SCHOOLS.

The report gives a statement of each of the school-buildings and of the number and salaries of the teachers. There are fourteen school-buildings of brick and one of wood. There are two grammar-schools, with desks for 862 pupils, and thirteen primary schools, with desks for 3,640 pupils.

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

There are eighteen teachers of the grammar-schools. The male principal of school No. 1 receives a salary of $1,200. The lady in charge of the girls' department receives $800. The lady principal of school No. 4 receives $1,000. Three assistant grammar-school-teachers receive $550 each, three receive $500, five receive $460, and four $425. Of the primary-school-teachers ten principals receive $460, nine teachers receive $350, forty-five receive $360.

EVENING-SCHOOLS.

In addition to the above schools, evening-schools are held which are taught by thirteen lady teachers and attended by 339 scholars. Salaries of teachers not given.

PROPORTION OF MALE AND FEMALE TEACHERS.

Including the teachers of the evening-schools there are employed in the public schools of Wilmington ninety-five female teachers and one male teacher.

PRIZES.

Silver medals are given by the board of education for perfect attendance during the whole year. Ninety-six of these medals were awarded during the year closed July 31, 1873.

Two gold medals, one for boys, one for girls, are given by John H. Adams, esq., for excellence in English grammar. H. B. Seidell, esq., gives annually three prizes in books for best scholarship to the boys of grammar-school No. 1. Messrs. Howard M. Jenkins, Anthony Higgins, and Wm. S. Hilles gave similar prizes this year to school No. 4. Colonel B. R. Heisler gave two prizes for excellence in elocution.

Lists of the recipients of these various prizes, and also of all the pupils perfect in attendance during each term, are given in the report.

The following table, which shows the number of pupils of each age in the several schools, is of interest as giving the practical limits of school-age :

EXAMINATION, PROMOTION, AND CLASSIFICATION.

Three examinations for promotion were held during the year: the first, the week previous to the Christmas holidays; the second, the first week in April; and the third, the two weeks previous to the close of the schools, June 27.

In the sixth primary grade, and in all the grades of the grammar-schools, the answers in these examinations were given in writing. Owing to the large number of applicants at the primary schools, no absolute standard of scholarship was fixed for promo

tion; but, of the pupils in the lower grades passing the best examinations, enough were promoted each time to fill the vacancies in the grammar-schools. Such, however, was the ambition of both teachers and pupils to make high averages in examination, that few were promoted whose averages were below 70 per cent. Promotions were made mainly on the examinations. In some cases, however, pupils were promoted who stood low in examination, but had been so regular in attendance and correct in recitations that it was obvious that it would be better for them to go up. The desire in classing pupil was to put each where he would learn most.

Besides these three general promotions, special promotions were made within the schools whenever, in the judgment of the principals, pupils were prepared to do the work of the next higher class. This custom, of long standing here, works good continually. Merited promotion is worth more, to stir pupils to activity, than all other rewards. Some do not look favorably on these special promotions, because they deprive teachers of their best pupils before examination. Against this desire to keep back bright pupils for the credit they may do the teacher at examination is the good of the pupil and the incentive to study that comes from the belief that a promotion will be received as soon as the pupil has made it evident that it will be better for him to be in a higher class.

