boards and the same number were without maps and charts. Fifty-four examinations had been held for 521 applicants for teachers' certificates. The whole amount of the State appropriation for the year for education was $29,284.89, which, increased by the amount levied and collected in school districts, $188,940.60, made the total amount $218,225.49.

The report is mainly an explanation of the impossible character of the duties required of the State superintendent of schools. No report had ever been made before of the "condition of the schools, their wants, and the status of teachers." The superintendent therefore concluded to begin with a low standard of requirements and gradually elevate it,” for “had there been a searching examination a great number, or perhaps the greater number, of the teachers at that time teaching in our public schools would have entirely failed." He believed the second examinations had shown improvement. This included the usual common school studies, with the addition of theory and practice of teaching, and 60 per cent was required for the acceptance of a teacher. In visiting schools he declares that the "average duration of schools in the State is 7 months; allowing 21 days to a month we have 147 days in which schools are in operation, and deducting 25 days for holding examinations and 15 for institute work, there would remain 102 days for school visitation. This would compel the superintendent to visit nearly 4 schools a day, including stormy days and holidays. The school districts are 3 miles apart, with a session only 6 hours a day." Hence the difficulty of obeying this law. In visiting he found in most cases the teachers were using the methods used in the schools where they were taught." The blackboards were generally in no condition for use and the teachers unprovided with chalk. "The schools lacked systematic organization. The studies that belong to public schools were not properly used in considering the wants of children." Everywhere he finds "lack of interest on the part of those whom free schools benefit." The habit of employing females to teach in summer and autumn and males in the winter made two sets of teachers and was "detrimental to the best interests of the schools." "There seemed to be little care of the grounds surrounding the schoolhouses; the houses generally are small, uncomfortable, and poorly furnished, children crowded into a small space with but little ventilation and no comforts.”

In Sussex County, the southern end of the State, he found the teachers chiefly “men who did not make teaching a profession, but merely put in the time not needed in their usual work, teaching three months and farming nine. Consequently the condition of the schools is not what we hoped to be able to report. Realing, writing, ciphering formed the sum and substance. But little attention was paid to the elements of arithmetic, even a knowledge of numeration and notation in many cases not known by the teachers, much less taught." He was, however, struck with the eagerness of the pupils generally for instruction. The houses are small and miserably furnished. Long desks are stretched around the walls of part of the house and benches with no backs or stays. Neither charts, maps, nor globes in any of the schoolhouses of Sussex County." Yet there, as everywhere, he found some good teachers. He had called in different professors of Delaware College and assistants from other States for institute work. He earnestly suggests the need of a State normal school. "We call loudly for better teachers—teachers who can not only utilize the ripe experiences of our best educators, but effectually use the progressive and modern methods of to-day." He suggests several changes in the school laws. After a full year in the service he believes that there is a marked change for the better in our public schools."

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The city of Wilmington, whose schools were conducted under the local special system, reports 16 schoolhouses with 4,890 sittings, a high school for boys and girls, 2 grammar schools for each sex, and 14 primary schools in which the sexes are taught together. The whole number of teachers is 97; 5,947 pupils

were enrolled during the year, with an average daily attendance of 3,720. The number of pupils did not seem to be essentially changed year by year. The total cost of the schools of the city was $119,220.14; the value of school property, $265,338.80. The governor of the State. Hon. John P. Cochran, in his first biennial message gave special attention to the subject of education. This document contains a brief résumé of educational work in the State, and an emphatic indorsement of the new school law of 1875 as "securing a class of better qualified teachers, a uniform class of school books, an annual visitation of the school by the State superintendent, and the holding of teachers' institutes." He still expresses confidence in the regulation idea of the State, and argues against any suspicion that the new law "might infringe materially upon the fundamental policy of giving to the people through the district commissioners the charge of the schools. The compulsory system may make good subjects for arbitrary governments, but the other will better fit men for the duties and responsibilities of free citizens."

In 1878 there appears to have been a slight gain in the number of schools and enrollment of pupils, but scarcely an increase of appropriations. The superintendent, however, expresses the opinion “that there has been a very perceptible improvement in the qualifications of the teachers. Not one-fifth of those examined in the year before could have passed examinations required this year." He puts in a strong plea for county, township, and district supervision of the schools. This matter had been confused by the legislature. "No one man can carry out the part of the law requiring general supervision of the State." The teachers' institutes “depend entirely upon the small amount of money contributed by the teachers to defray the expenses incurred." He urges appropriations by the State for this purpose. Some of the local commissioners will not allow their teachers to attend the institutes and in other cases deduct the salary for those days. The school board of Wilmington decided to continue the salary of their teachers during their absence at institutes. He refers to the confused state of the school laws, and urges that they should be compiled and printed for general use. One of the most important features of the report is the publication of a document prepared by Mr. H. C. Conrad, esq., who represented a private association established for the education of the colored race in Delaware. Up to this point the State had done nothing for the free public education of this people, save the appropriation of their own taxation. This was only sufficient to meet about one-third of the expenses, the other two-thirds to be raised by contributions among the colored people themselves. The author urges the justice of extending the benefits of the public school system to this people. The number of colored pupils for the three counties was less than 2,000.

