lacher affirme that it is ono oi' the most hurtí'ul ovils oí' our schools, noary always indicating loose habits of tudy, and usually having nj apology )ut indolence. The roll of honor, below, comjyrises uch as havo not boen absent or tardy Inring tho year : Hiqh Sctiuol - Clara Woodruff, Vine Colby, Alburt jfTolland. Guamm.vr iácnouL - Louis 15. Komiek, Abbio J. Colby, Siinou Siuko, Josio Annstrong, Joel Hamilton, Greorge Donovan, Charles Hutchins. Six'o.n'i) W.viiü - Flora Schumaker, Augusta Walter. ï'ouetti Waud - Clara Winegar, A.ndrew Beule, Flora Carrington',' AVarron Parsons. Fikth Wakd - Augusta Ilerz, Wal ter Stooking, John Komiek. Of thü abovo ïiained pupila, Clara Woodruff bas not been absent or tardy in four yoars, Josio Armstrong in thxee yoars, ijimon binko and Goorge Donovan in two years. Also, Miss Woodruff has not boen tardy, and has been absent but once in seven yoars. Honorablo mention might be mado of many others who have seoured a perfect attondiMico for ono or two tornis. Tho abovo list is somowhat larger than last year's, but it is yet not more than one-fifth of whut it ought to be. It will bo scen fvom tho general etati.stics that 828 children of school ago wero not enrollad in tho public schools. Of this numbor 840 woro onrolled in private schools, leaving still 488, or l'.tj per cent., not attending any school. These childron ought fo bo in school. Thoy havo a right to tlie adrantages of education. Society has a right to proteot itself against tho ilctiiments and crimes of ignorance. Com pulsory att ndaiico lias been indoreed by nearly all the odueators of noto in our country. Neithor its wisdom nor practica] ui coseity haa bcon succossl'ully controvertí ■'■ lt sooins to me that, as the legal public guardians of eduoation, it isyour dutry to instituto tho neceaaory measlires iur eöforcing tbe compulaory law ix'ii'iiilv placed uporl our statato books. A L;st '!' uil the brunches taught ia the various schools and the number of pupila in eaoh ;iro giren in tho following tablo : TAHLi; tilt STUDY. 4 5 &_è_M_ Reading and Spelling 723 82111544 Object Lesiona 414 413 827 Oral Language 192 iy6 388 Primary Botany 120 1221 242 Penmanship 359 369; 728 Singing 701; 771 1472 lunik Keeping 65 30 95 Arithmetic 589 555 1144 Geography 519; 517,1036 Drawine 67 621 129 L". S. History 59 51 110 English Grammar 172 142 314 ira 92 89 1.S1 Geometry 28 61 89 General Htetory 62 52 114 Natural Hisloiy 22 22 Geology 4 22, 26 Physi 3 26 29 Botany 13 30 43 PhysicaJ Geograpliy 11 13 24 Natura] l'hilosopliy 21 13 34 Astronomy 1 20 21 Chemistry 3 22 25 Science of Government 40 32 72 Rhetoric ' 2 20I 22 Englisb I.ilerature 18 18 [otellectual rhilusoihy 20 29 Mmal Science 14 14 French 37 21 58 Germán 33 52 85 Latín 116 47 158 Greck 43 9 5 2 Primary Botany in the first grado of the Ward Schools, Physioal Goography in the High School, and music in all tlio grados are additions to last yoar's list. . PKOMOTIONS. At tho last oxamination in Juno, S48 pupila were promoted to highor grados, Of those, 2ü8 wore promoted in the Ward Schools, 77 Lrom the Ward Schools to the Grammar School, and 48 Lrom tho Graniinar to tho Iligb. School These examinations, witk few exceptions, gave evidence of successful teaching and faithful study. Our metliod of animal promotions separates classes so widely, in tho lower departmenta, that it is impossiblo to do exact justico to all pupila in classification. Uuavoidablo ciroumstanees are constantly dropping scholars ïnidway between classes, to tho grt;at annoyanco of parents and teachers. If possible, such m adjustment of our courses of study should bo made as will admit of more frequent promotious in tho Giaminar and Ward fc'chools. WARD 6CTIOOL3. I give below the per cent , and teacher in charge of tho highest class in eaoh room, in tho Ward Schools. ïhis standing includos Object lessons in the 2d and 3d Grados, Oral Grammar in Ist Grado, and Music in all tho railes. ■i è .2 ■ i-Ü S ! '"% .