ted. But a progressive increase of wealth and business, and all the means of comfort and happiness which has characterized Vermont till the measure of individual and average competence is scarcely equalled on the earth, gives no palliation for an avaricious selfisliness that will persist in hoarding for the gratification of personal ostentation and indulgence, means abundantly sufficient to foster, support and educate a whole generation of vigorous and healthy children, in direct opposition as well to the instincts of human nature and natural affection, as to the promptings of an intelligent regard for public good.

One of the greatest existing delusions is the tendency always to be found as characteristic of an advanced state of civilization, to underestimate the value of manhood and womanhood as compared with wealth, position and social consideration. In the earlier and darker days of the late rebellion, when the Executive of the nation and his immediate advisers found themselves beset by rampant and exnitant rebels, beleaguered in the very Capital of the republic, and cut off from all communication with their friends; after the almost despairing cry of the Presi dent for help; when amidst the gloom of a darkness that could be felt, the very foundations of the Government seemed to be crumbling and sinking; when with agonizing expectation and straining ears they listened for the steady tramp of the men of New England and New York, how verily mean and small seemed mere money and rank and social distinction by the side of men, stalwart, patriotic and determined men!

If never before, then certainly since the experience of the last five years, it may be considered as demonstrated beyond the possibility of doubt, that the sure wealth of a nation is not in its money, houses and lands, stocks, mines and quarries, so much as in its true, strong and patriotic men.

Surely we may look once more at the figures, and however slight the advance may be, we may well be thankful that though times may be hard, and prices may be high and taxes heavy-still the children, the true hope and real wealth of the State, are increasing in number.

EXPENDITURE FOR SCHOOLS.

The school year to which the statistics of the present report are applicable closed on the 31st March, 1865; and when we take into consideration the length of time for which the war had endured, the sorrow and gloom which pervaded the whole

community, the many sacrifices which the people had been called upon to endure, and the heavy burdens of severe taxation and high prices, it could not have surprised any reasonable person if the extraordinary financial pressure from so many directions had operated to diminish the general outlay for the purpose of education. Neither would such a result, under the attending circumstances, have fairly evinced any diminution of interest in the cause of education.

It will be a matter of surprise to many, and of satisfaction to all, to know that not only is it not true that any such diminution of outlay has occurred, but on the other hand, it is shown that there has been quite a large increase of the amount of money expended in the legitimate support of schools during the year.

The leading expenditures for the previous year were as follows. For wages of male teachers, exclusive of board $53,400; for female teachers $110,191; for erecting School houses $20,416; for repairing School houses $11,198; for fuel, furniture and incidentals $30,662; for Superintendents' bills as claimed, $4,764.

By the returns for the last year, the year ending March 31st, 1865, the expenditures are as follows-For wages of male teachers $51,960; wages of female teachers $143,553; for erecting school houses $43,604; for repairing school houses $13, 161; for fuel, furniture and incidentals, $45,611; for Superintendents services, as claimed,$4,556. Thus it appears that the aggregate expenditures for the year last past, for the various items enumerated, has been $297,881, while for the year preceding it was $225,867 for the same items.

The expenses of board for the previous year were so inaccurately returned that it was estimated for the number of weeks of school reported, at $1,50 per week, and thus gave the aggregate expenses for the board of teachers as $96.618. But the actual returns of the year last past show that the average price of board is within a small fraction of $2,00 per week, and amounts to $123,002. These figures will give the aggregate expense of the year last past for the special purposes mentioned as being $420,891, while the aggregate of the preceding year was given as being $327,249. If we correct the last ag gregate by substituting for the estimated expense of board, the amount to which it would have reached at the price of board as ascertained during the present year, it will be $258,073. After this correction, the aggregate for the items given will be

for the year last past $297,881 against $258,073 for the preceding year, showing that the expenditure for the last year exceeds that of the preceding year by $39,808.

An examination of the abstracts from the reports of the various Superintendents will furnish the evidence that will convince even doubters of the progressive and decided improvement of the general character of the schools; but the evidence given in the figures just quoted is a thousand times more convincing than any more descriptive statement, or positive assertion can be. That in the midst of an engrossing pre-occupation of the general mind, and when oppressed with an overwhelming anxiety about national affairs of paramount importance, the good people of the State should not only not have diminished their usual contributions for the support of the common schools, but should have actually increased by some $40,000 their appropriations for the education of their children, and this while absolute necessity in the prosecution of the necessary avocations of life had largely diminished the attendance of the children upon the schools is evidence of an increasing interest in schools and of appreciation of the importance of general education of the most conclusive and satisfactory description.

