That the law should require some instruction to be given in our schools with regard to the principles of republican government, and the Constitution and frame of government of our own State and country, and the ordinary civil duties of citizens, would seem to be a very self-evident proposition ;—and we do not care to add to the argument in the Report of the Secretary upon that subject. We need only say that we entirely approve of the request he makes for the necessary legislation.

Since the presentation of our last Report, the removal of Rev. Calvin Pease to another sphere of labor, and the recent decease of Hon. J. D. Bradley, have deprived us of the co-operation of two of the original members of this Board.

Eminently fitted by high intellectual culture and sound sense for the places they have so well filled, their removal is a very great misfortune to their associates and an irreparable loss to the cause of general education and to the Commonwealth.

Once more commending the cause of popular education to your thoughtful and fostering attention as inseparably connected with the highest interest of each citizen, and the general growth, prosperity and permanence of the State,

We remain, your obedient servants,

FREDERICK HOLBROOK,
LEVI UNDERWOOD,

T. P. REDFIELD,

HILAND HALL.

SECRETARY'S REPORT.

Vermont Board of Education,

SECRETARY'S OFFICE, September, A. D. 1862.

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By the law organizing the Board of Education, it is provided that the Secretary of the Board shall

Prepare and present to the Board of Education, on the first day of "their annual session, a report of his official doings for the preceding "year, and a statement of the condition of the common schools in the "State; of the expenditure of the school monies therein; and such sug"gestions for improving their organization and modes of instruction, "together with such other information in regard to systems of school in"struction in other States and Countries, as he shall deem proper."

To the Hon. Vermont Board of Education:

Pursuant to the direction of the law of the State, as quoted above, I now present the Sixth Annual Report of this department.

OFFICIAL DOINGS.

In the course of the current year, all the official duties required of the Secretary by the law, have been discharged in their due order. An Institute in each of the various Counties has been held, and of these, as has been customary, a particular account will be given elsewhere. All parts of the State have been visited, and the people invited to the discussion of the condition of Education in the State, and the special wants of the schools. Several meetings that had been notified were not held, because, subsequent to the notices, the roads became, on several occasions, entirely impassable from the unprecedented depth of the snow, and it was utterly impossible for me, by public or private conveyance, to reach the localities of the meetings referred to. These are the first meetings for educational purposes that have been notified by me, which I have failed to attend, on account of the weather, since the organization of the Board. The other ordinary duties of preparing and forwarding the Registers and Statistical schedules and receipts therefor have been performed as usual The correspondence of the department with school officials and teachers,

and the friends of education throughout the State, has not been quite as large as during the previous year, but has been quite extensive, and has from the beginning, been steadily increasing in importance. The conduct of the official correspondence is becoming continually a more and more laborious part of the official duties of the Secretary.

Nothing unusual, or beyond the ordinary requirements of my usual line of duties has presented itself, or has been attempted, and therefore, although the ordinary duties of the department have required for their faithful execution several months of labor, in holding the Institutes and Educational meetings, and as much more in the office work necessarily demanded, no longer or more particular record of my official doings seems desirable here.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

The first Institute, for the County of Grand Isie, was held at Alburgh, on the 14th and 15th days of November, A.D. 1861. The sessions of the Institute were held in the Academy, a new and convenient building, erected recently by the liberality of the citizens of the vicinity, kindly proffered for the occasion.

The weather was unfavorable, and the condition of the roads making the travelling unpleasant, the attendance from other towns was not large. But a very fair number of teachers, and a large proportion of the citizens of Alburgh were present.

Mr. Eldredge, the Principal of the Academy, was present, and exerted himself to promote the convenience of all present, and resolutions adopted at the close indicated strong interest in the general subject of Education, and approval of the Institute.

The second Institute was held in the Congregational Church in Cambridge, for the County of Lamoille, on the 19th and 20th of November, 1861. This County, from the beginning of the recent agitation in regard to education, has uniformly manifested a more than common interest in the subject. The Institutes here have always been well attended, and the present was no exception to the rule. Rev. Mr. Wheelock, the Superintendent of Cambridge, and Rev. Mr. Dougherty, the Superintendent of Johnson, both men whose intelligent interest in the welfare of the schools is well known, were present, and cordially co-operated in endeavoring to make the Institute both pleasant and useful.

The attendance, both of teachers and citizens, was large and regular, and all alike seemed gratified with the Institute; and satisfaction with what had been accomplished in this field of labor, as well as confident hope for the future, was generally expressed.

The third Institute was held in the County of Essex, at West Concord, on the 22nd and 23rd days of November, A.D. 1861.

