The Committee on Buildings having carefully examined and considered the lists of "wants," are expected to report in favor of authorizing the Trustees of the several Wards in which the following schools are located, to advertise for proposals for altering, repairing and painting, viz.: Grammar Schools Nos. 1, 3, 5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 50, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 71 and 74, and Primary Schools Nos. 1, 5, 20, 26, 28, 29, 40 and 44. The estimate cost being about $40,000. In addition to the foregoing, $7,000 will be used in sums not exceeding $200 for repairs, etc.

A few words in regard to school furniture, the cost of furnishing new, and repairing such as is not new, no insignificant item of school expenses, it is thought may properly be inserted here.

The entire cost of new, and repairing furniture, as per applications from Trustees, not including furniture for new school houses, would aggregate about $30,000.

The amount allowed by the Committee on School Furniture will aggregate about $22,000; of this amount about $5,000 will be appropriated in sums not exceeding $200, and $17,000 will be appropriated for work to be done by contract in the following schools Grammar Schools Nos. 2, 3, 12, 18, 24, 31, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 45, 47, 50, 53, 54, 56 and 68, and Primary Schools Nos. 20 and 36.

Requiring in all, for buildings, including alterations to G. S. No. 31, forty-three contracts; and for furniture, twenty-one contracts; in all sixty-four contracts; aggregate estimated cost, $67,000.

If the "work as laid out, is successfully performed, it is believed that the school buildings, including furniture, will be in a more satisfactory condition than has been the case in many

years.

Respectfully submitted,

D. I. STAGG,
Superintendent.

Ordered, That said report be entered in full in the minutes.

EVENING HIGH SCHOOL.

Commissioner TRAUD presented the annual report of the Principal of the Evening High School, for the term of 18841885, as follows:

EVENING HIGH SCHOOL,

To the Honorable the Board of Education:

April 10, 1885.

GENTLEMEN-I have the honor to submit the following report for the nineteenth term of the Evening High School, ending at the date of this report.

The examination of candidates for admission was begun on Monday evening, September 22, 1884. Eighteen hundred and nineteen applicants were able to pass the required examination, and these were registered and classified during the two weeks allotted to this work.

Class instruction was begun on Monday evening, October 6, 1884, with an attendance of 1,756. The average attendance for the term, consisting of one hundred and twenty nights, exclusive of holidays, was 1,038. The average age of the students was nearly twenty years; the youngest was fourteen and the oldest was fifty-nine years of age. There were sixty seven students who attended every evening.

The time of each evening, from 7 to 9 o'clock, is divided into two equal parts; each instructor teaches two classes, one from 7 to 8 o'clock, and another from 8 to 9 o'clock, thus enabling students to pursue two subjects of study without having them conflict with each other. The students are permitted to choose their instructors, and to select the study or studies they desire; they are required to be present only when their classes are in session, it being optional with them whether they pursue one study or two; a very large majority attend both hours. After a student has made a selection of study or studies, he cannot change the same without the permission of the Principal. Each member is furnished with a card of admission, a programme of study, and a printed copy of the rules and regulations of the school.

Students who have made satisfactory improvement in their studies, and who have not been absent more than fifteen evenings, are entitled to certificates, and those who have received three annual certificates are entitled to diplomas. Four hundred and ninety certificates and fifty-seven diplomas were awarded at the end of the term.

Table showing the studies, the average attendance, the number of instructors, and the average age of the students, in each study:

Latin (1 hour per evening).

Reading and Declamation (3 ev's per week)..

English Grammar and Composition.

German

French....

Spanish.

Chemistry (1 hour per evening)

295

4

18

349

5

18

Anatomy and Physiology...

History and Political Science (3 ev's per week) 28

The following is a detailed statement of the work done in the classes. It does not differ materially from that of the last

term.

Latin.

The class met one hour each evening in the week. Its course comprised the various declensions of nouns, pronouns and adjectives; the conjugation of regular verbs, both in the active

Average age

of Students.

and passive voices; the comparison of adjectives and adverbs; and the rules of Latin grammar. Translations from Latin into English and from English into Latin were made every evening, the Latin sentence in every case being written on the blackboard. English derivatives from the Latin words used in each lesson were mentioned, and their derivation explained. The history, the mythology, and the customs of the Latins received careful attention.

English Grammar and Composition.

The principles of English grammar were taught in detail, and were practically applied by the students in the construction and in the analysis of sentences, and in the correction of errors of speech. Compositions were written by the students, read before the class, and criticised by the instructor and by members of the class.

Drawing.

The instruction in the Architectural and Mechanical Drawing Class embraced the problems in descriptive geometry, the projections of solids, the development of surfaces, the principles of linear perspective, the orders of architecture, copying, designing, enlarging and tinting of plans and elevations of buildings and machinery.

The Free-hand Drawing Class was divided into four sections, which were taught as follows:

FIRST SECTION.-Outline drawing in pencil, conventional forms, geometric planes, elements of historic ornament.

SECOND SECTION.-Outline drawing in pencil, advanced conventional forms, historic ornament, human features, head and figure, with practice in shades and shadows.

THIRD SECTION.-Crayon drawing, more advanced historic ornament, flowers, animals, human head and figure, with shades and shadows.

FOURTH SECTION.-Crayon and charcoal drawing, geometric solids, antique ornament, head and figure.

From this section six students were prepared to enter the National Academy of Design. Some very good drawings were made from life, near the end of the term.

Reading and Declamation.

Much attention was paid in the Reading Class to the proper pronunciation of English, to correct expression and to an easy and natural style of reading. Monroe's Sixth Reader was read through twice.

In the Declamation Class selections were committed to memory, and upon these the students were drilled, for the purpose of developing distinct enunciation, correct pronunciation, natural and forcible delivery, and graceful and appropriate gestures.

Chemistry.

The students were instructed in the nature, origin and use of the most important elements; in the symbols and atomicities of the same, and in the construction of chemical formula. They were taught the use of the blow-pipe, and therewith, and by the use of re-agents, to detect the bases and acids of salts. In the chemistry of the carbon compounds, they were instructed in the theory of forming homologous and isologous series, and the principal types upon which they are built.

Particular attention was given to the chemistry of sugars, alcohols, soaps and the vegetable acids and alkaloids.

History and Political Science.

Lectures were delivered on the following subjects: The English Constitution, The Constitution of the United States, The Political Development of the United States, Elementary Economics, Free Trade, Strikes, and the English Land Question. Debates were held on the following subjects: Silver Question, National Bank System, Taxation of Personal Property, The Tariff, Prison Labor, Trades Unions, The Spanish Treaty, and the Blair Education Bill.