Report of the Supervisor of Schools.

The average length of the terms ,of school in Hope the past year has been longer than usual. and three terms have been held in each district except in district number 3, in which there has been no school, owing to .the dearth of scholars. The following named teachers have. taught our schools for the past fiscal year:

DISTRICT No. 1.
Spring term taught by Eve M. Bowler, Fall term by Mrs. Lulia Wentworth, Winter term by Alice L. Cole.

DISTRICT No.2.
Spring term taught by Alice L. Cole, Fall and Winter by Winnifred Stevenson.

DISTRICT No, 4.
Sara. F. Ledbetter~, of Lincolnville, taught the school three terms.

DISTRICT No.5.
Spring and Fall terms taught by Annie M. Payson, Winter term by Alice W. Knight, of Searsmont.

DISTRICT No: 6.
Spring term taught by Amy Barnes, Fall term by Alice \V. Knight, Winter term by W. H. Bartlett.

DISTRICT No.7.
Spring term taught by Rena Martin, Fall term by Alice L. Cole, Winter term by D. H. Mansfield.

SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS.
I have expended the $100 raised at the last annual meeting for that purpose, in additional books, and the following statement shows where the books are:
(See the original report for the data)

The balance of the books are 10 my possession, ready to be turned over to my successor.
The "Free text-book law" has been in force nearly two years, and the more I see of its workings, the more I am impressed with the belief that it entails upon the school officers useless burdens, that it is a source of continual annoyance to teacher and scholar, that it is detrimental to the whole school, and that it is damaging in effect upon the scholars.

As a whole, The schools have been prosperous the past year; the average attendance has been good, and there has been very little sickness among the scholars; yet I feel that there is much chance for improvement. Several of our schools are small and the amount of money in each district is so small that the agents do not always feel warranted in employing the best teachers on account of wages. This idea is wrong, for the best is the cheapest. Six weeks of good school is better than ten of ordinary school. Too much care cannot be exercised in selecting teachers. They should be engaged early, while there are plenty of good ones to be had. Apparently many of the parents are indifferent to the efforts of the teachers. Parents, have you seen that your children were present at the school-room every day of the term, and punctually on time? Have you tried to impress upon their minds that their only business in school is study, and so interested yourself in their progress that they shall feel its importance? Have you visited your schools and given the teachers your cordial support and sympathy in their labors? Unless you have discharged YOU1' duties in these respects, do not join in the denunciations by some so freely heaped upon teachers, whose successes have not been all that might be desired, For nearly eight years I have held the position of supervisor of schools and it is now time for a change, and I take this opportunity to relay to the citizens of this town, that "you must elect some one else to this position," and desire also to



15

say the same in regard to the office of selectman. I shall not consider it a friendly act to suggest my name in connection with either office, at the coming election.
In conclusion I would add, in the language of another, "As you prize your own happiness and the happiness of your children,-as you love your country and your inheritance, the institutions transmitted from your fathers, and would have them perpetuated to your children,-cherish carefully our system of public schools, to which we are more indebted than to anything else. It is the secret of our general intelligence and pre-eminence, the glory of our country, the bulwark of our liberties, and the guaranty of our future prosperity. We cannot value it too highly, we cannot sustain it too faithfully."

D. H. MANSFIELD, Supervisor of Schools.

February 29, 1892.