junction with the State law, gave to the city authorities full and complete control over the entire subject of public schools in the city. This opinion was fully concurred in by Winans. The opinion of the county attorney was that the authority rested in the county board.

On December 4th, however, the county commissioners surrendered their schools to the city and resigned. The city board assumed the indebtedness of $7,399.87, which the city council immediately paid.

On November 17, 1854, the city board authorized their superintendent to rent, for six months, at $125 per month, the building on Fourth street, between K and L, that had been occupied by Crowell for a private academy, in which they proposed to organize three schools-a grammar for boys, one for girls, and a primary for both sexes. They received applications for positions from 9 female teachers and 3 males. The salaries of grammar school teachers were fixed at $150 per month for males, and $125 for females; and $100 for primary.

Speaking of the action of the new school authori ties, the "Union" of December 4th, said:

Had not the city council came forward and made provisions for raising ample means for school purposes, those established last season must have been abandoned, unless the teachers and owners of buildings would have consented to wait a year for the money due them. But the judicious provisions of the city government has insured to the schools, organized under the city ordinance, a sum of some $17,000 to $20,000. With this sum the present competent city superintendent and board of trustees will soon be enabled to complete the organization of a system of public schools, free to all children as the air they

breathe, which for advantages will compare favorably with the other systems in the states east of the mountains.

They have already organized three schools, one for boys, and one for girls, and one as a primary for small children. The Crowell academy has been rented for the schools, as well as a very comfortable house on the same lot, for primary purposes. The building is divided into two stories, the upper of which is entered by a private passage, and is intended for the female department, under charge of Miss Anderson. It is divided into two rooms, neatly papered, and furnished with very good desks. The lower story is divided into a large school room, with desks and seats, and two small recitation rooms in the All the rooms are covered neatly with matting, and present more the appearance of comfort and convenience than any we have visited in the State. The yards and play-grounds are large.

In the Third ward the board has, through John H. Gass, been enabled to obtain a lot rent free, 160 feet square, at Tenth and H streets, upon which they have contracted for a house to be put, 24x56 feet, to cost $1,487. The frame of this building was raised December 7, 1854, and it will be completed in two weeks.

FIRST CITY SCHOOL OPENED.

The Crowell school was formally opened on December 4th, 1854, and the "Union" of the following day gave this account of the event:

The first city schools ever organized in Sacramento opened yesterday, under very favorable auspices. We trust they will prove the nucleus of as perfect a system of public schools as can be found in the Union. The opening, simply initiative as it was, we trust was the beginning of a system of popular education which is destined to steadily increase in extent and usefulness, and that, too, without ever reaching the end while Sacramento remains a city. Years hence, when those present at its inauguration—as trustees, visitors, teachers, and pupils shall have paid that debt which death alone can discharge, the event of yesterday will be designated by the then actors on the public stage as one of the most interesting and important

connected with the history of this city. Dr. Harkness, the city superintendent, and Dr. Thomas and Mr. Wiggins of the board of trustees, were present, but we noticed but few of those whose children appeared as pupils. The unpleasant walking, the apparent indication of rain in the morning, doubtless prevented numbers of pupils from being present; but notwithstanding, there were 59 boys in Peck's department, 28 misses in Miss E. C. Anderson's, and 61 in the primary school of Susan L. Frost, making in all 148. This morning the number will probably be increased to 200 pupils. In the history and progress of the public schools of Sacramento, the 4th of December, 1854-the day upon which they were inaugurated-will become famous as its anniversary, and be annually celebrated as its natal day.

FIRST CITY SCHOOL HOUSE DEDICATED.

The next event of importance was the dedication of the school house at Tenth and H, the first school building erected and owned by the city.

The "Union" of January 3, 1855, contains the following account of the exercises:

DEDICATION OF THE FIRST COMMON SCHOOL HOUSE IN SAC

RAMENTO.

The new school house on H and Tenth streets, recently built by the city superintendent and board of education, was yesterday dedicated to the uses for which it was intended, with appropriate ceremonies, in the presence of a portion of our citizens and a large delegation of pupils of the different schools in the city. The audience was called to order by Dr. Harkness, the city superintendent, who delivered a few remarks upon the importance and progress of education and the deep interest which properly attached to the occasion upon which they had met. A prayer was then offered by Rev. Mr. Benton, admirably adapted to the place, time and circumstances. He was followed, at the request of the board of education, by Mayor R. P. Johnson, Judge James H. Ralston, Rev. O. C. Wheeler, and Lauren Upson [then editor of the "Union"], all

of whom spoke of the importance, in an educational point of view, of the first step taken in Sacramento to provide suitable school houses for the reception of the children attending the free schools.

The house is calculated to accommodate about 150 pupils, the boys and girls occupying the same room for general purposes, though seated on opposite sides of the house, and leaving and entering by different doors. The yard is divided into two distinct play grounds, one for the boys and the other for the girls, the dividing fence being close and six feet in hight. The house is well lined with boards inside, and then covered with cloth upon which it is handsomely papered. It is furnished with two stoves, and promises to make a very comfortable school house.

FIRST OFFICIAL SCHOOL REPORT.

On February 1, 1855, Superintendent Harkness submitted his first quarterly report, in which he stated that there were six schools in successful operation, that had been established during the quarter, with accommodations for 414 pupils. The accommodations were still insufficient, as 578 had registered during the term. Of the 316 boys and 262 girls who attended during the term, there were classed in orthography 463, reading 417, penmanship 309, geography 255, arithmetic 301, grammar 95, philosophy 10, algebra 5. Average attendance 463.

The superintendent concluded his report with the following:

Every day's experience adds to the long list of agencies by which the work of educating may be most effective; but the desired point of excellence in the schools, which, when reached, will give to every child the best means by which he may become all his nature allows, can only be acquired by an effort on the part of our people corresponding with that which swells our commerce and fills the coffers of industry and enterprise with

wealth.

When this is accomplished an era in our schools may be predicted, the results of which we can not now conceive, and which would swell the hearts of our people with honest pride.

The schools then were: First ward, southwest corner Second and L; Susan L. Frost, teacher, female grammar. Second ward, Fourth, K and L; George H. Peck, teacher, male grammar; Miss E. C. Anderson, female grammar; Mrs. F. M. Ross, primary; Miss A. E. Roberts, assistant. Third ward, Tenth and H; A. R. Jackson, teacher, male grammar; Mrs. B. E. S. Ely, assistant. K, Seventh and Eighth; W. A. Murray, male primary.

At the final meeting of the board, on April 10, 1855, the secretary was directed to spread upon the minutes, the recognition of the trustees of the able, zealous, and faithful services of Superintendent Harkness, "to whose untiring efforts in the cause of education our city is under lasting obligations; that he is entitled to the credit of being one of the first to establish free common schools in our city, and that his labors during the term of our official career have brought the schools into a successful and prosperous stage of being and action."

(1855-6.) A new superintendent and board of trustees came in on April 11, 1855. They rented a building at Eleventh and I for a primary school, and Stratton's academy on M, between Eighth and Ninth, to which the school on K, between Seventh and Eighth, was removed. Mrs. E. A. Wright was elected principal of the I-street primary; Miss Alexander, teacher of the grammar class at the M-street