-2Tbachzb. fe I llt -fi . 1 1. M 8C. 1. BigaelL 2 ii 7 i'l Ella .r. b'ronch. 3 j12 81 ICliüu Mitcliell. 4 1; 14 W !'.. Botsfoid Ö ji 12 li ('ali-lf Mütllu'ws 1 tl 24 81 U. 11. WUMe, 2 2, ij BO Fraok K. Laiaad. 3 ! 16 90 M;uy BidweU. 4; 2; 52 S3 A. H. Morey. 5 2Í l;ï 1 frank Kellogg. 1 2: 41 77'H K. Youii}. 4 ': 43 i'-' 1"'. i;. Corsuli lgl 1 3; 31 1 U A. Cobb i 3: 24 9S Jennie Brewrter. 5 IS phiu öarland. 4 S: 43 ' Ruthette K.rr. Í 3: 16 'J-: Uugie M, iJiviit, 1 3: 19 St Fannie II. Kelloirg. 4 3 19 Ki.M. I,. ISumett. 2 3: lü H7jL K. Burni'tl. Object Teaching in the V ard Schoi ik has boon cariiod on with. considerable satisfaction, but we are not a littlo cripplod in our plans by the want of suitable means of illustration. Our greatost needs in this respect, aro G00metrical Farms and Solids and aj[ropriato models or pictorea of animáis. During a considerablo portion of the Spring Term, Goography in the Ist Grado was substitutod by primary Botany, principally on leaf forms and structuro, according to Youmans' First Lessons in 15otany. I do not doubt that much more of the time now devoted to memorizing liard names of places in Asia, África, and Australia might, with much greater profit, bo given to the study of Naturo, as it falls under our immodiato and daily obsorvation. The experiment) permitted by your Board, in eome of the primary classes, i' u.iiug liooker's Child's 13 ook of Nature as a reading book, in placo of tho Third Koader, has been exceodingly gratifying. In addition to the valuable knowlodgo gained, tho interest in tho reading classes has iucreased and tho quality of oxpTession secured has boen botter than in classes using the Third lleader. I recommend, therefore, a continuanco and extensión oí' tho experiment. It haa long been rrooping ïnto iny boliof that the Phonetic, rather than tlio Word Mothod, is the moro philo sophic way of teaching primary reading. Sonio comparativo experiments during tho past torm have OOnfirmed 1110 in this opinión and L anticipate boing compolled, soon, to ask for tho adoption of the Phoiietic Mothod in tho Schools. QKAMMAE SCHOOL. The class promotod from tho Grammar to tho High School compared faVOtably in scholarship with precoding classes. This i'act ostablisos tlio wisdom of placing a woman at tho hoad of the Grammer School. Tho averago standing of the class in all their studies was 9 I per cent. Tho averago ago was 14i years. Tho examination was hold on Sat., June 15th', and tho papers weie rtád and marked by tho lligh School teachers and myself. The class in Germán, establishod by diroctirjn of the Board, in tho Gram::.:ii- School withnut tuitldii, has uveraged during tho year 25 iñ numbor and luis beun reasonably successful. Tho aim of the in.struction lias boen, mainly to gWB facility in roading and writing t'iu Germán in tho Bimplesi i'i.nns of thought and eressiqat Tho completed the Kirstand Socond C'ourso of Alm's Primary Germán. 1 isoe no good roa-son for dLcontiiudnt' it. MI SIC. In aooordancG with a vote at tho last annual districl meeting, making au appropriatiou Cur Musió, a teachoï ui vocal ïuiibic wao cuiploycd dUriiig the last two tenas, ïwo lcssons a wi-i-U hito raven tu eaoh olaas in tin Gramniar School, orie losson a week t( each class in tho Ward Schools, ani some special work was dono in tlio Jlijli School. In the Ward Schools, the weekly losson was roviowod and supplemé! by tho teachor in chargo. Tho work tlius far has been wholly fundamental, beginning witli tho fiimplest ideas of Pitoh, Time and Forco. Each losson has boen practically workod ont with voice and hand. ïho Staff haa boen fairly mastored intellectually, and con adorable progresa has been made upon tho octavo yocally ; so that all tho dojiartments can read and sing simple melodies with tolerable lacility and correctnoss. A good foundation has been laid. It is only a beginning, however, and