natural philosophy; for graduation, 21 years of age, good moral character, and satisfactory examinations.

The Medical Department of the University of Denver reports 19 instructors; has a 3-year graded course, in annual sessions of 25 weeks; requires for admission a fair English education, with natural philosophy and rudiments of Latin, or a degree of A. B., or a diploma of a high school; for graduation, 21 years of age, good character, 3 years of study, attendance on 2 full lecture courses, practice in anatomy and chemistry for 2 sessions, proficiency in diagnosis and therapeutics by practical demonstration on the living subject, and a satisfactory examination in the 7 principal branches of medical science,

Graduates of medical colleges in the State are not allowed to practice medicine in any of its departments without a license from the State board of medical examiners.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTION.

EDUCATION OF THE DEAF AND BLIND.

The Colorado Mute and Blind Institute, Colorado Springs, founded 1874, reports for 1885 an enrollment of 46 pupils (26 male and 20 female) under 7 instructors. The studies include, besides common English branches, natural philosophy, general science, and book-keeping. The employments taught are printing, carpentry, and sewing. Volumes in library, 250; value of grounds and buildings, $45,000; State appropriation for the year, $22,000.

REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.

As the reports from this State are biennial, information from the State Industrial School, Golden, cannot at present extend beyond 1883-'84, when, in the report from this Bureau, it was stated that of 196 received since the opening of the school, 123 had been apprenticed or discharged, leaving 73 remaining, November 1, 1884. Of those discharged, 75 had been returned to homes in Colorado, 19 to homes in other States and Territories, 1 eloped, and 28 had been apprenticed to farming, housework, and other occupations.

INSTRUCTION IN MUSIC AND ART.

The Conservatory of Music in the University of Colorado offers courses in parlor, church, and orchestral music, oratorio chorus, and brass and reed instruments, requiring 3 years' study to complete a full course, which time may be reduced by unusual ability.

The College of Music in the University of Denver, while it concentrates its energy on the study of the piano and voice, also furnishes facilities for the study of the violin, flute, and guitar. A course of 2 years leads to the degree of bachelor of music.

The School of Art of the same University claims to be fairly complete in its collections of casts, materials, and facilities for art training, taking the technical work done in the Maryland Institute School of Art and Design, Baltimore, as its model. In addition there are two recitations a day in related branches, including modern languages, mathematics, natural science, and belles-lettres.

EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION.

COLORADO STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

The Colorado State Teachers' Association held its tenth annual meeting at Denver, December 29-31, 1884. The meeting is said to have been characterized by an unusually large attendance, by the length and ability of the papers submitted, and by the unanimity of the procedings. President David K. Boyd, of Greeley, called the meeting to order, and Rev. R. W. Reed, D. D., of Denver, gave a lecture on "Poetic justice,” followed by an address from the president on "The cultivation of the esthetic imagination." Miss Harriet Scott, of Pueblo High School, then read a paper on "Unmarked results." Much of the true teachers' work, she said, does not give direct results, but purposes are fixed, motives invigorated, and the whole child is so touched that in after years the results become apparent. In a paper on "Scientific temperance instruction in schools," A. B. Copeland, of Greeley, stated that temperance people begin to see that the moral aspect of the temperance question must be supplemented by scientific and economic facts. He held that the miseries growing out of intemperance often result from ignorance of the effects of alcoholic drinks. These effects should be demonstrated to youth on the authority of scientific men.

Miss A. B. Witter, in a paper on the "Philosophy of teaching," expressed the thought that results were not adequate to the outlay and opportunities enjoyed by youth. Teachers know too little of the vital principles of their work; methods are too superficial and disconnected; we try to do too much, and fail to awaken enthusiasm for study. State Superintendent Jos. C. Shattuck followed with the question, "What lack we

yet?" in which he claimed that on account of the spontaneous growth of the school system, its cordial support, the perfection of our system of instruction, the zeal and ability of our educational workers, and the loyal public sentiment in behalf of free schools, we really lack nothing in particular, and only need to continue what we have begun, bringing each part of our system to a higher perfection. Dr. H. F. Wegener urged the use of "The microscope in school rooms" as a means at once of interest and of instruction, bringing vividly to view a world of wonders of which children usually know almost nothing, yet a world of intense interest when shown.

