[The annual reports of the schools for the years 1835-6, 1837-8, 1838-9, which were read in town meeting, but never printed, have been published in the ‘Register’ of October. 1899.
The report for 1839-40 is not on file, but a special one made November, 1840, is among the papers in the office of the city clerk as well as the regular report for the year 1841-42, both of which are here given.—Ed.]
Your Committee in the discharge of their duty beg leave to offer this extra Report:—
To propose to the
Town some plan for the accommodation of the numerous scholars attending our public schools.—
With the exception of Miss Abbott's school at the west end of the town there is scarcely a seat in any of the
Public Schools unoccupied; while a large number of scholars are expected to come in as usual after Thanksgiving.
Your Committee have thought of two modes of overcoming this difficulty—1st.
to build a spacious school-house in the center of the
Town, and enlarge the one south of the river.—or—2nd.
to place the minimum age at which children maybe admitted to the public schools at five years instead of four.—The former course would be attended with a heavy expense, which the town at present is ill-prepared to meet: besides, were the
Town ready to incur the expense, the school-houses could not be prepared in season to accommodate the schools the coming winter: moreover, the
South school-house is so incommoded by the smoke and oil of a neighboring factory that it is doubtful in the opinion of your committee whether it ever
ought to be enlarged, or even retained as a school-house unless the nuisance can be removed.—Your Corn.
therefore, recommend the latter course.—It is a well-attested fact that many children are injured in body and mind by the
