for it; and it is one in which he thinks ladies would excel, and much more appropriate for them than "soiling their fingers with the ballot." "It may be sad that they can undertake this supervision now if they choose. Certainly, but to very little purpose. One must have the sanction of authority; one must wear the robe of office." Upon the failure of these means to secure a good attendance, he would have “ 'legal snasion" resorted to, since if it be the duty of the State to educate its children, it is its duty to see that the facilities furnished are not neglected.

ACADAMIES AND NORMAL SCHOOLS, AND TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

There are thirty-six academies in the State and two normal schools.

The State normal school at Johnson reports 150 pupils during the year 1868-ladies, 108; gentlemen, 42. Of these 14 graduated, 12 ladies and 2 gentlemen. The number assisted with funds of the State was 78.

The Randolph Normal School contained 255 pupils during the year 1868, of whom 30 were aided by the State, $292 having been expended. The number of graduates during the year is 30-first course, 26; second course, 4.

Teachers' institutes were held in twelve counties during the year. They were well organized and well sustained, and their good results were quite apparent in arousing a new interest in education among the people at large, as well as in affording an important means of culture to teachers, of which, however, they cannot always avail themselves, owing to the small salaries they receive.

As early as the year 1825 the general assembly of Vermont established a school fund from the avails accrued, and thereafter to accrue, from the State Bank aml other sources. It was provided that said funds, with annually accruing interest, should be invested in approved bank stocks or other productive securities, and should only be appropriated to the use of schools when the amount should have increased to a sum whose annual interest should be adequate to defray the expenses of keeping a good, free, common school in each district in the State for the period of two months annually. When this fund had remained at interest eight years it was borrowed by the State, and appropriated to meet State expenses. Eight years after it was borrowed, when it had reached the sum of $235,000, as the easiest way of discharging the obligation the State repudiated the debt. This infamy rests with the Vermont State legislature of 1845, of perverting from its legitimate use a fund sacredly set apart for the benefit of the common schools by the preceding generation. It was like a man, grown rich and prosperous, filching from his own children's children a sum which his father, with much selfdenial, had left, and sacredly set apart for their education.

Still, without any fund, an ample sum is appropriated for the education of every child in the State, were not 40 per cent. of the expenditure rendered inoperative by the failure of that proportion of the children to improve the advantages furnished.

DISTRICT SYSTEM.

An enumeration of some of the prominent obstacles in the way of the efficiency of the schools embraces fifteen different items, ten of which, at least, if not more, are evidently owing to the prevalence of the district system of supervision instead of the town system, and such is recognized to be the fact. Among these obstacles are insufficient supervision, constant change of supervision, poorly qualified teachers, constant change of teachers, employment of favorites without regard to qualification, too small schools, too short terms, and cheap teachers in small districts, and no schools at all in many districts. About 1,600 of the 3,000 schools in the State have an average attendance of less than 15 pupils. Of these, 800 average less than 10, and some less than 5, pupils. It is thought the number of schools should be reduced one-third, district lines abolished, and superior schools organized by towns, at a saving of $100,000, or $50,000 annually. Emigration westward has so reduced the population that districts which twenty years ago furnished 30 or 40 pupils have now less than one-fourth that number.

"Under the present system the educational interests of the town are in the keeping of from thirty to one hundred officials, consisting of prudential committee, district clerks, town clerk, and the superintendent;" the average number of school officers for cach town from 50 to 60, (estimating three prudential committees to each district,) making the whole number of school officers in the State something more than 12.000, or one school officer for every seven school children. As might be supposed, with such an army of supervisors, very little supervising is accomplished, and that of a comparatively inferior quality, since what is everybody's business is universally regarded as nobody's business. "Six men, competent for the duties of the school department of the town, would be infinitely more efficient than fifty, even if it were possible to secure fifty men as competent as the six."

A district is reported by one of the town superintendents which for ten years has not paid a cent of district tax for support of schools, thus compelling the minority, who desire educational advantages, to do without schools for their children. The law

attempts to provide a remedy in such cases, but fails. Such a state of affairs could not exist if the town were obliged to support the schools.

