*APPENDIX.

ABSTRACTS FROM THE OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL OFFICERS OF STATES, TERRITORIES, AND CITIES, WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.

ALABAMA.

[From roport of Hon. Joseph Hodgson, State superintendent of instruction, for the scholastic year commencing January 1 and ending September 30, 1871.]

SCHOOL-FUND.

The school-fund for the scholastic year, as certified to this department by the State auditor, was derived as follows:

Interest on sixteenth-section fund, from December 1, 1869, to October
1, 1870...

Interest on valueless sixteenth-section fund, from December 1, 1869, to
October 1, 1870.

Interest on surplus revenue..

One-fifth aggregate revenue.

Poll-tax

From revenues derived under section 957 of the revised code.

Total.....

$115,268 85

6,472 75 44, 605 78

232, 462 25

82, 579 66

100, 000 00

581, 389 29

The school-fund for the scholastic year commencing October 1, 1871, and ending September 30, 1872, as certified to this department by the State auditor, amounts to $604,978. 50.

Public-school fund for 1851.

Public-school fund for 1856.

Public-school fund for 1857.

Public-school fund for 1869.

Public-school fund for 1870.

Public-school fund for 1871.......

Financial statement.

The increase of school-fund for 1871 over that of 1870 amounts to...

Cost of administration in 1870
Cost of administration in 1871

Decrease...

Total available fund for 1871-72.
Already apportioned to schools.

Balance unapportioned..

$237,
267, 690 41
281,874 41

515 39

524, 621 68

500, 409 18

581, 389 29

80,980 11

$86, 123 82

44, 588 21

41, 535 61

$640,627 83 560,000.00

80, 627 83

The statistics of city schools, tabulated from the figures given by the city superintendents, as well as the names of the presidents and the statistics of the higher educational institutions of cach State, will be found in their appropriate place among the statistical tables at the end of this volume. These tables of the schools and colleges embody the information given, in response to the circulars of inquiry sent out from this Bureau, by those in charge of the institutions. Owing to want of space, reference will be made in the text only to institutions from which the Bureau possesses printed or written information relating to matters of special interest.

The above apportionment is at the rate of $1.333 to each child, which is the same as last year. A large amount has been reserved in order that the necessary appropriations may be made for the improvement of the State university, the establishment of normal schools, and the correction of previous errors, by which several towns have been deprived of interest upon their sixteenth-section' funds. Whatever balance may then remain will be apportioned thereafter.

NEW SCHOOL CODE.

At their last session, the members of the board of education did much to reform the public-school system, but the code of laws which they then enacted has been proved by the experience of the last year to be faulty in several important respects.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

The law provides for teachers' institutes, but makes no provision for their encouragement. During the past year institutes have been held in nearly all the counties, for the first time in the history of public instruction in Alabama. The result has been most satisfactory.

The superintendent thus writes: "The board of education should designate certain central points and convenient times at which several counties may unite in institutes, and that a competent teacher, trained in a normal school, be employed to give instruction to the teachers on such occasions. I am satisfied that in this way our teachers of public schools would become far more efficient at a very small cost to the State.

STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

"As an auxiliary to the teachers' institutes, I organized in July a State association of teachers. It was largely attended by leading educators from all parts of the State, and for three days the addresses and debates elicited unflagging attention.

"I would suggest, inasmuch as it is expedient for county superintendents to visit the capital at least once in each year to adjust accounts, that they be empowered to attend the annual educational convention, and that a small appropriation be made to pay their expenses. Nothing would go further to advance the cause of public instruction than a convention of county superintendents once a year.

THE STATE UNIVERSITY.

"The State university was re-organized by the board of education, sitting as a board of regents. It had fallen into bad repute, and was without students. The board selected an able faculty, equal in ability to any who had preceded them. Notwithstanding the difficulties with which the university has been obliged to contend for several years, its present session opened with most flattering prospects, and the corps of cadets numbers nearly as many as before the war. It is unnecessary for me to call the attention of the people to the importance of sending their sons to an institution of their own.

NORMAL DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY.

"In this department, which is designed for the preparation of teachers, instruction is given by each professor as to the best manner of imparting a knowledge of the subjects taught, and at stated times the pupils are required to practice the principles taught by teaching a class, under the immediate direction of the professor. The president of the university will deliver a course of lectures on the art of teaching and Conducting schools, with special reference to discipline. Certificates of proficiency, setting forth their qualifications, will be given to those who leave the university for the purpose of teaching, which certificates will at once admit them, without further examination, into the public schools as teachers.

SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANICS.

