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The need for these requirements had been fully shown by the reports of Principal A. B. Watkins of Adams, School Commissioner A. B. Humphrey, and Mr. Fox Holden, of Ithaca, who had been employed by the committee upon the instruction of Common School teachers as agents of the Board to visit and inspect the teachers' classes under instruction during the Fall term of 1881. At the annual meeting of the Board in January, 1882, the results of these visitations were reported to the Board by the committee, and steps were taken to place the subject before the Legislature with a view to securing such legislation as should be deemed necessary. The subject was accordingly brought to the attention of the Legislature and the following law was passed (Laws of 1882, chapter 318):

SECTION 1. The appropriation provided by chapter four hundred and twenty-five of the laws of eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, for the instruction in Academies and Union Schools in the science and practice of Common School teaching, shall be deemed to include, and shall include, the due inspection and supervision of such instruction by the Regents of the University, and the expenses of such inspection and supervision for the present and each succeeding fiscal year shall be paid out of said appropriation on vouchers certified by the Regents of the University.

§ 2. Each class organized in any Academy or Union School under appointment by the Regents of the University, for instruction in the science and practice of Common School teaching, shall be subject to the visitation of the school commissioner of the district in which such Academy or Union School is situated; and it shall be the duty of said commissioner to advise and assist the principals of said Academies or Union Schools in the organization and management, and in the final examination of said classes, and after the close of the term of instruction of said classes to make to the Regents of the University, in the manner to be prescribed by them, a report in regard to the instruction of said classes, and the qualifications of the individual members thereof.

§ 3. Each scholar instructed for the full term provided by law, in a class organized for instruction in the science and practice of Common School teaching, who shall have passed the examination known and designated as the Regents' preliminary examination, in Arithmetic, English Grammar, Geography and Spelling, and who, in addition, shall have passed the final examination prescribed for such classes by the said Regents, including an examination in the History period than of late. In the summer of 1838 the writer attended a week's course of lectures, delivered in the Lowville Academy by an itinerant professor, well qualified for his business, and provided with apparatus quite as extensive as the average College of that day, and more costly than most Academies could afford to-day.

F. B. H.

of the United States, the Principles of Civil Government and the Methods of Teaching, shall be deemed to have sufficient learning to teach in the Common Schools of the State, and to each such scholar the Regents of the University shall grant a testimonial which, when indorsed by any school commissioner, shall constitute a certificate of qualification and a license to teach in the Common Schools of his district for a period of one year from the date of such indorsement; and at the expiration of the period named in said license, and at successive expirations thereafter, said certificate may be re-indorsed by any school commissioner, and at his discretion constituted a license to teach in the Common Schools of his district for a period not to exceed three years after each re-indorsement.

By this act provision is made for the supervision as well as for the instruction of the classes; each class is made subject to the visitation of the school commissioner in whose district it is situated; it is made the duty of the school commissioner to aid and advise the principal in the organization, management and final examination of the classes, and to make a report to the Regents in regard to the instruction of the classes and the qualifications of the individual members; and each scholar holding a Regents' preliminary certificate who completes the prescribed course of instruction and passes the final examination becomes entitled to a testimonial issued by the Regents, which becomes a license to teach in the Common Schools when indorsed by a school commissioner.

The changes made by this act tend to reach more satisfactory results in the organization of the classes, in a higher grade of scholarship upon the part of members of classes, in instruction in the methods of teaching, in the active co-operation of the school commissioners, and in the possession by each successful member of the classes of a testimonial which may become a license to teach in the Common Schools.

Under the provisions of this act the Board appointed Albert B. Watkins, Ph. D., of Adams, as inspector of teachers' classes who entered upon the duties of the position July 1, 1882. A pamphlet of instructions was at once prepared and issued, containing full information in regard to legislation concerning the teachers' classes; conditions upon which appointments are to be made to instruct teachers' classes; qualifications of candidates; organization and supervision of the classes; an outline of the course of instruction in methods of teaching and school economy; directions for conducting the final examinations of the classes; and information: in regard to the Regents' testimonial, and the payment for instruction.

The number of classes applied for and appointed for the Academic year 1882-83 was somewhat smaller than before in consequence of the increased requirements, but the results reached in these classes, as shown by the visitations of the inspector, the reports of the prin cipals and school commissioners, and the answer papers forwarded to the Regents' office as the result of the final examinations of classes, indicated great care in observing the directions of the Regents, a higher grade of preparation for the work, a better class of material in the classes, a much larger proportion of members who are bona fide teachers, or who intend to become such, a far greater amount of instruction upon methods and school economy, and hence a better qualified class of teachers than the teachers' classes have heretofore produced.

The number of classes instructed during the Academic year 1883-84 was seventeen greater than during the preceding year, showing the fact that the Academies and their officers are giving their hearty support to the effort made by the Regents to advance the standard of the work done in these classes. It is believed that in a comparatively brief time the united efforts of school commissioners, Academies and the Board of Regents will result in increasing not only the number of classes, but also the average number in each class, bringing the benefits of special instruction for teachers within the reach of more numerous localities and of a greater number of teachers, and thus furnishing to the Common Schools a larger number of efficient teachers, and to a much greater number of children competent in

struction.

Attendance in Teachers' Classes in Academies under the first Appointment until 1841, inclusive.'

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Under the increased number of Academies provided for in 1841 there was found difficulty in obtaining reports from some, owing

This table and the following are inserted by F. B. H., the general editor of this volume.

in part, it was suggested, to the more stringent regulations that were adopted,' and the numbers reported were less than those actually instructed. The results of attendance under this regulation and the names of the Academies included, are shown in the following table: Attendance in Academies appointed for the Instruction of Common School Teachers under the Regulations of 1841.

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The Academies above named were termed of the First Class, and were empowered to grant diplomas entitling the holder to teach a Common School. Another grade, termed those of the Second Class, were required to provide instruction to teachers under an act we shall presently notice, passed in 1838; but these were not allowed to grant these diplomas.

Statistics of Attendance and Expenditures - Teachers' Classes

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CHAPTER XXVII.

ACADEMIES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

The following list is intended to include the names of the several Academies that have been incorporated by the Regents and by the Legislature. In case of change of name, the obsolete names are generally introduced without more than a cross reference to the last or present name, where the principal data concerning them are given. In a few instances the names of unincorporated Academies are given, but these were generally in some way connected with those having a charter, either preceding or following them.

At all periods during the century there have been a large number of private Seminaries in the State, but with the exception of very recent years, we have no information concerning their number or attendance. In 1884 the number of pupils attending private schools was 119,952, or about ten per cent of the whole number under instruction.

The list of Principals has been compiled for the earlier years from the original reports. They were first printed in the Regents report of 1850, and from that time to the present these lists have been prepared from these reports. In giving titles the one last used has generally been added, but this is not to indicate that it was held by the person to whose name it is placed during the whole period of service. It is also to be remarked that the absence of a title does not indicate that the person had no literary or professional titles. In a few instances, by the aid of Academies and county histories, we have been able to present series of names with reasonable assurance that they are complete; but of far the greater number it cannot be claimed that a full list is given. The information is presented as the best that could be obtained, and as only approximately complete.

It must be remembered that the latest information available in preparing this list has been the Regent's Report, printed in 1884, but referring to the year ending in 1883. In the few cases where 1884 has been entered it is from recent information by correspondence; and whenever 1883 is entered opposite the name it does not imply that the services of the person named had ended in that year.

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