PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN BOSTON.

The system of public schools in Boston originated in a vote of the town, in 1642, by which "Brother Philemon Purmont was entreated to become school-master for the teaching and nurturing of children with us," and the first records of the town contain a sum voted for the "maintenance of a free school-master." By the Act of the General Court passed 1647, "to the end that learning should not be buried in the graves of our forefathers," every town having one hundred householders was required to maintain a "free grammar school; the master whereof being able to instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for the university." In that year the present Latin School was founded, but was known as the Grammar School till 1713, when it took the name of the South Latin School,-a new Grammar school having been established in that year, called the North Latin School, and now known as the Eliot school.

In 1684, a class of free schools called writing schools were founded, to teach children to "read and write." Of this class there were four in 1785. In 1789, the schools were remodeled. One (the North) of the Latin Schools were discontinued, and "reading schools" (now known as departments under the Grammar master) were established in separate departments from the "writing schools;" and the whole placed under the direction of a School Committee chosen annually by the town. Previous to this, the schools were under the inspection of the Selectmen, "and of such gentlemen of liberal education, together with the reverend ministers" as should be appointed for the purpose.

In 1812, a separate school for colored children was established, and called the Smith School.

In 1818, the School Committee were instructed by a vote of the town to appoint three persons from each ward, whose duty it was made collectively, to provide instruction for children between the ages of four and seven years, out of the sum of $5000, appropriated for the purpose for that year. This was the origin of the Primary Schools of Boston, and of this class of schools in this country. Previous to this date, no child could be sent to the Grammar schools, until he could read the English language. In 1821 the English High School for boys was begun, and its success was such, as to lead to the establishment in 1825 of the High School for girls. This last school was discontinued in a few years. Its place is in part supplied by allowing the girls to remain two years longer than the boys in the Grammar school. But the fact that near two-thirds of all the scholars in the private schools are females, shows that there is a deficiency in the system of public schools in reference to female education.

In 1828 ten schools, one in each primary district, were designated to receive children who were over seven years, and were not prepared for the Grammar schools.

In 1851. after repeated recommendations of the School Commitee, the City Council authorized that body to elect a Superintendent of Public Schools, whose duty it is made,—“ to study the school system, and the condition of the schools;" "to keep himself acquainted with the progess of instruction and discipline in other places. in order to suggest appropriate means for the advancement of Public Schools in this city;" to examine the schools semi-annually, and report to the Board respecting them;""to consult with the different bodies, who have control of the building and altering school-houses, and with all those through whom, either directly or indirectly, the school money is expended, that there may result more uniformity in their plans, and more economy in their expenditures." To this office Nathan Bishop, Esq., was elected in May, 1851, and has already signalized his administration by suggesting many practical improvements which have been adopted by the committee.

All of the Public Schools of the city are under the care and superintendence of a Board or Committee, consisting of the Mayor, the President of Common Council, and twenty-four other persons, annually elected, two for each ward."

The Board employs a Superintendent, to act under their control and direction, at a salary of twenty-five hundred dollars; a Primary School Committee, to take particular charge of the Primary Schools; a committee of five members on the Latin and English High School; a committee of three members on each Grammar School, and a committee on school-houses, also of three members. The teachers are elected annually by the Board, and their salaries are fixed for the year.

The system now (1854) embraces 196 Primary Schools, 22 Grammar Schools. 1 English High School, 1 Latin School, and 1 Normal School. The Primary Schools were instituted in 1818, and now include about 12,000 children, over 4 and under 8 years of age, under female teachers. In these schools, the alphabet, pronouncing and spelling words, numeration and combination of numbers, the stops and marks, mental arithmetic, and reading are attended to. The cost of these schools, in 1853, for the salaries of teachers, was $62.508.82, or $5.45 per scholar; for incidental expenses, $22 231.46, or $1.85 per scholar; or $7.30 per scholar, exclusive of expenditures for school-houses.

There are at present 22 Grammar Schools, (including three independent schools in the same building, and bearing the same name with other schools,) with 10,237 scholars. These schools are not at present organized on a uniform plan; but efforts are making to constitute each Grammar School of about 700 to 800 children, divided into twelve or thirteen equal divisions, of about sixty pupils each, and each division into four large classes. Each school is to be under the charge of one principal teacher, with a requsite number of assistants, one to each room. The course of instruction embraces the common branches of an English education. In these schools the boys remain until they are 15 years of age, or until they pass to the English, High, or Latin School. Girls can remain till they are seventeen. In 1852-3, the cost of the Grammar Schools, for salaries and teachers, was $130,531.18, or $12.63 per scholar; $35,849.82 for incidental expenses; or $3.47 per scholar; or $16.10 per scholar, exclusive of the expenditures on school-houses.

