off in receipts of interest on school-land notes and school-land leases wrought a deficit which increased from year to year, until in 1895 a reduction in the per capita of school population occurred notwithstanding which that deficit at the end of the year was made $600,000. In this emergency the governor earnestly urged the raising of the school tax to 20 cents, the constitutional maximum. A bill to that effect passed the house almost unanimously, but, meeting with some opposition in the senate, by a compromise the tax was fixed at 18 cents. This being inadequate, further relief was granted at the session next ensuing.

Pressing as is the question of financial supplies-as much so as is that of their disbursements-the condition of these in the State is told with much plainness:

"The State raises the greater part of the school funds, but no provision has been made by which any State authority is empowered to take necessary steps to prevent the funds from being diverted from their legitimate use. The funds are simply sent out to county and city school treasurers to be expended by county and district and eity authorities, and the State reserves no right to see that the $3,000,000 of school funds raised by the State for school purposes are devoted to school purposes."

Here follows an account of the clumsy way in which reports are made and the circuits through which they are passed along the line of 225 organized counties and the 200 independent city and town districts.

"There is no subject," it is said, "of greater perplexity at the present moment than the simple inquiry, For what purposes may school funds be legally expended?" After giving summaries of school expenditures during the period of 1891-92 and that of 1895-96, the report says:

From the summaries it may be seen that the expenditures for all purposes other than teaching and supervision, excluding, however, amounts transferred, was for 1895-96 $166,175.58 less than for 1891-92, while the expenditures for teaching were $314,345.47 greater."

The report speaks of the glaring disregard of the commands of the constitution requiring six months of schooling, when county schools get a little over four, while city schools get nine, and it calls for a law forbidding county trustees and superintendents from employing any teacher for less than six and providing that the State school fund be entirely relieved of payment of salaries to trustees and superintendents. In existing conditions very many heads of families are actually forced from the country into the towns for the sake of obtaining what can not be had at their homes-the educational advantages to which they are entitled-a misfortune and a wrong which earnestly claim consideration and redress.

Regret is expressed for the necessary suspension of the department of pedagogy in the State University and that this institution, so full of excellent promise, should have to depend upon appropriations at each biennial session of the legislature for its support. The report appeals also for other normal schools for supplementing the incalculably great good now being done by Sam Houston Institute; also for enlargement and increase of endowment for the Prairie View Normal, which has proved such a blessing to the colored race. The question of free text-books is again urgently advocated.

UTAH.

Report for 1894 and 1895, Hon. John R. Park, superintendent of public instruction. Attention is called to the general good and constantly improving condition of the schools, particularly in the cities, claiming that they compare favorably with those in any of the older States, notably in Salt Lake City and Ogden. Those in rural districts also would rank with the majority elsewhere. Just attention has been given to school buildings that have been constructed after improved methods regarding ventilation, health, comfort, and taste. Even several of the poorer counties, such as Tooele, Sevier, Juab, and others, in these respects and in the grading of schools Lave done notably well.

Further legislation is needed in order to prescribe a course of study for the whole educational system.

Improvement is shown particularly in the increased percentage of attendance and diminution of that of truancy.

The report recommends the creation of a board of examiners for the State, whose examinations for teachers shall be uniform, superintendents without exception to adopt their examination questions. After successfully passing such examinations; teachers having had five years' experience should be allowed to receive from the board of examiners life certificates. It is further recommended that the law regarding certificates of normal graduates should be so changed as to relieve the latter from subjection to further examination, and that the law authorizing county Superintendents to issue warrants to the county treasurer be made more definite on account of the disregard in some instances paid to them.

While recommendation is made for the creation of a general fund for all school purposes, the report abstains from advocating increase of taxes which, if properly

handled, would be sufficient. Several suggestions on this head are offered and reasons given for their adoption. Among these is one requiring in exhibits rendered by this office separate items regarding statistics of "Mormon” and “non-Mormon." The superintendent says:

"I suggest that blank forms used for the purpose of obtaining information regarding schools and educational factors be so changed as to remove the abovequoted obnoxious words."

At the period beginning July 1, 1894, the number of non-Mormon children was 7,589; of Mormon, 47,338. Of all these, 46,495 attended the public schools, 2,224 private, and 6,188 no schools of any sort.

Extended tables are appended, giving detailed statements of all items pertaining to the school system in its operations in the several counties.

