STEUBEN COUNTY-FIRST DISTRICT.

To the Hon. V. M. RICE:

The attendance upon the schools is generally good. During the winter term nine-tenths, and during the summer term about eight-tenths of those who should attend are present.

In the more rural districts the people are in favor of rate-bills. In villages they are generally in favor of free schools.

Six-tenths of the school houses are unfit for the purpose of instruction. The rest are good-very good. Warmed with box stoves; ventilated by holes in the walls-sometimes by lowering the upper window. Apparatus consists chiefly of a single chart, or a few old maps. The union school at Bath has globes, maps, and charts.

Sanders' series of Readers and Spellers, Brown's Grammar, Davies' New Arithmetic, and Monteith's Geography are the text-books generally used.

The average age of commencing school is at about six years, and of leaving school about sixteen.

Our schools are not progressing as fast as before the war. There have been since then more of a call for cheap teachers, and a disposition to employ female teachers during the winter term. Very many of our best male teachers have gone to the war; yet, on the whole, the schools are flourishing.

Good trustees are wanted more than any other thing, who will not hire relatives because they are relatives, &c., and who will seek the good of the child with more zeal than they will squeeze a penny out of

a teacher.

Two-thirds of the teachers who receive license are females. The majority of the schools in the winter term are, however, taught by males. A large proportion of the males work on the farm or in the shop in the summer. Very many of the females teach summers and attend school winters.

The average wages of the females in the summer is not quite two dollars per week; of the males in the winter season, about sixteen dollars a month. We have some fifty teachers who devote their whole time to the business of teaching. Only about half of the teachers in this district have been in the habit of attending the institutes.

I meet the teachers for examination twice a year in each town. The examinations are oral. I examine on all the common branches-mode of governing and general knowledge. I give a few first-class certificates; to old teachers generally the second grade; and to all new teachers the third. There are some ten or twelve Normal graduates in this district. Their influence is very good.

There is but one chartered academy in this district, located at Prattsburgh. It is not flourishing; only about fifty scholars on an average. They think of turning it into a union school. There are three important

private schools, which are called academies-mostly flourishing. There are no parochial schools. One colored school at Bath-a department o the union school. This union school is the only one, so far as I know, organized under the law of 1853.

Almost every school district has a library. A few of them are well kept; but generally their condition is bad. Many of the books are scattered through the district never to return to the library. They are, to a great extent, of no general value, though they may be to a few individuals who are fond of reading. The books are generally good. Of course, there are many small private libraries, and a goodly number of newspapers taken.

The preference generally is for three trustees. Not more than about one-eighth adopt the one trustee system.

THE LAST INSTITUTE.-The last institute was held ten working days. Prof. J. W. McLaurie, of Hammondsport, N. Y., was chief manager. Prof. Calkins, of New York city, assisted for about two days. The commissioner from Livingston county and the commissioners of this county assisted. Teachers were drilled on the common branches-principally as to the best modes of illustrating, of conveying knowledge, of governing schools, &c. The object method was especially dwelt upon by Prof. Calkins. Specimens of different methods of teaching were given by the teachers themselves.

Prof. McLaurie, Prof. Smith, of Prattsburg academy, and Prof. Punnnyan, of Sonora high school, all in this district, gave lectures, as did also Prof. Calkins-all relating to common school education. There was

a large attendance every evening, and deep interest manifested—as was the case also during the day.

LABORS OF THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.—I have had on hand the past year very much business relating to the alteration of school districts--considerable of it handed down to me from my predecessor. I have not visited as many schools as during the previous year; but have spent more time with those I have visited. Having had afflictions in my family, also, I have been detained at home more or less. Of course, this report must be defective, as I have not the data for many things on which the Department seeks information.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

HAMMONDSPORT January 5, 1863.

STEPHEN VORHIS.

SECOND DISTRICT.

To the Superintendent of Public Instruction :

The school commissioner of the second assembly district, county of Steuben, in compliance with the requirements enjoined upon him, in a circular issued by the Department of Public Instruction, respectfully submits the following briefly written report:

In this assembly district there are one hundred and seventeen school districts; one hundred and fifteen of which have had schools in operation during the present year. The average time in which school has been taught, is seven months and two days. The average attendance of persons between the ages of 4 and 21, is 80 per cent. Thirty-three districts have received public money sufficient to pay their teachers without incurring a rate-bill upon the patrons of the schools. districts the average attendance has been 84 per cent. The percentage of the remainder, in which rate-bills have been levied, is 78. In the rural districts the people meet the demands made by rate-bills cheerfully; but in the small villages they have a tendency to decrease the ratio of attendance very materially.

In these

There are one hundred and fourteen school houses; eight of which are log structures. About one-half are nearly new; two-thirds are in good repair, and ventilated by either raising or dropping the sash. The seats are well arranged for the accommodation of the children. All are supplied with a stove; and a majority are furnished with a blackboard, teacher's desk or table, and chair; only a very few are favored with maps, charts and globe. With but few exceptions the sites are well chosen, but occupying very limited space, the grounds varying from the size of a school house foundation to a fourth of an acre; and most universally open to the commons, (only three inclosed with a fence); and about one-fourth are sadly in want of out-buildings.

