heart to be thorough and efficient; whereas, had they a fair compensation for their labor, they would feel much more interested and enthusiastic in their work. We have no apparatus in our schools to facilitate the labor of the teachers, and to give the scholars a thorough insight in their studies; which is a great detriment to the cause of education in this locality. As to ventilation, &c., there is no attention paid to these important items.

But, we hope. the many embarrassments to this great and noble cause of mental and christian culture may be removed, and parents, teachers and patrons of every grade will take hold of the blessed work with a moral heroism.

A. C. REYNOLDS, Elmore.

I think my Report in town meeting, last year, did some good, aside from making me a lew enemies. It had some influence in securing for our sci cols a better class of teachers the present year. The Registers have been more carefully kept, and more interest has been felt by teachers in their work.

Our Teachers' Institute I remember with pleasure. It was a season of pleasure to all who were able to attend. Our teachers will be on hand the next time you come into this County. As to boarding around", it ought to be abolished in the same year as slavery. I am glad they have both gone to the shades together.

J. G. BAILEY, Hydepark.

In closing this Report, I close my labors as Town Superintendent. It has been a lovely work, although not, indeed, a remunerative employment to one who gives it the time it requires; but to a benevolent mind its rewards are ample.

Owing to growing infirmities, as well as the claims which other deserving and qualified men have to share such honorable and responsible employment, this may probably be my last Report.

Allow me, then, Mr. Secretary, in taking this official leave of this philanthropic work, and of you to say of both, as the good Horne said, when he had closed h masterly critique on the Psalms, "I regret that they are done." Still, thanks be to God, it will always be permitted to me to cherish for both a constant affection, and to remember them in my communings with my Divine Father. I would say, in closing, that with but one exception, our Schools, during the year, have been carried on with an efficiency that has been very creditable to the teachers, very benefic ai to the pupils, and that has left the schoo s for coming time in a state of universal hopefulness.

JAMES DOUGHERTY, Johnson.

There are two great evils with which our schools have to contend. The first is a want of interest on the part of the parents; the second is a frequent charge of teachers. Both are detrimental to the cause of education, and tend very much to retard the progress of our schools. Indifference and neglect on the part of those who ought to feel the deepest interest in our schools, cannot fail to chill the zeal of all others. Neither can teacher or scholar be expected to labor with much ardor and perseverance, when they receive no sympathy from those from whom they have the best right to expect it.

It is impossible for us to over-rate the evils that are brought upon many of our schools by a constant change of teachers. The business of education is progressive. It consists of a series of processes, the later always depending upon the earlier, and requiring, therefore, to be conducted within certain limits on the same principles, and by the same methods. But at the present tim hardly any two teachers can be found whose methods of teaching and governing a school are the same. No opportunity is afforded the one who succeeds, to become acquainted with the state of the school, and with the methods of his predecessor-for the one has gone before the other arrives; thus he enters the school a stranger to the children and their pa

rents, unacquainted with the relative propensity and aptitude of the different scholars, ignorant of the course that has been pursued, and perhaps with the intention of retiring at the expiration of three or four months. And the children will perhaps spend the whole period of his stay in retracing their studies in a new book, according to a new method. Now the apology that is frequently made for this constant change of teachers is, that the district cannot afford to support a good male teacher throughout the year; that the school must close during the summer, or be taught by a female. Then we say, let it be taught by a female throughout the year. For the sum that is divided between two teachers, would very handsomely pay a female teacher the whole year. Thus it would give the scholars the advantage of having the same instructress throughout one entire year, at least; and if she was faithful to perform her duties, and proved herself worthy of the charge, she could during that time so enlist the affection of the children, and the good will of the parents, as to secure a new engagement. Thus we should gradually secure permanent schools under permanent teachers. L. S. THOMPSON, Stowe.

The citizens of this town are awakening to the true importance of our common school interests. Within the past year, one district has thoroughly repaired its School House, and others are preparing to follow suit. The Registers are becoming better appreciated by all who are anxious for improvement in our educational system; and if a little more care was exercised by some of the District Clerks, in filling out the statistical interrogatories, their value would be greatly enhanced, as an index of the actual condition and needs of our Schools. The Annual Reports of the Secratary are, in my opinion, doing great service in calling the public attention to the demands of the Schools; and as they comprise nearly 11 the educational literature that is generally diffused throughout the community, they should be thoroughly read by every parert and teacher in the land. The amended school law generally meets the approval of all true and earnest friends of Education, while the "old Fogies," true to their instinct, are somewhat opposed to it. What is mostly lacking in our Schools, is the want of a deeper sense of their worth by those interested in their management and control. Until this is brought about, and the community made to feel and believe in the principle that cheap schools, with p or teachers, is not sound policy, the rising generation will fail of recognising the full benefit of a thorough and systematic course, in the elementary branches, that will but fit them for the practical buisiness of life, and the duties of citizenship.

