About one-third of the school districts possess a site containing at least one acre of ground, and about three fourths of all the school house sites are uninclosed. Seven hundred and thirty-eight school houses are represented as without blackboards, and but comparatively few districts have outline maps, or apparatus of any kind. The number of district libraries is 830, containing 14,027 volumes. THE SCHOOL FUND. The present available sources of increase to the school fund are, property that may accrue to the State by forfeiture or escheat; the proceeds of fines collected for breach of the penal laws; moneys arising from the sale of the sixteenth section of land in each township; from the sale of the five hundred thousand acres granted to the State for school purposes, and five per cent of the nett proceeds of the sales of the public lands within the State. The condition of the school fund is as follows: Amount of School fund dues, Amount of School fund loans, Total principal or capital of school fund, $1,415,262 50 $1,670,258 77 The principal of this fund as above given, except the amount stated as being in the hands of the State treasurer, is drawing seven per cent interest, payable in advance during the month of January, during each year, which interest constitutes the income of the school fund annually apportioned and distributed to the towns and cities of the State for the support of common schools. The amount of interest on hand includes advanced interest already paid for 1855, which will lessen the amount due in January to the extent of the interest so paid; but it is supposed that interest on sales during the winter will equal, at least, that amount. Should all the interest due for 1855, be punctually paid, and the sales that are anticipated be effected, together with an early loan of the amount in the treasury, the amount that will be subject to apportionment in March next, will be $144,412 03, or about ninety-three cents to each child over four and under twenty years of age, reported to this office as residing in the State. The above statements show an addition of $528,454 49 to the school fund, during the past year; an increase of $39,081 81 in the income subject to distribution, and an increase of 21 cents to each child over four and under twenty years of age. Only $22,537 56 has been added to the fund from the nett proceeds of the sales of the public lands within the State, and it is believed that no less than sixty thousand dollars are now due the State from the General Government, as the sales of land since 1850, when the first and only payment on this account was received, have been very extensive, particularly during the past two years. This five per cent. is withheld by the General Government from the State, for the purpose of liquidating a debt against it, arising out of the grant of land by Congress to the Territory of Wisconsin, for the purpose of constructing a canal from Lake Michigan to Rock river I am gratified to state that a re-investigation and consideration of this subject has been opened at Washington during the past year, with the proper authorities, through the instrumentality of the Executive of the State, with every prospect of obtaining at an early day, the amount of the five per cent. nett proceeds of the sales of the public lands, which has been accumulating for over four years, to be added to the school fund of the State. PLANS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOOLS. The law requires the State Superintendent to communicate to the legislature plans for the better organization of the common schools. In the discharge of this duty it is not thought necessary to suggest to the legislature any plans for the better organization of the schools which would require any change in the system as it now exists, or affect a modification of any of its important details. The income of the school fund for the ensuing year is much greater than it was last year, and the law is deemed sufficient to secure the best possible disposition of this income for the promotion of the objects intended, if faithfully and intelligently administered. The power of improving the common schools, increasing their usefulness, enlarging the benefits derivable from them, and of giving them greater popularity and character, rests solely with the people. Is there an unsuitable school house, an incompetent teachersuperficial instruction-late and irregular attendance upon school -short sessions, and all the attendant evils which produce "a bad state of things" in a school,-Where lies the fault? Not with the law, for it gives the districts and their officers ample power to build up schools of the greatest excellence. The fault lies with the people; and it is to them that plans are suggested, for their consideration and adoption. So long as the people remain indifferent to the character of their school, so long will their children haye to attend indifferent schools. The ways and means are provided by law, to establish useful and creditable schools in every district, and further than that the law cannot go; the rest must be done by the people. School houses will not grow up spontaneously, like the trees of the forest; time, labor, and means are requisite for their erection. Competent teachers will not voluntarily and gratuitously lend their services in the cause of popular education; they must be sought and remunerated. A uniform series of text books will not be adopted by accident in schools; the district board must determine the matter, and the parents must comply with such determination. A punctual and regular attendance upon school of all the children of the district, cannot be effected without the co-operation of parents with the teacher. Large districts with large means will not exist without the intelligent action of the people, and a correct public sentiment to influence the town superintendent in his official acts. In fine, nothing will be done rightly and completely while the people are indifferent or inattentive to the subject of school. Some plans and suggestions for the improvement of the schools are submitted upon subjects intimately connected with their success; and although some of them may be considered frivolous, they aid in making up that aggregate of wants, and delinquencies and evils which are paralizing the energies of the teacher, and rendering schools in some instances useless. SCHOOL HOUSES. As the site, external appearance and, above all, the internal arrangements of school houses, have a powerful influence for good or evil upon the character and success of the school, in any and every point it may be viewed, the first efforts at reform should be directed to these structures, by improving and perfecting them as a means whereby the schools may be made more useful and efficient. Much has been said, and written and done, relative to insufficient and ill-constructed school houses, with a design to condemn those uncouth and repulsive structures, seemingly planned for the apparent purpose of repelling from the school room a portion of the youth, or of being the means of forming bad tastes and habits, distorting the youthful form, and engendering incurable diseases. But upon a subject of so great importance, involving so many considerations, and demanding the earnest attention of so large a portion of community, too much cannot be said in reminding parents of their duties and responsibilities in this respect. It cannot reasonably be expected in a new and in many parts sparsely populated State, with school districts, in many instances, possessed of but limited means, and a school system yet in its infancy, that there should generally be found school houses of an ornamental style of architecture, or possessed of all those improvements, surroundings and appendages, that are or ought to be found in the more populous and wealthy localities. But there are radical defects in construction and internal arrangement, and a neglect to provide necessary conveniencies and comforts in not a few structures of this kind, that call loudly for reform-which appeals to our sympathies as well our judgment. I have accordingly in Appendix "B," prepared several plans for school houses suited to the accommodation of schools of different numbers, accompanied with some suggestions relative to warming, ventilation, appendages and out door conveniences, which it is thought, will meet the wants of many of the districts. These plans are not submitted as perfect models, or with the expectation that they will meet the requirements of very many localities, but as a decided improvement upon many now in use; having consulted economy in plan and arrangement, so far as is consistent with the health and comfort of the scholars and teachers, and the good order and proficiency of the schools. The reports from the several towns for the past year, show a large increase in the amount expended in the erection of these edifices over that of last year; and there is no doubt but that a better class of buildings have been erected. But while this fact is apparent, it is equally so, that far less consideration is given, generally, to the size and arrangement of the school house, to secure the health, comfort and full employment of the valuable hours of youth, than in the construction of edifices devoted to many institutions in the land. In the erection of church edifices, of buildings devoted to pleasure and amusement, to public entertainment, to public charities, to a higher order of institutions of learning than our common schools, and in our dwellings, we ever keep in view, the health, comfort and convenience of those who will occupy them, and a complete adaptation of the building to the purposes for which it is erected. More than that, architectural skill is displayed, beauty of form and finish is consulted, prominence in location considered, |