SECRETARY'S REPORT. CONDITION OF THE SCHOOLS. We are gratified in being able to report that the condition of the schools proves the wisdom of the State in adopting our present school system. While public attention has been so earnestly directed to momentous national questions, there has been an in creasing interest in our schools. Throughout a large portion of the State, they have been little affected by the disturbing influences caused by the rebellion. We must except, however, the border counties on the south, west and north-west. The latter, especially, have witnessed unusual scenes of excitement, caused by the Indian massacres near the border, and by threatened incursions into the State. Hundreds of families abandoned their homes, and sought safety from the real or fancied dangers threatening them. And although quiet was restored and security insured by our troops on the frontier, the schools were in many instances suspended, and the school house was occupied by the soldier. In many of the western and southern counties, the supply of teachers has not been equal to the demand; and the inexperienced and poorly qualified have supplied the place of those who are in the army. In other portions of the State, though a large number of experienced teachers are in the army, the schools have been supplied by female teachers no less qualified, and not less successful. Notwithstanding the inconveniences experienced in school affairs in some portions of the State, the cause of popular education has, on the whole, been advancing. We infer this from the increased liberality of the people in levying taxes for school houses; from the demand for better qualified teachers; from the increased interest in Teachers' Institutes, and from the universal desire that the duties and pay of County Superintendents be increased. The schools, however, are by no means what they should beare not accomplishing all that is demanded of them. The Constitution requires that education shall be provided for all the youths of the State, through a system of Common Schools. It will not be claimed that this provision of the Constitution has been satisfied by simply providing for the establishment of schools in each subdistrict. The State is the guardian of the schools, and it is her duty not only to provide for their establishment, but to make them of such a character as to ensure suitable instruction to those attending them. The statistics show that, although free schools are found in nearly every neighborhood, far too great a number attend irregularly or not at all. This state of things has induced many zealous friends of Education to ask the enactment of a law compelling parents and guardians to send their children to school. They urge that the State, having made provision for the education of all children, has the right, and is in duty bound to require all to be educated. Without denying the justice of this proposition, we shall decline asking the enactment of the contemplated law until further efforts have been made, both voluntary and legislative, to give our schools such a character that pupils will be attracted to them; to make them good enough for all classes, so that none will have an excuse for sending to the private school or not sending at all. If with comfortable and convenient school houses, with well qualified teachers, with a systematic course of instruction, and with Superintendents to visit and watch over the schools, there shall still be found those so dead to all sense of obligation to the community and to the State, as to neglect the education of their children, we will then favor a most stringent law compelling attend ance. Tables "A" and "B" in the Appendix to this Report present the statistical reports of the County Superintendents, for the year 1862. The result, for the State at large, is as follows: Number of District Townships,. 1,105 Number of days schools have been taught, (Summer) 66 66 4,187 5 44 female teachers per week, 3 56 241,416 258,406 026 0 25 66 (Winter) Average cost of tuition per week, (Summer,). . . . ..$ Aggregate amount paid teachers during the year,.. 515,939 37 Amount of teachers' fund in hands of Dist. Treas.,. 96,431 75 Number of school-houses, (brick). 315 Value of school-houses,.. Dist. tax for building and repairing school-houses, 137,676 53 Amount of apportionment from County Treasury,. 346,741 00 Number of volumes in District Library,. Value of apparatus, . 3,888 4,214 00 TABLES C AND D EMBRACE THE REPORTS FOR 1863. "Males between five and twenty-one years,. 142,996 Aggregate number of days the schools have been taught, 111,185 .... 2,937 5,563 $5.50 "Female 66 66 3.92 .... summer, 272,708 Aggregate number of days the schools have been taught, Aggregate amount paid teachers during the year,. 263,386 $0.27 0.28 .... $570,115.23 193,139.01 332 111 2830 837 $1,394,788.42 Value of school houses,.. District tax for building and repairing school houses, $156,528.74 According to these returns over 80,000 youths between the ages of 5 and 21, have not attended the public schools during the past year. This representation conveys an incorrect view of the case. While the enumeration includes all between 5 and 21, the fact is, very few under 7 and over 15 ever attend the public school. We may safely calculate that a small fraction only, of the above number should be returned as not attending school; and of this fraction more than 3000 are in private Schools, Academies and Colleges. In July last we issued a circular to County Superintendents, requesting them to state in their annual reports, the number of pupils attending private Schools, Academies and Colleges in their respective Counties; the number of schools graded, &c., hoping from the data thus furnished to give a full exhibit of all the educational agencies in the State. Several Counties, however, having failed to furnish the information asked for, we necessarily omit the contemplated statement. GRADED SCHOOLS. For the purpose of introducing system and uniformity into our |