The English High School, was instituted in 1821, and receives pupils who can pass a strict examination in spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, modern geography, and the history of the United States. The course of study embraces three years, and the privilege of remaining one year longer. It embraces ancient geography, general history, algebra, book-keeping, rhetoric, moral philosophy, natural theology, evidences of Christianity, political economy, drawing, English language, and literature, French and Spanish languages, astronomy, higher mathematics, and their applications to surveying, engineering, &c.

The Latin School was instituted in 1635, and receives boys who have attained the age of ten years, and takes them through a course of studies occupying six years, preparatory to entering the most respectable college. It includes the English, as well as the Latin and Greek languages.

The Normal School was instituted in 1852, with the design of furnishing to those pupils who have passed through the usual course of study at the grammar schools for girls, and other girls' schools in the city, an opportunity of qualifying themselves in the best manner for the duties of teachers. Candidates must be over 16, and not more than 19 years of age. The school embraces two departments-one consisting of pupils preparing themselves to be teachers, and the other a model school, composed of children of the age and qualification of pupils in the fourth classes of the Grammar Schools. The course of study embraces two years.

PLANS AND DESCRIPTION OF A PRIMARY SCHOOL-HOUSE, BOSTON.

Three new Primary School-houses were erected in Boston, in 1847, under the direction of, and on plans furnished by, JOSEPH W. INGRAHAM, Esq., Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Primary School Board, and Chairman of their Committee on School-houses. Mr. Ingraham is also a member of the Massachusetts Board of Education. He has devoted himself assiduously, and without compensation, for upwards of twenty-five years, to the Primary Schools of Boston, and the cause of Education generally; and no one is better acquainted than he with what the wants and conveniences of both pupils and teachers require in edifices for this class of schools. The following very minute description and plans were kindly furnished, on application, by him. The plans are copied from those appended to his Address at the Dedication (March 27, 1848) of one of the School-houses, - that in Sheafe street. They will be found worthy the attention of all who are interested in school architecture. The distinguished Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, (Mr. Mann,) who was present at the dedication of this building, in his remarks at the subsequent dedication of another School-house in Boston, referred to this as "perfect of its kind," and said it "might well be called the model School-house of the State, and in Schoolhouses Massachusetts was a model for the world." The teachers in one of these buildings, after having occupied their rooms for five months, say they 'cannot imagine any improvement that can be made."

The City of Boston is so compact, and land is so very expensive, that it is difficult to procure sufficient space for playgrounds and other conveniences; but the Schoolhouses erected during the past year, (1847,) are better provided for, in this respect, than any others in the City.

There were three Schoolhouses erected during the year 1847, on plans devised and furnished by Mr. Ingraham, the Chairinan of the Primary School Committee on Schoolhouses. The general features of each are the same, differing only in consequence of the size and location of the lots on which they are erected.

These Schoolhouses are believed to possess greater conveniences, for the comfort and happiness of both teachers and scholars, than any others ever before constructed. In planning them, several objects were had in view. Among these, were,

The desire to allow to each scholar sufficient space, and have the rooms perfectly heated and ventilated, so that no one should suffer from want of room, or comfortable and pure air:

To have all the light in the Schoolrooms come in from one side, and that at the backs of the scholars, to prevent the detrimental effects of cross-lights, which are very injurious to the eyes of young children when in a forming state: To give suitable space, on the walls, for the display of maps, charts, pictures, &c., and provide sufficient recitation-rooms, closets, cabine's and other necessary conveniences:

To have a separate entrance for each school:

To so arrange the usual out-door conveniences, that the scholars should not have to go out of doors in stormy weather, or down stairs, to gain access to them, and at the same time, by removing them from the play-ground, to obviate the objections which have been made, by some teachers, to having both sexes in the play-ground at the same time, during the recesses:

INGRAHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL-HOUSE, BOSTON.

The Schoolhouse, to which the following description and plans more particularly refer, is situated in Sheafe street, at the north part of the City, and on the slope of Copp's Hill, famed in our Revolutionary history. It occupies a space of twenty-six by fifty-three feet, exclusive of the play-ground in front, between it and the street, which is sixteen by fifty-three feet. This front is hardly long enough. Sixty feet would have been much better. The main building is twenty-six by forty-four feet; and there are projections at each end, one on the west, four and a half by sixteen and a half feet, containing the privies, and one at the east end, three and a half by twenty-one and a half feet, in which is the passage from the lower schoolroom to the playground.

