Comparatively speaking, our schools for the past year have, with few exceptions, been taught by competent teachers and are, in many respects, gradually improving. As an evidence of this, every year increases the number of applicants educated in the town, who have prepared themselves for teaching, thus affording to districts a better opportunity of selecting for teachers those who will still further improve their schools.

In presenting plans for the improvement of our schools, the thought occurs that so much has been said upon every topic connected with public instruction, that no one need be ignorant of his duty toward our public schools, and we are not particularly desirous of adding to the plagiarisms that are from year to year copied and recopied in every conceivable form and sent broadcast over the land, yet so long as an evil exists, so long should the proper remedy be applied, and as an official report affords the best medium of communication with those interested in the cause, we propose to state a few plain facts in a practical way, hoping that they will be acted upon in the same manner. Our system of public instruction is an institution that should and will give tone and character to all our other institutions, and as such, is entitled to the good offices and best wishes of every member of the community. No allurements should tempt any one to betray its interests. The efficiency of our public schools must in a great measure depend upon the action of parents and guardians and we would earnestly exhort them to be faithful to the trust reposed in them, and see to it, that their children shall receive the greatest possible benefit to be derived from the bounty so liberally supplied by the town and State.

We are satified that one of the principal means of attaining this object, is to make frequent visits to your schools. We do not mean the precise and formal visits that are sometimes made, which disconcert both school and visitors. Do not visit your schools for fashion's sake, though we wish it were more the fashion to visit them. Affectation and formality should be entirely laid aside, and a spirit of kindness and sympathy entertained in their stead. If you are not qualified to instruct, go there to learn-none are excluded from our schools on account of age or ignorance. get, for a while, the race you are running after the mighty dollar, and enter the busy school room where your children, in acquiring the ability to discharge the duties of maturer years, are receiving

For

life long impressions. Observe carefully every thing that transpires there; thoroughly acquaint yourselves with the character and plans of your teacher; let the scholars see that you are interested in their advancement; where advice is needed give it in a spirit of kindness; ridicule only makes real merit more diffident. Adopt this course and you will be astonished at the improvement in yourselves and your schools, and will find many an old prejudice, which you had delusively hugged as an article of faith, melting away under the steady growth of truth. But do not be discouraged, if you do not find any perceptible improvement either in yourselves or the school by reason of your first, second or even third visit, but persevere, one and all, until you make your schools what they should be, a moral, social, and a home institution, as well as a literary and scientific one; until you make yourselves familiar with their successes and their failures, our schools will not be what they ought to be. But we hear some say, "we would like to visit our schools oftener, but are so much engrossed in other pursuits that we have not time to spare," yet those same persons will find time to discuss the fleeting topics of the day, by the hour together, and will frequent places of public resort for the purpose of killing time. Others say it will do no good. To such we would say, "come and see." We are inclined to think that disinclination, habit and a want of proper interest, are the principal reasons. We had intended to point out several other delinquencies which have a tendency to render our schools inefficient, but if what we have already said is not heeded, it is useless to say more; and if our advice is complied with, the parents will readily perceive what is wanting, and will, we hope, become sufficiently interested to remedy existing evils by supplying every proper want of our schools. Respectfully submitted,

The following table shows the number of scholars registered, and the average attendance in each district, for the school year ending May 1st, 1860; also the amount of money apportioned to each district. The division of the money, in the column headed "average," is made from the average attendance of the year ending May 1st, 1859.

* Deducted from the Town Appropriation, $20.00 for printing Report, and $25.00 to defray the expense of visiting schools.

SUMMER

TERM.

NAMES, RESIDENCE, &C., OF THE TEACHERS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

NAMES OF TEACHERS.

Stillman T. Matteson,.

Number of District.

The following table gives the local name, post office address, and amount of public money expended in each School District, together with the amount remaining in the treasury, due each District, for the school year ending May 1st, 1860.

LOCAL NAMES.

P. O. ADDRESS.

Total for Summer and
Winter.

Remaining in Treas'y.