According to this report, education in the State, taking into consideration the peculiarly embarrassing condition in which society was found upon its admission into the Union, and the prudent, delicate care with which these required to be managed in order to conform to conditions elsewhere, has advanced with notable rapidity.

1896.

The first annual report, being that for the year ending June 30, 1896, is from the same superintendent, Hon. John R. Park.

Quite an extended discussion is made upon the subject of the law regarding the school fund, taxes for whose support are threefold: "A State tax, which is levied at a uniform rate upon all the taxable property in the State; a county tax, similarly levied upon the taxable property of the county, and a district tax, levied upon the taxable property in each district."

The report contends that the law is not sufficiently explicit regarding State and county funds; consequently there has been much confusion, in some instances producing direst violations of law and inflicting injury upon the districts where they have occurred in one and another item of educational interests. Under this obscure system a few of the counties receive from State and county funds more money than they paid to teachers, yet such misappropriation is not always ascertainable, because some districts pay mainly from the fund raised by local taxation, while others levy no such tax, or one inadequate for school needs. If the State and county fund were used legitimately and with uniformity, all the schools in the State, the report contends, could be maintained for ten months, paying our average salary of $33.35. Much is said also on the subject of the law regarding supervision, which it is contended is alike indefinite, both in the State superintendent and those of counties, who have little of control that has much of certitude. Trustees also, in many cases, knowing little of the law, which they have never taken pains to study, pay high salaries to incompetent and low salaries to competent teachers, and expend money in the purchase of apparatus and other things needlessly expensive. To avoid this in part the report recommends that all the districts of a county be consolidated into one board and be composed of persons competent in culture and experience to regulate all matters appertaining to the system. This substitution of county for district organization is argued at considerable length and with much earnestness.

The following is taken from the pages devoted to the teaching force in the State: "Of 1,047 teachers employed in the public schools of twenty-four counties and four cities during the school year 1895-96, 300 are normal school graduates, 38 are graduates of colleges, 145 are graduates of high schools, and 564 have not been graduated from any school giving instruction higher than that offered in the grades.

The average monthly salary paid to teachers in the public schools, outside of cities of the first and second class, is $44.78, and the average number of months the teacher is employed during the year is less than six-that is, the average yearly income is $224. These figures speak for themselves. It must be evident that such a pittance is not enough to induce men and women of superior ability to remain in the profession of teaching. Yet it often happens that there are more applicants than there are places, and often the successful candidate is not selected on account of his fitness, but because he is a resident of the district, town, or county in which he is employed. In many places the most intense feeling exists against employing foreigners, as those who come from a distance, even in the States, are styled. In view of these things and the frequent incapacity of trustees to make proper selections, it is recommended to abolish all the small districts and place all the schools of each county under the supervision of one board of education.

The Normal School is a part of the State University and has a large number of students, for whom there is constant, urgent demand as teachers. Connected with the university there is also a course of normal instruction in the collegiate classes. While the kindergarten is much. desired, the report considers that for the present it would not be advisable to make legislative provision for them as for common schools, as, however important in towns of as many as 10,000 inhabitants, they are not needed in rural districts, where already the burden of maintaining even common schools presses heavily.

VERMONT.

Report for 1895 and 1896, Hon. Mason S. Stone, State superintendent.

The report notes a great awakening of the people to school interests within the last few years. In 1894 the law of free text-books came into being, and along with them "free academic advantages to pupils resident in towns in which secondary schools are situated, recognition of college and secondary school graduates by exempting such from examination for teachers' certificates under certain conditions; State aid to summer schools for teachers." Only one more enactment seems to be needed, namely, "close expert supervision of the common schools."

Decrease in property valuation, a result of that in rural population, made burdensome school taxation, for the relief of which a 5 per cent tax law was enacted, the revenue of which was apportioned to the various towns to the number of legal schools maintained. It is claimed that in no other State can be found more prudent and benignant legislation toward maintaining the rural schools. The town system has become a fact, and is believed to secure comparative equality. The report says: "What the town system has done in Vermont in the solution of the rural school problem through the equalization of school advantages may be inferred in part by the discussion of transportation, small schools, schoolhouses, repairs, supplies, teachers, and free text-books."

The question of transportation is not yet in satisfactory solution on account of hesitancy in some communities in adopting it. It is suggested that the law, in that case, should be made mandatory.

Come diminution in the number of small schools has taken place, not as great as it should have been. It is contended that the State can better afford transportation in rural districts than allow such schools to be maintained. The three things that contribute to keep them small are such that increase is hardly probable. These are "the concentrating tendency of the people, diminution in the size of the New England family, and the completion of the common-school course at an earlier age than formerly."