Charles A. McMurray, of Denver, then read a paper on "Theory as related to practice in teaching," said to have been an able production. Mrs. F. C. Houghan, of the Gilpin School, Denver, urged the introduction of "school libraries," as to which she related her experience in interesting her school, and in making a collection of suitable books for youth and children to read. She claimed that it is folly to teach children not to read light and immoral literature, and yet not put into their hands anything better.

"School reading" and "Mistakes in school management" were discussed, and many important suggestions made as to both topics. Superintendent Gove, of Denver, then made some admirable remarks on "The teacher out of school," which were followed by a concluding lecture from President E. C. Hewitt, of Normal, Ill., on "The development of character," said to have been worthy of the occasion and the man.

Having thus far concerned itself only with elementary education, the association proposed to advance to the higher departments, and a college and high school section was organized, to which hereafter a half-day will be given.

Among other resolutions, the following one was adopted:

"Resolved, That it is the decided sense of this association that the true aim of education is to develop character; that the cultivation of the heart should never be subordinated to that of the head, nor that of the intellect to the training of the conscience; and that in the realization of this aim we recognize as the most potent factor a true Christian morality, embodied in the character of the living teacher, and pervading and guiding all the work of the school room."

CHIEF SCHOOL OFFICER.

Hon. LEONIDAS S. CORNELL, State superintendent of public instruction, Denvcr. [Second term, with an interval, January, 1885, to January, 1887.

(From report of Hon. Charles D. Hine, secretary of State board of education, for the school years ending August 31, 1884 and 1885.)

37 21 1,777,277

37 64 1,852, 221

$0.43 74, 944

27,890

29, 077

1, 187

1,197, 732

1, 132, 571

5,257,756

65, 161

5, 456, 694

198, 938

2,017, 159

2, 030, 124

12, 965

STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM,

GENERAL CONDITION.

As respects school population and attendance the preceding table indicates encouraging advance. A comparatively small increase in children of school age was not only met, but greatly more than met, by an advance of upward of 5 times that increase in enrollment in the public schools, while children in no school diminished, as may be seen, by 362. School sittings were also well up to the public-school attendance, 19 new school-houses having been built within the year and 2,247 more sittings having been secured. Teachers serving continuously in the same school were considerably more

numerous.

A table appended to the report of the secretary of the State board of education for 1884-'85 shows that in the ten years closing with that report there had been an increase of 16,093 in the number of children entitled to instruction in the public schools, of 6,229 in different scholars registered in such schools, of 11,564 in the number attending private and public schools (besides 5,335 in other schools), of 695 in teachers continuously employed, of $109,637 in the total pay of teachers, and of $142,526 in the whole receipts for the State schools.

With all this advance, however, it is admitted by the superintendent, and decisively declared by the State board of education, that the people are not getting from the schools all they ought to get for the expenditure upon them; that many teachers do not know enough either of the instruction to be given or of the best methods of imparting it; that many school-houses are unfit for use and insufficiently equipped with appliances for teaching; that there is, for these reasons, too little first-rate teaching and much that is very, very poor; and that, consequently, there is need of a better organization of the school system by transferring the powers of district meetings to town meetings, and by uniting the powers of school visitors and district committees in the hands of a town committee. A unity of systems of instruction, it is thought, would be to some extent secured by this, with more skillful supervision, better appliances, and eventually far superior teaching, longer school sessions, and yet, probably, a lessened cost.

ADMINISTRATION.

The State still has a board of education of 6 members, two of them chief State officers, for general oversight of the free-school system; employs a secretary of this board for visitation, supervision, and report of schools; and gives him the assistance of a clerk for office duties, as also of an experienced agent for enforcement of the laws relating to compulsory school attendance.

