Prude Island, Education De REPORT. ON THE CONDITION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF RHODE ISLAND, Submitted Nov. 1, 1845. BY HENRY BARNARD, Commissioner of Public Schools. Published by order of the General Assembly. NEW YORK PROVIDENCE:. B. CRANSTON & CO. 1846. ΤΟ AN ACT PROVIDE FOR ASCERTAINING THE CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THIS STATE, AND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT AND BETTER MANAGEMENT THEREOF. Be it enacted by the General Assembly as follows: Section 1. The Governor of this State shall employ some suitable person as agent, for the purposes hereafter mentioned, at a reasonable compensation for his services. Sec. 2. The said agent shall visit and examine the respective Public Schools in this State; ascertain the length of time each district school is kept, and at what season of the year; the qualifications of the respective teachers of said schools-the mode of instruction therein,-collect information of the actual condition and efficiency of our Public Schools and other means of popular education; and diffuse as widely as possible among the people, a knowledge of the most approved and successful methods of arranging the studies and conducting the education of the young, to the end that the children of this State who depend upon common schools for instruction, may have the best education that those schools may be made to impart; and shall make a report to the Legislature, with such observations and reflections as experience may suggest, upon the condition and efficiency of our system of popular education, and the most practicable means of improving the same. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the preceptors of the public schools in the respective districts in this State, from time to time, to furnish said agent with all the information he may require, in order to enable him to carry out the provisions of this act. Passed October Session, 1843. HENRY BOWEN, Secretary. CIRCULAR TO THE PEOPLE OF RHODE ISLAND. In pursuance of An Act" to provide for ascertaining the condition of the Public Schools of this State, and for the improvement and better management thereof,” I have secured the services of HENRY BARNARD, who has had several years experience in the discharge of similar duties in a neighboring State, and has observed the working of various systems of public instruction in this country and in Europe. Mr. Barnard will enter immediately on the duties of his office. His great object will be to collect and disseminate in every practicable way information respecting existing defects and desirable improvements in the organization and administration of our school system, and to awaken, enlighten and elevate public sentiment, in relation to the whole subject of popular education. With this view, he will visit all parts of the State, and ascertain, by personal inspection, and inquiries of teachers, school committees, and others, the actual condition of the schools, with their vari ous and deeply interesting statistical details. He will meet, in every town, if practicable, such persons as are disposed to assemble together, for the purpose of stating facts, views and opinions, on the condition and improvement of the schools, and the more complete and thorough education of the people. He will invite oral and written communications from teachers, school committees, and all others interested in the subject, respecting their plans and suggestions for advancing the intellectual and moral improvement of the rising, and all future generations, in the State. The results of his labors and inquiries, will be communicated in a Report to the General Assembly. In the prosecution of labors so delicate, difficult and extensive, Mr. Barnard will need the sympathy and co-operation of every citizen of the State. With the most cordial approval of the object of the Legislature, and entire confidence in the ability, experience and zeal of the gentleman whom I have selected to carry it out, I commend both to the encouragement and aid of all who love the State, and would promote her true and durable good, however discordant their opinions may be on other subjects. Providence, Dec. 6, 1843. JAMES FENNER, REPORT. TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY : Before entering on the administration of the system of Public Schools as organized by an act which passed your honorable body in June, and which by the terms of the act takes effect on and after this date, I beg leave to submit a more detailed Report* than I have yet done of my proceedings under the act "to provide for ascertaining the condition of the Public Schools, and for the improvement and better management of the same," arranged under the following heads : I. MODE OF ASCERTAINING THE CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. II. MEASURES ADOPTED TO INTEREST AND INFORM THE PUBLIC MIND AND PREPARE THE WAY FOR A MORE COMPLETE AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM. III. DEFECTS IN THE LAWS RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS THEY WERE, WITH AN OUTLINE OF THE SYSTEM AS AT PRESENT ORGANIZED. IV. CONDITION of the public SCHOOLS, WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR IMPROVEMENT. V. OTHER MEANS OF POPULAR EDUCATION. I. In following out the general directions of the Act above cited, and of the Circular of his Excellency the Governor, commending the objects of my appointment to the co-operation of the people of the State, my first object was to ascertain the condition of the public schools, and the actual working of existing laws for their administration, as the only basis of any sound le * A portion of this Report was prepared several months since, but its publication was suspended, until it could be known whether the General Assembly at the October session would make any alteration in the Act respecting Public Schools, passed in June, 1845, upon the provisions of which many suggestions for the improvement of schools contained in this document are based. |