The district system stands in the way of the introduction of graded schools. In many of the larger towns they have been established, and a similar result might be obtained in many of the villages, but for the old district lines. "They are held in a sort of reverence." Mr. Rankin remarks: "I don't know but the people somehow connect them with that passage of Holy Writ which pronounces maledictions upon those who remove ancient landmarks. It would be about as easy to remove the equator as to disturb one of these ancient lines. Vermonters seem to hate everything which savors of innovation. But we must not forget that innovation is often a serious foe to progress. The people will be slow to move in this direction. It is the duty of the legislature to step in and take the responsibility, if it can be seen to be a measure which should be secured."

COST OF EDUCATION.

It costs New York five times as much for tobacco as for education; and four times as much to support her criminal courts as to educate her children.

REMARKS ON ATTENDANCE.

The city of New York enrolls 222,000 school children, yet the average attendance is less than 92,000. About two-thirds of those nominally in attendance are absent from their schools. In Philadelphia 20,000 children neither attend school nor are engaged in any useful employment.

Every man's right ends where another's begins, and much more does the individual right end when the right of the many begins. And every individual has a right to demand of the state that every child shall be educated.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

Every argument that can be urged in favor of professional associations of any kind can be urged in favor of educational associations. What the clergyman and the physician get at their county associations; what the lawyer gets by contact with his professional brethren at court, the teacher gets at these gatherings. The professional spirit, the esprit du corps, is quickened. Teachers come to feel that they belong to a profession which is recognized, and which, in its importance and dignity, ranks with the other learned professions; a laudable ambition is wakened, and they go away stimulated to renewed efforts to make themselves worthy of a calling which has enrolled among its members so many of the worthiest and most gifted men of all ages.

The young teacher enters upon the duties of his office full of faith in himself. Compared with the standard with which he has had opportunity to measure himself, he feels competent. He has not yet learned what is meant by education. He has been taught to believe it to be simply the acquisition of knowledge. He needs to be taught that the mind cannot live upon facts alone. He comes hither a school-master with narrow views, he may be sent away an educator. He will learn that teaching is an art, and that there are broad and scientific principles upon which it rests.

List of school officers.

Hon. J. H. FRENCH, LL. D., secretary board of education, Montpelier.

VIRGINIA.

Virginia has just established a system of free public schools, which has not yet had time to go into operation, and of course no facts can be given in regard to it, except those immediately connected with the adoption of this measure, which may go to show the results that may be expected from it.

In March, 1870, the superintendent of public instruction, Hon. W. H. Ruffner, in his report to the general assembly of the State, gave his views in regard to the system of schools desirable for the State, which he styled an "outline plan of public instruetion," containing the leading features of a permanent system, with "a provisional plan for the gradual introduction of the free-school system into the State of Virginia," the latter to be superseded in July, 1871. He, however, purposely avoiding the introduction of unsettled questions, remarks:

"The undeniable fact of the steady growth of the public free-school system among the civilized nations for the last century creates a presumption in its favor. It flourishes under various forms of government, and when once tried is never abandoned, but, on the contrary, is cherished and perfected more and more. It is observed also that its popularity is not chiefly among the ignorant and moneyless, but among the more intelligent property-holders, and often among those who have the largest taxes to pay. This popularity is not to be accounted for by the growth of the republican form of government; for the system existed on this continent a hundred years before there was a republic, and at this time it is flourishing among the monarchies of Europe. And would it be seen existing in a perfection unknown on this continent, and vitalizing the energies of a mighty, consolidated empire, behold the kingdom of Prussia! As a mere matter of fact, the public free-school system is as clearly established as an element in the world's progress as any other of the great developments of modern enterprise. "Those who have studied the history of pauperism in Southern Europe and in England tell us that the bulk of it comes from the neglected freedmen of the Roman empire and of the feudal barons. Now behold the result in the lazzaroni of the Mediterranean states and in the cloud of paupers in England! In the latter the education of the ruling classes has given national prosperity, but in England every eighth man is a pauper; and whilst she will spend but little for the education of the common people on the free system, she is (or was not long ago) compelled to spend thirty millions a year for the subsistence of her paupers, and a great deal more to punish them for their crimes. The statistics of her prisons show that 95 per cent. of crime is committed by persons unable to read or write, and also that not one criminal in two hundred has what may be called an education. And such is the testimony of prisons everywhere as to the intimate relations between ignorance, pauperism, and crime. "When, on the other hand, we turn to those European nations which have established public free schools, there is a far better state of things in these particulars. Such is the case in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, and most of the German states. There they have common schools, and there pauperism is almost unknown; and the testimonies go to show that in proportion as the people are educated they are free from crime and improved in thrift and good morals. Similar results aro claimed in those States of our own prosperous and powerful country where the system has been thoroughly tried, and claimed with the greatest confidence in those States where the system has been longest tried. The outlay is great, but the income is far greater. Nothing is so costly as crime aud ignorant, thriftless labor. Nothing makes public order so difficult, reputation so insecure, property so precarious, government in every department so costly and unstable, as ignorance and vice. Now, for these evils there is within the power of Government no remedy so cheap and effectual as common schools, which bring men from darkness into the light. And in these times, when every place and privilege belong to every man, there is no estimating the stake wo have in this matter. Universal suffrage simply necessitates universal education.