Towns-answering to townships in most States-have each a board of school visitors of 3, 6, or 9 members; school districts representing former "school societies," boards of education of 6 or 9 members; ordinary school districts into which towns have been divided, school committees of 3 members. These officers are liable to a change of onethird each year, except boards of only 3 school visitors, who hold in a body for 3 years. The minimum session of the free schools is 35 weeks yearly in districts with 1001 or more youth 4 to 16 years of age; 30 weeks in those with 21 to 99 such youth; and 24 weeks in districts with still smaller numbers.

3

Well children 8 to 162 years of age are now required to attend some public day school, or receive elsewhere regular and continuous instruction in public-school studies while the schools of their districts are in session, unless excused by the school authorities.. Children under 14 who have attended school 12 weeks during the preceding 12 months, and children over 14, are not now subject to this requirement while properly employed to labor; but all except these come under the rule, and any person having control of a child and not complying with the law is subject to a fine of $5 or less for each week's failure to do so, not to exceed $60 a year. Selectmen and truant officers are to look after the enforcement of these laws and to fine obstinate offenders for violation of them. Habitual truants may also be sent to a house of correction.

Besides the elementary education thus required and enforced, there is provision for high school work, for instruction of teachers in a State normal school, and for aids to school training from town libraries and illustrative apparatus. There is also, since 1884, provision for instruction in manual arts, which has been availed of at least in New Haven, and for instruction in vocal and instrumental music, if a town vote for it at an annual business meeting.

The admission of children of school age to public schools is not allowed to be affected by race or color.

SCHOOL FINANCES.

By a tax of 14 mills on a dollar the State raises sufficient money annually to enable it to apportion, every February, in addition to the allowance from the school fund, $1.50 for each child 4-16 years of age in towns the school visitors of which certify that the schools have been kept open the full period required by law, under teachers duly examined and approved. The income from town deposit funds, or other funds that have been dedicated to public school instruction, go with the State school fund to increase the amounts that may be voted by towns, at their annual meetings, for the support of public schools. But the State allowance and the specially voted town funds can only be availed of by districts that have suitable school-houses and outbuildings, and that have made to the school visitors the required reports.

NEW LEGISLATION.

Besides the law noticed in the report from this Bureau for 1883-'84, authorizing the State board of education to examine applicants for teachers' certificates good throughout the State, there appear in the acts of 1884, at the law library at the Capitol in Washington, the following special laws: (1) one appropriating $10,000 to the State Reform School, for the completion and furnishing of two additional cottage buildings; (2) one appropriating $5,000 to the Storrs Agricultural School; (3) and one appropriating $15,000 for the Industrial School for Girls.

SYSTEMS OF CITIES AND TOWNS WITH 7,500 OR MORE INHABITANTS.

ADMINISTRATION.

The school visitors of towns prescribe rules for the management, studies, discipline, and classification of the schools of their respective towns, the choice of text books, and the examination of teachers. They assign the duty of visiting the schools to one or more Acting School Visitors of their own number, who are required to make an annual report to the board. Cities, in at least some cases, administer their school affairs through boards of education, with a superintendent as executive officer. Examples of this appear at Bridgeport, Middletown, and New Haven, and to some extent also at New Britain and Norwich.

a The statistics of Meriden, New Britain, New Haven, and Norwalk are from special returns to this Bureau; those of other places from the tables in the State report for 1884-'85, the average attendance given for these other places being half the total of the average for winter and summer. The figures for New Haven include only the city proper.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

Bridgeport in 1884-'85 increased by only 97 its youth of school age, yet enrolled in its city schools 495 more than in the previous year, and had an average attendance of 314 more, under 6 additional teachers, leaving still, however, 1,409 in no school, and 585 in private schools. Two new school buildings of excellent appearance and arrangement were built, accommodating about 450 pupils each, with nearly the same conveniences and facilities for school work as the admirable high school reported in 1883-'84.

Yet