of "blind votes," be he competent or not, holds the position for four years. No qualification is necessary save citizenship and ability to furnish the required bond. This statement represents very fairly the present status of this service in our country.

Hon. J. W. Holcombe, superintendent of public instruction for the State of Indiana, in his report for 1884, submits the following statement and recommendations with reference to the county superintendency:

No office in the State has more fully justified its own existence than the county superintendency. The contrast between the country schools of to-day and those of a dozen years ago is a sufficient testimonial of its value. Its effects have been felt in every branch of educational administration. The elder State superintendents found themselves helpless in the midst of chaos; their voice was as "the voice of one crying in the wilderness. They could do little but exhort and plead. The trustees controlled the schools, the State superintendent and State board of education sat at the capital and beheld the reign of confusion. The influence they could exert was but feeble, the power naught. There was no medium of communication between them and the schools; the trustees could not be reached; the examiners were mere functionaries with power confined to one thing. The indispensable link was supplied in the county superintendency, and with its creation begins the period of the most marked and rapid progress that our schools have ever enjoyed. System, order, organization, with all the improvement that these imply, have appeared in the schools; and the promptness and certainty with which the directions of the central department are executed have secured an almost equal progress throughout all the counties, and have given us a State system in fact as well as in name. If in any counties these gratifying results have not been secured in as full measure as they ought, the fault is with the trustees, in not realizing the possibilities of the office, and so not appointing men of sufficient strength to fill it; or with the county commissioners, in hampering the work of the superintendent through mistaken ideas of economy. But I think it safe to say that the incumbents of this office have, as a rule, accomplished more than could have been expected of them in the short space of eleven years; and it gives me pleasure to bear testimony to the high character, fidelity, and competence of the county superintendents of Indiana.

I shall, therefore, ask of the general assembly a little legislation in matters of detail, which will have the effect of strengthening this office. And first, as to a standard of qualifications for superintendents. It has been pointed out as a defect in our system, both theoretical and practical, that the men who examine and pass upon the qualifications of nearly all the teachers of the State are themselves not subjected to any examination whatever, and the occasional appointment to the office in past years of persons notoriously inferior in scholarship to many of their teachers has seemed to make the establishment of some test of qualifications necessary. Various plans have been proposed, as that the superintendent, or all candidates for the office, must hold college or normal school diplomas, or must be examined by the State board of education. The practical objections to these plans are serious. But I think it would be very reasonable and entirely practicable to prohibit the appointment of any one as county superintendent who did not hold a valid teacher's license of not less than twenty-four months' grade. The highest grade of license issued by the superintendent is for thirty-six months; but it would not be well as yet to require him to hold this grade himself. It has been in existence less than two years, and has been issued to but a small number of persons, and in some counties it might happen that no one holding this license would accept the superintendency. But if scholarship were made by law an essential qualification for this office, there is little doubt that trustees would be compelled by public opinion to appoint from the available men the one that held the highest license. The objection to be urged against this plan is that the superintendent, being the examiner, might not deal fairly in grading possible rivals for the office. But I think this criticism ought to have no weight. It is theoretical merely; and I believe the superintendents would be particularly careful in such cases to avoid any suspicion of injustice. Besides, a man who cannot make a sufficiently high grade to merit a twenty-four months' license beyond all question, is hardly qualified for the superintendency; and in the last resort an appeal may be taken by an applicant for license to the State superintendent, on the grading of the examination.

Provision should be made for the necessary expenses of the county superintendent, incurred in the performance of his duties, and he should in all cases be furnished with an office. He is the depositary of records and public property of value, which should be safely kept. The proper administration of his office requires stationery, postage, and printing, and these should be supplied by the county. Such is the practice in many counties, but in others allowances for these necessaries are. refused; and there may be

some doubt of the commissioners' right to grant them, under the present law. I recommend, therefore, that section 4433 R. S. be amended in accordance with these suggestions, and that at the same time the proviso permitting the commissioners to limit the number of days for the visitation of schools be omitted, a needless authority not much exercised, and when exercised causing only detriment to the schools. It is obvious that the schools need all the visitation the superintendent, with other duties to perform, can give them in one hundred and forty days.

