The biennial report of the superintendent for 1883-'85 mentions an increase in the average pay of teachers, both men and women, as well as in their zeal and activity in their work. Indeed, school facilities and buildings, it is said, are being improved each year; and teachers are rapidly improving in all that goes to make them successful.

The meeting of the National Educational Association at Madison, Wis., in 1884, at which Iowa was well represented, was one of the principal causes leading to this increased educational activity. Its influence was exerted not only through the usual addresses, discussions, and criticisms, but also by its exhibit of industrial education, which gave a practical direction to the interest in this topic, showing how many opportunities the school room affords, even without adding to the present courses of study, for creating a taste for industrial occupations and laying a foundation for such instruction.

Following closely upon the gathering at Madison came the Exposition at New Orleans, in which the educational status of Iowa was exhibited, under the supervision of the Department of Public Instruction. The material used at the Madison exhibit was put in order for this purpose, and additional work was furnished, including excellent displays from the institutions for the blind and the deaf. The Department issued a circular of information, setting forth the organization and practical operation of the school system of Iowa, and containing a lithograph school-house map of the State, having a dot for each school-house. Altogether, the exhibit was representative, comprehensive, and complete; as at Madison, it placed the State in the foremost rank for educational privilege and endeavor, and gave an important stimulus to educational effort.

The recent organization of teachers' reading circles is noted as one important indication of advance. This step was advised by the State Teachers' Association, and a committee of 9 persons was appointed to arrange a course of study and to make other provisions for carrying the plan into effect. It is designed, among other objects, to secure to teachers the employment of all their spare time in the way most useful to them professionally, by a careful study of educational literature. This study is made more interesting by the fact that many others are going over the same ground, and that results will be compared, while the habit of annotation fixes the knowledge acquired in the student's mind in an orderly way, making it available for use when necessary.

ADMINISTRATION.

A State superintendent, elected by the people for 2 years, has general superintendence of the public schools. There is also a State board for the examination of teachers. Each county has a superintendent; each township and independent district a board of directors; each subdistrict into which a township may be divided, a subdirector, the subdirectors of the subdistricts forming the district township board. Women are eligible to any school office in the State, and one member of the State board of examiners must be a

woman.

At least one school must be taught in each subdistrict for not less than 120 days during the year. The public schools are free to all resident youth of school age (5-21). Besides common schools, the system includes high schools, normal schools, teachers' institutes, schools for soldiers' orphans, a State university, a State agricultural and mechanical college, reform schools, and institutions for deaf-mutes and the blind.

To be legally employed in public schools, teachers must have certificates of qualification from the county superintendent or other duly authorized officer. They must each keep a school register and make an annual statistical report to the board of directors. The secretary of the board in turn reports to the county superintendent, and he to the State superintendent. Boards of directors must set out at least 12 shade trees on each school site, and county superintendents must see that such trees are growing. Industrial expositions for displaying useful articles made by public school pupils may be held in each district, if its board of directors deem it expedient; such exhibitions must be held in the school room on a school day, and not oftener than once a month.

FINANCES.

Public schools are sustained from the income of a permanent State school fund, a temporary fund, and from county and district taxes.

The permanent State fund comes (a) from 5 per cent. of the net proceeds of public land sales; (b) from sales of 500,000 acres of lands granted by the general Government in 1841; (c) from proceeds of escheated estates; (d) from sales of 16th section lands in each township, or of lands selected in place of these. Amount in 1885, $4,432,966. The temporary fund consists of the annual product of forfeitures for the benefit of the school fund, of fines for violation of penal laws or non-performance of military duty, and of sales of lost goods and estrays. Both are distributed to the districts in proportion to the number of youth from 5 to 21 years of age.

County taxes must be not less than 1 mill nor more than 3 mills on the dollar. District taxes must not exceed 10 mills on the dollar for a school-house fund; $5 per pupil for

a contingent fund; or $15 for each resident pupil for a teachers' fund, this last including the amount received from the State by semi-annual apportionment.

NEW LEGISLATION.

By Acts of April 1, 1884, $64,500 was appropriated for the State university, $27,800 for the State normal school at Cedar Falls, and $25,088 for the girls' department of the Iowa State Reform School.

One-half of these amounts was made available in 1884, the remaining half in 1885. April 5, 1884, it was determined that the reform schools of the State should thereafter be known as industrial schools, and the trustees of them as the Board of Trustees of Industrial Schools.