"The more positive views of the subject are equally forcible, but they cannot here be pursued. I will sum up the whole of what might be said on the subject in one brief but pregnant sentence. The world's progress is the outgrowth of educated miud, and, in material things, the larger share of it has come from the practical classes. Now, a great interest like this, so essential to the prosperity of a State, cannot be safely left to private enterprise or to the laws of trade. The law of supply and demand has no application in the matter of popular, elementary education, because, in point of fact, the demand for the means of education is in inverse ratio to the supply; in other words, the less the supply the less is the demand; and as for the efficiency of private enterprise in promoting the education of the masses, it is too irregular in its action, too costly in its methods, and too inadequate in its means. Private enterprise never did, and never can, educate a whole people; and the public progress demands that the flow of education should be as universal, steady, and uninterrupted as the flow of gas and water for the use of a city.

"Moreover, the free-school system is equally recommended by its comparative cheapness. And this is so from the same causes which render a public system of law more

economical than private justice could possibly be, and which render all large and wholesale operations more susceptible of an economical arrangement than smaller. It is quite within bounds to assert that the whole people of Virginia may be educated by the free system for what it now costs to educate less than one-half of her population. In support of this position I shall hereafter produce the facts and figures.

"It should also be remarked that public free schools are not only cheaper than private schools, but, as a rule, they are better, and for these reasons, to wit: Every teacher is proved by examination to be competent, the pay is sure and prompt, the schools are organized and conducted by the best methods, the school-houses are more comfortable and better provided with school apparatus, and over all is uniform system and intelligent supervision."

Referring to the past policy of the State, he says:

"As for the principle involved, the State has practically settled that long ago, not only by the well-directed support given to her higher institutions, but by contributing to the education of indigent Children, and by authorizing counties to tax themselves for free schools, which many of them have done. She has never before accepted the State system of public free schools, but there have always been many of her first citizens who have been advocates of it. Mr. Jefferson drew out a complete scheme on the State basis."

In urging his plan upon the attention of the legislature, he closes with the following argument:

"One other vital consideration presses this matter upon our attention at this critical time. Immigration will avoid a State which has not a good free-school system in operation. Mechanics and farmers, in choosing a home, will always be largely influenced by the educational facilities of a country. Mechanics know that they had better take low wages, farmers know that they had better pay higher prices for land, where there are public schools, than where they would have to depend on the costly, troublesome, and uncertain mode of hunting up means of education by private effort. This con£ideration will influence also rich capitalists, just as much as men of smaller means. If capitalists buy lands, establish factories, open mines, or build railroads, their success is dependent upon attracting laborers, small producers and large patronage. Almost every other State in the Union is ahead of us in this matter."

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE LAND GRANT.

The governor, in his message of March 8, 1870, without dwelling upon the necessity for a public free-school system for the State, closes as follows:

