SUPERVISOR'S REPORT.

As required by Statute Law, I hereby submit the following" report of the schools of this town for the year ending Feb. 29, 1888.

TEACHERS AND TEACHING.

District No. 1. There were three terms of school in this district, and Miss Florence Cole, who taught here last year, was engaged for the entire year, but after the spring term was well underway she was forced to give up for that term by reason of sickness, and Miss Effie C. Robbins of Appleton finished the term very successfully. Regaining her health, Miss Cole taught the remainder of the year, and proved herself to be a very good teacher.

District No.2 also had three terms of school. Spring term taught by Etta M. Hemenway, of Union, an energetic teacher of ability. Fall term under the instruction of Luetta Robinson of Casting. It is seldom that we see a teacher better qualified for her position than Miss Robinson. Winter term taught by W. B. Bowler of Hope. I visited the school at the opening, but receiving no notice of its close, did not visit it at the close, but presume the school made its usual progress.

District No. 3_ Two terms taught by Annie May Payson.
She labored under great difficulties, and did the best she could.
If the residents of this district would act more united the schools would be the better for it.

District NO.4, voted to have three terms of school, but the repairing of the school-house forced the postponement of the fall term, so the fall and winter terms were merged into one, and there were really but two terms of school. Miss Addie Bartlett of Union taught the school and she is "a good teacher" in every sense of the phrase. She gave entire satisfaction.

District NO.5, had three terms of school. At the opening of the spring term a notice was sent to me through the P. O.
but was not received, so I did not visit the school at all during the term; but I learn that Minnie Barrett began the school and owing to sickness left it, and Flora Wright finished the term. I had no knowledge that there was any school in the district until it was nearly closed, but knowing Miss Barrett to be a good teacher and Miss Wright an excellent scholar, I presume the school must have been successful. The fall term was begun and finished by Miss Barrett. The winter term taught by W.
H. Bartlett, was a successful one. The order was good, the scholars attentive and interested in their studies, and the teacher ready and willing to assist them.

District No.6. The spring term taught by Mrs. Avilla Thorndike of Searsmont was in every way a success. The winter term was under the instruction of Miss Lona Wentworth of Appleton. Through local causes trouble arose in the district and only a part of the scholars attended school. The interest and attendance grew less and less until but three scholars were at school the last week. The agent then employed Daniel Wentworth of Appleton, an excellent teacher, to teach the remainder of the school year. The local trouble continued, and at the present date, (Feb. 29, 1888,) all of the scholars are not attending school. (No record of this school appears in the table. )

District No.7 Spring and fall terms taught by Miss Lilla Ingraham of West Camden. Miss Ingraham is a hard working teacher of great ability, and the scholars improved very much under her tuition. Winter term taught by S. B. Overlock of Washington, a thorough scholar and teacher. The schoolhouse in this district is entirely unfit for the purpose, being unsafe, and dangerous to the life and health of the scholars.
No more schools should be held in this house until extensive repairs are made upon it.

SCHOOL BOOKS.

During the past year I have changed Kerl's Grammar, which has been in use over twenty years, for 'Veils' Grammar, and
Monroe's Readers for Swinton's Readers, both changes being made at the earnest solicitation of many of the teachers and scholars who have been connected with the schools during the past four years.

The change in grammars gives us a book equally as good as the old, and which will be furnished at just one-half the price of the old one. The change in readers, lessen the number of classes by two, and the new books are much more interesting to the scholars than the old ones.

Much depends upon the course pursued by parents in the education of their children. The best teachers can have but limited success unless he or she is sustained and has the co-operation of the parents. Parents should see to it that their children attend school regularly. Our schools are short, and if promptly attended, hardly suffice to fit our youth for life's great work. I wish all would take a deeper interest, and manifest a laudable ambition to improve our schools, that we, as a town may not be left far behind our neighboring towns in the march up the hill of science, but that we may compete with them;
that the rising generation may be prepared to fill responsible positions in society, and do honor to themselves, their parents and their native town. And I urge upon parents again, the great obligation they are under to their families, the community and their creator, to do all in their power for the education of our youth; for I may well say, in the language of another, that "our common school system is the balance wheel, by the movement of which our great moral and political interests are regulated. We cannot escape its influence. Our homes will be intelligent, happy and virtuous, or they will he the reverse:
our social position will be refined and elevated, or the reverse;
our national policy will be distinguished for sound measures, sterling patriotism and untarnished honor, or the reverse; as this educational system is carried out with well directed liberality and enlightened zeal, or is circumscribed by sordid cupidity and permitted to suffer from indifference and neglect." As education advances, crime and pauperism recede. Ignorance is the high road to vice and infamy.
A majority of our children receive the sum total of their education in our common schools, and must necessarily go out into the world single handed to fight the battle of life.
What more effectual weapon can be placed in their hands than :1 good education? To accomplish this desirable result, we must not stint the means to promote the interests of our town schools. Liberal appropriations must be made. Though burdened with taxation, we cannot safely retrench here. Money withheld from the schoolhouse may be spent at the almshouse.

CONCLUSION.

In making this report, as in the three preceding ones, I have endeavored to report the facts, as I have seen them, without prejudice or partiality, and I desire to thank all those to whom thanks are due, for their kind and generous support and assistance.

At the last annual election in that town, during my absence from town and against my wishes, I was elected to this office for the fourth time, and I wish to state positively, that on no condition will I accept it this year.
D. H. MANSFIELD,

Supervisor if Schools.

Hope, March 1st, 1888.