in 1620. There is a good philosophical apparatus, for the use of the advanced students. The Museum contains an elegant and well-arranged cabinet of minerals, and many geological specimens, besides an extensive collection of shells. Attached to the College is an Astronomical Observatory, with many valuable instruments of the best manufacture. INDIVIDUAL STATES. I. MAINE. Capital, Augusta. — Area, 35,000 square miles. Population, 1850, 583,169. Br a provision of law, it is made the duty of the acting school officers of each city, town, or plantation in Maine to forward full and accurate returns to the State Department, before the 1st of April each year. From the statistics thus furnished the Superintendent of Common Schools compiles his Annual Report. The following summary will show the general condition of public education, as thus ascertained, during the year 1857 : The money required for the support of the Public School system in Maine is obtained from direct taxation, from a bank tax, and from a permanent School Fund. A law was passed, April 23, 1854, which was to take effect January 1st, 1855, requiring that sixty cents for every inhabitant should be raised for the support of schools. In accordance with this act, for the year ending April 1st, 1857, the sum of $401,603.15 was raised, being an excess over what was required by law of $ 54,066.35, as will be seen by reference to the above statistics. The State also receives a semiannual income of one half of one per cent upon all the banks in the State. This sum, together with the interest of a fund accumulated by sale of lands, &c., amounted to $77,960.16. Superintendent of Common Schools. MARK H. DUNNELL, Norway. The State Superintendent of Common Schools receives for his salary $1,200 per annum, and all his necessary expenses. His appointment is for three years, subject to removal by the Governor and Council. He holds a Teachers' Convention (or Institute) in each County in the State. Fifteen have been held the past season, with 2,000 teachers in attendance. |