aries, little can be expected. Indeed, I am surprised that we have made so much advancement under the circumstances. The maximum tax for school purposes of 6 mills on each dollar of assessed valuation is not sufficient, yet an increase in the tax would be felt as a burden. Our hope is from another source. Until the school land is sold, and the interest on the purchase-money made a State fund, we can not expect to have our schools rest on a sufficient financial basis. This alone should secure the immediate admission of this Territory into the Union of States. With the proceeds of the sale of the school lands used, as they will be when we are admitted, with the county tax now levied, we will maintain an average of nine months' school in each district. The present average duration of schools is but four and a half months. Admission means four and a half months' additional schooling to 65,000 children now in the Territory."

SCHOOL LANDS.

"The Government has set apart 2,000,000 acres for the use of our schools, but we have at present no control of such lands. A law, indeed, was many years ago passed by the Legislature, and afterwards re-enacted, authorizing the county commissioners to lease them to tenants, but this has naturally been but little acted upon, as there was no power in the premises.

"The value of these lands varies a great deal, from $2 to $3 an acre in some localities to $50 and even $75 in others. I believe there is no law by which any title to these lands can be vested in individuals, and I recommend that they be left in that condition until the admission of the Territory as a State of the Union."

For other information concerning education in Washington Territory consult the Ildex.

WEST VIRGINIA.

NEW LEGISLATION.

[From the West Virginia School Journal.]

Appropriations for State normal schools.-The maximum aggregate amount to be appropriated to State normal schools has been raised from $2,000 to $2,200. The law in its amended form does not permit any part of the amount appropriated to each school when not earned by it to revert to the State treasury, but authorizes the board of regents to use it for the payment of teachers in these schools. This provision will enable the board now to supply these schools with something like a sufficient corps of teachers, and do away with the scaling of salaries that has been suffered in the past.

State board of examiners.-The State board of examiners is to consist of four competent persons, one from each Congressional district, to be appointed by the State superintendent; their term of office is to be four years, and they are to meet at least twice in each Congressional district each year.

The board thus constituted may issue two grades of certificates to such as are found to possess the requisite scholarship and who exhibit satisfactory evidence of good moral character and of professional experience and ability, as follows: First-class certificates, for twelve years; second-class, for six years. Any person holding a certificate of the firstclass who shall have taught for eight years of said twelve years, shall be entitled, withcut examination, to have the same renewed at the expiration of the said twelve years. The second-class, to be issued to applicants of satisfactory attainments in the branches required for county certificates, and in addition not fewer than four other branches, to be determined upon by the board.

The second-class certificates shall be issued upon application, without examination, to the graduates of the State Normal School and its branches, and of the State University when such graduates shall have presented to the board satisfactory evidence that they have taught successfully three years in the State under No. 1 county certificates, two of which said three years shall immediately precede the application for such certificates. Teachers who shall present to the board satisfactory evidence that they have taught Successfully four years under second-class certificates shall be entitled to receive, without examination, first-class certificates at the expiration of the second-class.

All certificates issued by such board shall be countersigned by the State superintendent; and such certificates shall supersede the necessity of any and all other examinations of the persons holding them by any board of examiners, and shall be equivalent to number one certificates granted by a county board of examiners, and shall be valid in any school district in the State, unless revoked by the State board for good cause. School month.-The school month is to consist of twenty days, instead of twenty-two, as heretofore.

Temperance instruction.-The nature of alcoholic drinks and narcotics, and special instruction as to their effects upon the human system, in connection with the several di

visions of the subject of physiology and hygiene, shall be included in the branches of study taught in the common or public schools, and shall be taught as thoroughly and in the same manner as other like required branches are in said schools, to all pupils in all said schools throughout the State.

It shall be the duty of the proper officers in control of any school described in the foregoing section to enforce the provisions of this act, and any such officer, school director, committee, superintendent, or teacher, who shall refuse or neglect to comply with the requirements of this act, or shall neglect or fail to make proper provisions for the instruction required and in the manner specified by the first section of this act for all pupils in each and every school under his jurisdiction, shall be removed from office, and the vacancy filled as in other cases.

No certificate shall be granted to any person to teach in the public schools of the State after the 1st of January, 1889, who has not passed a satisfactory examination in physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the nature and the effects of alcoholic drinks and narcotics upon the human system.

[Approved February 7, 1887.]

For other information concerning education in West Virginia contained in this Report consult the Index.

WISCONSIN.

NEW LEGISLATION.

Maps.-Provision is made for distributing annually 1,400 railroad maps of Wisconsin among the schools of the State.

Violations of the compulsory attendance act.-Complaints for violation of the compulsory attendance act may be made by any legal voter of the district, or of any town, city, or village, when the schools are managed by a board of education, and directly to the magistrate having jurisdiction; the section requiring school officers to prosecute under the act is repealed.

Teacher's certificates.—(1) County superintendents are authorized to withhold certificates from applicants known to them to be immoral in character, and are forbidden to give certificates to persons manifestly deficient in learning, or in ability to teach.