"It will devolve upon the general assembly to appropriate to some institution of learning the annual interest of the fund now being realized from the congressional land-grant. Two hundred and forty thousand acres have been given to the State for an endowment to agricultural and scientific schools. This land has been sold by the State commissioners for $218,000, and will realize us an annual revenue of about $17,000. Here, then, we have for our own State the means of setting on foot a system of instruction which will extend to our laboring population the great benefits which have been derived from similar institutions in Europe. If such polytechnic schools for training in the practical arts are encouraged by the State government, I confidently expect to see the most important results at no distant day."

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At the conclusion of his report, the superintendent says: "In submitting this report I would call the attention of your excellency to the fact that a large proportion of the public schools during the past year did not cease operation as soon as the public fund was exhausted, but were continued by private contribution. Thus the public fund has been made a most valuable auxiliary to the educational interests of the State. It has paid more than half the tuition of nearly all the children of the State, and all the tuition of, by far, the greatest number."

THE PEABODY FUND.

From the report of Dr. Sears, superintendent of this fund, wo make several extracts to show the aid that has been extended to the educational interests of the State.

To an inquiry respecting local taxation, the superintendent replied, March 28, 1872: "No local taxes aro levied in this State for school purposes, except in the counties and cities (two of each) mentioned in my report; but such taxes may be levied, as you will see from the law. Thus, while the State is unable to raise money enough by a general tax to support the schools for a period much beyond three months, the people are so averse to local taxation that they will not, in this way, supplement the State funds. An attempt is made to meet this difficulty by requiring, as far as practicable, the school funds to

be supplemented to an amount sufficient to continue the public schools in operation for at least five months. It would seem that the additional money is to be raised by voluntary contribution, and that an agreement must be entered into by the contributors, to make the schools free, and to place them under the supervision and control of the public-school authorities. This may be the best that can be done; but, as light dawus upon the people, they will see that they are paying dear for their prejudice against a school-tax. The plan can be viewed only in the light of a transition to a better state of things.

GREENSBOROUGH.

"It was hoped that the schools of Greensborough would have become this year self-supporting; but the superintendent wrote, March 12, 1872: The prospects of receiving State aid are so gloomy that I feel constrained to request the continuance of the same assistance that you have so kindly given for the past two years. Our schools are fuller than ever before.' The donation, $1,000, was renewed.

SELMA.

"The president of the board of education of Selma wrote, August 5, 1871: 'When I last saw you I thought we should be able by this time to keep our free school without further assistance from the Peabody fund; but we have been disappointed. There is a provision in our city charter which limits the amount of our school-fund from the city tax to 10 per cent. of the gross revenue of the city. We endeavored, at the last session of the legislature, to remove this restriction, but met with opposition, which defeated the measuro.' The former donation of $2,000 was continued.

MONTGOMERY.

The superintendent of Montgomery wrote: Your generous gift assisted us so much last year that we had hoped to carry our schools through the year without any assistance from outside; but the State treasurer is unable to pay the State apportionment, about $2,500, and we must close at once, unless we can obtain help.' We promised $1,500, on condition that the schools be continued through the year.

Altogether there has been expended from this fund in the State $9,200."

ALABAMA TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

The second annual meeting of this association was held at Montgomery, July 9th, 10th, and 11th.

Addresses were delivered by Hon. Joseph Hodgson, president and State superintendent of public instruction; by Professor Kennedy on the "best incentive to study;" by Hon. E. R. Dickson on the "best method of diffusing education;" by Colonel Menifee, county superintendent of Pike County, in behalf of popular education. He was followed by Rev. Dr. Andrews, president Southern University, Greensborough; Mr. Goodwin and Dr. Stout, of Atlanta; Major Davis, of Louisville; Mr. Calvin, of Augusta. Rev. Mr. Cook, Professor Hale, Professor Hogg, and Rev. D. C. B. Connerly and others also made addresses upon practical subjects, and all earnestly in sympathy with the movement for sustaining a system of public schools.

Professor Lupton, president of the State university, expressed himself as in full accord with the public-school movement. Though he saw difficulties in the way, he thought they would be overcome. It was only necessary to show the people the good to be derived from the results of the system.

All the discussions during the meetings of the association demonstrated that Alabama has many able workers in the cause of public schools who are striving to lay the foundations of a progressive system of public education in the State.

INSTITUTIONS.

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF ALABAMA.

The circular of this institution for the session of 1872-73 contains the following record of its progress and present condition:

At the session of the college for 1868-'69 there were 22 students, 4 of whom graduated at the close of the session. The next year, or the session of 1869-'70, there were 25 students, of whom 7 graduated. The next session 54 students attended the lectures, 15 of whom graduated. At the last session, that of 1871-72, there were 91 students and 37 graduates. Thus the institution has had a steady and uniform growth. The system of free lectures still continues.