season, and partly to the want of rooms sufficiently large to accommodate the children. This latter difficulty is now being rapidly removed. Mr. William H. O'Grady, who succeeded Col. Nevins as superintendent in Oct. 1853, in his report of the ninth quarter, ending February 1st, 1854, gave the number of scholars to be 1453, while the number of children in the city of suitable ages for the schools had increased to more than 3000. At the close of the tenth quarter, May 1st, 1854, there were in actual attendance, 1574 scholars, of whom 901 were boys, and 673 girls, an increase of 120 over the last quarter.

In September, 1852, the superintendent selected and procured to be reserved by the commissioners of the funded debt, from auction sale of city property, the following school sites, which, November 4th following, were set apart by an ordinance of the common council for school purposes; viz., 100-vara lots, Nos. 128, corner of Market and Fifth streets; 174, corner of Harrison and Fourth streets; 258, corner of Harris and Folsom streets; and 50-vara lots Nos. 301, corner of Bush and Stockton streets; 345, corner of California and Mason streets; 462, corner of Kearny and Filbert streets; 663, corner of Taylor and Vallejo streets; 695, corner of Francisco and Stockton streets; and 732, corner of Harrison and Fremont streets.

On school lot No. 301 a fine two-story brick building, capable of seating three hundred and thirty pupils, has been erected at a cost of $21,000, and was formally dedicated, June 12th, 1854. This school was heretofore held in the house on Bush street between Montgomery and Sansome streets, and is, in fact, the continuance of the old Happy Valley School, which was made a part of the public school system in 1851, and of which Mr. Denman was the first and is yet the teacher. The foundation of a new and large school-house, capable of accommodating six hundred children, has been laid on Telegraph Hill, in the 4th district. Another has been commenced at the corner of Stockton and Francisco streets, on lot No. 695, in the 5th district; and it is intended to erect one on Rincon Point in the 1st district, one in the 3d district, and probably a second one in the 2d district midway between the Rincon and the school just completed. Ere long there will be no lack of well constructed and well situated buildings

for the children to meet in, and then a much larger attendance may be expected. Squatters on lots Nos. 663 and 301 have occasioned much trouble and perplexity, and it is probable that school sites for the other buildings will have to be purchased, owing to these incumbrances on the property originally granted by the city.

Besides the seven public schools, there are in San Francisco, twenty-seven private schools, with an attendance of 947 pupils, of whom 404 are boys, and 543 girls, and who are under the direction of 44 teachers. The aggregate number of schools in the city is now 34; the whole number of teachers 62, 20 being male, and 42 female; and the total number of scholars, 1305 boys and 1216 girls, or in all 2521, about seventy per cent. of all the children over four years of age in the place. In five of these schools, the ancient and modern languages, higher mathematics, philosophy, etc., are taught. One of these was started three years ago by Mr. Prevaux, as the San Francisco Academy, with but two pupils, and now numbers sixty, and is called the English and Classical High School. In May, 1854, the friends of the school dedicated a new building, erected on the site of the old one, in Powell street, south of Jackson, which was the first substantial structure built in this city expressly for educational purposes. Mr. F. E. Prevaux, A. M., Prof. A. J. Segueria, Mrs. I. H. Purkitt, Miss H. R. Barlow, Miss S. L. Larkin, and Miss W. E. Stowe are its teachers.

In February, 1853, the board of education, at the superintendent's suggestion, adopted a resolution requesting the common council to provide for raising the sum of $100,000, by loan, to purchase additional school lots and erect and furnish the requisite number of convenient and substantial school-houses. Both boards passed the resolution in September following, and issued proposals for effecting the loan. The superintendent and board of education have at various times within the last two years, suggested to the common council the necessity of establishing a Central High School, with a Female Seminary department, for advanced pupils of either sex, and an asylum or House of Refuge for the vagrant boys that prowl about the streets. No legislative action has yet been taken; but it is probable that the grow

ing importance of the measure will soon secure the necessary movements of the council.

The floating character of the population has hitherto much embarrassed the public-school enterprise. But few pupils are now in attendance who belonged to the schools a year ago. Some have returned to their eastern homes; others have removed to the interior; and not a few have been sent abroad to complete their educations, for want of the high school or collegiate department here. Those who have steadily attended, have made rapid and commendable improvement. Their teachers are proficient, liberal, benevolent, zealous and indefatigable in the discharge of their duties. The climate is the most salubrious in the world, and well adapted for the highest mental exertion and proficiency. The school-bell now echoes through the streets of the busy city, and the astonished stranger meets groups of bright and smiling faces merrily trudging to their daily tasks, and ere long may listen to learned professors expounding to classes of intelligent students, art, literature and science as completely and perfectly as can be heard in the most time-honored institutions of the world.

WE have gazed so long on the moral turpitude of the San Franciscans, that both eye and mind would turn away pained if they could dwell on no more pleasant sights. It would be a sad necessity to have to think that so much of exalted intellect, unexampled energy, and toilsome industry, had labored only to furnish the pabulum for voluptuous and unbridled passion; sadder that our country's fair fame should be marred by nourishing in the midst of her sister cities one so favored in beauty, and honored in rank, yet whose white bosom was crimsoned with crime. Happily, the long record of vice and immorality (the black pages of our diary) has a bright and noble counterpart, like the gold-dust among the muddy atoms of our own river-beds, that redeems our character from wholesale condemnation. Hitherto we have said but little concerning religious

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enterprises or observances in this portion of the country since the missions of the Jesuits, which had gradually, and almost entirely, been neglected and discontinued, so that when the place subsequently became of note, there was little of good left to restrain those evil inclinations that spring up, a plentiful crop, wheresoever the god of wealth scatters his golden seed. Later still, when the adventurous flocked to the shrine of that deity, few could be expected among them who would tarry to listen to the teachings of a plainer and poorer master. Very early in its history, however, there were men in the community whose sterling worth and upright examples combatted the dangerous allurements surrounding them; and ever since, the field has been filled with honest laborers in the good cause, who now are gladly reaping what they sowed with the sweat of their brows.

In October, 1848, Rev. T. Dwight Hunt, who until the summer previous had been in the service of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, arrived in San Francisco from the Sandwich Islands, and was the first Protestant clergyman in California. The town had then an almost unenviable notoriety for wickedness, and its reputation at the Islands was such that any attempt at reforming it was deemed wild and foolish. Mr. Hunt was, however, welcomed with a cordiality that proved that all who dwelt on American soil had not forgotten, or lost sight of American institutions. Three days after his arrival, he was formally invited by the prominent citizens of the place, of every religious persuasion, to reside among them, and act as chaplain of the town for one year, dating from November 1st, 1848. A salary of $2500 was voted at the public meeting as compensation for such services, and was all promptly subscribed, and paid in quarterly instalments. Thus, at the very outset of religious enterprise on this coast was exhibited that generous liberality that has ever been a characteristic of its people. Mr. Hunt entered at once on his labors. The schoolhouse on the plaza was appropriated by the town as the place of public worship, and services were at once held in it at 11 o'clock, A. M., and 7, P. M., of every Sabbath. The attendance at both hours was such on the very first meeting as afforded the most ample encouragement. Soon the accommodations were alto