DURATION OF THE SCHOOLS.

To one accustomed to study educational statistics, the facts in regard to the duration of the schools are among the most interesting and significant to which attention can be given. Unimportant apparently and generally regarded as of little consequence, they are always full of matter that deserves and will repay thoughtful consideration and discussion. The number of weeks of school by male teachers reported for the present year-by which is meant the year closing March 31st, 1865, and the year to which the present report applies-is 8,729; the number of weeks of school by female teachers is 54,555, and the aggregate number of weeks is 63,284. The number of weeks of school by male teachers reported for the preceding year was 10,413 and of weeks of school by females was 53,999 giving an aggregate number of weeks of 64,412. Thus the aggregate number of weeks of school for the present year falls short of the aggregate of the preceding year by the number of 1128 weeks. The significance of this discrepancy is affected somewhat by another fact, viz., that the number of districts re

ported varies in the two years reported. The whole number of districts,-whole and fractional, reported for the present year is 2646 while the number of districts reported for the preceding year was 5,682. There then appears during the present year a decrease of 36 in the whole number of districts, a decrease which, as indicative of an advance in the direction of consolidation, is a promising indication of progress.

From these figures it is ascertained that the average duration of the common schools for the last year was 24,-weeks, while the average for the present year is 23 91-100 weeks. The difference thus indicated is not as great as would be supposed from a glance at the difference in the aggregate number of weeks of school, but though in fact slight, it being only onetenth of a week in the average duration of the schools, still it is a difference in the wrong direction, and considered by itself alone, is indicative of a movement backward instead of forward.

By far too little attention has been generally given in our State to the leading educational topics of the average attendance upon schools, and the average duration of their sessions, and at the risk of an appearance of repetition, as these matters have often before been presented in the reports, it is deemed not only proper, but essential that their importance should again and again be urged upon the attention of all.

To increase the efficiency of the schools, is the direct and ostensible as well as acknowledged object, of all educational discussions and efforts. But schools are mere instrumentalities, agencies, tools, so to speak, for the accomplishment of certain specific purposes, and the success attending their use and operation, will, it is true, depend greatly upon the intrinsic excellence of the schools themselves; but not exclusively so, for the efficiency of any agency in the accomplishment of any given work, will be increased or diminished by expanding or contracting its sphere of labor, and by extending or shortening the time during which it continues in operation.

The average duration of the sessions of the common schools in our State for many years, has been quite small as compared with that of some of the other States, and indeed with all of them that profess to sustain a public free school system. This does not arise from pecuniary inability, neither does it proceed from a pronounced want of attachment to, or appreciation of the common schools. It comes simply from an absence of that frequent and urgent discussion which is so necessary to

preserve a wholesome and vigilant public sentiment in reference to any topic of commanding social or moral moment.

That a good school is better than a bad one is plain enough, and is commonly enough understood; and that a bad school is something worse than good for nothing is beginning to be generally believed. That a good school, other things being equal, will accomplish more for the public good than can one of an inferior quality, is also as true as it is generally conceded. But it is not by any means as clearly perceived and believed that "other things" not "being equal" the same rule does not apply with equal force. It is not always, or commonly true, that a good school that remains in operation only for a short time in each year after a long interval to be succeeded by another equally good, will accomplish more good than a school in some respects inferior, that continues in session for a much longer period. Very few are aware of the extent to which the possible capacity of a public system of schools in actual operation is diminished by apparently slight causes that are by most minds entirely unnoticed or disregarded.

A brief inspection of the statistical facts reported with special reference to their bearing upon this particular point may not be useless, it certainly will be suggestive. Beginning then with the legitimate hypothesis that the public school system of a State is organically intended to provide necessary instruction for the children of the whole State within certain limits that are recognized and prescribed, it is to be supposed to be adequate to the accomplishment of this specific object. The school system of this State then as it exists and is practically operated, is to be supposed to be adequate to give necessary instraction to all the children of the State in the specific branches of study particularly mentioned in the general law. And for the accomplishment of this general object the people of the State expend in support of this system, directly and indirectly, an amount not much, if any, less than a half million of dollars annually.

The whole No. of children between 4 and 18 years of age reported is 88,453. Of this aggregate number only 64,042 have attended school at all, and the average attendance has been only 44,628. But of the children actually attending the school, by far the larger proportion are, as is well known to common observation, quite young, and to them, as yet immature and almost entirely untrained in thought and study, it is a matter of so great consequence as to be indispensable to any fair and