It would be desirable to have the number of pupils equal in all classes of the same grade; but, in Nos. 5, 9, 11, 12, and 14, to keep up large classes it is necessary either to class the pupils so that the best scholars in the class are discouraged by feeling that they are learning nothing new and the poorest by feeling that the lessons are too difficult for them or for each teacher to take more classes than in the large schools. The latter plan is much the better for the pupils, and has been adopted, although it increases the work of the teachers and disturbs the order of the schools. Another difficulty in classification has existed in the highest grade in the grammar-schools. At the end of each school-year, many members of the two classes of highest grade leave school altogether. If the best scholars in these classes wish to continue in the school another year, they know that they must be classed with scholars who are promoted into their class, not because it is better for them to be in a higher class, but to fill vacancies that cannot be filled in any other way. Instead of filling these classes with those who are not able, doing the work thoroughly, to go forward as fast as the members of the old classes, it would certainly be better to let these classes remain smaller than other classes. It is sometimes better to have two small classes recite in periods of twenty minutes cachi, than one large class, composed of pupils of different attainments, in one period of forty minutes. In fixing the time for promotions, the number of pupils to constitute a class, the length of time for a recitation, &c., it is very well to try to make all things adapt themselves to the regularity of a symmetrical system; but the irregularity of life out of school and the differences of intellect make it necessary that the system be a pliable one, and that it bend to fit these irregularities and differences, where they cannot be removed.

ARITHMETIC.

A great improvement is noted in the teaching of this study in the advanced classes, as, however, the greatest difficulty is experienced in teaching the youngest children." Eight pages of the report are devoted to the abstract of Grube's system of communicating a correct idea of numbers to beginners, made by Louis Solden, assistant superintendent of the public schools of St. Louis.

DRAWING.

The importance of industrial drawing to the youth of a city having such manufacturing interests as ours can scarcely be overestimated. That there is talent for drawing among our young people, the blackboards of every school in the city prove. Horace Mann's words apply to us exactly: "With the inventive genius of our people, the art of drawing would be eminently useful. They would turn it to better account than any other people in the world. We now perform far the greater part of our labor by machinery. Whatever will advance the mechanic and manufacturing arts, therefore, is especially important here; and whatever is important for men to know, as men, should be learned by children in the schools." Hon. Birdsey G. Northrop, secretary of the board of education of Connecticut, says: "Drawing ought to be taught in every school of this country, as it is in Switzerland, Germany, and other European countries. Aside from its important influence in cultivating the perceptive powers, the memory, the taste, and the imagination, it is the most essential preparation for the skilled artisan. No study pays better. None can so greatly improve our mechanical industries or multiply our resources."

Drawing has been taught to some extent in all our schools, but, until within the last year, in few cases according to any system or with reference to anything beyond copying pictures. About the middle of the year, Bartholomew's drawing-cards and books were introduced into rearly all our schools. The publishers of these books presented to the schools a copy of their Teacher's Guide for each teacher using their books

or cards. Previously, instruction in drawing had usually been given to one pupil at a time.

These guides gave the teachers an insight into a method of using the blackboard and directing the pupils in such a way as to instruct a whole division at the same time. The work was taken up and prosecuted under this new plan with commendable interest; but not with the success desirable. All felt the need of a leader in the work and of being taught themselves by a master of the art.

I would suggest in this connection the importance of having a special teacher of drawing employed to instruct the teachers in this branch, and also to give instruction to the advanced classes in the grammar-schools. In this way drawing is being successfully taught in many cities and towns. Walter Smith, State-director of art-education in Massachusetts, in his last report to the State-board of education, says:

"In my conference with school-committees I have recommended that, to introduce drawing into the common schools, the regular teachers should be instructed by a special teacher of drawing and that they then be required to instruct their scholars, and have done this both because of its economy and efficiency.

"On principle, I object to special teachers being employed in the public schools for the purpose of elementary teaching, for the regular teachers are thereby set aside and their inefficiency proclaimed. Whatever it is reasonable to expect little children to learn, it cannot be unreasonable to suppose that adult teachers can also learn; and inasmuch as this question has passed out of the region of theory into the realms of experience, and it has been found that every willing teacher can both learn and successfully teach elementary drawing, any school-committee which will provide for the instruction of its teachers may now introduce the teaching of drawing into its schools with the greatest efficiency. My advice has been followed in many cities with good results, and I hope before the year 1873 is past every city and town in the Commonwealth will have thus provided sound instruction in the schools."

NORMAL SCHOOL.