The free text-book law has come into almost universal favor. Change in text-books every five years, a custom which has obtained during the last twenty-five years, has been followed by far less than the expense formerly incurred by it. Competition among publishers has enabled officials to purchase at satisfactory prices, and to obtain books as satisfactorily gotten up.

It is admitted that there is great need of a larger number of trained teachers, but this need is constantly diminishing. The report says:

"Teaching to-day is in a transition period, and is seeking a sound basis through a larger and better conception of educational principles. The change exhibits itself in the improved methods which have been readily accepted and applied.”

It is noteworthy that the number of teachers who remain longer than one term of school continues to show much increase.

An earnest appeal is made for a law creating expert school supervision. This, it is claimed, is the only thing needed to render the educational system all that its most thoughtful friends wish it to be.

Further arguments are adduced from eminent sources in other States. The system was tried as far back as 1888, but was soon afterwards repealed. It did not meet with popular favor, partly because of partial failure on account of extent of territory and partly because the expense was considered too great for the amount of benent accomplished. Yet it is contended that this benefit was far greater than was generally believed, and the restoration of the law, which the present system would render entirely practicable, is earnestly recommended. The subject is discussed at considerable length and in forcible terms.

In the average wages of teachers it is claimed that the State compares favorably with the others in New England. The manufacturing States, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, are considerably higher, owing to greater expense in living and density of population. Wages of women have increased, while those of men have remained about the same. On this head the report says:

"This is due not to a change in the school administration of the State, nor to the superior system of examination established, but rather to the multitude of occupa tions open to women to-day offering greater compensation with less responsibility and unkind criticism. They have become the competitors of men in many of the trades and professions."

The State makes advance in the means of preparing teachers better for the several branches of school work; but it is urged that this could be made much greater by additional legislative action. At present are the teachers' meetings, reading eireles, secondary schools, normal schools, institutes, and summer schools. Teachers' meetings in some cominunities where the superintendents are thoroughly compe

tent, do well, in others not. About four hundred teachers attended reading circles in 1895. In the matter of secondary schools, several of the high schools and academies availed themselves of opportunities extended by the law of 1895, whereby graduates of approved secondary schools who had received as many as thirty weeks' instruction in teaching may receive certificate of teaching without examination. Very much good has come forth in the operation of this law.

Reports are made of the three normal schools, at Castleton, Randolph, and John801. We quote from the extended observations made concerning them the following:

"As nearly 90 per cent of the schools of Vermont are ungraded schools, the true function of the normal school is to train and equip teachers for the country ungraded schools. But the normal schools fail in the attainment of the object for which they were established unless they send out graduates better equipped than the graduates of the secondary schools. The chief aim should be to teach teachers how to teach rather than to teach subject matter to teachers-the one makes them professional schools, the other makes them common schools. The normal schools can never reach their highest degree of influence, power, and popularity until the State assumes absolute coi trol and support. The schools can not well exist unless there be adequate State aid; and if the State furnishes the revenue of support, then ought it to have unrestricted management of the schools."

WASHINGTON.

Report for 1893 and 1894, Hon. C. W. Bean, superintendent of public instruction.

The report consists in great part of recommendations of changes in the school law, and of elaborate, thoughtful argumentation in their behalf. Among these is one for dispensing with the board of county examiners having less than 30 school districts and that the work done by them be assigned to county superintendents. Others are regarding teachers' examinations for certificates, record books for school districts, the empowering school district boards to employ teachers for terms of two years, and devoting a portion of the school fund to the purchase of free text-books, for reference and general school libraries, for a specified minimum per capita of school fund, for arrangement of courses of study in all schools from the primary to the university, etc.

The State University is represented to be advancing with great rapidity. The legislature two years back removed charges for tuition, since when enrollment has risen from 140 to 468. The Agricultural College and School of Science also is doing well. The General Government endowed the former with 90,000 acres of land, and the latter with 100,000, the value of which, although less than half has been selected and approved, is rated at over a million dollars.

The report regards normal schools as the most important item in the whole educational machinery, and the question is argued at much length, and appeal made for the speedy creation of at least three of such institutions, and the abolishment of the normal appendage to the university, where, it is contended, it has no rightful place. The school at Vancouver for defective youth is in good hands and doing much of the good that was expected from it. The records show that there are not far below 200 in the State, about 100 of whom are in this institution. It is recommended, for several reasons given, that it be entirely separate from that for the deaf and blind. Good account is rendered of the State Reform School under the direction of Professor Westerndorf.