must bo enoouraged and oontinued to produce satisfactory results. AVo must tako no step backward in this matter. HKiU SCnOOL. Our Higli .School, during the yoar, has boen ominently prosperous and popular. The atte&danoe has been arge, the preparatory classes ospecialIv have been orowded, and the receipts i'ur tuition moro tlian $750 ubove thoso of any preceding yoar. Praotically, as well as theorotically, no school can be regarded complete without its High School departmont. Espeoially appucable in this conneetion is the generalij admitted edueational principio that, without educatíng in higher departmenta the teachers of low-er schools, and without the possibilitj hóveiing beíbro tho pupila of ascent into higher schools, there can be no practical eii'cct givon to primary schools, Our graded schools aro, therefore, everywkero complementad by tho Iligli School, iltliougli, usually, at great omparative cost. In thia regard we are au extraordinary exception. Varona influenoes have conspired to givo us a large non-resident patronage, so luit more tlian half the annual cxtense oí' salaries in tho High School ïas been paid by non-resident tuition. givo below the annual oost of tuition in overal High Sohools which may bo rogardod representative : Ann Arbor, 23; Adrián, $53; Detroit, $50; Kalniazoo, $75; Marshall. 47.50; Olevolaiul, $(!) ; Cinciiinati, 851.45 ; 8t. Louis, $48.40 ; Bpringfield, 821.10; New Haven, $52.67; Torro Haute, 1.86. Such facts ought to bo exceedingly gratifying, not so mueli in the cheapiifss of tuition (whioh, in any BChool, is of minor iinportanoe), as iu the proserity indicated. Let us go ono step further. We hare in constant, attendauoe about one hundred non-resident pupils. Their expenses whilehere, besidea tuition, oannot average lesa khan $200. Supposing only 5 percent, of this to be net profit to tho city, and we havo $3,000. Add to this ë-',25ü, tho non-ivs ident tuition, and we havo au aggregato net profit of $5,250, enough to pay all tho expenses of the High School, oi' whatever natureThese considerations should put to rest the doubts of tho most eoonomical or sceptical as to the propriety and exiedioncy of the most generous support and equipment of the High School. ■:vcry considoration, financial, social tnd dueational, oallloudly apon us to ecognize its growing importauco and iberally próvido for its futuro growth. A few hundred dollars, more or less, zpended in improving tho elïïciency f instruction and extending tho facil:ies of illustration aro trilling com■ared with all the interesta involved. I am happy to say that S100 roconty expended in Chemical and l'hiloophical apparatus, will supply all iiunediati'ly aeeded means of illustraion in thoso branches. Tho graduatiiioxorcisos of tho sonor class in ths High School wero held une 21st, at which timo íifty-six diilomaa wero awarded, as follows : lassical Coursè, - - . . j .atin C'ourse, 7 eientifie Course, - ... g ;nglish Coarse, - - - . - 16 inlish and I'Vcnh, - - . .2 ínglish and Germán, 1 Cnglish and Scienlilic, ... ionnan, ...... "rench, ---... 1 ''rench and Germán, - ... 1 Of this numbor, thirty-two prepared xpressly for the University, three othrs have been granted diplonias sinoe, nd tena wnro adniittod to tho Univerity 011 cxaminaticin, making in all a ireparatory class of thirty-iune. (Jhemistry iu tho High School was aught by l'roL lioso, of tho Unlwiity. Of oourqe the qwility of instrucoii and illustration was of a muofa ligher order thau our classes havo usully onjoyod. COUIISES OV STUDY. Tho preparatory coürses of stödy Lave been cojisiderably changed toconiirm to inuwasri] requirements by tlio 'uivcisity. Si books of Yïrgïl liavo een added to the Classical and Latin Courses, and two terms' work in bistoy deduoted to mako room for them. A full y ;.r Iü.s been addod to tho Seimtific Oourse, making it oqual in' length to tho other proparatory coursos. In view of tho constant demand for !ook-keepingand a business eduoation, on Board have deoided to instituto a Commorcial Courso of 0110 vu ar, beginning with the next term. This will bo done with vcry littlo additional expenso, and we think it will greatly acoommodate a, largo class of . young. mm in our school who aro indis] can uot alloi'd to tako a full literal y courso. ACCOMMODATIONa. Thé enlarged central building has now been in uso one year, and we find ! 