B. S. WILEY, Waterville.

I have for the past year, more than ever before, realized our want of normal schools. Our teachers are to a great extent deficient in thoroughness in teaching; few of them ever gave the reasons for one half the rules in Arithmetic, and in all branches are too closely confined to their text-books. They lack originality of illustration, and travel the roads their parents trod. The fault is not as much theirs, as that of those, who have the power of affording better means of instruction.

As teachers are taught, they are very apt to teach. The Teachers' Institute is well managed, for the means allowed for its support, and I think its influence very beneficial; but it ought to have the power of living longer than it does. The duties performed by the Secretary and Superintendents are not appreciated by the Legislature. To receive one dollar for a day's work is very poor pay for one's time and labor. What one-half pays for, he should expect half done.

I am thankful that the practice of "boarding around" is terminated, and all teachers will say "Amen." No true man can complain. I have heard no fault found with the act yet. The district clerks are more negligent or careless in filling out the Registers than they should be; not half of them are filled out properly, and many teachers do not take proper care of the Registers while under their control. R. V. WESTGATE, Bradford.

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There has been very good improvement the past winter, especially in the regular attendance of scholars at school. All but two of the winter schools were taught by female teachers, and a good degree of interest, energy and tact was exhibited on the part of many of the teachers in the conduct and management of the school. A want of good order was plainly visible in a very few schools. The Registers have generally been very well kept by the teachers, much more correctly than last year; but some of the district clerks have failed to make correct returns. Their vague and indefinite answers, have occasioned me much trouble and perplexity in making out this report. They should be more careful to be correct.

Our school system continues to work favorably in this town, and I am satisfied that our schools, as a whole, by the working of the present school law, have been, and still are improving in very many respects. The citizens as a general thing, manifest a very good interest in the welfare of our schools, and appear to realize the fact that good teachers and good schools should be obtained and maintained if possible.

I believe that a great impetus was given to the advancement of the condition of our schools, by the passage of the recent law placing all school expenses upon the Grand List. Not only do I believe that it will be a benefit to our school at present, but a great benefit and future blessing to our State. If the law is carried out as intended, the "boarding around" system is done away; and this, by being a great benefit to the teacher, will operate to cause our schools to be much improved; or, at least, it should be so, and they will be by live and faithful teachers. In my opinion teachers will be better able, and prepared to perform a greater amount and more efficient work. By observation I have been able to make, I feel assured in stating, that a large majority of our citizens are much in favor of the law, and think it is as it should be. A few complain, who have reared up families, and been at the expense of boarding the teacher upon the scholar, and now must pay upon the Grand List; but that cannot be helped if such a law is ever passed.

Within the past two years, two new and excellent school-houses have been built in districts No. 11 and 2; and by their construction, good judgment and care was exhibited in regard to the health, convenience, comfort and happiness of both teacher and scholars. We have very few really poor school-houses in town.

S. P. WILCOX, Brookfield.

I have to report an unusually large number of cases of "Corporeal Punishment" this year, but the difference is all occasioned by one district, which reported twenty cases; the schools in this district were very poorly governed, as you may well imagine.

Recent Legislation upon the subject of "boarding around," if it does away with the practice, will confer a great benefit upon the schools, and will be well received in this vicinity, I think.

It is very well to talk about higher motives, in connection with teachers' wages, yet I believe a little more liberality in this direction would be an additional inducement to teachers to qualify themselves more thoroughly for the work.

The ridiculously small pay received by Superintendents is at least no great incentive to a thorough discharge of the duties of that office.

PERLEY CHANDLER, Chelsea.

In presenting the above statistics, one remark is due in explanation. The number of citizens visits reported, three hundred and fifty-one, includes but very few Parents; and teachers should have been more regardful of the Secretary's direction in this matter. We regret, however, that parents are not more

interested to personally inspect the condition of their schools, and thus through a generous co-operation, and a manifest solicitude, give a healthier tone and character to school discipline.

Our school buildings are anything but satisfactory. This is a serious as well as a culpable mistake. It is barely possible, that an intellect disciplined and developed in one of our miserable rickety uncouth school cabins, may put on as fair and symmetrical proportions, with habits, tastes and aspirations, as exact, critical and lofty, as one raised amid the healthful, inviting and inspiring surroundings of a model school building; but the probabilities are strongly in favor of dwarfing the intellect, distorting the disposition and blunting the sensibili ties. We hope in this matter, there may be a decided reform, and that the fifteen buildings now unfit for blacksmith shops, may be replaced by fifteen convenient and comfortable school-houses.

A higher standard of school discipline and scholarship ought to be attained in our common schools.

