It appears from the foregoing exhibit that, although there was a slight falling off in attendance for the summer, if we take both summer and winter together, there is a very marked increase. We find that there is a diminution in the average length of schools of a small fraction, and yet it exceeds the legal requirement by nearly two months, or thirty-three per cent. The amount expended for each person of school age, was seven dollars and twenty-three cents, an increase of eighty-five cents, whereas the law required only one dollar and fifty cents per scholar. But the most striking fact in this brief summary is the increase in the amount raised by taxes for the support of schools, which reached the unprecedented sum of $246,310.31. This is more than double the increase of any preceding year. To enable us duly to appreciate the significance of this fact, it is necessary to remember that it took place while the end of the great struggle, with its burdens and distractions, was yet unseen, and when not a few believed the nation to stand on the precipice of general bankruptcy. Thus it appears that in the essential provisions for the education of the children of the State, the generous public spirit of the people continues to move forward far in advance of the requirements of the law.

Some observations on the means of improving and extending our system of Public Schools will conclude what the Board have to present at this time. In the fourth section of the thirty-ninth chapter of the General Statutes, it is made the duty of every town divided into districts, to vote at the next annual town meeting, namely in 1866, upon the question of abolishing such districts. It is earnestly hoped that when this vote comes to be taken, it will result in the total abolition of this cumbrous and unwieldy district system, which has so long clogged the progress of educational improvement in the towns where it has been suffered to remain. Reason and fact alike condemn it as a fruitful source of inconveniences and evils. It perpetuates poor school-houses, inefficient teachers, and neighborhood feuds and jealousies. It prevents the equalization of school advantages, and stands in the way of a proper classification of pupils. As compared with the town system, it is at once expensive and inefficient. For these and other reasons, the highest authorities in educational economy agree in pronouncing an emphatic verdict against it. Horace Mann, at the close of his long term of service as Secretary, said

of it: "I consider the law of 1789, authorizing towns to divide themselves into districts, the most unfortunate law, on the subject of Common Schools, ever enacted in the State." His successors have been no less decided in pronouncing it a deleterious element of the system. Dr. Sears, who devoted the greater part of an able report to the exposition of its evils, said: "The division of a town. into independent districts is a great sacrifice of economy, for which no equivalent is received." Mr. Boutwell, with great earnestness, on all proper occasions, urged its discontinuance, and in his last report, he said: "I trust that the day will again and speedily be seen when every town will, in its municipal capacity, manage its schools and equalize the expenses of education." The present Secretary has demonstrated by the most convincing proof, the necessity of doing away with it. After years of experience and observation as pupil, teacher, a member of the school committee in city and country, and as Secretary of the Board, he says: "I honestly and most firmly believe that the sub-division of the towns. into numerous, and in the majority of cases, small districts, presents the most formidable obstacle to any considerable improvement in their schools." Thus reason has arraigned it, fact has given evidence against it, argument has convicted it, experience has pronounced judgment upon it, and it only remains for the intelligent citizens, at the time appointed, by their votes, to put an end to its existence.

On the first of January, 1865, the Massachusetts school fund was valued at $1,936,127.18; it has now reached the sum of $2,000,000. The income for the last year, ending June 30, 1865, was $121,786.03. It is provided that this income should be divided into moieties, one-half being distributed among the cities and towns in proportion to the number of children in each, between five and fifteen years of age. The amount thus apportioned, and payable July 10, 1865, was $60,720.27. Of the other moiety, which is chargeable with the general educational expenditures, the sum of $51,832.95 was appropriated to the usual objects, including the support of Normal Schools, aid to Normal Pupils, State Scholarships, salaries of the Officers of the Board, Teachers' Institutes, Teachers' Associations, the Massachusetts Teacher, and the printing and distribution of documents. An unexpended balance of this moiety, amounting to $8,982.45, was added to the capital of the fund.

The establishment of this fund, thirty-one years ago, has been justly regarded as one of the most important educational measures ever adopted by the government of the Commonwealth. That it has been one of the most powerful instrumentalities in reforming and elevating the character of our schools there can be no question. It has been the means of securing from all the cities and towns the accurate and complete returns and reports, the great utility of which has already been noticed. It has been the means of securing obedience to important legislative requirements for the benefit of education, especially those respecting the length of schools, and the amount per scholar, to be raised by taxes; and while it has not been a substitute for local taxation, it has operated as a powerful agent in increasing it. And besides, it has afforded the means of defraying the expenses of all the institutions and agencies immediately under the supervision of the Board, and intended for the general benefit of the State.

