free certificates, 2,220. Number of teachers at the close of the year, 786; percentages of pupils passed at inspector's examination: public schools, 69.87; provisional schools, 61.77; infant departments, 84.40. Average duration of schools, public, 225.5 days; provisional, 224.1 days. The number of night schools open during the year was 73 for an average of 69 nights each; average monthly attendance, 1,360; amount of fees received from scholars, 590l. 128.; bonus paid by department, 7227. 15s. 3d. The advanced school for girls had an attendance of 98 during the last quarter of the year, being an increase of 21 over the number for 1880. The report of the training college shows that 41 pupils were admitted in January, of whom 36, viz, 23 men and 13 women, completed the course. At the certificate examination, held in December, all the students, except one who was ill, were presented and were successful. Cost of education.- The average cost for each child instructed during the year was 17. 14s. 0 d., and for each child in average attendance, 31. Os. 101d. If the expenses of management and inspection be added, these rates will be 17. 18s. 0 d. and 31. 7s. 11 d., respectively. The amount of school fees paid by the parents was 19,736l. 13s. 6d., of which sum 13,1197. 14s. 11d. were retained by the teachers of public and provisional schools. The same teachers received from the department 1,3197. 13s. 4d. on account of scholars whose fees are paid by the state. The total amount expended in school buildings was 31,4877. 8s. 8d. The total cost of public instruction during the year 1881, exclusive of the expenditure on school buildings, was 91,4107. 178. 1d.; the revenue in aid of the foregoing expenditure, derived from the rents of dedicated lands and other sources, was 19,550l. 16s. 5d., showing the net cost to the state to be 71,8607. Os. 8d. The total area of lands dedicated for educational purposes amounted on the 15th of December to 241,538 acres. Compulsion. Under the operation of the compulsory act the percentage of children absent without a satisfactory reason shows a steady decline. NEW SOUTH WALES, British colony: Area, 323,437 square miles; population, 751,468. Capital, Sydney; population, 220,427. My report for 1880 gives particulars of the public instruction act which went into operation May 1, 1880, together with a somewhat detailed account of the progress of the system for that year. No later report has been received from the colony. Sydney University.-New South Wales was the first colony in Australasia to found a university. It was incorporated by act of Parliament in 1851 and is constituted on the model of the British universities. It is supported by the state, and up to the present time has cost in buildings and endowments ever 200,000l. The object of its founders was to offer the highest forms of culture to all, "without any distinction whatsoever." The university receives an assured government endowment of 5,000l. a year, and each of the colleges 5001. for salary of a principal. About 50,000l. have been bestowed upon the university by wealthy colonists for scholarships and prizes, and recently 180,000Z. were bequeathed to it by the late Mr. J. H. Challis. By a royal charter graduates are entitled "to the same rank, title, and precedence as graduates of universities within the United Kingdom." Large grants have been given to supplement private subscriptions for the affiliated colleges within the university, of which there are now three: the Anglican College of St. Paul, Roman Catholic College of St. John, and the Presbyterian College of St. Andrew. There are several other colleges erected and maintained at great expense by the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, and other denominations. The secondary educational institutions include several of high character, among which are the Technical or Workingmen's College and the Sydney Grammar School. QUEENSLAND, British colony: Area, 668,224 square miles; population, 213,525. Capital, Brisbane; population, 31,108. Secretary for public instruction, A. Archer. ers. From the report of the secretary it appears that in 1881 there were 341 schools in operation, with 364 classified teachers and a large number of assistants and pupil teachThe annual enrolment in the schools was 40,309; the average daily attendance, 21,752; the gross expenditure on primary education was 110,2317. 38. 8d. The department has charge of six institutions for the rearing of neglected children, and during the year maintained 21 children at the New South Wales Institution for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind. TASMANIA, British colony: Area, 26,215 square miles; population, 115,705. Capital, Hobart Town. Chairman of the board of education, Henry Butler. During the year 1881 there were 175 schools in operation; total enrolment, 13,644; average monthly enrolment, 9,258; average daily attendance, 6,701; total expenditure in aid of public schools, 18,1917. 78. 7d. RECOMMENDATIONS. I have had the honor in previous reports to recommend that provision be made, by resolution of Congress, for the publication of 15,000 copies of this annual report. The correspondence of the Office has so increased that this number should now be made 20,000 copies, and whatever Congress may deem best to distribute under the personal direction of members should be in addition to this number. The organization of the educational museum which I have had the honor to recommend, now fairly commenced, should have sufficient appropriation to enable it, by exchange and otherwise, to supply similar collections in the offices of the several State superintendents and the leading cities when desired. There can be no question of the effective aid these collections would render to the progress of education. Through this Office the best illustrations of improved appliances could be collected and distributed to all parts of the country. The reports of efforts to educate the youth of 30,000 Alaskans continually disclose the embarrassments arising from all absence of local administration of law. It is said the parents are disposed to have their children taught and the pupils learn readily, but it is clear there can be no satisfactory success, that the entire youth cannot be reached, until some form of law is provided for the organization of society. The pledges of the past and the honor of the nation would seem to permit no delay. Some inexpensive form of organization can be devised, and an appropriation of $50,000, it is believed, would give the work of education an excellent start, and is earnestly recommended. The remaining recommendations I have the honor most earnestly to renew: (1) I recommend that the office of superintendent of public instruction for each Territory be created, to be filled by appointment by the President, the compensation to be fixed and paid as in the case of other Federal appointees for the Territories. (2) In view of the large number of children growing up in ignorance on account of the impoverished condition of portions of the country, and in view of the special difficulties in the way of establishing and maintaining therein schools for universal education, and in consideration of the imperative need of immediate action in this regard, I recommend that the whole or a portion of the net proceeds arising from the sale of public lands be set aside as a special fund, the interest of said fund to be divided annually pro rata among the several States and Territories and the District of Columbia, under such provisions in regard to amount, allotment, expenditure, and supervision as Congress in its wisdom may deem fit and proper. The returns of the last census emphasize the importance of this recommendation. The per cent. of illiteracy of persons 10 years of age and upward has decreased from 20.05 in 1870 to 17 in 1880, but the number of illiterates over 10 years of age has increased from 5,658,144 to 6,239,958 in the same period. (3) I recommend the enactment of a law requiring that all facts in regard to national aid to education and all facts in regard to education in the Territories and the District of Columbia necessary for the information of Congress be presented through this Office. (4) I recommend an increase of the permanent force of the Office. The experience of the Office indicates clearly that the collection of educational information and publication of the same, as required by the law regulating it, cannot be properly done with the present limited clerical force. CONCLUSION. I take pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness to the faithful laborers in the Office and to all others elsewhere who have contributed to the success of its work. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD, JOHN EATON, Commissioner. Secretary of the Interior. |