1 minontly adapted to our wants and fort. lt has now "i1 sittings, L60 more than iu the old building (not includíng the old b&seniént), andthJ re i. 1 room lor 7" labre seats uhen needed. Tho Crrammar School was oonsiderably erowded during a portion of the last year, and tho question oí' hereaftor closing itsdoórsto non-iesideiitslias been aoriouslj o ■ 1 idered. Mv own judgiuont strongly favors inCreosofl afcuomúi itlitiona and un doors. The mucson of craroity is largely ciluiational, and wo ehall greatly orr if wo fail to aecopt, or rathor tvelcome, tho rosponsibility. TBACHEBS, The changes in or corps of teachers have boem unusually numoroua, and it is a causo of gratiücatiun that all the vaoancips havo boon satisfactorily iillud. Fliictuatious in popnlation &nd a slight readjnatment of district boimdariea Káve enabled s to reduce thonumbor of toacliors in tko Fourtlx Waru froni livo to four. Tho jtlan, rocently adoptod 1y tho Board, by whioh the salary of the Ward teachers is to be 8325 the first yearand 350 thoreafter, seema oonsidate and equitable to all conceruod parties. Tho following is a list of toachers employod by your board for tho coming year, with thoir respective salaries : Position. Name. Sal AltY. HIGH SCHOOL. Prinoipnl, Latin and ' (,,,■. le. B. Bobertson AVinchull, $1,400 Preceptren, Ëannan A. Lord, Mathematioa, Charlub U. Hunnett, W0 M,il!i.iii:ilics nud Sriencc-8, Anna E. P. Eaottaan, o Qermanand Engliah, Hnrhel Cnrney, " nctt, Caroline Ouorpillon, 400 liook-kecí1] n ff and Penmanihip, B. j. 'icholB, 'i000 Driuving and Faintir.ir, Doley (VHnra, 2C6 Music in all Schools. Alvin Wilney, W ORAMMAR SCHOOL. . ipnl, Sally . i ; ;;.. , -i.M) ltoom No. n, AbMe A. l'und, 4.'. Room Vo. S, 8ai i'i l'.airy, 450 No. 3, r.hza C. Lmld, 480 int, Clara L. Conovor, 400 }'inST WAKT) SOUOOL. rrinoipRl, thel te Kerr, 40ü M Grade, Ida Huil, 325 " " llattie E. Younff, 35U 3d Grade, Emily J. Corey, 3" 5 " ' FknmeH. Kellogg, 350 SECOXD WABD SCiroOL. Principal, Ella J. Frenoh, 3ü5 idOroae, Frank H. Larned, 850 id Orade, M. Ji-Tiiiie tïrt'wster, '-i'o " " Lüla );. Buraett, SJO riiii:i' w.r. school. Principal, Kliz:i Hitohell, süTi -(i (ira.lv, lian Bidwell, 350 3d OtadS, AdeUe Du liois, 325 FOUETH WABD SCHOOL. Prinoipali Eliza liitsfoi-d, 400 idQrvde, Addic II. Mor. y, 8M td Qradftj (ornaUaB. ('oreelius, 350 " " lr' L. liurnutt, 350 PIPTH WAIU) SCUOOL. nnoipnl, ICnrria ICatthowa, j 380 'JUrale, Frank Kellotfir, i M0 Ad Qrade, fie MoDivitt, i WO CONCLTTSIOtT. Our comrnunity lias more than ordiary iiiducoineiits to fostor ita 'schools. In uu muisual stüiHiï, the prosperity of jur schools is the prosperity óf our áty. But thia prosperity, withitsben.cficent i'ruits, is not of more local vul uo. It is an inlluonuo í V r good iu aany a remoto hamlet, and the high tducational development to which aa a oople we are destiaed, shan, i': future , make sonie acknowledgment of .he contributiou wo aro uiaking to that end. Th(! Bohools uudor your caro havo assod u vigorous and sxiccesiful year. [noreased ezperienoe, greater maturty of plans, and an appreciative patronage, givo aiuplo proiuiso for tho fu:ure. In closing this report I would gratoully aoknowledge tho cowrteous and ïoarty oo-operation of tho teachers &sBociated with mo. And in bohalf of dl tho toaehers, permit nie to oxpress ,0 the members of the lioard our aincere thauks for your generouu syiuputliy and uniform kindness. Very réspeotfully, Ann Arbor, August, 18(2.