Except for this page and the material on pages 4, 18, and 20 this is an exact reproduction by planograph of the first of Horace Mann's twelve famous annual reports. The publication and distribution of these reports had a profound effect on the progress of education thruout America and in other countries. They have long been out of print and copies are not available in most libraries which have been established during the last hundred years. The reproduction of the reports is particularly timely just now because of the crisis in education in the United States and the increasing interest in the subject which is developing in countries thruout the world. It is hoped that at least one additional report may be published in this way each year until all twelve are again available. This new edition of the First Annual Report has been made possible thru a cooperative arrangement between the Horace Mann League and the Hugh Birch-Horace Mann Fund of the National Education Association. Two copies will be supplied to each member of the Horace Mann League. The others will be retained for sale by the Hugh Birch-Horace Mann Fund. The officers of the Horace Mann League for 1947 are: President-General-JAMES B. EDMONSON, dean, School of Edu- Second Vicepresident-General-E. I. F. WILLIAMS, Department Treasurer-General-FLOYD T. GOODIER, director, Veterans Services, Illinois State Normal University, Normal, Illinois Secretary-General-JOY ELMER MORGAN, editor, NEA Journal, 1201 Sixteenth Street Northwest, Washington, D. C. June 1947 Commonwealth of Massachusetts. HON. MYRON Lawrence, President of the Senate. SIR,-Agreeably to the provisions of the Act of 20th April, 1837, I transmit herewith to the Legislature the First Annual Report of the Board of Education, together with the First Annual Report of the Secretary of the Board. FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The Board of Education, created by an act of the Legislature, approved 20th April, 1837, ask permission to submit their First Annual Report. The Board held its first meeting in the Council Chamber in Boston, on the 29th June, 1837. Authority hav-ing been given by the law creating the board to appoint a Secretary, the Honorable Horace Mann, late President of the Senate of the Commonwealth, was elected by ballot to that office. It being provided that the Secretary should receive a reasonable compensation for his services, not exceeding one thousand dollars per annum, it was unanimously agreed by the board, that this sum should be allowed as his salary; it being understood that he should devote himself exclusively to the duties of his office. On this subject the board will ask permission to make a few observations in the sequel of their report. The duties of the board as prescribed by the statute are, 1st, to prepare and lay before the Legislature in a printed form, on or before the second Wednesday in January, annually, an abstract of the school returns received by the secretary of the Commonwealth, and 2d, to make a detailed report to the Legislature of all their doings, with such observations as their experience and reflection may suggest, upon the condition and efficiency of our system of popular education, and the most practicable means of improving and extending it. The first duty has been discharged. The board at an early day confided to their Secretary the duty of preparing an abstract of the school returns. This abstract has been duly submitted to the Legislature, in a highly convenient form. The recapitulation at its close, supersedes the necessity of presenting in this place any summary of its contents. Imperfect as such a document must necessarily be, it comprises a great amount of valuable information. The board are of opinion, that, by such improvements as experience may suggest, it will be in their power, if authority be granted to them,-to render it still more instructive and useful. It is respectfully recommended, that power be granted to the board, by the Legislature, to direct such amendments in the mode and time of making the returns, and in the mode of keeping the school-register, as will more effectually answer the purposes for which the returns are directed to be made. It is made the duty of the Secretary, "under the direction of the board, to collect information of the actual condition and efficiency of the common schools and other means of popular education; and to diffuse as widely as possible, throughout every part of the Commonwealth, information of the most approved and successful methods of arranging the studies and conducting the education of the young." The limited powers conferred on the board left them scarce any discretion in the choice of the means, by which they could enable their secretary to discharge his duty as thus prescribed. It was necessary to depend al |