tion of his presidential term, accepted the humble and honorable position of General Superintendent of the schools of the State of Buenos Ayres-one of the fourteen States that compose the Argentine Union, or Republic, or Confederation.

-as the

The American school system of education is our own system,constitution of the United States is our national constitution. It is the opinion of our great men that to preserve and develop our liberty, we must always look for a model, in this great Republic. We have employed in this work Professor HARVEY, MISS WADE, and many other American teachers, and we intend to increase, as far as possible, exclusively with teachers brought up in this country. I have lately received a commission to engage four lady teachers, and only await for the arrival of my chief, to take final steps on the subject.

The administration of SENOR SARMIENTO was a very fruitful one for the cause of education. Fourteen large colleges, two Normal schools, three schools of agriculture with their model farms, two schools of Mineralogy, one Academy of Science, one Astronomical observatory with Prof. GOULD as director, and 140 popular libraries. All these institutions were established within the six years of his administration.

OUTLINE OF ARGENTINE SYSTEM.

1. Common education. 2. Secondary education. 3. Higher education.

1. Common education, under the control of State and municipal governments. Definition. The elementary training of man; his initiation into the secrets of intellectual and moral life. National government; co-operation by means of exhibitions, books, models, apparatus, supervisors, or superintendents.

Obligatory and Gratuitous Education. The principle is not a uniform system-we are in want of the necessary agencies to enforce it.

School fund.-Capital not to be touched; the interest to be employed in the acquisition of lands and construction of school buildings.-State constitutions.

RELIGION—Secularization of Teaching.

Notwithstanding the majority of the Argentine people are Catholics, the schools are not in the hands of the priests, and those children that are not Catholics are not compelled to attend to the teaching of the Catholic religion.

The present Minister of Public Instruction, Dr. LEGUIXAMON, in his report to Congress, says :-"Notwithstanding that every man ought to have one religion, and that every one wishes to have it taught to his children, the public school, supported with the income of men belonging to different sects, ought not to teach one religion to the exclusion of the others, without having at least the consent of all the parents, especially in communities like our own, where advancement depends in a large scale on European immigration belonging to different creeds."

In some States of the Argentine Republic there is a logical division and classification of elementary teaching, but it is not a uniform system. Dr. LEGUIXAMON in his report says: The American system ought to be con

sulted exclusively on this subject. Its graded schools, (Primary School, Secondary School, and High School), demonstrate the advantages of the division of teaching since this division of labor multiplies and ameliorates the production.

WOMAN.

Modern civilization has placed woman in the high position of teacher of man. Where she trains the hearts of youth, we are sure to find a Christian people, virtuous, and friends of progress,—where not so, as is the case in the Eastern countries, we find communities without consciousness either of their physical strength, or of their moral capacity for good. Societies of distinguished ladies in Buenos Ayres and in all the Argentine States, are in charge of schools, hospitals, and charitable institutions.

THE AMERICAN WOMAN-AS A MODEL WORTH IMITATION.

Notwithstanding all the facts, says the Minister of Public Instruction, we have got to do a great deal to place the Argentine woman in the same rank of the American woman. Her most noble work is undoubtedly the education of that great Republic, whose free institutions are the glory of mankind.

The establishment of fourteen Normal schools for the training of women, is a proof that the education of women is considered a national necessity.

1. State governments.

SECONDARY INSTRUCTION.

2. National government.—By fourteen different colleges,—one in each State.

General plan of studies.-Duration six years.

Libraries. Cabinets of Mathematics; Physics; Laboratories of Chemistry; Museum of Natural History.

HIGHER EDUCATION.

National University of Cordoba-Philosophy and Grammatical Studies. 1. Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physical and Natural Sciences.

2. Two Schools of Law.

3. Three Schools of Agriculture.

4. Two Schools of Mineralogy.

5. School of Painting.

Next to the duty of self-preservation, there is no higher, no more sacred duty which a nation has to fulfil, than to promote National Education.

Now Ladies and Gentlemen, let me read in conclusion, what Niebuhr said about the profession of schoolmaster,- and remember he said it after he had been Prussian Ambassador at Rome:

"The office of a schoolmaster, in particular, is one of the most honorable, and, despite all the evils which now and then disturb its ideal beauty, it is for a truly noble heart, the happiest path in life. It was the path which I had once chosen for myself, and how I wish I had been allowed to follow it!"

The Hon. JOHN T. MORRIS, President of the Board of Education of Baltimore, as its representative, said the Board were pledged to use every effective means not only for Primary and Secondary education but were equally pledged to the same means for Higher Education.

An experience meeting and congratulatory speeches followed, in which H. E. SHEPARD and M. A. NEWELL, of Baltimore, and J. B MALLON, of Georgia, participated,

The retiring President, Prof. W. F. PHELPS, thanked the Association for the distinguished honor bestowed upon him, and the many courtesies shown him; and the President elect, the Hon. M. A. NEWELL, thanked the Association for the honor just conferred.

The Association adjourned by singing the Doxology.

