nies of emigrants from other States are crossing our borders in quest of schools. In some instances, a kind of travelling broker or pedlar from another State, comes amongst us, traversing the country to find vacancies, and hire out unknown schoolmasters. Hence, not only increased difficulty, but increased danger, in making selections, unless the school committees are wary and circumspect, and exercise great judgment in their choice.

In the whole community, there is doubtless, a sufficient number of individuals whom nature has endowed with the high qualifications necessary to a school teacher. So much of opportunity for preparation, and so much of encouragement in the way of social consideration and emolument, should be proffered to this class, that they will be naturally attracted to a calling so intrinsically honorable. But this can hardly be expected while the condition and sentiments of society open so many other and more direct avenues to eminence and fortune. Hence the places of those whom nature has more especially pre-adapted to this sacred work, are occupied by others,-in some instances, by those whom neither nature nor art has tended to prepare for the service.

SCHOOL REGISTERS.

I wish to call the attention of the Board, for a moment, to the subject of School Registers. So far as I know, there is now no difference of opinion in regard to the expediency of having registers kept in all our schools. Statistics, indispensable to a knowledge of the working of our school system, and to the removal of its defects, can in no other way be obtained. There remains, however, an important question, as to the mode in which the registers shall be provided, and transmitted to the schools. Heretofore, they have been prepared and sent out, in single sheets. This was necessary, at first, in order to facilitate modifications, should any be found necessary in practice. I would now suggest another form, at once cheaper and more useful. It is, the substitution of a book, which will last six, eight, or ten years, instead of sheets designed only for a single year. My reasons are the following: The book-form will be less expensive. It will be less liable to be lost, mislaid or mu

tilated; and hence much time, now spent by the committees, in hunting up the registers, which unfaithful teachers have. neglected to return, or in inquiring out facts, which a mutilated register fails to communicate, will be annually saved. A book belonging to each school, will exhibit its condition for a series of years; it will be a means of self-comparison from year to year, and thus form an unexceptionable stimulus to improvement. The want of a permanent register is already so much felt, that several towns are preparing blank books, designed to last several years, for their own use. I am not certain but that the law, as it now stands, would authorize the Board to make the proposed change. Should doubt exist on this point, it is very desirable that such a change should be made in the law, as would empower the Board to supersede a comparatively defective and expensive mode for one both better and cheaper.

USE OF THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Ever since I have been Secretary of the Board, the inquiry has occasionally been made of me,-perhaps oftener, however, by persons residing out of the State than in it,-to what extent the Bible is used in our schools. Having early ascertained that it was very generally used, I stated the fact, at that time, in one of my Reports to the Board. During the past summer, however, the inquiry has been renewed; and it has sometimes been made in such a way as to indicate an apprehension that this book of our fathers was gradually dropping from the hands of their children. Although I knew personally that its use had been extending ever since the existence of the Board, yet, to put the matter beyond question, I took measures to obtain authentic evidence as to the fact, in regard to every town in the Commonwealth. The result is as follows: Of the 308 towns in the State, the Bible is prescribed by the committees as one of the reading books to be used in the schools, in 258. In 38 towns, it is used, but whether as a devotional or as a reading book, the committees do not say. The committees of nine towns have not replied to my letter. In three towns, only, it is found that the Scriptures have not been, or not been generally,— used in the schools. The reason assigned by one committee

man, is the following: "The cause of their [the Scriptures] non-admission is, that they are not calculated for a school book. The style and phraseology are too difficult to be read, to constitute them a proper book to put into the hands of youth simply to teach them to read. The design of the volume is of a nature higher and holier. From an experience of eleven years of teaching, in my younger days, from the strictest observation and much reflection, this is my decided opinion." To show the character of individuals who sometimes get possession of our schools, I give the answer of another committee man, who says: "Objections have been raised against it, [the Testament,] by some teachers, on account of many of the verses not ending with a full stop"! The committee of one town gave no reason in regard to the past; but a declaration was made that the subject should be immediately attended to. From the general character of the towns not heard from, I have every reason to suppose that their practice conforms to the general usage of the State. Acknowledging, then, before heaven and earth, and with humility and contrition of spirit, that we fall greatly short of what we should be; yet I believe all attempts will prove unavailing to disparage the religious character of Massachusetts, as compared with the rest of Christendom, or to show that its institutions and its people are not as deeply imbued with the divine spirit of Christianity as those of any other community upon the face of the earth.