"There is one more subject, not germane to the one discussed in this paper, to which I desire to call your attention. The general assembly, by an act passed December 15, 1865, authorized the appointment by the governor of an agent of the State to sell certain lands donated to the State by act of Congress approved July 2, 1862, (and accepted by the State by an act passed February 5, 1864,) for the purpose of establishing schools or colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts. I am not aware of any action whatever by the executive of the State under this law. Under the law of Congress the State will receive scrip or warrants for at least 300,000 acres of land, and I am informed that the same will be issued at any time, on the application of the proper authorities of the State. I have deferred action in the matter until the views and wishes of your honorable bodies could be obtained. An application for the appropriation of the fund arising from the sale of these lands has already been made by the University of Virginia in a very able memorial. Similar applications may be made by other colleges in the State. I would suggest, as a subject worthy of the serious and profound consideration of t'e general assembly, the propriety and feasibility of dividing this fund-appropriating one portion of it to that one of our colleges which, in your judgment, you may designate, and the other portion to a college or high school devoted exclusively to the education of our colored people. No such institution now exists in the State. All, I presume, recognize the importance and necessity of establishing one, and that, too, at the earliest day practicable. In the present impoverished condition of the State it will be difficult, if not impossible, to appropriate any considerable sum from the State treasury for this purpose, but a beginning can and ought to be made. It can be done by an appropriation of a portion of the fund above mentioned, and a reasonable amount from the State treasury. By authorizing the trustees or board of visitors, or the State board of education, to receive and apply to its support and management donations and bequests, it is more than probable that in a few years the institution would become well endowed and independent of State aid. It is quite probable that Congress might be induced to make an additional appropriation of lands for the establishment and support of such an institution. Like other colleges, before matriculation, students should be required to pass a satisfactory examination in certain prescribed preparatory studies. Such requireiments would, of course, limit the number of students at first to a small number, owing to the backward state of education among the colored people, but there would be a constant increase from year to year. The benefits to these people and to the State,

which would flow from the successful establishment of a college of this character, are incalculable. I have not now the time, and it is not my purpose to amplify them, nor is it necessary. They are self-evident. I am an earnest advocate of universal and free education. If the death knell to American liberty is ever sounded, ignorance will pull the bell-cord. The colored people of our State are equally, with the white, clothed with the elective franchise. In order that they may intelligently exercise that right, the opportunity for education should, and under our constitution must, be afforded them. This cannot, however, be accomplished by any system of mixed schools. Each race must be provided for separately. I have in years past, and under the most favorable circumstances, witnessed a fair and impartial trial of the experiment, and it proved an utter failure. The true interests of the colored people themselves demand that they should be provided with separate schools. While they are entitled, under our constitution, to an equal participation in the benefits of a free common school system, I would extend to them inducements and incentives to advancement in mental and moral development, by the establishment of a college or university as above suggested, wherein shall be taught all the higher branches of useful knowledge. But it was my purpose merely to call the attention of the general assembly to the subject of providing for the sale of the lands donated by Congress, and the proper disposition of the proceeds thereof, without entering upon any extended discussion of the subject of education."

SCHOOL SYSTEM.

The legislature, at its last session, passed an act "to establish and maintain a uniform system of public free schools," the principal features of which are as follows:

ADMINISTRATION.

The system is to be administered by a board of education, a State superintendent of public instruction, county superintendents, and district trustees.

The board of education consists of the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, and the attorney general, having all the rights and powers heretofore vested in the board of the "literary fund."

The duties of the board of education are to have a supervision of the operation of the free-school system and suggest to the general assembly any improvements deemed advisable; to take charge of the funds derived from the existing literary fund; appoint and remove district school trustees until otherwise provided; appoint and remove county superintendents, subject to confirmation by the senate; and have charge of all matters relating to the practical administration of the system not otherwise provided for; make an annual report to the legislature, and punish county superintendents for neglect of duty, or for any official misconduct, by reasonable fines, to be deducted from their pay, by suspension from office for a time, and by removal, subject to the confirmation of their action by the senate.

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

is to be elected by the general assembly, by joint ballot, within thirty days after the meeting of 1873-74, and every four years thereafter; any vacancy arising in the office to be filled by the governor, the commission to expire thirty days after the next meeting of the legislature. The salary is to be fixed by the legislature. The duties of the superintendent are to see the school laws faithfully executed, and to promote as much as practicable a desire of education among the people; to interpret the school laws and explain to subordinate officers the duties devolving upon them. He is to visit the schools throughout the State as much as is consistent with other duties; he decides appeals from decisions of county superintendents, and annually prepares a scheme for apportioning the money appropriated by the State among the counties and cities, on the basis of the number of children between five and twenty-one years of age; and on or before the 1st day of October, annually, he must make a detailed report of his official proceedings to the board of education.

THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS

are appointed for three years, their salaries to be determined by the board of education. Their duties include, besides a general supervision of the schools as in other States, the examination and licensing of teachers in accordance with directions from the State superintendent. They are also to decide appeals or complaints cencerning any persons connected with the school system within their jurisdiction in certain cases; to administer oaths and take testimony in all matters relating to public schools when required by the State superintendent; and to make a report annually to that officer in the form prescribed by him, as well as special reports when called upon.