The same day appropriations of $32,100 were made for improvements at the State ag ricultural college, $7,000 of this amount to go for a building for the mechanical and engineering departments of the college, $10,000 for two buildings for the school of veterinary science, $3,000 for fire-proof vaults, and $3,000 for a professor's residence.

It was also determined that schools for instruction of students in mechanic arts should be reported by the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, such report to indicate what progress has been made in schools of this kind, and what systems have been found most practical.

SCHOOL SYSTEMS OF CITIES WITH 7,500 OR MORE INHABITANTS.

ADMINISTRATION.

Public schools are controlled by boards of 6 directors in cities, towns, or villages with 500 or more inhabitants, 2 of these directors being subject to change each year. In the larger cities superintendents are usually employed for the schools. A tax for school purposes, not to exceed 10 mills on the dollar in any one year, may be voted by the electors.

a The statisties for Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Ottumwa are, in the absence of direct information from those cities, taken from the Iowa Normal Monthly of November, 1881, and are said to be the figures of the preceding school year, 1885-'84.

b Including normal and evening schools.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

Burlington shows 12 school buildings in 1883-'84, one of them a high school, another a city normal school, in which graduates of the high school that desire to teach spend a year in study of methods of instruction and in practice teaching. The school year covers 10 months.

Cedar Rapids, with 7 buildings, one of them partly occupied by a high school, which indicates the possession of all the ordinary school grades, has a school session of 9 months. Clinton divides its course of study into primary, grammar, and high school dep ments, each of four years. There is also a practice school which gives a year's training to such graduates of the high school as intend to teach. The work of each term in the schools is not prescribed, but is left largely for the teachers to decide upon. In choice of methods, too, each teacher is left free to employ such as are best adapted to the wants of her school. The high school, comprising English, Latin, and German courses of study, has graduated 142 pupils since 1874, of whom 109 were young women. Just one-half the graduates have become teachers, and 43 have taught in the city. The public school library, absolutely free to teachers and pupils, comprises 2,477 volumes.

At Council Bluffs the public schools were taught 199 days in 15 buildings having 2,718 sittings for study. Over $43,000 were expended during the year for buildings and

$6.691 for furniture and apparatus. The schools included primary, grammar, and high grades, the latter enrolling 115 pupils, of whom 87 were girls. In 5 private and parish schools, with 310 sittings for study, 198 pupils were reported, making, with those in the city schools, a total enrollment of 2,961.

The Davenport public schools-comprising primary, grammar, high, city normal, and evening schools-were taught in 11 buildings, which were capable of seating 4.264 pupils. Besides the public school enrollment above noted, it is estimated that about 1,000 pupils attended private and parochial schools, making a total of 6,332, or a little more thin 67 per cent. of the school population. Music entered into the city school course under the oversight and instruction of a lady teacher.

under the oversight of a special teacher. The city normal school had 12 female pupils Des Moines (West) reports public schools taught for 177 days out of 180 in the school year, in school buildings valued, with sites and furniture, at $270,000. Of the total amount expended for public schools, as above reported, $21,681 were for sites, buildings, furniture, and apparatus.

Two kindergärten report an aggregate attendance of 134 pupils under 11 teachers. These schools, established in 1876, were in 1883-'84 adopted by the public school system, The schools of Dubuque were taught for 196 days, in 12 buildings, valued, with sites, furniture, and apparatus, at $200,000. About 2,500 pupils attended private and parochial schools, making, with public school enrollment, a total of 6,588 children under instruction. A library comprising, in 1884, about 800 bound volumes, was connected with the public school system. No special teachers were employed.

Keokuk reports public schools taught for 178 days, in 9 school buildings, for primary, grammar, and high grades, valued, with other school property, at $100,000. Music, drawing, and penmanship were taught by special teachers.

At the close of the term, in June, 1885, the public schools gave a very extensive exhibit of pupils' work, two large halls being completely filled with it. The display of kindergarten work was noticeably fine, and the industrial work attracted much attention. Fancy work, wood work, machines, and numberless other articles showed the skill and ingenuity of the pupils, while the fine maps, examination papers, and drawings in ink and crayon indicated their diligence in their proper work. All the schools were fully represented, from the primary to the high, the latter offering a fine display of botanical specimens, skinned, stuffed, and mounted birds, and technical drawings. The citizens of Keokuk were liberal in their offers of prizes for good work, and for three days and nights the exhibition was thronged.