(2) Second-grade certificates are to be in force two years, and first-grade certificates four years; the latter, however, may be limited to one year at their issue, if the applicants have had no experience in teaching, and the limitation may be removod when experience evidences that the holders are successful and apt as teachers.

(3) Papers of applicants for certificates written in one county may, in the discretion of the county superintendent, be made the bases of certificates in another county, under the conditions and restrictions named.

The State superintendent is authorized to countersign diplomas of graduates of the University of Wisconsin who have taken the course in the science and art of teaching in that institution, after the holders shall have taught public schools in the State successfully eight months. Any such diploma when so countersigned shall be a certificate of qualification to teach in any public school of Wisconsin until annulled by the State superintendent.

School census.-School district clerks, in addition to their present duties relating to the taking of the school census, will also report the names of the children from four to twenty-one years, and the age of each.

Loans to districts.-School districts are authorized to borrow money to refund indebtedness, so as to extend twenty years the period during which the loan is to be paid. Loans in school districts from trust funds of the State may now be made at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum instead of 7 per cent., as heretofore demanded.

Vote on free text-books.-Districts are required to vote directly at cach annual meeting upon the question of providing the text-books for the use of pupils free, and levying a tax to meet the expense.

Forfeiture of State school apportionment.-No apportionment will be made of school money to any town, city, or village which failed to raise by tax during the preceding year an amount equal to that received from the State at the preceding apportionment.

Tetchers' contracts.—Contracts with teachers are required to be in writing, and filed in the office of the secretary with copies of the teachers' certificates attached.

Crange from township to district system.-Provision is made for organizing independent school districts when a town having the township system votes to abolish the saˇc. $500! hlcaries.—Provision is also made for a system of school libraries to be pure 1 ased and managed by the town officers under the direction of the State superintendent. The treasurer of each town may annually withhold from the several school districts of his town one-twentieth of the school fund income appropriated thereto, together with one

twentieth of all county and town taxes annually raised to secure said income, for the pur-' chase of school libraries.

For other information concerning education in Wisconsin consult the Index.

WYOMING.

The following, from the report of Governor Warren, for 1885, is the most recent general statement with regard to education in Wyoming in the possession of the Bureau: "Wyoming takes front rank in educational matters, considering her age as a Territory. There is a strong and growing interest on the part of her citizens which cannot fail to keep the public schools up to the standard of our older and wealthier neighbors. "The Territorial school laws, among other provisions, provide for a Territorial superintendent of public schools, appointed by the Governor, and a county superintendent in each county, elected by the electors of the county. Each school district elects its trustees. 3 to 6 in number, at a 'spring meeting,' and none can vote who did not pay polltax the fall previous.

"The law also provides for a 'teachers' institute,' which shall hold annual meetings at some point in the Territory (usually in different towns in rotation), for not less than 6 nor more than 10 days each session. Every teacher or superintendent of public schools may attend, and his fare to and from the institute is paid by the Territory. When there are 15 or more colored children within any one district, the trustees, with the approval of the county superintendent, may provide for a special school. The law prohibits any discrimination as to pay or otherwise on account of sex in employing teachers. Although a compulsory law with penalty clause exists, obliging children from 7 to 16 years of age to attend school at least 3 months in every year, unless excused by physician's certificate or special excuse granted by the district board, yet not to exceed 65 per cent. of all the children are enrolled at public schools, because, first, in cities and towns many attend private, select, or parochial schools; and, second, outside the towns, where thinly populated, many families are so isolated from neighbors that schools cannot yet be established and maintained. This last cause is rapidly improving with settlement. At Cheyenne a convent building is now being completed at a cost of between $50,000 and $60,000, by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus; there are also two branches of the Saint John's Parochial School in Cheyenne, with about 250 scholars and valuable school property; also a kindergarten school with a few score of the younger children, and several private and select schools having from half a dozen to a score of pupils each.

"At Laramie City the Sisters of Charity have an acade my with 100 or more scholars, and appropriate school property of their own (they also have an extensive hospital for the sick, at this place), and, as at Cheyenne, select and private schools are also taught. "Other places throughout the Territory have schools, other than public, according to the size of the city or town."

SCHOOL LANDS.

Governor Moonlight, in his report for 1887, in common with other Governors of Territorics, calls attention to the circumstance that the school lands set apart by the General Government are not yielding any revenue for school purposes, although largely utilized for agricultural purposes by persons who occupy them free of rent, after fencing them in. The Governor makes the following recommendation:

"An act of Congress, authorizing the boards of county commissioners of the various counties, under the direction of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, to lease the school lands in their respective counties, for a term of years, and the proceeds to be applied to the support of the common schools of the respective school districts, pro rata, according to the number of school children in each district, and by the Territorial superintendent of public instruction, would be the greatest boon which could be conferred upon the people of the Territories, and the greatest blessing which could befall the children. Those leasing the lands should be required to pay in advance to the respective county treasurers, who would be required to transmit the same to the Territorial treasurer, from whom it should be drawn by the Territorial superintendent of public instruction for distribution among the school districts. The leases should be made to expire at the close of the year in which the Territorial government terminated. The act of Congress could fix the minimum price for the three classes of land to be leased, viz, uplands, second bottom, and bottom or meadow lands; could prohibit the cutting of any timber for any purpose; prohibit the quarrying of rocks of every description, and the taking out of any coal, mineral, or other valuable deposit wherever found. Thus the lands would lose none of their original value, and in many instances would be made more valuable. Within the limits of the railroad-grant lands many of the school sections are now fenced in and used for grazing purposes and for the production of hay, which brings in no revenue to the Government and no addition to the school fund, and upon which the parties pay no taxes.