The three sources from which school revenues are derived are the permanent State school fund, taxes levied by county commissioners, and those special, levied by boards of school districts. The apportionment of these funds is a subject of frequent discussions among the people generally. These are given in the report, which contends that it should be based upon average daily attendance, which in that case would be greatly increased.

1895-96.

The report for 1895 and 1896 is from the same superintendent, C. W. Bean, esq. The number of school children in average daily attendance increased about 5,000, number of schoolhouses being now over 1,800, though there has been some decrease in the value of school property.

Among the recommendations and changes in the school law are to make the district the unit for taxation, to make a prescribed minimum rate in district taxation, to levy a tax to reduce district inequalities, to require every district by local taxation to provide its own school buildings, and purchase its own text-books out of the list chosen by the board of education, who contend with publishers about uniform prices; requiring higher educational qualifications in superintendents, abolish

county examining boards in counties with less than thirty teachers, and prohibit creation of new districts containing less than some specified number of pupils.

There has been some increase in average school duration and a slight decrease in teachers' wages. Upon the whole, during the last two years as much retrenchment was made as was possible in avoiding infliction of too great injury, although the report considers the reduction of teachers as a misfortune.

It is claimed that the State University is being brought in touch with the various preparatory schools. To the State Agricultural College have been added a school of pharmacy, one of dairying, and one of farming. Extremely popular is the winter course for farmers and fruit growers, when lectures are attended by more than 200. The two normal schools at Ellensburg and Cheney are earnestly recommended for more liberal support by the State.

As far as practicable, a course of study for ungraded schools has obtained.

An extended, earnest argument in favor of free text-books is made by the superintendent, citing many States that have adopted it and found it a great benefit; another yet more elaborate on the many various means that have been devised for the raising of school revenues. The subject is admitted to have many difficulties in its striving toward accurate, satisfactory solution.

WEST VIRGINIA.

Report for 1895 and 1896, Hon. Virgil A. Lewis, State superintendent.

It is claimed that in providing for free schools the greater portion of the State's revenue is devoted to this end. After a minute tabulation of statistics of the two years, showing increases and decreases in the various items, attention is called to what are termed "units of school administration," of which there are two "minor," that is, "two units of school government, and upon the administration in these depends almost entirely the success of the State's educational work." The first is the "magisterial district." Says the report:

"In it the administration of all school law is in the hands of a board of education elected by the people, and a board of trustees in each subdistrict, appointed by the board of education. The powers and duties of each are defined by the general school law of the State. These magisterial districts owe their existence to the provisions of the general State law. By the provisions of section 1 of Article VII of the first constitution it was declared every county shall be divided into not less than three nor more than ten townships, laid off compactly as practicable with reference to natural boundaries.' In compliance with this constitutional provision the legislature passed an act on the 31st day of July, 1863, containing a schedule in which were named prominent men in each county whose duty it was made to divide the several counties as required by the constitution. By an act of the legislature December 10, 1863, these townships were declared to be school districts," etc. This provision was incorporated into the present constitution founded in 1872. The superintendent urges that the schools under this provision be made graded by

the board of education.

The second unit is named "The independent school district;" these, not being under the provision of general law, are under those of special statutes, and are controlled by a board of education, who act also as trustees. The superintendent insists that in each of these independent school districts should be established a high or graded school with a complete course of study, and claim that when these recommendations are adopted the foundation of the State's educational work will be complete.

This is followed by an extended account of State certificates and the State board of education, a circular of information for school officials, publishers of schoolbooks and their prices, and general reports of free schools with various programmes of daily exercises.

Attention is called to the resolutions of the West Virginia Educational Association in favor of a "uniform course of instruction for the first two years of all high chools throughout the State subject to extension by the several boards of education." The preamble reads thus:

Whereas there is need of unifying the educational forces of the State so as to bring about harmony between the courses of study of the common schools, the Taded schools, the high schools, the normal schools, and admission to the academic courses of the university: Therefore, resolved,” etc., and hope is expressed that the legislature will pass a bill in pursuance of these ideas.

Cordial acknowledgments are rendered for the aid received from the Peabody fund, which was expended in compliance with the terms of bestowment, which were limited to the training of teachers; that is, to the normal schools and teachers' institutes.

ED 97-86