The Muscatine public schools, primary, grammar, and high, were taught 182 days during 1884-'85. The 9 school buildings, affording seats for 1,600 pupils, were valued, with sites and other school property, at about $80,000. About 200 pupils attended private or parochial schools, making a total of 1,752 under instruction.

PREPARATION AND QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS.

STATE REQUIREMENTS.

Teachers cannot be employed in any common schools receiving a share of the school fund unless they have certificates of qualification from their county superintendent or other officer authorized by law to give them. These other officers are the members of a State board of examiners, which includes the State superintendent of public instruction, the president of the State university, the principal of the State normal school, and two persons appointed by the executive council, for terms of 4 years, one of the two to be a woman. Of this board the State superintendent is ex officio president. It holds annually at least 2 public examinations of teachers, at which a member of the board presides, assisted by one or two qualified teachers.

Successful candidates who prove their acquaintance with all the ordinary English school studies, and with such others as physiology and history of the United States, and their possession of good moral character and capacity for governing and instructing children, receive from their county superintendent a certificate to that effect, good for a year. Those that before the State examiners add evidence of acquaintance with book-keeping, algebra, botany, natural philosophy, drawing, civil government, Constitution and laws of lowa, and didactics, get from these examiners a State certificate good for 5 years. Those that add also proof of acquirements in higher mathematics, the chief natural sciences, political economy, rhetoric, English literature, general history, and other studies, receive State diplomas good for life, unless revoked for cause.

STATE NORMAL TRAINING.

The Iowa State Normal School, Cedar Falls. presents several courses of study, the longest one, of 4 years and including the graduate scientific course, leading to the degree of bachelor of didactics, and designed to qualify for the highest positions in the school system.

A shorter course of 3 years gives a proportionate preparation for teaching in all grades of the public school system. There is also a graduate professional course of one year, designed for college graduates, and a graduate scientific course, Students who complete the 3-year course are entitled to certificates, but not to diplomas. Music, penmanship, book-keeping, and drawing are among the branches studied, and professional work is arranged for every day throughout the course. The certificates and diplomas do not by law entitle the holders to teach in the State without further examination, but many county superintendents in the State recognize them as proof of capacity to teach, and they are also accepted in California and other States.

The Chair of Didactics of the State University of Iowa offers an elective course of study occupying 1 year, which is purely professional in its provisions. Graduates are given certificates of qualification as teachers, and after 2 years' successful work may receive the degree of bachelor of didactics.

CITY NORMAL SCHOOLS.

A training school connected with the public school system of West Des Moines gives students desiring to teach the benefit of 1 year's professional training and practice. Davenport, as before mentioned, makes return of a city normal school under the charge of a lady, whose salary indicates high estimate of her work, and who had under her 12 pupils during 1884-'85.

OTHER NORMAL SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS.

Among the private institutions which present normal departments as an important part of their work, the largest is, perhaps, the Western Normal College and Shenandoah Commercial Institute, Shenandoah, which, though first opened in 1883, enrolled in 1883-'84 over 700 normal pupils, besides about 400 others. A common school course of study is provided for those who are not well grounded in the elementary branches, very backward pupils being encouraged to enter with the expectation of acquiring sufficient preparation, after a full year's study, to enter the professional course. This extends over a full year of 12 months.

Dexter Normal School, Dexter, offers a teachers' professional course of one full year of 50 weeks, besides preparatory, scientific, classical, and commercial courses.

The Normal and Scientific Institute, Bloomfield, provides a course of study which qualifies for teaching in all grades of the public schools, besides courses in business, fine arts, science, and music.

Eastern Iowa Normal School, Columbus Junction, reports a full course of normal study extending over 5 years. This includes an elementary course of 3 years and an advanced one of 2, graduates of the latter receiving the degree of bachelor of pedagogical philosophy.

Provision for the training of teachers, in courses of from 1 to 5 years, is also made at Amity College, Upper Iowa University, Norwegian Luther College, Drake University, Parsons College, Iowa College, Lenox College, Simpson Centenary College, German College, Cornell College, Oskaloosa College, Penn College, and Central University of Iowa.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

Each county superintendent is required by law to hold an institute annually in his county, and $50 is appropriated by the State to aid in defraying the expenses. Further provision is made for their support by the requirement of a registration fee of $1 from each person attending, and also an equal sum from every applicant for a certificate. These institutes are schools of from two to four weeks' duration, the objects of which are to improve the scholarship of teachers and to acquaint them with the best methods of instruction and school government. The number attending during 1884 was 14,793, more than twice as many as were present in 1874. Great improvement has also been made during these 10 years in the management of institutes and in the work done in them.