In 1880 the number of schools had increased to 512; of pupils, white, 31,502; colored, 3,951. The cost of education was $6.39 each per annum; total number of teachers, 423. The total expenditure was $177,651.89, a decrease of nearly $40,000. On this, the closing year of his service, Superintendent Groves reports: "It is very difficult to state in words the work of the many schoolrooms throughout our State. The larger number of pupils in schools are in the primary classes. The fundamental instruction should mainly be aimed at by our instructors. A more thorough and comprehensive plan should be adopted to secure the best results for children in the short time allotted for school training." He devotes an important portion of his report to the suggestion of improved methods of instruction in the fundamental branches. He still urges the fact of the insufficiency of the schoolhouses, although there is a movement for the better housing of the children. He urges a union or consolidation of districts in many parts of the State. The State teachers' association, which had been organized in 1879, held its annual meeting in 1880, with 80 members in attendance. It passed stirring resolutions urging

improvement in the general matter of school keeping. The superintendent testifies to the very difficult work of the colored schools to maintain themselves with the help rendered by the Delaware association and the small amount of tax collected among themselves, and urges the State to come to the rescue. There were about 50 colored schools outside of the city of Wilmington, which had already incorporated this class of schools in its general system.

A very important portion of this report was a brief history of the free schools of Delaware, to which the author of this essay on the schools of this State is indebted for valuable information. The president of the State board of education in 1880 was Dr. W. H. Purnell, LL. D., president of Delaware College.

Five years later we find the common school system of the State under charge of Mr. T. N. Williams, with H. C. Carpenter as assistant superintendent. The number of schools, the average time of school terms, the number of children, and other features of statistical importance are not to a considerable extent increased, especially the average salary of teachers. It appears that the average age of the teachers in the State in 1884 was 24.1 years. The total cost of education was $206,918.43, a decrease from 1878. The new superintendent, however, opens with the expression of "the sincere gratification that I am able to present a most encouraging report of the conditions of the free schools of Delaware." The efficient management of his predecessor and assistant "had established the schools on a healthy basis, and a most careful supervision had been exercised." He speaks of the number of beautiful and commodious houses that had been erected in the past year in the three counties of the State. The prominent hindrances are the want of permanency of employment of teachers, a misapprehension on the part of many parents and school commissioners of the real objects of the schools, and in some places the lack of trained teachers. "Yet never before has public sentiment been so strong in favor of the support of free public schools as to-day." The superintendent had traveled extensively and examined 462 candidates for teachers. One hundred and twenty-nine thousand dollars had been spent in the improvement of schoolhouses. The Delaware State Teachers' Association held its sixth annual meeting with eminent lecturers, and during the year 25 educational meetings had been held in different parts of the State. The Delaware College was the only institution of higher learning belonging to the State. It was endowed by the fund received under the act of Congress of 1862. although under the exclusive control of a private corporation until 1867, the State then being made one-half owner of all the property and an agricultural department established. A classical department also contained the usual course of college instruction. A literary course, especially designed for young ladies, omitted the Greek and higher mathematics. Young ladies had been admitted to the college for twelve years. The average number of students was 54, half the number admitted on scholarship appointments from members of the legislature, of which the State was entitled to 30.

In 1883 the general assembly passed an act authorizing a general supervision over the colored schools of the State. There were 65 outside of Wilmington in session an average of four and seven-eighths months, the highest enrollment being 3,409, while the total amount paid from all sources was $8,176. A peculiar feature of the school system of the State was the large number of villages which, like Wilmington, were acting under a special law, separating them from the general system of the State. Of these the most important seemed to be Newcastle, Middletown, Smyrna, Dover, Milford, Seaford, Harrington, and Lewes.

In 1887 Mr. T. N. Williams was still occupying the post of superintendent and Mr. H. C. Carpenter of assistant. The statistics of public school instruction varied little from year to year, and from the reports of the superintendent it would seem that the principal gain in eleven years was the progress in character

and methods of instruction, the improvement in schoolhouses, and an increased interest of the parents and patrons. Still the obstinate hindrances remain-the want of active interest on the part of the parents, frequent changes of teachers, and carelessness in their employment. In two years over $125,000 had been spent in the improvement of school buildings. The superintendent had made an herculean effort, despite bad roads and severe weather, to visit all the schools in the State. Six hundred and twenty-one candidates had appeared for examination. An improvement in the character of the school commissioners or trustees of the districts is noted. The colored schools are said to be making substantial and encouraging progress. Schoolbooks were sold through depositaries appointed by the superintendent, numbering 58 in the State, and 10 per cent was allowed for selling; but the importance of free schoolbooks is urged. As a large portion of the State school money is distributed among town schools practically outside the jurisdiction of the State superintendent, it is urged that this anomalous condition should be changed. A new president of the Delaware College, Mr. J. H. Caldwell, reports that the legislature had appropriated the sum of $8,000 for the improvement of the buildings. The number of students was 49, of whom 6-3 male and 3 female-were graduated. The city of Wilmington in 1887 had reached a population of 52,000, and the number of sittings in its schoolhouses were 7,665. The school system of this city had for many years been under the very efficient and faithful superintendency of Mr. David W. Harlan.

