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the number of scholars which attend from given districts. The bill provides that the School Directors may send, and the proper Normal School shall receive, one student annually, alternately male and female, at a cost of not more than $5 each quarter, to be paid by the said School Directors. The students thus received are required to teach for the next three years after their graduation in the common school district which defrayed the cost of their instruction. The bill was not to take effect until four such schools as above indicated had been established.

Governor Pollock, in his message of January 6, 1858, says: "Large and enthusiastic meetings of the friends of education have been held in many of the districts, to promote the establishment of Normal Schools, as contemplated by the act; and liberal sums of money have been subscribed to secure this desirable object. A noble work has been commenced; and, sustained by individual enterprise and liberality, encouraged by the State, and vindicated by its own intrinsic merit, it must go on until State Normal Schools, in number and efficiency equal to the supply of well-trained teachers, shall become the just pride and boast of Pennsylvania."

ACADEMIES AND SEMINARIES.

The following list contains the names of such Academies, High Schools, and other Seminaries, as have been forwarded by County Superintendents. Although only about one half of the counties are represented, it is hoped that what is given will prove serviceable for reference.

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New Milford,

New Bethlehem,

New Milford Select School,

New Bethlehem Academy,

New Castle Graded School,. New Castle,
New Castle Sch. for Teachers, New Castle,

New Wilmington Graded Sch., New Wilmington, Lawrence,

Neillsburg Academy,

North Stonington School,

Venango,

North Stonington, Armstrong,

Oakland Female Institute, Norristown,
Pennsylvania Female College, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania Com. Institute,,
Pine Grove Academy,

Rev. Joseph Baldwin.

A. Dhu Cotton.

J. A. Neill.

Ray T. Spencer.

Montgomery, Rev. J. Grier Ralston.

Pine Grove,

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Joseph Townsend.
Joseph Kimball, B.A.

Buckwalter.

H. D. Walker.

Susquehanna, W. Faurot.

Clarion,

I. N. Hosey.

Lawrence,

M. Gantz.

Lawrence,

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PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF PHILADELPHIA.

The Public Schools of the City and County of Philadelphia are not subject to the general State law, and do not make returns to the State Superintendent. From the annual report of the Board of Controllers, who have charge of public instruction in this district, it appears that at the commencement of the year 1857 the whole number of schools reported was 304; namely, 1 High School, 1 Normal School, 55 Grammar Schools, 48 Secondaries, 156 Primaries, and 43 Unclassified Schools.

The whole number of teachers was 940, of whom 78 were males and 862 females.

The number of scholars belonging to the schools was 55,099, of whom 28,262 were boys and 26,837 girls.

The gross expenditures for instruction in the year 1856 was $456,089.14. The rate per pupil in the Grammar, Secondary, Primary, and Unclassified Schools was $6.75; in the Normal School, $ 26.78; and in the High School, $ 32.99.

Principal of the Central High School, John S. Hart, LL.D., salary $2,000. Principal of the Normal School, Philip A. Cregar, salary $1,500. The salary of masters of Grammar Schools is $ 1,200; of male teachers in Unclassified Schools, $500.

SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS.

THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, PHILADELPHIA.

The American Philosophical Society is the oldest in the United States. Previously to its formation, there had existed in the city of Philadelphia two small associations, whose object was the Advancement of Useful Knowledge. One was called "The American Philosophical Society," and was formed in 1742, and the other was called "The American Society for Promoting and Propagating Useful Knowledge, in Philadelphia," and was established in 1766. These two societies, January 2, 1769, were united by the name of "The American Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia, for Promoting Useful Knowledge." In 1771, it consisted of nearly 300 members. March 15, 1780, it was incorporated by the State Legislature. The first President of the Society was Dr. Franklin. David Rittenhouse, Thomas Jefferson, Caspar Wistar, Robert Patterson, and William Tilghman have since presided. Its Library contains about 30,000 volumes, many of them rare and costly, presented by foreign governments and learned societies. Mr. John Hyacinth de Magellan, of London, about forty years ago presented to the Society the sum of 200 guineas, as a permanent fund, the interest of which is to be disposed of in premiums, to be adjudged to the authors of the best discovery or most useful invention relating to Navigation, Astronomy, or Natural Philosophy. There is attached to the institution a handsome cabinet of minerals and fossils. It has also an extensive collection of manuscripts, charts, engravings, coins, medals, and some portraits of distinguished members.