The following paper by ALEXANDER HOGG, of Auburn, Alabama, now of Bryan, Texas, was prepared to be read before the Association, but was not read. No allusion to the paper appears on the minutes, indeed no reference was made to it in the final programme, but as it was referred to in a previous programme, this place seems to be most appropriate for its insertion.

THE LACKS AND NEEDS OF THE SOUTH EDUCATIONALLYTHE DEVELOPMENT OF HER NATURAL RESOURCES-THE REMEDY.

Since the announcement of the above subject for this occasion, I have been, of course, more directly engaged in the study of these-especially in regard to the State of Alabama; being better acquainted with, and more intimately allied to her interests—her resources, and their development. And I am happy to say my investigations, my comparisons, and deductions have convinced me; and, I trust, through this paper to lead you to examine the same subjects, believing, as I do, that you too will be forced to the same conclusions-that we are not so far behind our Sister-States educationally, as at first sight, they and others casually looking at the matter have been in the habit of believing.

I hope the interest to you in my subject, may alleviate in a measure, the dryness of detail. That the rehearsal of tabular facts about the education, the means and provisions established at the very beginning,-upon the admission of Alabama into the Union may give a charm to the whole subject-may really invest it with the delightsome and sweet infiuence of romance.

I have always claimed that we know too little of each other-and that little imperfectly. Hence I have rejoiced at the formation of NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, whether educational, scientific, or social; because they give opportunity of bringing together our great family-our brother and sis

terhood of States-our men of letters, of science, of government. I rejoice to-day to be permitted to read this paper on this subject, and on this occasion on this, the Centennial of our Free Republic.

Alabama came into the Union 1819, with a constitution clearly defining her position upon the education of her people, in this unmistakable, succinct and definite language:

"Schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged in this State; and the General Assembly shall take measures to preserve from unnecessary waste or damage such lands as are, or hereafter may be, granted by the United States, for the use of schools, within each township in this State, and apply the funds which may be raised from such lands in strict conformity to the object of such grant. The General Assembly shall take like measures for the improvement of such lands as have been or may be hereafter granted by the United States to this State for the support of a seminary of learning; and the moneys which may be raised from such lands by rent, lease, or sale, or from any other quarter, for the purpose aforesaid, shall be and remain a fund for the exclusive support of a State-university, for the promotion of the arts, literature, and the sciences; and it shall be the duty of the General Assembly, as early as may be, to provide effectual means for the improvement and permanent security of the funds and endowments of such institution."

By an act of Congress, approved March 2, 1827, the Legislature of Alabama was authorized to sell its school land, with the consent of the inhabitants of the towns in which it was located, and to invest the proceeds in some productive funds. The share due to each township and district was to be in proportion to the value of lands in each. If insufficient for the support of schools, the income might be invested until the principal was sufficient for the maintenance of schools.

The code of 1852 defines the university-fund as the sum of $250,000, for the permanent security of which and the punctual payment of the interest thereon at the rate of 6 per cent a year forever the faith and credit of the State were pledged. In 1866 the Legislature increased it to $300,000, bearing 8 per cent, payable semi-annually.

As in other States, higher education claimed first the attention of the people, and provision was made for the establishment of the University. This charter bears date 1820, and the University did go into operation in 1831. The funds for both the primary as well as higher instruction grew out of the munificent grants of the general government; hence the peculiar wording of the Constitution, article Education.

"The General Assembly shall take like measures for the improvement of such lands as have been or may be hereafter granted by the United States to this State for the support of a Seminary of learning."

The organization of the Public Free Schools was still later-was not freely and effectively in operation till 1855.

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During the year 1856 it appears that one to every four and one-third of the total white population (as shown by State census, 1855) attended school. This was a larger ratio than is exhibited by the school statistics of twenty-five out of the then thirty-one States in the Union.

"In 1857, three years after the inauguration of our common-school sys

tem, we find that Alabama stands proudly among her sister States of the Union. The following table is taken from Appleton's Cyclopedia (Vol. V., title, Common Schools):

"From this table it appears that in 1857 our State, in proportion to her white tax-paying and school-attending population, was far ahead of nearly all the Southern States and most of the New-England States; was the superior in the school-room of even Massachusetts, and was almost the peer of New York and Pennsylvania.

"During that year the public school moneys distributed among the townships of the State paid 57 per cent of the entire tuition in the public schools-the total expenditures, as estimated by the Trustees, being $474,370.52.

"In 1855 Total distribution of money for the support of

"1856.......

schools was..................

"In 1857 it had increased to $281,874.41.

.$232,415.39 267,690.41

"With this annual increase in funds, there is found a corresponding increase in the salaries paid teachers.

"In 1856 the total cost of the public schools to the State and to the people (for it must be remembered that the people supplemented the State fund) as estimated by the Trustees was $490,278.19.

"In 1857 it was $552,984.11--thus clearly indicating greater liberality upon the part of the people in the compensation of teachers.

"This improvement was undoubtedly the result of the operation of the previous year, in which the people saw more than half of the tuition of their children paid by the public fund.

"The population then (1857), according to the State Census, was 841,704, of which one-half were negroes-making really, for school population 420,852.