The common school is the peoples' university, and there is no reason why every scholar should not here receive as thorough and critical elementary discipline as can be attained elsewhere, and if our school was what it ought to be, these results would be attainable. Of the great mass who daily attend the common school, but few avail themselves of higher instruction, and business life finds them as, and where, the common school left them.

How important then, and how significant is the common school, and with what care and solicitude should it be directed. We want more thorough and critical instructors,-persons who are really in earnest,-who are skillful, and masters of their business. It is in this connection that we appreciate the importance and instrumentality of our Teachers' Institutes in affording our instructors useful hints, and instruction in one of the most difficult and responsible vocations-teaching.

It is hoped that the next Institute of the county will be held in this town. It is with a feeling of regret, that we are constrained to allude to a sad omission in one of our authorized text-books in mathematics. We refer to Greenleaf's Common School Arithmetic. In the State of Vermont, among business men, perhaps eight-tenths of the negotiable notes given are with annual interest; and yet, our text-book is entirely silent regarding the principle and method of computing annual interest. In our past year's examination of teachers, we found many deficient in this matter, while of scholars nine-tenths had no acquaintance with the principle of annual interest. We would respectfully commend the subject to the consideration of the Board of Education, through the Hon. Secretary, and pray that our text-books should conform as nearly as possible to the requirements of common life.

The schools of this town suffer much from the present improper and highly pernicious district system. We have twenty-three districts, when fourteen could be made to subserve, very much better, the convenience and profit of our schools; yet, to re-district the town on a correct basis, would give rise to much malevolence and prejudice, and for a while, at least, we cannot hope for better results. It is in view of this, that the Superintendent has been led to the conviction that our old district system should be supplanted by one yielding more economy and profit ; and in this way, let the towns assume all the responsibility now exercised by the district corporation, such as providing and locating school buildings, &c., while the duties of the Prudential Committee and Superintendent shall be omitted, and vested in a Committee chosen by the town, the said Committee consisting of three, and so elected at first, that while afterwards each individual holds his office three years, yet a vacancy shall occur each year.

This is no untried innovation, but a similar system has been in operation in Mass. for the last five years, and with results highly satisfactory and corrective.

Touching the merits of the recent statute of supporting the common schools entirely upon the Grand List, we can but give it our hearty approbation.

This places the common school upon its true basis, and makes it what we have long claimed for it, a free institution, affording alike to the child of affluence or penury the same opportunity of cultivating his intellect and preparing him, by lessons of wisdom and patriotism, for the great and responsible duties of life. ČALEB C. SARGENT, Corinth.

I am very much in favor of terminating the practice of "boarding round”; but I fear that the recent enactment will not accomplish the object, for several of the districts in this town have been in the habit for years of having the board upon the List, and yet have the teacher board around. I think the new law is generally well received in this town, though, at least, our wealthy and influential men say "Probably the children will be clothed by a tax on the grand list next year."

JOHN STRATTON, Fairlee.

Our schools, during the past year, have been of a very fair grade. A few teachers have failed from want of ability to govern, but some have been under evil influence from the people. In the main, however, the people in some small measure appreciate the importance of good schools. The time is not yet, when our schools have the services of first class teachers throughout the term and year. Several of them have had fine teachers, others have been too young. The people from year to year are becoming more in earnest : they have already provided a fair class of houses; with a few exceptions, these will soon be built, I trust. Committee-men, in some cases, hire the cheapest teachers-though the poorest. A few cases of this kind have occurred within the year. In my next, I hope to give more satisfactory statements.

E. H. RANDALL, Randolph.

I am of the opinion that "boarding around" is not beneficial to the schools; but there is a class of men in this town opposed to boarding on the grand list. Not contributing children to the State, they are too selfish to be willing to help educate the children of others. The education of all the children, pro bono publico, is the essential idea of our common school system; hence all should aid according to their ability in thus promoting the power and prosperity of the State. Indeed, justice would seem to require that those who do not contribute children to the State, should make up the deficiency as much as possible, by doing the more to educate those reared by others. This opinion is based upon the theory that intelligent citizens are the wealth and power of the State.

I did not receive the notice of the Teachers' Institute, last year, until too late for any this way to attend. Very few of the teachers in this vicinity have ever attended. I wish we could have one near, and get them out. It would be profitable, I think.

If Superintendents were chosen for a longer term, say 3 or 5 years, and invested with power to control the schools, it would give them an opportunity to benefit the cause of education. It takes a year or two to get the "run of the schools".

The law directs the Superintendent to "adopt all requisite measures for inspection, examination, and regulation of the schools, and for the improvement of the scholars in learning," and in the same language imposes the same duty upon the Prudential Committee. Who is to do it? "Many cooks spoil the broth." The rule seems to be, that the Prudential Committee must be by turns in the District, then frequently a relation must be the teacher. The question is, who shall get the money? not whether there shall be a good school, or not. As the Prudential Committee is virtually king in his district, the result is