The National Council of Education, in its session of 1885, approved the report on State school supervision submitted by a special committee. The following are the main

points in the report:

State supervision is necessary because, having undertaken to tax the people to secure better school advantages, it must follow up the tax and see that the money is wisely expended. It is not enough to make a school system possible. The State should compel the location, establishment, and maintenance of a sufficient number of schools to educate all its children. It should fix the minimum time in which the school should be in session, and prescribe a minimum course of study. A State superintendent should be employed to take general supervision of schools, and of school funds and revenues, to advise with subordinate school officers, interpret the law, and report needed legislation. The State board of education should be composed chiefly of professional teachers, and the various public educational interests should be well represented. It should take charge of the issuing of State certificates, supervise State educational institutions, examine and license all local officers authorized to examine and license teachers throughout the State, exercise control over county and district institutes, and appoint the State superintendent. A county or district superintendent should have his fitness well attested and have a long tenure of office. He should have power to examine applicants for teachership, and issue and revoke licenses. He should be appointed by a county board of education, formed of members of the local boards, and this county board should have oversight of the schools in the county.

The governor of Massachusetts, in the addresses before referred to, dwells particularly upon the subject of supervision. In 1884 he said:

The most promising field for improvement is in the small towns; they cannot make sufficient provision for the highest success; the large towns can. We need more thorough, intelligent supervision, especially in the small country towns. Whatever can be done to build up and strengthen these struggling communities will bless the State at large. More towns should avail themselves of the statute authority to employ a superintendent, if not alone, then in union with their neighbors. Apply this system generally, and the benefits will quickly appear in better teachers, improved methods of instruction, more satisfactory buildings and appliances, and an increased attendance of pupils.

In 1885 he said:

Intelligent and thorough supervision contributes much to the excellence of the public schools. The advanced condition of the schools in the cities and large towns affords the best proof of this fact. Smaller towns may have the benefit of this important agency by union in districts, and by supporting together a district superintendent. In several instances of trial of this method most successful results have been accomplished, and the need of its wider application has been abundantly demonstrated. Any practicable measure looking to and encouraging the adoption of the system generally throughout the State should receive your earnest support.

It is to be hoped that the agitation of this subject will be continued with increased vigor in every State, until the supervision of the schools is established upon a sound basis.

GRADED COURSE OF STUDY.

One of the most successful measures employed by county superintendents for the improvement of rural schools is the graded course of study. The advantages of this measnre are illustrated by its excellent effects in Macon County, Illinois, a full report of which has been furnished to the Office.

The plan was first suggested to the county superintendent, Mr. John Trainer, in 1880, by the perusal of Mr. A. L. Wade's "Graduating system for county schools." Since

then the superintendent has been steadily at work improving and extending the original idea. The following are the principal features of the plan as now developed:

1. A complete course of study.

2. A definite outline of study, based upon the course of study.

(A) A system of examinations (based upon the outline of study): (a) monthly; (b) annual (central); (c) final (annual).

(B) A system of outlining, based upon the definite work.

3. The grouping of the county into great districts.

4. The county a district composed of the great districts.

5. A system of reports:

(A) Reports to parents.

(B) Reports to county superintendents.

6. A plan for preserving the several examinations.

7. A permanent record of the progress of the pupil as determined by the examinations. 8. Certificates of rank in class issued at the central examinations.

9. A county diploma issued at the final examination.

The condition of the ungraded schools in Macon County prior to the adoption of the system may be summarized as follows: the classification was miserable, one teacher actually having thirteen classes in arithmetic alone; the want of uniformity in textbooks was appalling; the entire absence of records was noticeable in many cases, a majority of teachers keeping the attendance in pencil on a sheet of foolscap; the schoolrooms were nothing if not repulsive; less than one-half the scholars were studying grammar, and fewer still pretending to study history; no district knew what its next neighbor was doing.