The text-books in general use are Sanders' Series of Readers and Speller, Davies' and Robinson's Mathematics, Monteith's and McNally's Geographies, Brown's, Wells' and Kenyon's Grammars, Willson's History and Wright's Orthography.

The branches usually pursued are reading, spelling, writing, intellectual and practical arithmetic, geography and grammar.

The pupils generally commence their attendance at the age of five years, and end at eighteen-attending summer and winter till they are twelve years of age; and only winter terms from that age until other avocations take them from the schools.

There were employed as teachers in the schools the current year, sixty-two males and one hundred and ninety-one females. The number that make teaching a permanent employment, is eight males and fifty females. The majority of the males teach during the winter term, and the residue of the year is occupied with other employments. Wages paid to male teachers vary from $12 to $30 per month, averaging about $16, exclusive of board; and females receive from $1.50 to $4 per week, making a general average of $2 per week.

The patrons of the district schools are becoming more and more interested in elevating the standard of the common schools, and fully awakened to the importance of having the children educated; and the demand for competent, go-ahead teachers is rapidly increasing.

There is a teachers' institute organized and held each autumn, in this

county, at a place designated by the commissioners. The ratio of attendance from each assembly district depends materially upon the point located for the purpose; when held in this assembly district about one-half of the teachers attend, but when held in either of the other districts only about 10 per cent. are benefited by them.

At accessible points in the several towns of this district, each fall and spring, the undersigned designates a time and place for meeting applicants for licenses to teach-one day is occupied for the examination at each place of meeting. These examinations are both oral and written. Many of the teachers are found partially deficient in orthography; and very many whose knowledge of history and grammar is very cir cumscribed; and but a small ratio who have studied any work treating of the "theory and practice of teaching." The certificates granted annually, are usually of the second grade.

There are employed in this district, two Normal school graduates, two undergraduates, and four holding State certificates. Their success, zeal and devotion to the cause of education have a salutary influence; and they find constant employment. The demand for teachers of high qualifications is greater than the supply.

There is one flourishing academy connected with the free union school located at Corning. Its patronage is growing constantly. It now numbers one hundred students; ages range from 12 to 23 years, averaging about 17. The building is constructed of wood-well arranged in every particular. It has a library of 400 volumes, a philosophical and chemical apparatus, new and in good condition. The studies pursued are the common English, philosophy, physiology, chemistry, the higher mathematics, French, Latin and Greek. Tuition $3.50 for English and 50 cents extra for each foreign language.

Salaries paid to teachers are as follows, viz: principal $800, classical teacher $500, preceptress $300, and assistant $200. The institution is supported by its portion of the Common School and Literature Funds and a direct tax to meet the deficiency. There has been a teachers' class connected with this academy for the past year, and it is now in operation, organized under the direction of the Regents of the University; it is apparently working well for itself and the institution, giving character to the school, bringing to it a class of pupils that come to learn, and are a direct honor and benefit to it, as well as an indirect medium through which they exert an influence that tends to elevate the standard of the teachers' profession.

Hereunto is attached a table showing the decrease of private schools during the last three years:

In 1860 number of schools 14. Number of pupils in attendance 403

There is but one union free school in this district, located in the vil

lage of Corning, and it is the largest, most successful and flourishing school in the county.

The detail of labor performed by commissioner is as follows: During the session of the summer and winter terms of school, the major part of the time is occupied in visiting schools; allotting one-half day to each visitation, and devoting five days of the week to this business-Saturday, at home attending to answering correspondence and various other matters pertaining to the office. The interim between the terms is used in meeting teachers, attending to the organization and alteration of districts, holding teachers' institutes, and in making the annual report to the Department.

Yours very obediently,

E. D. PECKHAM,

School Commissioner.

THIRD DISTRICT.

The third assembly district, Steuben county, comprises eleven towns in the western part of the county. The district is very long, extending from Livingston county to Pennsylvania.

The condition of the schools varies in different parts of the district. Some of the towns have been settled longer than others, and have become more wealthy. In such towns the school districts are better organized, and the schools better sustained. There has been a disposition, in many places, to divide school districts, and those having authority in that matter have yielded until the districts have become so small that they are unable to employ the better class of teachers.

In most of the districts the attendance at school is very good. I find, however, that it is better the first part of the term than near the close. The rate-bills, I think, keep but very few from school, being generally very low.

Quite a number of the school houses are old and inconvenient. Some, in the winter, are uncomfortable. They are all framed except five, two of which are brick, and three log. One of the log houses is being replaced by a good frame one. The citizens of Hornellsville have, during the season, built a very large brick school house, which is an ornament to the place, and reflects credit upon the public spirit of its citizens. If other districts, in proportion to their means, would do as well, the school houses would average better than at present. The sites of those school houses which have been built recently are larger and better arranged for play grounds than those of the older houses.

Most of the schools are well supplied with text books. In some, there is not the uniformity that could be desired. Sanders' Readers and Davies' Mathematics are in general use. There is quite a variety of grammars.