The sessions of the Institute were held in the Universalist Church, which was well filled by the audience. A very large number of earnest practical teachers, together with very many of the citizens of the County

and vicinity were in constant attendance. Mr. King, the Superintendent of Lunenburgh, with Rev. Mr. Sewell, of the same place, came down with some seventy teachers and others, thus giving proofs of the importance of the schools in their estimation.

The earnestness and thoughtfulness of the large audience were noticeable, even in a County where the same characteristics have always been plainly visible. Essex County stands second to none in the State for the cordial and general encouragement which she has always shown to the Institutes.

The session of the fourth Institute began in the Town Hall in South Hardwick, for Caledonia County, on the 26th and 27th days of November, 1861.

The attendance, small at first, steadily increased to the end, and was finally quite large. Mr. A. J. Sanborn, the Principal of South Hardwick Academy, and an earnest and wide-awake teacher, discussed the subject of Geography, and as Superintendent of the town did all in his power to promote the success of the Institute and the comfort of its members.

More than ordinary success seemed to attend the session, and an increase of interest in the schools, as appears from my official correspondence, was among the good effects resulting from the session. Many of the influential and intelligent citizens of the County attended at various times, and signified their commendation of the method and management

of the Institute.

The fifth Institute began at Essex, in the County of Chittenden, on the 29th and 30th days of November, in the large room of the Chittenden County Institute.

Heretofore the Institutes, when held in this County, have attracted smaller audiences, and excited less interest than in any County of the State of the same size.

But at this Institute, the attendance, both of teachers and citizens, was unusually large, and the attention and interest manifested were very gratifying. Mr. Sanderson, Principal of the Institute, and Mr. Macomber, the Superintendent of Schools, exerted themselves zealously and efficiently in providing for the wants of all. This was probably the most successful Institute that I have ever held in the County.

The sixth Institute, for the County of Washington, began its session in the Town Hall in Barre, on the 17th and 18th days of December.

Rev. E. J. Carpenter, Superintendent of Barre, Mr. J. S. Spaulding, the Principal, and Mr. Thacher, the Assistant of the Barre Academy, were present and took part in the discussions and instruction of the Institute. And with a very fair attendance, and the hearty co-operation and assistance of many experienced practical teachers and friends of education, a very good degree of success attended the session.

The seventh Institute was held at Swanton, for the County of Franklin, in the Hall of the Academy, on the 20th and 21st days of December, 1861.

The attendance was fair, although not as large as at Franklin in the preceding year, but this was partly attributable to an unfavorable state of the weather.

The Rev. J. B. Perry, the very efficient Superintendent of Swanton, and Rev. B. B. Newton, of St. Albans, took part in the exercises of the Institute, and a number of the practical teachers who were present participated in the discussions that were introduced.

The eighth Institute was held in the County of Orleans, at Derby, on the 25th and 26th days of December, 1862.

The Institute met in the Methodist Church, and as has always been the case in this County, was very largely attended. Orleans County, of late years, has been as distinguished for her large and liberal interest in all matters pertaining to education as for the rapid development of her material prosperity; and the multitude of her citizens, with the earnest attention and interest displayed at the Institute, were indications full of encouragement.

Rev. P. H. White, and Rev. Mr. Gray, of Coventry, and M. F. Varney, of Troy, and Mr. Camp, of Charleston, with many other excellent teachers, were present and took part in the exercises.

The ninth Institute was held in the Chapel of the Academy at Newbury, in the County of Orange, on the 27th and 28th days of May, A.D., 1862. During the session of the Institute the ordinary exercises of the Academy were suspended, and the pupils were permitted to attend the Institute.

Professors King, Smith and Quimby were present during most of the session, and the attendance of teachers, though small at first, uniformly increased to the close. Rev. A. G. Button, the Superintendent of the town, was indefatigable in his efforts to provide accommodation for all, and although the attendance of citizens was not large, the session proved both pleasant and useful.

Twenty teachers, from the town of Bradford, with Mr. Britton, the Superintendent, were present, and resolutions of approval, adopted at the close, indicated general satisfaction.

The tenth Institute was held in the large Congregational Church at White River Village, for the County of Windsor.

The attendance here of teachers, particularly, was very large-as large, if not larger, than ever before in this County.

Ample preparations had been made for the accommodation of all who might attend, and although many more than had been expected were present, all were provided for.

The subject of Arithmetic was discussed clearly and very effectively by Mr. Dana, Principal of the Windsor High School. Mr. Conant, Principal of the Randolph Academy, who has often before assisted in our Institutes, addressed the Institute in reference to Grammar.

The lectures and discussions were listened to with great apparent interest, and for large attendance as well as for thoughtful attention, the Windsor County Institute was quite remarkable.