Framingham State University - Dial Yearbook (Framingham, MA)

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12 , But her good heart must have recovered its wonted beat when, after the school had been visited by two gentlemen, she wrote, The scholars have behaved very well, with the very underlined. The records are absorbing from page to page. They are written for the most part, in the fine hand which obtained in those days, and for the greater part of the superintendent. We find quite frequently a record made by Mother Peirce, and, occasionally, one made in the bold masculine hand of Father Peirce. Space forbids the copying of much from the rec- ords. Under July 24th, note the date, are found many items of interest. It says-- 0wing.to the unpleasantness of the weather several scholars were absent. School visited by Mr. Tillinghast, teacher of mathe- matics in the Normal School at Barre. Afternoon session closed at two o'clock that the teachers might have an opportunity to attend the ex- amination of the district school taught by Miss Stodder. As far as can be determined, school was in session on Saturday, and six days in the week: at least for the first year. And school was in session for the year until August 7th. Under date of Sept. I4, i840 we read, W-lihis day a new term commences. In one entry made by Father Peirce in which he gives an account of the examination of the Model School, the kind of an examination the older people can remember, he closes with this remark- The Normalites at- tended. Almost the last entry in this book was made by Father Peirce at the opening of the fall term, Sept. I4, l84l . It is as follows: School opened at l-4 of 9 A. M. Present 29 pupils. After re- ligious exercises, made some remarks to the pupils appropriate to the com- mencement of a term. Spent the remainder of the forenoon assigning les- sons and hearing recitations. P. M. school came together at l-2 past l. Attended to writing and reading. But there was a Training in the neigh- borhood and the children were indulged with an early dismission. Order and recitation of qualified character, much like what' is common at the be- ginning of a new term. C. Peirce. H. W. P YQ. Aix 7' ig-A gb' A V 61 fi Q 721, ' 551

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11 Records of the Original Model School THERE are certain books in the possession of the School which contain the records of the original Model School as it was called in the be- ginning. These books were presented to the School in IS94 by Nathaniel T. Allen who was principal of the Model School in l848, when the Nor- mal School was at West Newton. On the very first pages of book No. I, is found a record of attendance. This record was opened May 4, l84O. At the top of the page are headings as follows: Time of Entranceg Names: Lessons: Absent, Late, Conduct: Re- marks: Time of Leaving. No record is here made of the ages of pupils. This record of attendance was carried out for two years in this book, l840-l84l. There were enrolled the first term twenty-seven pupils. We wonder if this record is the beginning of the modern school regis- ter. Sometimes, one thinks, as he hears the teacher of today complaining of bad boys, that all bad, indolent, lazy boys came tumbling along into this generation: and to hear the industrialists talk, one must believe that the manual training that the old-time boys got at home on the farm or other- wise, cured them all of all idle and vicious tendencies. But when we read against a boy's name indolent, but sometimes interested and quite capa- ble, of another Idle boy and cares nothing about learning, and of still another, Very inattentive to what is told him -our faith is shaken, and we are led to believe. that human nature is the same in all generations. The evident custom was, in the management of the Model School, to have a superintendent with assistants, for the records open as follows:- The term commenced this day, May 4, l840, with twenty-seven pu- pils. The forenoon was occupied in examining several new scholars, making remarks, and assigning lessonsg afternoon as usual. The superintendent for this month is Miss L. A. Stowe, assistants Misses Spurrell, Rogers, Wood- man and' Pennell. This record is signed I-I. Peirce, Mother Peirce. I take down my Catalogue of Teachers and Alumnae, and find under the caption- The first class includes all who were honorably graduated previously to May 1841 -the following entry- Lydia A. Stowe, Dedham. En- tered July 8, 1839: left March 24, l84l .H lVlrs. Robert Adams, Fall River and the names of all the assistants to Miss Stowe may be found in the honored list of the immortal first class. While Miss Stowe was the superintendent, under the records of May 25, it is stated that the school was visited by the Hon. Horace Mann, and after it is found this rather pathetic entry, The children have not been as orderly as I wish. What live children ever were as orderly as I wish.

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13 X If X - vi ai-C'f,.' ' Podunk, District No. 11 T HE. Schoolma'am at Podunk, district No. I l, looked up from the book which she was reading. The clock pointed with relentless fingers to 8.30. Going out into the, hall, she took from a nail by the door, a well worn jacket and a black hat, whose roses were sadly drooping. It was not thus, when I was at Framingham, mused Miss Wade, with a half smile, quickly followed by a sigh, as she impaled upon a hat- pin the smallest and most drooping rose-bud. Outside two unkempt child- ren were quarreling over the possession of a top. She looked at them and thought wearily of their untidiness, their daily disputes and worst of all the distasteful food, which every day she was obliged to eat. Before long she was in the school-room, raking out the ashes of yes- terday and laying the fire anew. Scarcely had a feeble blaze arisen from the green logs, when the scholars came pouring, or rather tumbling in. They were of various ages and sizes, but resembled each other in the fact that all were of an equally frouzly and neglected appearance. Through the noise and confusion of the day, she guided stubby lingers and patiently explained to inattentive and noisy youngsters that 2-1-2:-1, not 6, or 5 but 4! At length the day was done. The pupils departed, without as much as a gruff goodnight. The last rays of the September sun, looking inquir- ingly through the broken window pane found Miss Wade, gazing about the school-room. Here was the stove, which had so persistently refused to burn properly, there also the rows of little marred seats and the cracked blackboards, with their sprawling childish letters. Her thoughts went back to a little town not many miles away, to her mother, and since there was no one to see, she buried her face among a pile of uncorrected papers and burst into tears. It could not have been more than a minute after-