During the following year the legislature returned to its original system of local control of its public school system, to the extent of dispensing with the State superintendency and placing the control of each county in the hands of a county superintendent appointed by the governor, the duty of the president of the State board of education being to offer a report in writing biennially to the governor on the condition of the public schools, beginning December, 1889. The same law that established the county superintendency in the State made it the duty of the incumbents to visit all schools, conduct all examinations, grant certificates, and hold annual teachers' institutes. Mr. Herman Bessey had been appointed commissioner for Newcastle County, Mr. L. Irving Handy for Kent County, and Mr. James H. Ward for Sussex County. These superintendents were appointed for only one year, but the president of the State board of education, Mr. A. N. Raub, urges their appointment for four years. The law provided that all teachers should attend the county institutes, but as no penalty was attached, the law was not strictly obeyed. The requirement of a county superintendent visiting each school in his county twice a year, each visit to be of not less than two hours' duration, is described as impossible. The utter inefficiency of the local district system seems to have finally made its impression on headquarters, and the president of the State board suggests that the system would be greatly benefited by making each “hundred" a school district, with from three to five school trustees or commissioners. He refers to the fact that the Western States, and, indeed, nearly every State of the North, is adopting the township system, in which the township becomes a school unit. In this way the general board of control would offer the same educational privileges and facilities to all in the group.

At present one might give forty and the other only thirty weeks to the children. The hundreds as school districts might be divided into incorporated boroughs and rural districts, making practically the township system. In this way high schools throughout the State might be established in each “hundred," where students could receive preliminary education for business pursuits and all necessary training to fit them for college and professional schools. A temperance hygiene law is said to be so loosely worded as to be practically useless. Free text-books are urged; also the inconvenience of the great number of incorporated school boards, which destroys the unity of the system and makes it specially difficult to form

an accurate estimate of the actual progress of the schools," is pointed out. At present "there is no authorized means of learning the number of children of school age in the State." Under the new law the members of the State board of education received no salary or compensation. The Delaware College seems to be making progress. As a natural result of the abolition of the State superintendency, there has been difficulty in gathering and arranging statistics. The incorporated school boards are under no legal obligation to furnish statistics, and the county superintendence and the requirements of the law are so meager that no general attempt is made in this report to give a consolidated account of the condition of education in the State. Each of the commissioners presents his own report. The commissioner of Kent County has decided to take the colored schools of that county under his own supervision, finding them evidently in a somewhat feeble condition. One peculiarity of the school system is a habit of accumulating a surplus in the treasury of the different counties and towns.

In 1890 President Raub, of the State board, makes a second report, declaring that after four years' trial the work of the county superintendency has in the main been satisfactory, but that it is impossible for these gentlemen alone to accomplish what the law requires. He also points to two defects-in the fact that this official is appointed for only one year, and there is no standard of qualification as to scholarship or experience in teaching on his part. The present salary, $1,000, expected to cover all expenses for traveling, board, etc., is too low. The annual appropriation for each county to the county institute should be increased to $1,500 at least. There is great confusion in the matter of granting certificates to teacher's. He believes it is safe to give the approximate school population of the State from 6 to 21 years as 33,589 white and 5,542 colored. Of this number, 80 per cent of the white and 84 per cent of the colored were enrolled during the past year, and 51 per cent of the white were in daily attendance for 84 months and 51.5 per cent of the colored children for 5 months, including Wilmington. The subject of incorporated schools is again brought forward as a feature which destroys the unity of the whole system and makes it especially difficult to form an accurate estimate of the actual progress of the schools. A provision for a uniform system of text-books is not generally complied with. Delaware College has taken "rapid forward strides," although the number of students has not yet reached a hundred. The State has a large, growing surplus of school money. At the close of the year there was over $56,000 of surplus money-twice the annual State appropriation to all of the schools-in the hands of the school clerks. A new provision connected with the license law would add $50,000 a year to this fund.. In the whole State the children of school age number 33,589; number enrolled, 26,778; in average attendance, 16,798; number of schoolhouses, 367-25,293 sittings; number of teachers, 605; number of days taught, 105,875; average salary of male teachers, $33.52;. of female, $30.20; value of school buildings, $548,946. The colored schools included an enrollment of 4,656, with an average daily attendance of 2,851, 85 schoolhouses, and 96 teachers. They received an appropriation of $6,000, with taxes. The commissioners generally report a gratifying progress.

In 1892 Mr. Robert J. Reynolds, ex officio president of the State board, publishes the reports of the different counties. A marked improvement of interest in public instruction in Sussex County is noted, although many schools in the county are far below what they might be even under present opportunities." Especially is the condition of the schoolhouse criticised. There are 28 school buildings in the county valued at $50 or less, running as low as $10 per building, and there are 50 buildings which do not exceed $100 each. Twenty-six school districts in the county do not own the ground on which their school buildings stand. The enterprising superintendent of this county presents a decided overhauling of educational matters in his own preserve. The free text-books which are now offered to the chil