The building is three stories in height. Each story contains a Schoolroom, Recitation-rooms, Closets, Entries, and Privies, and is finished twelve feet high, in the clear. Each Schoolroom is lighted by four windows, which are all on one side. The first floor is set eighteen inches above the ground at the front of the building. The Cellar is finished seven and a half feet high, in the clear; and its floor is on a level with the surface of the ground at the back of the building, where is the entrance-door to the first story.

The Schoolrooms in the first and second stories are thirty feet in length, by twenty-two feet and four inches in width, and contain six hundred and seventy square feet of floor. That in the third story is thirty-two feet in length, by twenty-two feet and nine inches in breadth, and contains seven hundred and thirty square feet of floor. Thus allowing from ten to twelve or thirteen square feet of floor, and one hundred and fifty cubic feet of air, to each scholar.

The following diagram will show the arrangement of the ground-floor, with the Play-ground in front.

The following references will apply to the ground-plan of each of the three stories.

1, Entrance to First Story, by a door under the window W, the back part of the building being eight feet lower than the front.

2, 3, Entrance-doors to the Second and Third Stories.

A, A, A, Stairs to First Story, from the Entrance-door 1.

B, Blinds in Boys' Privies.

F, Fireplace or Furnace-flue, or Stove, when one is used instead of a Furnace. G, G, Entrance-gates to Second and Third Stories. The Iron Fence extends the whole length of the front on the street, broken only by these two gates.

R, R, Recitation-rooms, or spaces used for that purpose. In the first story, that on the right being the entrance-passage to the schoolroom, and that on the left, the passage to the Second Story.

S, S, S, S, Large Slates, measuring four by two and a half feet, affixed to the walls, instead of Blackboards.

T, T, T, Trees in Play-ground. That near the fence, is an old horse-chestnut tree. U, Umbrella stands. The place of those of the second story only are shown. In the other stories, they are also in the entrance-passages.

W, W, Windows.

a,

Stairs

to Second Story.

b, b, b, In second story, Entry, and place for Boys' Clothes-hooks, also used as a Recitation-room. In third story, place for Clothes-hooks.

c, In second story, Door into the Recitation-room where are the Sink and Girls' Clothes-hooks. In third story, Door into Recitation-room where is the Brush Closet and entrance to Girls' Privy.

d, d, d, In second story, Girls' Clothes-hooks.

e, Sinks.

f, Privy for Girls.

g, Privy for Boys.

h, Trough in ditto.

i, i, Space between the walls of the Privies and main building, for more perfect ventilation, and cutting off of any unpleasant odor. [This space is here too much contracted, on account of the want of room. It would be much better, if greatly increased.] k, Entrance-door to Schoolroom, through which, only, scholars are allowed to enter. In third story, the passage from the stairs to the Entrance-door is through the Recitation-room.

1, Teachers' Platforms, six feet wide and twelve feet long, raised seven inches from the floors.

m, Teachers' Tables.

n, Ventiduct. That for each room is in the centre of that room. These are better shown in the diagram representing the Ventilating arrangement, (p. 183.)

o, o, Closets, in the vacant spaces on the sides of the Ventiducts, in the First and Second Stories. In first story, they are on each side of the Ventiduct; in second story only on one side. In the third story, there are of course none. See the diagram of the Ventilating arrangement, (p. 183.)

PP, Ventiducts for other rooms. In plan of second story, p shows the position of the Ventiduet for first story. In third story plan, pp show the positions of those for both the lower stories.

9, 9, 9, Childrens' chairs, arranged in the second story. Their form is represented in another diagram, (p. 181.)

r, s, t, Hot-air Flues from the Furnace, Cold-air Flues if Stoves are used, and Smoke Flues. These will be better understood by a reference to the diagram explanatory of the Chimney Pier, (p. 182.)

u, u, Cabinets for Minerals, Shells, and other objects of Natural History or Curiosity. v, Door of Recitation-room. In first story, this door leads to the entry in which are the Sink, Brush-Closet, entrance to the Privies, and passage to Second Story. In second story, it leads to the Recitation-room where is the Teacher's Press-closet; and in the third story, to that in which are the Sink, entrance to the Privies, and Stairs to the Attic.

20, Teacher's Press-closet, fitted with shelves and brass clothes-hooks.

r, Closet for Brooms, Brushes, Coalhods, &c. That for the first story is under the Second-Story stairs.

a, a, a, Stairs to the Third Story.

b, b, Doors connecting First and Second, and Second and Third Stories.

f, Place for Fountain, in the centre of the Play-ground.

g, gg, Grass-plats, or Flower-beds.

p, Passage from the First-Story Schoolroom to the Play-ground.

The Plan of the second story, on the next page, is drawn on a larger scale, for greater convenience in showing all the arrangements. The references on this diagram are more copious and minute than on either of the others.