There were thirty-eight sessions of this school during the year. From September 7 till December 7 it was held from 10 to 12 o'clock a. m. on Saturdays, and from December 7 till the end of the year the sessions were from 7 to 9 o'clock on Friday evenings. The whole number of teachers who were members was sixty-five and the average attendance thirty-six.

The object had in view, in making out the course of study and in assigning the lessons each week, was to review the subjects in which teachers are required to be examined at the close of the year.

At the annual examination of teachers, held in July, 1872, twenty-eight made a general average in the elementary branches of 80 per cent. or more of correct answers. Of these nine studied algebra and general history in this school, during the year, and several of the others, I think, pursued these studies elsewhere.

During the next year these can finish the studies required in order to receive the certificate of the committee on teachers exempting them from examination. The following course of study has been adopted for the coming year:

COURSE OF STUDY.

First term, commencing September 5 and continuing twenty-one weeks.

Second term, commencing February 7 and continuing twenty-one-weeks.

As two years are allowed by the rule of the board for the study of algebra, geometry, general history, and natural philosophy, those who enter the A class this year can study algebra and general history next year.

Teachers, of all persons, have need to be constant students. Few persons will follow out a course of study alone, but where several with similar interests can unite in a

study the social element introduced renders agreeable what undertaken alone would be irksome and soon abandoned. From this source comes one of the good results of the normal school. Another good result is that those who have a professional spirit and are enterprising have an opportunity in this school to show their fellow-teachers their fitness for leadership in educational work.

Your appreciation of the efforts of the teachers to educate themselves more liberally, shown in the fair advance of salaries lately made, has been very encouraging, and will lighten the labor of preparation for these Friday-evening-recitations.

THE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

Each of these monthly meetings of the teachers was attended, so far as I know, by all of our teachers, except a few who were absent from one or two meetings on account of sickness.

At the organization of the institute Miss Elizabeth D. Fraser was elected president for the year and Miss Sallie Hare secretary. A committee was appointed at each meeting to prepare business for the next meeting. Through the efficient management of the officers and the hearty co-operation of the members, a larger amount of important work was done in the course of the year.

RÉSUMÉ.

All connected with our schools have reason to congratulate themselves that during the year just passed these schools have made commendable progress. The attendance of pupils has been good, and their interest in study continually increasing. More teachers than heretofore have succeeded in governing without resort to severe punishments, and there is a growing conviction that even very bad children ought to be governed by something higher and better than the rod. There has been much painstaking on the part of the teachers to have the pupils enjoy their school-life. Gratifying progress has taken place in object and other kinds of illustrative teaching. Strenuous efforts have been made to solve the very important problem, how to keep the attention of all the members of a class on the point before the class. The device of requiring children to copy reading, geography, and other lessons on their slates, to keep them quiet, has not been so much abused as heretofore. A true professional zeal has been shown by the study of works on teaching and by attendance at and participation in the exercises of the Friday-evening normal school and the monthly teachers' institute.

You who are members of the board of education have, by the time and attention you have given in order to obtain good sites and plans for school-houses, by the encouragement and support you have given the teachers in the discharge of their duties, by the care you have exercised in promoting teachers to advance them according to their merit, and in selecting and providing text-books to get the best at the lowest marketprices, by the silver medals that you have promised to pupils perfect in attendance and the gold medals and large prizes of books, (the private gifts of members as rewards for scholarship,) by your faithfulness in watching over the other interests of the schools, and by your wisdom in legislating for them, done a noble work for the advancement of this great practical scheme of moral and intellectual improvement.

In conclusion, I desire to return my sincere thanks to the press of this city for the promptness with which they have published whatever seemed likely to advance the interests of our schools and for their frequent and able advocacy of measures tending to promote the cause of education in our midst; to the teachers for the many expressions of kindness which I have received from them and for the cordial manner in which they have worked with me for the good of the schools; and to the members of the board for the consideration they have given my suggestions and for the encouragement and support I have ever had from them.