By the Act establishing the fund it was limited to one million dollars. In 1851, the maximum was raised to one million five hundred thousand dollars. Again, in 1854, when the fund was re-organized, the maximum was carried up to two millions. In the twenty-second Annual Report of the Secretary of the Board, the expediency of extending it to three millions was earnestly advocated, and accordingly, in 1859, ample provision was made for its increase out of the proceeds of the sales of the Back Bay lands. One year ago, however, when it seemed probable that the fund would speedily grow to the proposed amount, the Legislature saw fit to make other disposition of the means which had been set apart and pledged for this most desirable object. The Board cannot but deeply regret that this action should have been deemed necessary for the public interest; but as it was taken to meet the exigencies of the war, which was then severely taxing the resources of the people, it is hoped that the auspicious return of peace and prosperity will be followed by the adoption of measures for redeeming the pledge given in the Act of 1859, that the school fund should be raised to a much higher amount than it has yet reached.

In chapter thirty-fourth, section ninth, of the General Statutes, it is provided that the Board of Education may appoint one or more agents to visit the several towns and cities for the purpose of inquiring into the condition of the schools, conferring with teachers and committees, lecturing upon subjects connected with

education, and in general, of giving and receiving information upon subjects connected with education, in the same manner as the Secretary might do if he were present.

When the first appropriation was made by the legislature to defray the expenses of this description of service, as long ago as 1850, six agents were employed simultaneously, for a part of the year. Subsequently the plan was adopted of keeping two agents in the field during the whole year, one of whom should be especially qualified to visit schools, and give advice to teachers and committees in respect to the practical details of school management and instruction, and the other, a gentleman of popular eloquence and experience in public affairs, who would be expected to devote himself more particularly to the delivery of lectures and addresses, with a view to reach and move the hearts of the people in reference to educational interests. This policy was pursued for about ten years, with signal advantage. In 1860 the usual appropriation was not made for this branch of service, and consequently, the agency was suspended for a few months. During the past five years, the Board has appointed but one agent, whose labors in this inviting field have been both abundant and acceptable. This agency has at length come to be regarded not only as a useful instrumentality, but as an indispensable one. The experience of fifteen years has clearly proved that the expenditures for this purpose have yielded the most ample returns. But it is impossible for a single agent to do all the work that is needed in this useful department of service. The arduous efforts of the present agent have not enabled him to visit all the towns in five years, besides attending to the other duties assigned him; whereas, in order to accomplish fully the objects of the agency, it is desirable that each town should receive at least one visit in each year.

By the Act of March 17, 1864, it is provided that the agent or agents of the Board shall receive annually a certain fixed sum, and that if more than one agent shall be employed, the said sum shall be in full for the compensation of all such agents. This Act is in accordance with the provision of the General Statutes, authorizing the Board to appoint "one or more agents," for a longer or shorter period, and to determine their compensation, within the prescribed limit. It is evident that the appropriation required by these provisions should be made for the salary of "the agent or agents of the Board." Last year, however, it was made

for the salary of "the agent of the Board," thus restricting the Board to the employment of a single agent. It is therefore respectfully suggested that, in future, the terms of the appropriation bill be made to conform to the language of the General Statutes.

The last Report of the Secretary contained an important recommendation, respecting the conditions on which the income of the school fund should be apportioned and distributed to the cities and towns. The additional requirements proposed were, in substance, that there shall be raised by taxation for the support of schools three dollars for each person of legal school age, instead of one dollar and fifty cents, as heretofore required, and that the provisions of the statutes relating to length of schools and the maintenance of High Schools, shall be faithfully complied with. The prompt action of the Legislature in embodying this important recommendation in the Act of the 11th of April, 1865, meets with the cordial approbation of the Board. It is confidently believed that this provision will prove highly beneficial to the interests of our system of education, especially in securing the establishment and maintenance of High Schools in those towns which have hitherto been delinquent in this respect.

The schools in many towns are still destitute of anything like an adequate supply of the necessary aids to instruction, such as blackboards, maps, globes, charts, books of reference, philosophical apparatus, and collections of specimens and materials suitable for the illustration of object lessons. The Agent of the Board, in his last Report, says: "In school apparatus I have observed no marked advance during the year, except in the purchase of the cxcellent mural maps of Professor Guyot, which have been extensively introduced into the schools." This deficiency of the requisite appliances for the illustration of the studies taught in the schools, is a great hindrance to progress, and it ought to be speedily supplied in every town. To accomplish this desirable object, it is only necessary for the School Committees to exercise the authority given them in the fourth section of the thirty-sixth chapter of the General Statutes, to appropriate to this purpose, from the income of the school fund received by their respective towns, any sum not exceeding twenty-five per cent. of the same. It is earnestly hoped that School Committees will avail themselves of the power thus placed in their hands to