SUPERVISOR'S REPORT.

As required by the Revised Statutes, I hereby submit the following report of the schools for the year ending February 28, A. D., 1887.

TEACHERS.
District No. I had two terms of school, taught by Florence Cole of the same district. Although teaching her former schoolmates, she maintained the order necessary for a successful school, and the scholars made improvement in their studies.

District No.2 had three terms of school, each taught by Eva Litchfield of South Hope. She is a thorough scholar and an excellent teacher, and the scholars who attended school made much progress.

District NO.3. Spring and winter terms taught by Miss Frank J. Taylor of Hope, a teacher who has successfully taught several terms of school in this town, and these were in no wise exceptions.
Fall term taught by Carrie E. Leadbetter of North Haven.
She is an excellent teacher, but failed somewhat in government.

District No. 4. Spring term taught by Annie Farrar of Lincolnville. She was not a satisfactory teacher. Fall and Winter terms taught by Mary Carleton of Hope, a successful teacher of much experience.

District No.5. Spring and Fall terms taught by Minnie Barrett, whom I regard as the teacher of the town. Progress entirely satisfactory. Winter term taught by J. P. Hobbs, who is a teacher of much experience and who did his best for the school.

District No. 6 had but two terms. The Spring term was taught by Mrs. Arvilla Thorndike of Searsmont. She has taught many terms of school and usually with success. Winter term taught by Wm. H. Hall, of Damariscotta. That was his third Winter in this district. The fact speaks for itself.

District No.7 had three terms, all taught by Miss Gertrude Martin of South Hope. She fully sustained her reputation, which is that of an excellent teacher.

SCHOOL BOOKS.
Beside the sixty dollars worth or books owned by the town, I have on hand fifteen dollars worth, which I have paid for myself, making books now on hand, to the value of seventy five dollars; all of which are in my possession. To meet the requirements of the new law, I introduced Blaisdell's "Our Bodies and How we live," which is proving satisfactory.
During the Fall term in district NO.5, I completed the change for Bank's arithmetic, and after one year's trial I am satisfied that the change in arithmetic was very beneficial. I think that a change in reading books is desirable the coming year.
The general condition of the schools during the year compares favorably with the past. Some schools have been favored with excellent teachers, and have attained a higher state of excellence than heretofore. All but five of the nineteen terms of school have been taught by residents of this town, and those belonging in town have been the better teachers. It seems poor policy to go out of town after teachers and run the risk of getting poor ones, when we have those in town whom we know to be good teachers.
The common school is the corner stone, the foundation of a free and independent government. There is no interest which has more reasons for enlisting our sympathies than that of common schools. This institution is the only hope of a large majority of the youth of our land; there, and there only can they receive that mental and moral culture, and acquire those rudiments of knowledge, which prepare them for an honorable discharge of the duties of American citizens.

I would call your attention to one more point, which to me seems important. Parents ought to make more effort to visit their schools and see what their scholars are doing. The school room is always open to receive you, and the scholars will take more interest in their studies if they see their parents show an interest in the school. Those schools where parents are most interested generally make the greatest improvements in learning and cause the least trouble to teachers.
Parents should not be too ready to lend a credulous ear to every sort of rumor in regard to the teacher, nor to receive everything without question, even if it comes from their children.
Teachers may be in fault like all other people, but unless the fault is one of a grave character, it is better to bear with it than to break up a school, or to take such a course in regard to it as will tend to discourage the teacher, increase his difficulties, and destroy his usefulness.

HOW TO HAVE LONGER AND BETTER SCHOOLS.-Abolish all the present school districts. Erect at Hope Corner, and at South Hope, a house suitable for graded schools. Pay all scholars who live more than one mile from the said schoolhouses, the amount allowed by law for his transportation, or provide suitable teams to carry the scholars living in the districts too
remote to walk, to and from said graded schools. Provide in each new house a fall term of "Free High School" (one-half of which expense will be paid by the State.) In this way you can save the expense of three teachers each term, and the cost of warming three cold schoolhouses in winter. You can have four good graded schools which will be a blessing to the scholars, and an honor to this town.

Having been three times elected to this office, and being a firm believer in the principles of rotation in office, I am not a candidate for re-election.

D. H. MANSFIELD, Supervisor of Schools.

Hope, March I, 1887.