DAVID W. HARLAN,
Superintendent.

Wilmington is known as one school-district, eleven and a half districts having been consolidated. There are no district-schools; all are graded. The old districts are entitled to their pro-rata share of the State-fund, which by inadvertence was not applied for during the past year. Forty-two weeks comprise the scholastic year. There are no libraries connected with the schools.

VISIT OF LEGISLATURE.

The visit of the State-legislature to the city-schools has been alluded to. The legis lature, governor, and secretary of state were invited by formal resolution of the schoolboard of Wilmington to visit the schools. The invitation was accepted, and for two days they were the guests of the city, entertained by board of education and the city council. They visited schools Nos. 1, 3, 4, 8, and 15, and expressed great interest in investigating the practical workings of the school-system and gratification at the results shown.

REMOVAL OF GIRLS' GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

On the 1st of September, 1873, the girls' school, formerly held in school-house No. 4, was removed to the second story of school-house No. 1, in which building is the grammar-school for boys. This brings the scholars of highest grade in the same building and affords additional facilities in the use of apparatus required equally by both schools.

STUDY OF LANGUAGES INTRODUCED.

On the 1st of September, 1873, the studies of Latin and German were added to the courses of study taught in the high-school-departments of the grammar-schools.

EDUCATION OF COLORED CHILDREN.

The board of education, which had previously contributed $1,000 annually towards meeting the cost of the Howard colored-school, under the charge of the Delaware Association for the Moral Improvement and Education of the Colored People, decided to take it wholly under their control, and took charge of it October 1, 1873.

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-HOUSE.

The board is building a new primary-school-house, with seating capacity for 420 scholars, on the corner of Third and Hinman streets.

LETTER OF PRESIDENT HILLES.

As Colonel Grimshaw, the retiring president of the board, omitted making the usual annual report on the condition of the public schools, the following extracts from the reply of President Hilles to a letter of inquiry are inserted:

THE VISIT OF THE LEGISLATURE.

"I think the visit of the legislature to our city-schools last winter was an interesting and important event, as being a public recognition of their importance and tending to concentrate public thought and interest on the subject."

THE HOWARD SCHOOL.

"The Howard school-establishment, some years since, by the combined efforts of the Freedmen's Bureau, the city-council of Wilmington, and a number of private citizens, organized for the education of the negroes and appropriated by the deed of trust by which it is held for the use of a school 'from which no one shall ever be excluded by reason of race or color,' has recently been adopted and taken in charge by the board of public education. It is in successful operation and doing good work for the colored people.

"More schools are needed for their use and will, it is hoped, be hereafter established, as it is possible to accomplish this."

EDUCATION OF COLORED PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

"I can give you no information in reference to the prospect throughout the State for the participation of the negroes in the benefits of the school-fund. I presume it will be a work of time-much time it may be."

VALUE OF SUPERVISION OF SCHOOLS.

"Having been for several years interested in the working of the Association for the Moral and Intellectual Improvement of the Colored People, which maintains a superintendence over the colored schools throughout the State, I have been much impressed with the benefits which are conferred by this in aiding the local committees in the selection of teachers, in the purchase of uniform text-books, and, generally, in the requirement of regular reports to the central office. I think it is not too much to assume that, in consequence of this supervision, the colored schools in some parts of the State are in better condition and more efficient in their work than the white schools. It is not a centralization of power, the objections to which are well known to me, but a voluntary submission to or acceptance of aid from the central office, in return for which the teachers and trustees are expected to make periodic and complete reports of their doings.

"This requirement alone, without regard to the advantage of help in examination and selection of teachers, amply repays the local authorities for the nominal subjection."

SUPERVISION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR WHITES SUGGESTED.

"I would strongly recommend a similar agency to the white friends of education in this State and elsewhere. The voluntary or individual element incorporated into it is an advantage to the system, and the two can easily be harmonized. In further illustration of this, I respectfully recommend to your attention two reports issued in Edin