dents appointed, the law at first sight appeared tangled, and difficult to get into operation.

Solution of difficulties commenced by the appointment of County Superintendents.-Seeing that my efforts to accomplish anything, would be well nigh futile without the intermediate instrumentality of the County Superintendents to communicate with the people and see that whatever method for the solution of the difficulties, I could find provided in the law, was carried out, I turned my attention first to their selection and appointment.

In addition to personal acquaintance in a large number of the counties, every means of information was used to secure the best men who would undertake the office. In some instances there was some competition among excellent men for appointment, but in other instances, the odium attached to it beforehand, was such as to make good men hesitate whether to make the sacrifice.

The first essential step before us was the organization required by the law, and the opening of schools throughout the State.

The quality of the work must improve as we progress. Consequently skill in teaching, and acquirement in science, had to be temporarily subordinate to the skill and energy, self-sacrifice and devotion to the State, which would stand the odium of the work, take its first steps, secure the election of Directors, then get them to provide houses and teachers.

As indicating the object of the appointment, a formal notice was sent to each man selected. [See Appendix B.] The entire eightyfour counties were early supplied, but I have made as high as seven appointments in a county before getting one to serve.

Although the law did not specifically require this office to be notified of the filing of the County Superintendent's bond, yet it was so plainly important to be known here, for the security of the system, and of the public, that I requested a notice sent. Rarely have a corps of men accepted so grave a responsibility, with so little manifiest assurance of reward. Indeed their compensation was not determined, and they had to undertake duties intimately affecting every person in their respective communities, without any assurance of their being continued in office after the following spring, when their appointments would expire by law, giving little expectation of furnishing a fair trial for their efforts, even if they had confidence in their final success.

Instruction to County Superintendents.-After thorough

study of the law, and of the condition of the State, a "Letter of Instruction" was prepared and published. [See Appendix C.] Also a blank was prepared and issued, in which to return the scholastic population.

Meeting of Superintendents. In response to the invitation from this office, a large number of the County Superintendents met here in connection with the Teachers of the State, November 13th and 14th, affording a rare opportunity of hastening an acquaintance with the system about to be inaugurated, and for the discussion of important questions, arising in regard to modifications of the law, "arrangement of school districts," "location of school houses," "qualification of Teachers," "method of examination," and "selection of Text-books."

Early Plans for Educational Visits and Addresses.-My plans were immediately formed for visiting different quarters of the State, spending as much time as possible in delivering addresses on the many subjects connected with education, conferring with the people in regard to their educational wants, and with the Teachers, Directors and Superintendents in reference to the most prompt and successful organization of the free Schools. It soon became apparent that, in the minds of the best men among all classes -and of diverse sentiments in respect of other matters-there was a profound and intense anxiety increased by all the trials of the years of the war. Personal interviews revealed it, as well as the immense correspondence that came from different parts of the State.

Some opportunity for the improvement of the young was demanded, but the ideas expressed of the methods for their education and training, were exceedingly diverse and indefinite.

The only aid furnished me in the office, according to the law, was the clerical assistance of the Librarian, who was also Register of the State, either of which positions furnished work enough for one man to do. Besides, he had to be constantly present in the Library, and of course could not at the same time be present in my office. Persons in my absence came from distant quarters of the State, and failed to get the information, or do the business for which they came. The correspondence itself was more than one man could handle satisfactorily. My plans for visitation had to be reduced. The election of District Directors and the taking of the scholastic population made slow progress: some districts would not act. In others

the Directors elected would not serve. The Legislature provided for their appointment on the recommendation of the County Superintendent, and confirmation in this office. Blanks for this purpose were sent out.

It was found that many of the most substantial men who would not submit their names to an election, who indeed refused generally to participate in public affairs, would, in spite of the odium, for the sake of the public good involved, accept an appointment as School Directors. The work of taking the census showed more signs of success. In some localities individuals strongly objected to counting colored children as scholastic population. To their minds it seemed to carry too strongly the idea of the manhood of the colored

race.

The Legislature adjourned, making other needed amendments to the law; and March 17th, 1868, I sent a letter of information to County Superintendents, also calling for answers to certain questions. [See Appendix, D.]

The scholastic population came slowly, evidently imperfectly taken. Yet, in some communities, the education sentiment was so strong that their compliance with the law was prompt. Directors were elected, enumerations taken, houses and teachers provided, and in the belief that the State would be faithful to its obligations, schools opened.

March 24th, 1868, the Board of Commissioners of the School Fund, met upon the call of the President, Governor Brownlow, at his private residence in Knoxville, and by resolution called upon the Finance Board to provide, without delay, two hundred thousand ($200,000,) for immediate expenditure, in payment of services of teachers and Superintendents, rendered and to be rendered. [See Appendix, P.]

