Report of Supervisor of Schools.

As required by law, I submit the following report of the schools of this town for the year ending March 1. 1890.

DISTRICT No. 1.

Spring term began May 6 and continued eight weeks under the instruction of Miss Lucy M, Cole, of Hope;
attendance and order good, Although this was her first
attempt at teaching I think the school was fully a success and Miss Cole is entitled to great credit and I hope she may be continued in the schools of this town.
Winter term began November 18, under the instruction of Miss Ada B. Young of Matinicus, Miss Young is a graduate of Farmington Normal School and beg-an under favorable circumstances. At the close of eleven weeks, so many of the pupils were out of school, sick, that the school closed one week sooner than intended and I did not visit it the second time.

DISTRICT No.2.
Mrs. Gertrude Payson began the Spring term, April 22, and taught ten weeks very successfully.
Beginning October 2~, the Winter term continued eight weeks, under the successful teacher, Delia Quinn of Hope.
The agent of this district was fortunate in securing the services of these teachers.

DISTRICT. No.3.
Spring term under the tuition of Millie Beverage of Camden, opened May 6, and continued eight weeks, This teacher was ambitious and energetic, and deserved success.
Winter term opened November 5, and continued ten weeks, with Mrs. Leila Wentworth, as teacher. She tried to the best of her ability to make the school interesting.
Both these teachers worked hard for the welfare of the school.
DISTRICT No.4.
Spring term began April 29. and continued ten weeks, A Winter term of ten weeks began October 4. Both



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terms were under the instruction of Mary Carleton of Hope.
a teacher of established reputation.

DISTRICT No. 5, This district had three terms. all under' the instruction of Miss May Bills of Hope. Miss Bill8 i8 an able and earnest teacher. and the terms were all successful.

DISTRICT No. 6.
Here Miss Alice Hewett of South Hope. taught three terms, all entirely successful. I believe that the school" here the past year have been the best for years. This district thoroughly rebuilt the schoolhouse la 8t Fall and now have a good, pleasant school room.

DISTRICT No.7,

This district also had three terms each under the instruction of a different teacher.
The Spring term began May 6. and was taught by Rita Denton of Union, an experienced and energetic teacher', Fall term by Mrs. Eva Taylor of South Hope. opened September 23, and continued eight weeks.
Very successful Winter term taught by D. H. Mansfield of Hope, I cannot conscientiously say that this teacher did as well as he might, or that the school was all that could be desired; although I believe the scholars made good progress.
At the last session of (he State legislature the following law was enacted:

"Towns shall provide school books for the use of the pupils in the public 8chools. at the expense of said town.
and all money raised and appropriated for that purpose,
shall be assessed like "their money." "School Committees shall make 8uch rules and regulations not repugnant to law, as they deem proper. for the distribution and preservation of school books and appliances furnished at the expense of the town."

While I am of the opinion that this law is decidedly y against the interest of the town, and will result in doing much damage to the scholar's, the town must raise money to purchase the required books.
After a careful estimate of the number of books needed I am of the opinion that the town will need not less than $340



with which to buy the books, if the town decides to furnish all the hooks used. This is the price that we must pay for hiring lawmakers, who do not study the subject upon which they legislate. I believe that this law is largely due to the utter incompetence of the present State Supervisor of Schools, and I hope the time will soon come when we shall have at the head of our schools a man who can tell a shark from a sucker.
In district No. 3 I recommend that only one term of school be held the coming year, as there are but few scholars, and nearly all of them can as well attend school in some of the other districts during the Summer months.
As a rule the agents of the several districts have made strong efforts to secure good teachers. An agent should employ his teachers soon attar being chosen, If he neglect,;
to do so, the best will be engaged, and no alternative remains but to employ such as are in pursuit of school,;.
The best instructors are not usually compelled to seek employment, as they are early secured. In times past some agents, desiring a long school, have fixed the wages of the teacher so low that no good teacher would engage and the agent has been compelled to accept the services of poor teachers, This ought not to be, It is better policy to pay good wages to good teachers than to have incompetent ones teach free of charge-e, It is not the long school that is beneficial, but the good one, the school which will advance the scholars most in their studies, and have the best influence upon their morals, Another evil which has wrought much harm in our schools, is that of irregular attendance. Time is lost, money wasted, teachers annoyed, and schools rendered greatly inefficient, if not utterly useless, by the constant coming and going allowed in many of our schools. The effect is injurious to the school at large, and almost ruinous to the scholar indulged. It is a fact, and the statement will be borne out by the experience of every practical teacher, that a scholar who is absent one day in a week loses one-half the advantages of the school. The practice, too, which some have of being tardy has a mischievous effect upon the schools, Parents should send their children to school, when possible, every day, and in season, and know that they go directly to school.
Before closing I wish to say a word to the incoming school


district agents. Engage your teacher within two weeks from the time you are elected, and if possible for the whole year. If within two weeks from your election, you do not find a satisfactory teacher, write to the "Principal E. S. Normal School, Castine, Me.," for a teacher. State the time when your school is to begin, length of the school, number of scholars, distance of boarding place from schoolhouse, and price you will pay, and you will be almost sure to secure a good teacher.
Upon my successor will fall, under the new law, the business of supplying the free text books to the pupils of the different schools. This will require a large outlay of time and patience and he will need to be a man of business ability.
Realizing the arduous task to be performed, I do not care for another re-election to this position. Neither do I desire another election to the other office which I have held for the past two years.

Hope, February 28, 1890.

D. H. MANSFIELD, Supervisor of Schools.