The stated meetings are held on the evenings of the first and third Fridays of each month, except June, July, August, and September, in which months meetings are held only on the third Friday.

The Society publishes scientific communications under the title of "Transactions," of which sixteen quarto volumes have been issued, six of the old series and ten of the new. In 1838 the publication of the Society's "Proceedings commenced, in octavo form, and is still continued.

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The present officers are: Hon. John K. Kane, President. Robley Dunglison, M.D., Prof. John C. Cresson, and Isaac Lea, Esq., Vice-Presidents. Prof. Charles B. Trego, Prof. E. O. Kendall, F. Fraley, Esq., and John L. LeConte, M.D., Secretaries. Franklin Peale, Esq., M. Fisher Longstreth, M.D., and Elias Durand, Esq., Curators. Prof. Charles B. Trego, Treasurer.

THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.

This society was established on the 25th of January, 1812, and was incorporated in 1817. Its cabinet is the best in the United States. The collection of birds is said to be the largest in the world, containing over 25,000 specimens, many mounted in skins. The collection of eggs and nests of birds is also the most extensive ever made. The collections of mammalia, fishes, reptiles, crustacea, insects, and plants are superior to any others in this country.

The library is rich and valuable in all departments of Natural History. In Ornithology it is quite complete. The society occupies a new and splendid building on the corner of Broad and George Streets. The edifice is entirely fire-proof. It is well adapted to its purposes, but although at the time of its completion it was considered large enough to accommodate its collections for half a century, it is now crowded to excess. Notices of Public Libraries, by Prof. C. C. Jewett, 1851, pp. 123, 124.

OFFICERS FOR 1858.

President, George Ord. Vice-Presidents, Robert Bridges, M.D., Isaac Lea, LL.D. Corresponding Secretary, John L. LeConte, M.D. Recording Secretary, B. Howard Rand, M.D. Librarian, J. A. Meigs, M.D. Treasurer, George W. Carpenter. Curators, Joseph Leidy, M.D., William S. Vaux, Samuel Ashmead, John Cassin. Auditors, William S. Vaux, Samuel Ashmead, Robert Pearsall. Committee of Publication, William S. Vaux, Robert Bridges, M.D., Thomas B. Wilson, M.D., Isaac Lea, W. S. W. Ruschenberger, M.D.

THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE, OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE MECHANIC ARTS.

This society was organized in December, 1823, and incorporated March 30th, 1824. The objects of the Institute are "The Promotion and Encouragement of Manufactures, and the Mechanic and Useful Arts, by the establishment of popular lectures on the sciences connected with them, by the formation of a cabinet of models and minerals and a library, by offering premiums on all objects deemed worthy of encouragement, by examining all new inventions, and such other measures as may be judged expedient."

The above objects have all been carried out to a considerable extent. The Library, in the Hall of the Institute, now contains about 8,000 volumes of selected works, principally on the Arts and Sciences, together with about 50 newspapers from various sections of the country, and a large number of Mechanical and Scientific periodicals from Europe and our own country.

The cabinets of models and minerals are also well filled.

A drawing school was established in 1824, and has been regularly continued on three evenings in each week for twenty-four weeks during the winter season, for the instruction of apprentices and others. The pupils under 21 years of age are entitled to attend the lectures of the Institute without charge.

In 1824 the Institute held the first of their Exhibitions of American Manufactures, which have been continued yearly, with an occasional intermission when judged expedient by the Institute.

Popular lectures on the Arts and Sciences were commenced at the same time, and have spread with equal rapidity, and even to a greater extent. Regular courses on Mechanical and Scientific subjects are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings of each week for twenty weeks, commencing on the first Monday evening in November of each year. These lectures have been uninterruptedly continued since their commencement.

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