Some of the teachers had closed their schools, and could not wait for their pay without distress. April 2d, 1868, the amendment to the school law was through the press, and I ventured to attach a notice to County Superintendents. [See Appendix, E.] After the passage of this law the postage of the office and other bills were promptly paid. Here I may quote from my report to the Joint Committee of the Legislature, January 26th, 1869:

"Endeavoring to be considerate of all reasons for delay, as well as of those for action, after waiting still further, I closed the enumeration May 30th, 1868, and announced it to the Comptroller.

"Beginning with the collections of 1866, he informed me that twenty out of

eighty-five counties had not settled their accounts for that year, in his office. He, however, made an approximate settlement of all the collections for school purposes, and reported to me August 3d, the amount of $173,075.34, as collected from all sources by the State, for school purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30th, 1866. On account of the unsettled condition of the old school fund, it was found impossible, then, to include the accrued interest. The collection for 1867 was also due, but still further delay would be necessary; and as the necessity for immediate payment in some quarters was so great, it was decided to announce this amount and let the amounts accruing from collections and interest for Jan., 1867 and 1868, come together. Before the 3d of August, additional counties and districts, struggling to get their enumeration, had succeeded; and I therefore include them, giving a total scholastic population for the State, of 360,038. The amount, therefore, to each individual, was $0.487-100 cts. [See Appendix, O-Census of 1867.]

"This was immediately announced, and blanks for drawing it furnished to County Superintendents."

Compliance with the law was made the condition of receiving its benefits. [See Appendix, L.]

Nearly a year's service had been rendered by the County Superintendents without any payment for their labors; some had expended considerable sums from their own private means. Teachers, too, had been months without pay for schools taught. The sentiment here and there prevalent that the State would not keep its faith with the schools, which the system has constantly encountered, found food for its support in these delayed payments. The issue of the small amount accruing from the taxes of 1866, though it was only a part of what should have been, was ready to pay over at that time, as the school taxes of 1867 had already been principally paid into the State Treasury since the previous December, proved most salutary. Parents, pupils, teachers, directors and Superintendents, began to try again. The census was more fully and promptly reported. [See Appendix, O-Census of 1868.] Blank forms as required by law, were fully prepared by me, and published in connection with. the school law and its amendments, making a pamphlet of fortyeight pages. In preparing these forms, the simplest possible were devised, consistent with a clear presentation and report of the manner in which each teacher and officer met the responsibilities imposed upon him by law. They proposed to make the system in all its operations, transparent to the eye of any citizen, parent, teacher, or officer, who desired to look at them.

Immediately, there was a manifest decrease of letters, inquiring how to do this and the other duty required. A portion of the blanks were sent out by this office, others were, as provided by law,

to be furnished by the respective counties as a part of the records of the County Superintendent's office.

Preparatory to making a report from this office in November, 1868, I published a set of blanks agreeing with the forms for doing business under the school law. The first to be filled by the teacher, from the Register; the second to be filled by the Clerk of the District School Directors, from his own books and the report of the teacher, and the third to be filled by the County Superintendent from the reports made to him by the Clerks of Districts, and from the records of his own office. Nothing that any friend or foe of the system could wish to know about its workings, was omitted. Their simplicity and plainness left little room for misunderstanding; yet, not a few officers have undertaken their work with so little knowledge of what a good and efficient system required, and the whole field was so new to them, that they did not clearly see the object or importance of reporting the work they were doing, or exactly how to put the facts in the shape so plainly presented in the blanks. A reference to Appendix will give some idea of the efforts made to secure these preliminary reports. Some County Superintendents took the work courageously in hand, and went from school to school, and district to district, and filled the reports. Many Directors responded fully and promptly, many did not.

The reports came in slowly; indeed so few reached me before the adjournment of the Legislature, that it seemed entirely inexpedient to publish them. The facts contained, however, in those furnished the office, were full of instruction in reference: 1st, to the educational wants of the State; 2nd, the modification required for the more successful execution of the law; 3d, the favorable character of the results already secured. A sample of these preliminary reports in Appendix, gives a view of what they would have shown for the entire State. As a sample of the remarks accompanying them, I make the following extract from one of these preliminary reports, dated January 8th, 1868:

"It was with great difficulty that I was able to organize districts for schools in the county. I had to write every advertisement, and carry it to be posted, and to attend almost every election. In one district, I made four unsuccessful attempts to have an election for the purpose of electing district Directors. I was present at the fifth attempt, and by carrying the voters to the polls, succeeded.

"The most popular preacher of the county has done his utmost against the system, and even went so far as to say, that the teachers would never draw any of the State appropriation; and this he did after I had brought the apportionment into the county. I was obliged to go into every district two or three times to get