schools that year, 142,334, or more than three fourths of the whole number. The number of children, by a later report, is 201,263. The average time in which schools were maintained was 5.6 months; and the average time of attendance of the pupils was 3.4 months. The number of teachers employed was 5,078, of whom 1,600 were males and 3,478 females. Since 1855 there has been an increase of more than 400 districts, and a probably corresponding increase of teachers and pupils. PREPARATORY SCHOOLS. It was at first contemplated that this grade of schools should be supplied by branches of the University, a sort of Academies under the control of the Regents of the University, and partly supported by the University funds. Fortunately this scheme failed, and the few branches once established soon went into decay, or became independent institutions. The University Fund was thus relieved of an expense it could never have fully met, and the ground was left free for the growth of a system of High Schools, rising from and resting upon the basis of our educational pyramid. For a little time there seemed a disposition to follow the example of the older States, and supply the intermediate grade of instruction between the Common School and College, by Academies built either by private enterprise or by neighborhood or stock subscriptions. These, however, are rapidly disappearing before the Union Schools, or public High Schools, and scarcely one of any note now remains in the State. UNION SCHOOLS. The Union Schools are so named, both because two or more districts are generally supposed to be united in one union school district, and because there is a union of different grades of schools in one. They are really an outgrowth of the primary school system, being but enlarged primary schools, under the same general laws, and having the same district officers, with the simple addition of four trustees. They are designed to provide for all the pupils in their respective districts, from the primary to the high school grade. The preference is now in the larger towns to provide separate buildings for the primary grade of pupils, but in the smaller places all the children are collected in one large building. The best of these schools employ a gentleman of liberal classical education as principal, who superintends usually all the schools from highest to lowest, but teaches only in the High School department. He has under him from six to twelve assistant teachers. In no other respect has the educational spirit of the people been so active and efficient during the last five years as in the establishment of these Union Schools. Large and costly buildings, many of them of great beauty and elegant finish, are springing up in all the prominent villages, and a spirit of unprecedented liberality is manifested in the generous taxes voted to sustain these schools. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. This school is located at Ypsilanti, thirty miles west of Detroit. It was opened in October, 1852, and has enjoyed an almost unprecedented prosperity, under its able principal, Professor A. S. Welch. It is entirely supported by State appropriations, and tuition, except in the Model School, is free. The full course of study, embracing about three years, comprises the Latin and German languages, in addition to the usual regular Normal course. The Model School embraces a full academic course of study. The average attendance is about 300. There are ten regular professors and other teachers. STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Michigan has the honor of having established the first regular Agricultural College in the United States. It is located near Lansing, and was first opened last May. Hon. J. R. Williams is President. It has a model farm of nearly 700 acres, and all the students are required to work three hours a day, for which they receive a compensation. The salaries are paid from the State treasury, so that tuition is free. A large number of students are already in attendance. STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. This body was organized in 1852, and has steadily increased in numbers and interest. Its late annual meeting was attended by upwards of 250 members and visitors. It is incorporated under a general law, and holds two meetings annually, on the third Tuesday of August, and between the winter holidays. There are already established fourteen County Teachers' Associations auxiliary to it, and many of these have auxiliary township societies. The organ of the State Association, the Michigan Journal of Education, was established by a vote of the Association, in 1853. It is published by the Editor, on his own risk and responsibility, the Association exercising no control except to elect annually a Board of twelve Associate Editors. By this management it has escaped the burden of debt that has fallen upon every similar periodical published at the risk of an Association. THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. This is the crowning institution of the Public School system of the State. It ranks now among the leading Colleges of the country, few exceeding it in the extent of its rapidly growing reputation, in the number and fame of its Faculty, or the size of its classes. It was founded by a grant of land from Congress, and the annual income of its fund alone is now upwards of $35,000. It is under the control of a Board of eight Regents, elected by the people. Henry P. Tappan, D.D., LL.D., the distinguished author and metaphysician, is Chancellor. It is