By the application of the graded course the following results have been accomplished: (a) A classification which grades the school to the minimum number of classes.

(b) An improved attendance in every grade: the boys starting to school several weeks earlier in the fall; the girls remaining in school through the spring and summer terms, longer than ever before.

(c) All the branches "outlined" are taken up in the proper order, and completed as required before the pupil is promoted.

(d) Pupils are passing directly from district schools to the high schools and to the preparatory course in the State institutions without an examination.

(e) More pupils are preparing to take advanced courses of study-double the number under the old régime.

(ƒ) Teachers are adopting new and improved methods of doing the work outlined for them; the strong teacher is advancing term after term, the weak teacher is being pushed to the wall; the public are demanding the very best teachers, even at the highest price. The State superintendent of Illinois, Hon. Henry Raab, who has been exceedingly active in this matter, reports that more than half the counties of the State have, during the last three years, adopted a course of study and manual of work, with excellent results in every case.

The use of the graded course is rapidly extending in all the western States.

In the eastern States the measure has attracted less attention, although no better illustration of its practical advantage can be found than is afforded by certain counties of New Jersey.

COMPULSION.

My Report for 1882-'83 contained a compilation showing the status of each State and Territory with reference to compulsion. The laws compelling attendance upon school have undoubtedly increased the number of youth who are brought under instruction, but at the same time in some instances they have apparently been the cause of a decrease in the annual enrollment. For instance, in Connecticut the ratio of the number of youth registered to the number enumerated has declined steadily since 1875. In that year

the per cent. registered in public schools was 89.34, as against 81.85 in 1885; registered in both public and private schools, 95.65 in 1875, as against 91.53 in 1885. With reference to this decrease Hon. C. D. Hine, the secretary of the board, says:

It is probable that the compulsory law itself has contributed to this result. Under its provisions those over 14 were legally exempt, and felt that they were morally relieved from school obligations. Those under 8 were also little pressed, and there was no forced regularity. The large class between 8 and 14, which is the promising and proper school age, found that the State permitted absence for six of the nine school months; with this high sanction, if there was no desire to attend or no home impulse, the State limit became the standard, and convenience or necessity regulated attendance.

As a means of correcting this tendency the law has been re-enforced by an additional enactment, which provides for the attendance of all unemployed children between 8 and 16 years of age.

Similar action has been taken in some other States where there was an apparent tendency on the part of some parents to limit the school attendance of their children to the minimum required by the law.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE EDUCATIONAL CONDITION OF THE UNION.

NEW ENGLAND STATES-MAINE.

The statistics show, for the first time in several years, an increase in the number of school children, and it is hoped that the limit has at last been reached in the decrease that has been going on in this respect, with one exception, for 10 years. The whole enrollment in public schools (145,121) was over a thousand less than during the previous year; but this, it is believed, was owing to the fact that fewer children of 4 years were sent to school. The average daily attendance increased in summer, but epidemics lessened it in winter. The superintendent thinks that, on the whole, the statistics of attendance show a more intelligent and active parental interest, securing better teaching, better supervision, and more regular attendance. The average school term was 2 days longer and the number of graded schools was 50 greater, while ungraded ones decreased, showing that small and weak schools have been absorbed by larger ones-a reform much needed. The whole expenditure for public schools decreased by over $47,000, but this was owing to the fact that less money was paid for new school-houses, in which matter greater economy was observed, without the sacrifice of any essential good.

