mating the monthly compensation of teachers, that the wages of all those employed in the village and city graded schools, including principals and superintendents, have been included.

It is to be sincerely regretted that so many of the oldest and most experienced female teachers annually leave the business, thus begetting the necessity of supplying their places with beginners. It is perhaps true that fully one-third of our summer schools throughout the rural districts are annually taught by girls who have had no previous practice in teaching and managing schools. This is an evil incident to our American customs, and is one which is very difficult, if not impossible to remedy.

COST OF MAINTAINING PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Table VI. will show the amount expended within the year for the support of our public schools. The amount paid for teachers' salaries has been $678,606.06. For building, purchasing, hiring, repairing and furnishing school houses and buying sites, there has been expended the sum of $323,601.55. The amount paid for fuel and other current school expenses has been $153,334.54.

STATE TEACHERS' INSTITUTES AND TRAINING SCHOOLS.

Section eighty-one of the law providing for Teachers' Institutes, reads as follows: "The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall annually hold in the sparsely settled counties, as many State Teachers' Institutes as he shall find practicable, each to continue in session one week at least. He shall give due notice thereof to all teachers and persons proposing to become such, and invite their attendance. He shall attend and have charge of each institute; invite the aid and co-operation of the superintendent of schools for the county; employ suitable instructors and lecturers to give instruction and addresses, to aid the teachers in qualifying themselves for a more successful discharge of their duties;

Of

Le Sueur, Le Sueur County. Each Institute began on Monday and continued in session five days. The entire enrollment at the Institutes and Training Schools was 1,024. this number 729 attended the Training Schools, and 295 the Institutes. Nearly all this number of teachers were entitled to and received certificates of membership, for prompt and regular attendance during the sessions. This enrollment was made up exclusively of those engaged in the work of teaching in our public schools and those intending soon to enter upon the work. Not only the attendance, but the interest manifested at all the sessions in the several localities, by the teachers and citizens, I have never seen surpassed. A generous welcome, and a heartfelt hospitality were every where extended. These expressions of interest. and sympathy on the part of the several communities where these meetings were held, contributed very much to their

success.

The testimony borne by State Superintendents and other prominent educators, to the uniformly good effects of these institutes in the past, is well nigh universal. They have become one of the most important auxiliaries to our public school system. No more powerful agency can be had to awaken an interest in the public mind, to assist in elevating the profession of the teacher and to increase the efficiency and worth of our schools.

The county should be the area from which the teachers are collected; and the meeting should always result in an increase of practical knowledge and of professional zeal and inquiry. This result is certainly most likely to be attained if the discussions are confined to the teacher's work and whatever pertains to school economy; and if exercise is allowed to keep company with instruction in the theory and practice of teaching.

It has been the desire and aim of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to make these Institutes eminently practical and useful.

The following table shows the place and time the several