perity and perfection of the mechanic arts, men who devote a large proportion of their time to the improvement of stocks and seeds, men who can talk by the hour at a time of beautiful fields and well cultivated farms. This is well. All should rejoice in the prosperity of agricultural and manufacturing industry; but, at the same time, the barn built for the purpose of sheltering the horse should not, as in a few instances, be more commodious and convenient than the school-house. The fine breed of stock should not command greater attention than those who are to shape the very destinies of our country. The farm should not receive more cultivation than the mind which is destined to exist when all things else shall have passed away. ATTENDANCE. There is nothing that so retards the progress of our schools as irregular attendance. Every friend of education should labor to remedy this evil, by striving to convince those parents who allow their children to be absent from school, that a large proportion of the industry of the teacher bestowed upon the delinquent scholar is lost. In order to secure a more regular attendance, I proposed to the scholars in the different schools to publish in my Annual Report a list of those who would not be absent from the school a single half-day during the year; and also a list of those who had attended one-half of the year without absenting themselves during that time; and also a list of those who would attend every halfday during a single term. A list of these names is annexed to this report. The number, though much larger than formerly, is small in comparison to the whole number of scholars registered. It is to be hoped that parents, trustees, Committee, and the friends of education generally, will make a united effort to secure a more punctual attendance of the pupils of our various schools. CHANGE OF TEACHERS. In my last report I mentioned the fact that about one-third of all our teachers had been changed during the previous year. It is a great pleasure for me to say that we are now more fortunate. All but four have been retained for the coming year. As far as I have been able to ascertain, the trustees have made wise selec tions in filling vacancies by employing experienced and well qualified teachers. It is with pain that I mention in this connection that the services of one of our most able and experienced teachers are for the present lost to the town, owing to physical disability caused by long continued application to his profession as a teacher. Let us hope that he may soon be restored to health, and be enabled to resume his former occupation. In concluding, Gentlemen, allow me to return my sincere thanks to our excellent President, Mr. Cushing, and others of the Committee, for the assistance rendered me in my official capacity. They have devoted much time to visiting the various schools of the town. As our term of office now expires, I trust each one can look back with the happy consciousness of not only having passed through his official term pleasantly, but, at the same time, having done all in his power to benefit the youth of our town! And in the future, whether in public or private life, may each strive to improve and perfect our Common School System. Respectfully submitted, JAMES C. COLLINS, Sup't of Public Schools of the Town. SCHOLARS WHO HAVE ATTENDED ONE TERM ONLY WITHOUT HAVING BEEN ABSENT A SINGLE HALF-DAY. DISTRICT No. 1. Grammar Department. None. Intermediate. John Goodrich, Mary Pratt, Amelia Jenks, Susie L. Perry, David W. Briggs, Ella Lapham, Richard Lever, Primary. Charles Carr, D'Witt Crowninshield, Michael Higgins, Lucinda Goodrich, Frederick Polsey, Charles Case, James Slade. No. 2, PAWTUCKET. Albert P. Everett, John H. Almy. Intermediate. Clara M. Armstrong, Amelia J. Bates, Clara F. Almy, Jennie E. Rouse, Emma S. Hill, Ella D. Wheaton, Mary E. Roberts, Susan M. Britton, Edward H. Dix, Thomas A. Miner, Ruth E. Ballou, L. D. Harding, Amelia S. Rose, Walter R. Moies, Eugene N Salisbury, Eugene F. Parker, Charles W. Fisher, Jesse T. Chase. A. Hadley, Minerva J. Brown. Primary. Frederick W. Tingley, Frederick W. Tingley. WEST RIVER SCHOOL. John W. Ash, Charles Vars, Rozilla Smith, Samuel Taylor. Jane Drisdell, Maggie Weld, DISTRICT NO. 3, Hor-Eva Brown, KINS HOUSE. Daniel Baker, Grammar Department. John Banks, William F. Darling, Joseph Whelden, Sylvester Ripley, Edwin Robinson, William Harris, Sarah McGowan, Alfred Healy, Alfred P. Nichols, Emma F. Randall, Sarah F. Hadley, Sarah M. Neavans, Henrietta Sherrod, Ada Payson, Mary E. Arnold, Bridget Donnelly, Susan Lynch, William Cusick. Mary E. McElroy, No. 4, WOODVille. Martin K. Cowing, Rinaldo Brown, William O. Cowing, George Eddy, Rinaldo Hutchinson, Ruth E. Manton, Clarence Reynolds, John W. Angell. No. 6, MANTON. Grammar Department. Charles H. Winsor, William E. Winsor, Charles F. Winsor, George H. Smith, Catherine B. Fisher, No. 8, MT. PLEASANT. Byron Stokes, Hattie Remington, Emma Thong, Alice Simmons, Cornelius Sweetland, Maria Pike, Francena Raymond, Primary. Eli Gleason, Cornelius Donegan, 1st Intermediate. Jennie Barr, Eliza Shepard, Nellie M. Walker, Mary Garvie, James Magill, Isaac West, Lawrence McCarthy, Thomas Garvie, John Behan, Jane McKeesie, Mary Breckany, 2d Intermediate. Patrick Hacket, Barney Hacket, Willie Streeter, Charles R. Gardner, James B. Gardner, Howard Weaver, Frank Weaver, Annie G. Bennett, Mary A. Lewis, Alice E. Lewis, Clara E. Hawkins, Ellen E. Gates, Mary E. Monroe, Bridget Donahoe, |