"An act of Congress placing these school lands in the hands of the county boards would create a local power and a local pressure, which would compel the parties having the lands fenced to pay a reasonable annual rental to the support of the public schools, or tear down their fences so as to give others a chance who were willing to pay. The whole tax-paying population, outside of some of those holding the lands, and they are by far the fewest in number, would become the friends and allies of the Government and the law, and would force a compliance to the very letter. The land in Wyoming is being rapidly taken up, and of course the best land is usually the first taken. It is very likely that many of sections 16 and 36 have prior claims, and that many are deficient in area, and many others are so located as to be of almost no value, and as the law authorizes the selection of indemnity sections to be certified by the Commissioner of the General Land Office to the State, it seems to me that the interest of the common school fund would be best served by permitting this to be done during the Territorial form of government through the surveyor-general of the Territory, the registers and receivers of the land office, and the Territorial superintendent of public instruction. This would make it possible to select some of the good lands as indemnity before they were all taken up, and locating within each county its proper proportion. I am informed that the Wyoming Territorial lines cut through townships so as to deprive the Territory of some 440 school sections.

"The Yellowstone Park, the military reservations, and the Indian reservation deprive the Territory of about 200 more, and it would appear but just that the indemnity sections be given in lieu thereof before all the desirable land shall be taken up. The granting of the power to lease these lands would prevent the possibility of any monopoly control, as the people are keenly alive to the interests of education, and will sacredly guard and protect the common school fuud, to supply which all are taxed. In this age of enlightment it is apparently anomalous that the Territories can not share the advantage equally with States of leasing their school lands, and at a time when this advantage would be most serviceable to them. I have made these suggestions with some diffidence, but believe they are worthy of a careful consideration."

For other information concerning education in Wyoming consult the Index.

CHAPTER IV.

DISCUSSIONS OF EDUCATIONAL QUESTIONS, CHIEFLY BY STATE SUPERINTENDENTS.

Administration-Censuses, school-Co-education-Compulsory attendance-Country schools-Eduention, nature and objects of.--Graded schools-High schools-Hygiene-Libraries for schoolsPublic schools-Religious and moral training-Revenue-School-houses-School systems-Statisties of education--Supervision-Teachers-Temperance instruction-Text-books.

I. ADMINISTRATION.

The unwisdom of the district system illustrated.—Superintendent Kiehle, of Minnesota: "Noticing the defects of our system more in detail, I call attention to the common school district. This may be known as the neighborhood plan, in which as many families as can conveniently send to one school have their own officers and school-house, and tax their property for the education of their children. This plan prevails nowhere but in the country, although it is not a whit better adapted to it than to cities. The wisdom of this plan would be fairly illustrated if our cities should adopt it, and provide by law that every one, two, or more blocks might organize for the support and control of their school affairs by a separate set of officers. If the two cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis should adopt the plan of the country, they would support over 500 districts and over 1,500 school officers; there would be some very rich districts, with excelent schools supported at trifling cost, and there would be other very poor districts, with few children, poor schools and short terms, maintained at a burdensome expense. And this is the precise condition of things in the country. Some districts are large, rich and thriving; others are poor, sparsely settled, have few children, and can hardly support a four-months school by levying the highest tax allowed by law.

"There is no more reason for having a set of officers for each school in the country than there is for making as many separate districts in a city as there are school buildings. The same rule should govern in the country that governs in cities. As the territory of the municipality is the territory of the school district, so the township should be the school district in the country; and as in the city a single board provides school privileges as they are needed, so in the township, under one board, school-houses should be rated, teachers employed and all conveniences provided as the distribution of popuation and the progress of the children may require."

Erds of the district system in Arkansas.-Superintendent Thompson, of Arkansas, renews his recommendation of a change to the township system, and says: "After two Lore years' experience with the present law I am more firmly impressed with the wisof the change recommended in 1884. * The present plan of separate, in

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endent districts divides the funds into such small parts, that the length of the school ra is reduced to the minimum, and to maintain a school for three months it is necesry to employ the cheapest teacher. The school buildings are uncomfortable and poorly ished. Some are even without any conveniences. This is the school the directors are forced, for want of means, to give the children in their districts.

"Another reason for changing to the township system, is that under our statutes septe schools must be provided for whites and blacks. In some districts there are only Se or tea children, for whom a school must be provided at a cost of from $25 to $40 month. In the township system in the northern part of the State, schools could be alatained at much less cost for the few colored children who are in the township. The same conditions are found in many districts in the eastern and southern portion of be State, where there are not inore than five or ten white children. There is an imative necessity for a change, if we expect to advance our schools to that degree of usealness that is desired and demanded by the spirit of the age."