located at Ann Arbor, thirty-eight miles west of Detroit, on the Michigan Central Railroad. It has a well-furnished Observatory, under the charge of Dr. Brunnow, a distinguished Prussian astronomer; also a fine Chemical Laboratory, a Gallery of Art, and large Cabinets of Natural History. The Department of Science, Art, and Literature had, during the last College year, 284 students, 35 of whom graduated at the last Commencement. There were also one resident graduate and 27 students in the course of Analytical Chemistry. There is a Medical Department having eight professors, and numbering, in the last Catalogue, 167 students. The entire Faculty of the University numbers 20; the whole number of students in all departments, 479. It is in contemplation to open the Law Department this winter. OTHER COLLEGES. Kalamazoo College, under the patronage of the Baptist denomination, is located at Kalamazoo. It was originally chartered in 1833. Its charter was so amended in 1855 as to grant it full College powers. It has an endowment of $ 40,000, which will soon be increased to $75,000. There is a Theological Department connected with the institution, and a flourishing Female Seminary, under the same charter. Rev. J. A. B. Stone, D.D., is President. The last Catalogue gives nine names in the Faculty, 163 students in the Preparatory, and 30 in the College Department. Four of these graduated at the last Commencement, and four finished the Theological course. The Female Seminary shows 210 names in its Catalogue. The corner-stone of a building for this department was recently laid. Hillsdale College. This is a new institution, under the patronage of the Free-Will Baptists. It is located at Hillsdale. It is under the charge of President E. B. Fairfield, LL.D., and has a Faculty of six professors, including the President, and six other tutors and teachers. The College building is the largest and most costly in the State. The College is open to students of both sexes, and the first Annual Catalogue gives 423 names, mostly in the Preparatory Department. The Wesleyan Seminary and Female College. This is an institution under the patronage of the Episcopal Methodists. President Linex now stands at the head of the institution, and the latest Catalogue in hand (1854) shows a Faculty of eight professors and teachers, and a total of students for the year of 514. Two other institutions, the Olivet Collegiate Institute, at Olivet, and the Michigan Union College, at Leoni, are understood to be organized under the general College law of the State. The former is under the charge of Professor O. Hosford, and gives in its last Catalogue 143 names. The lat ter is a Wesleyan institution, under Professor J. McEddowney, and has a large number of students in the preparatory course. It has a Theological Department under Rev. Professor Lee. FEMALE SEMINARIES. There are several flourishing Female Seminaries in this State besides those already named, viz.: — Monroe Female Seminary, Rev. E. J. Boyd, Principal. Michigan Female College, Lansing, Miss A. C. Rogers, Principal. Cedar Park Seminary, Schoolcraft, Rev. R. R. Prentiss, Principal. The principal Academies are, — The Dickinson Institute, Romeo, D. B. Briggs, Principal. The Charlotte Academy, T. W. Loring, Principal. Clarkston Academy, J. C. Cochran, Principal. Homer Academy. Disco Açademy. The following is a list of some of the principal Union Schools in the State, with the names of the Principals, population of village or town in which they are located, and cost of building as nearly as known. A comparison of the figures will give a just idea of the spirit of enterprise prevailing in the State. Nearly all of these buildings have been erected within the last five years. 66 2d Dist. Jonesville, Silas Wood, J. D. Doty, Isaac Emory, F. W. Munson, C. P. Clements, E. L. Ripley, A. J. Hobart, 1,000 3,500 2,000 10,000 J. W. Bancroft, 1,000 2,000 Oldest Mich. Un. School. 600 800 2,000 7,500 5,000 3,000 400 2,500 1,800 3,500 800 4,000 1,000 5,000 15,000 Building Primary The city of Detroit is organized as a single School District, under a single Board of Education. Its schools are graded as in the Union Schools. It has at present but three large Union School buildings, though others are in process of construction. Its school accommodations are entirely inadequate to the wants of the population, and its schools are behind many of those in smaller towns. A spirit of enterprise, however, is awakened which will soon, it is hoped, place Detroit by the side of other Western cities in its educational affairs. The principals of her Union Schools are L. J. Marcy, of the Barstow School, H. Olcott, of the Capital School, and B. Smith, of the Eighth Ward School. SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS. HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN. This Society was originally organized and incorporated in 1828. Its first meeting was held at the "Mansion House" in Detroit, on July 3d of the same year, at which the following officers were chosen: - President, General Cass. First Vice-President, John Biddle. Second Vice-President, Thomas Rowland. Corresponding Secretary, Henry Whiting. Recording Secretary, Henry S. Cole. Librarian, John L. Whiting. On September 1st of the same year the first Annual Address was delivered before the Society by its President, General Cass. The Society met regularly for four years, during which time the Anniversary Addresses were delivered as follows: On June 4th, 1830, by Henry R. Schoolcraft. On June 5th, 1831, by Major Henry Whiting. |