There was, therefore, an improvement in school organization; a better quality of instruction; comparative increase in work done; and more efficient supervision. There was also an extension of the system of high schools, and a growing adjustment of their work to that of the lower grades; an increase of attendance on normal schools and of the number graduated from them; and a more efficient organization of teachers' associations, with better attendance and better work.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

For many years this State has been hampered by an educational system which made long school sessions in the cities and short ones in the country districts the current rule. The schools in the latter, relics of an outworn and always miserable plan of cheap neighborhood instruction, have been comparatively costly, because few children were instructed, and commonly inefficient, because poor pay generally brought to them poor teachers. Superintendent Patterson, stimulated by the action of Massachusetts in doing away with its old district system at the close of 1882, labored earnestly as well as wisely "in 1885 to effect the same thing for New Hampshire, and happily succeeded, a law of that year abolishing the division of towns into school districts, and making each town, except some under special acts, a single district for school purposes. This is the entering wedge for great improvement in the educational condition of the State, with sure results of better school-houses, fuller attendance on them, a higher style of teaching, and a better understanding of the subject studied, all with probably less expense than under the old rule.

VERMONT.

The full reports from this State are biennial, and 1884-'85 is therefore only partially presented. From this cause perhaps 1,085 less children than in 1883-'84 are reported as enrolled in public schools, and average time of school appears a little shorter, but 10 more schools are presented, and average daily attendance in all the public schools of the State was 1,424 greater. Pay of male teachers was somewhat diminished, but that of females was correspondingly increased; the total expenditure for all school purposes was $20,922 greater than that of the preceding year. From educational papers it is understood that the voting on the abolition of the old school districts with a view to the adoption of a general town system was still going on, with increasing prospect of eventually reaching on this point the position of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

MASSACHUSETTS.

With 343,810 children of school age (5-15) this State enrolled 339,714, a noble showing, though a decrease for the year of over 2,000. The average membership, however, increased by nearly 5,000, and the average attendance by 5,787, raising the ratio of average attendance based on membership to 90 per cent. The increased demand for instruction was met by the establishment of 89 new schools, and about $518,000 more was expended on all than during the previous year, much of this, however, being due to the operation of the free text-book law. There was a gain of 152 in the number of normal graduates employed, and of 122 in teachers that had attended normal schools; but, on the other hand, about 1,300 more teachers were employed during the year than the number necessary to supply the schools, showing too many changes in the corps to be consistent with the welfare of the schools. There was, however, an improvement in all the equipments for teaching, such as school-houses and apparatus; a better supply of dictionaries; free text-books furnished; supplementary reading matter introduced; and better provision made for truants. Discipline, too, was greatly improved, the theory of compulsion having largely given way to that of a healthy stimulation. Evening schools increased in number, enrollment, and attendance. High schools had an increased attendance, and a number of new and elegant buildings were erected for them.

RHODE ISLAND.

The figures from this State show advance in all important respects. With about 60,000 children of legal school age (5-15), nearly 48,000, or about 80 per cent., were enrolled in public schools, the average belonging being 35,269, and the average daily attendance 31,743, an increase for the year of 1,289 in school population, of 2,349 in enrollment, of 1,147 in the average number belonging, and of 996 in average daily attendance, besides a greater attendance on evening schools and on private schools. Thirty-one more graded schools were taught, though the whole increase for the year in all day schools sustained was only 32. Eight more teachers were from normal schools, while only 16 more teachers than in the previous year were employed; their average monthly pay increased slightly, and the whole amount expended on public schools was more than $100,000 greater, while public school property was reported worth $127,850 more than in 1883-'84.

CONNECTICUT.

Encouraging advance during 1834-'85 is shown by the statistics from this State. About 151,000 children of school age (4-16) are reported, of whom 125,718, or 83 per cent., were enrolled in public schools, besides 14,480 in other schools, showing that nearly 93 per cent. of the school population were in school during some portion of the year. An increase of 468 is reported in the children of school age, while the increase in the number enrolled in public schools was five times as great, the average attendance also increasing. Nineteen new school-houses were built, providing 2,247 more sittings. More teachers were continued in the same school, and fewer having no experience were employed, the average pay remaining about the same. The whole amount