REMOVAL OF THE LEXINGTON NORMAL SCHOOL TO

WEST NEWTON.

During the year ending in the month of September last, the number of pupils at the Lexington Normal School, had so increased, that not more than one half of them could be comfortably accommodated in the building which they occupied. Measures for increasing the accommodations became indispensable to the prosperity of the school. Besides, for the use of the premises, limited and insufficient as they were, the Board was then paying an annual rent of $150. At that time it was ascertained that a large and commodious edifice in West Newton, which had been erected originally for an academy, and

which, including the value of the land, had cost $3000, could be purchased for $1500. But the building and grounds needed repair and improvement, and the Board, from its limited funds, could ill afford the necessary outlay. Irreparable injury threatened the school, when these facts, coming to the knowledge of the Hon. Josiah Quincy, Jr., he generously advanced the money for the purchase of the place at West Newton. He directed that a deed should be taken in my name, which, on the 7th day of August last, was accordingly done. Henceforth, the building is appropriated, free of rent, to the use of the Board of Education, for the accommodation of a Normal School, so long as such an institution shall be sustained by the State, on the broad principles of equality and justice, on which our school laws and school system are now founded. I hope Mr Quincy will pardon this public use of his name, against what I know to be his personal wishes; for, in so doing, I am but taking one from the long list of his private benefactions, to make use of it as a high and worthy, though,—as I trust,—not an inimitable example.

There are three or four topics having a most important bearing upon the welfare of our Common Schools, which the length of my former Reports has debarred me from considering. I now solicit for them the attention of the Board.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL MONEYS AMONG DISTRICTS.

This subject is intimately connected with that great doctrine of republican equality, which constitutes our principle, our boast and our hope.

With the exception, perhaps of a dozen towns, all the rest in the State, are divided geographically into school districts. Provision for the territorial sub-division of our towns was first made by the statute of 1789-the germ of which was in the Province Law, 8 Geo. 3. ch. 309. I consider this, beyond comparison, the most pernicious law ever passed in this Commonwealth, on the subject of schools. Other things being equal, or, making due allowance for inequality in other things, the schools are now invariably the best, in those towns, which

are not divided into districts, but in which the school system is administered by the town, in its corporate capacity. The reasons for this are obvious and numerous.

In cases where the schools are maintained by the town, in its corporate capacity, it is obvious that every section of the town would be treated substantially alike. No portion of the inhabitants would contribute, for any length of time, to pay for benefits from whose participation they were debarred. If only one good schoolhouse were erected within any part of the town's jurisdiction, all other parts would demand as good a house for themselves. Having contributed to the erection of a good house for the favored section, an equitable claim for one substantially as good, would vest in every other section. This would partake of the nature of a claim for remuneration or reimbursement; and it would be so obviously founded in justice, that no man regardful of his own interests could omit to make it, and no respectable man on whom it was made, could resist it. In such a case, therefore, not only all parental and patriotic motives, but even interested ones, would array themselves on the side of advancement. Under the present system, the erection of a new schoolhouse awaits the imperious call of necessity, or the slow action of duty in the public mind; and perhaps no call of necessity has ever been so loud and imperative as not to encounter opposition from more or less of the taxable inhabitants.

The same principles would come into full activity, in regard to the length of schools, and the competency of teachers. All would insist upon reform and become advocates for progress. Were the whole town responsible in its corporate capacity, for the whole of the schools within it, the inhabitants of no town would ever think of, the inhabitants of no section of any town would ever submit to, a school of only three or four months in a year, for one part, while other parts were enjoying a school for ten months, or for the whole year. No section would ever accept a teacher, hired for $10 a month, and perhaps dear at that, while others were favored with teachers richly worth $30 or $40 a month. Each section too, would demand an equal supervision from the school committee, and would make favoritism or predilection as dangerous as they are unjust. So of