EDUCATIONAL JOURNALS.

Among these are the Town Normal Monthly, published at Dubuque, the organ of the State department of education; the Central School Journal, Keokuk, also a monthly; and the Northwestern Journal of Education; all containing a large amount of educational information and instruction.

SECONDARY INSTRUCTION.

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS.

The law provides for county and township high schools, but thus far the people have not generally availed themselves of the opportunity to establish them. The number of graded schools is 530, or an average of more than 5 to each county; and in a majority of

such schools the higher branches are taught, many of them preparing students for admission to the State University.

OTHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

For statistics of business colleges, private academic schools, and schools for preparing students for college, see Tables IV, VI, and VII of the Appendix; and for summaries, see corresponding tables in the report of the Commissioner preceding.

SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION.

COLLEGES FOR YOUNG MEN OR FOR BOTH SEXES.

The State University of Iowa, Iowa City, an outgrowth of the policy of the National Government to aid education, has collegiate, legal, medical, and dental departments, the medical including both regular and homeopathic. The report shows a decided increase in the efficiency of the university during 1884-'85, although the number of students in all departments was about 100 less than the previous year. This was owing to an elevation of the standard of instruction in the law school and of that for admission to the medical schools. Other departments also advanced their requirements for admission, but yet have increased their enrollment.

The collegiate department of the University embraces a school of letters, with classical and philosophical courses, and a school of science, with scientific and engineering courses, each extending over 4 years, and leading to the degrees respectively of A. B., Ph. B., Sci. B. and C. E. Graduates of approved high schools and academies are admitted without examination.

Other colleges and universities reporting are Amity College, College Springs; Griswold College, Davenport; Norwegian Luther College, Decorah; Drake University, Des Moines; University of Des Moines; St. Joseph's College, Dubuque; Parsons College, Fairfield; Upper Iowa University, Fayette; Iowa College, Grinnell; Simpson Centenary College, Indianola; German College. Mt. Pleasant; Iowa Wesleyan University, Mt. Pleasant; Cornell College, Mt. Vernon; Oskaloosa College, Oskaloosa; Penn College, Oskaloosa; Central University of Iowa, Pella; Tabor College, Tabor; Western College, Toledo; and Lenox College, Hopkinton. All of these except Griswold, Luther, and St. Joseph's admit both sexes; all have classical courses of study which extend over 4 years; all except two report scientific courses, which are generally of equal length with the classical; several add philosophical courses, a few Latin or Greek scientific, and one an engineering course. Commercial courses are offered by 13 of the above, and as many afford opportunity for preparation to teach. All but 3 provide courses in music and drawing, all teach German, and all but 3 French also. Professional instruction is given by several, the particulars of which will be noted further on.

Nine of the above colleges received gifts and bequests during the year in sums ranging from $160 to $50,000, and amounting in the aggregate to about $90,000, all but $5,000 of this being given unconditionally. The largest amount, $50,000, was received by Cornell College from contributions, one half of it being intended for endowment, the remainder to build a ladies' hall. The next largest gift, $22,000, was to Western College, for library, apparatus, and endowment. Iowa Wesleyan University received $5,000 from Mr. Timothy Whiting for general endowment, on condition that $14,000 be contributed by others within 3 years.

For statistics of colleges and universities, see Table IX of the Appendix; and for a summary see the report of the Commissioner preceding.

COLLEGIATE INSTITUTIONS FOR YOUNG WOMEN.

At least 3 institutions for the superior instruction of young women are known to he in existence, although only 2 send statistics for 1884-'85. The three are Immaculate Conception Academy, Davenport; Callanan College, Des Moines; and St. Agatha's Academy, Iowa City; the last two are authorized to confer collegiate degrees. From Mt. Pleasant Female Seminary, formerly reporting, no information has been received for several years. For statistics of Callanan College and Immaculate Conception Academy, see Table VIII of the Appendix; and for a summary, see a corresponding table in the report of the Commissioner preceding.

SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION.

SCIENTIFIC.

As has been noted, scientific studies are pursued to some extent in nearly all the colleges and universities of the State, which give the usual scientific course, generally of 4 years. The school of science of the State University of Iowa, besides such a general scientific course designed to afford liberal culture on the basis of science, presents a