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* Instruction in this department is given by the bishop and faculty of the college. Two young Indians are among those who are receiving a training with a view to the ministry.

NEBRASKA INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB.

This institution was opened at Omaha, in 1869, with 12 pupils. The next year the number increased to 23. In 1871 the legislature made an appropriation for a new building and the citizens of Omaha gave ten acres of land. The building was ready for occupation in January, 1872. The cost was $15,000. Most of the difficulties attending the organization of a new institution have been surmounted, and both the educational and financial interests of the institute are in a perfectly satisfactory condition. One-half of the grounds has been worked by the boys of the institute. The number of pupils during the year was 29-males, 15; females, 14. The ages of admission are from 10 to 25. Owing to the diversity of acquirements among the pupils, the number of classes is greater than in most schools of the kind. The methods of instruction are not indicated. The legislature is petitioned for an appropriation of $32,000 for the next two years.

STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

The eighth annual session of this body was held in the court-house at Tecumseh, and began December 23, 1873. The president, Hon. J. M. McKenzie, State-superin tendent, delivered the opening address, enlarging on the importance of teachers' institutes for the improvement of comparatively untrained teachers and on the kindred importance of a law for compulsory education to bring into the schools such as would never otherwise attend. In the former he saw the only present hope for the elevation of many school-teachers who cannot secure training in a normal school; in the latter, the only effective means of bringing prejudiced or ignorant or selfish parents to afford their children the advantages of education.

The institution of a judicious and elevated course of instruction for the high schools

of the State was also insisted on. The law establishing the State-university makes a certificate from a county-superintendent that a youth has graduated honorably from a high school of the State a sufficient warrant for his admission to the university without further examination. But unless a uniform and elevated course should prevail in the high schools it was held that such a provision must eventually degrade the standard of admission to the college-classes, so that no special scholarship would be required to enable one to enter. Hence the necessity for such a guarding of the high-schoolcourse as to secure a set of thoroughly-trained pupils for the State's highest school and make the grand idea of free education from the common school to the university something more than a mere bubble in the sunlight or a great edifice without a base. His final picture of what a thorough system of school-training would make the State is too pleasing and too instructive to be omitted. He says, in a sort of prophetic vision here: "I see in the future a vast body of people living in Nebraska, and my idea of their social life would have them intelligent in a high degree, industrious, and enterprising. Then, dotting the whole landscape we would have neat, commodious dwellings, surrounded with all the adornments that nature, aided by art, could bestow. At convenient distances would appear school-houses of the most improved style of architecture, combining beauty, taste, comfort, and convenience. The people, keenly alive to the influence that the school-house and its surroundings exert on the impressible natures of children, would have the outhouses so located and constructed as to preserve all the inherent modesty implanted in a child, to shield it from the snares of vice. The play-grounds would be inclosed with a neat fence and arranged with every convenience for healthful sports. Everything would be elevating and refining, the yard tastefully ornamented with trees and flowering shrubs and covered with a carpet of green.

"They would have a beautiful house for the teacher in close proximity to the schoolyard. He should no longer be a homeless wanderer, dependent on the grudged shelter now so often a necessity to him. He should be a workman needing not to be ashamed, and the children should continue under his instruction until qualified to ascend to a school of higher grade.

"All the methods of instruction should be in accordance with reason and nature and the school-room should be a delightful place.

"As the children advance in their studies and primary schools no longer afford them opportunities for further education, they would have located near the center of every township, if possible, a high school, manned by a corps of well-qualified teachers, furnished with appliances for illustrating the various studies pursued. The course of study would be so arranged as to commence just where the common school ended and reach sufficiently high to give all who desire it a thorough preparation for the university."

To effect all this, it was granted, was beyond the work of any single man; but if teachers would all work towards so desirable a consummation, if each would plan for it and all carry out their plans, if a spirit of professional pride, of desire to place the teacher's profession at least upon a footing with the law or medicine, should be awakened in the two thousand teachers of the State, the thing might eventually be effected.

"The best method of managing teachers' institutes" and "The place and value of object-teaching in Nebraska common schools" occupied the morning of the succeeding day, while in the afternoon a paper was read by Prof. Thompson, of the Agricultural College, on agricultural education.

On the first of these three topics it was held that the institute should aim mainly to acquaiut the teacher with the philosophy of his profession, to discuss the best methods of imparting instruction, and to establish principles by which the value of methods may be tested; that the impartation of school-instruction is not properly a part of it. but rather the cultivation of an esprit de corps, of a social, a sympathetic, a professional connection with each other, that all may work upon a plan, and that the best possible

one.

On the second topic, "object-teaching," the tone of the essayist, Dr. Williams, of Lowell, was rather depreciative, the disposition being rather to exalt objective or illustrative teaching as the more effective method, indeed, “ the most effective of all means of instruction," to be used in every school and to contribute to the interest of every study.

The essay of Prof. Thompson on agricultural education was an exposition and a vindication of the system of the agricultural colleges, and was followed by a brief speech from Governor Furnas, in commendation of the one belonging to the State.

A paper on "The best method of moral instruction," by Professor J. H. Kellom, concluded the exercises as far as the report has been thus far printed.

LIST OF SCHOOL-OFFICIALS IN NEBRASKA.

Hon. J. M. MCKENZIE, State-superintendent of public instruction, Lincoln.

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Cedar

Cheyenne.

Clay

Colfax.

Cuming

Dakota
Dawson

Dixon
Dodge
Douglas
Fillmore
Franklin.
Gage
Hall
Hamilton
Harlan
Howard
Jefferson

Johnson
Kearney

Knox

Lancaster.

Lincoln..

Madison Merrick.. Nemaha Nuckolls.

Otoe.

Pawnee

Platte

Polk.

Richardson Saline

Sarpy

Saunders

Seward

Stanton... Thayer Washington.. Wayrе Webster York

16 E

A. H. Bowen.

B. C. Palmer.

Rev. Samuel P. Boolman.

D. A. Crowell...

Rev. E. M. Holland..

W. J. Evans..

U. W. Wise

Hon. Lewis M. Howard.
George R. Ballou

J. S. Schermerhorn..
Rev. A. Sutherland
Robert Robb
John T. Spencer..
Richard O'Keef.
W. S. Bates...
John Cayton
Jeremiah Behm..
John Dempster.
A. S. Martin....

L. B. Filley.
John D. Hays..
Byron D. Brown...
Hiram M. Luce
Thompson McNabb.
Dr. P. L. Chapman..
S. Wolford
L. A. Kent..

J. H. Billings
A. M. Ghost.
A. T. Feay
Lew. F. Taylor
Charles E. Mead
S. W. McGrew
D. W. Montgomery
H. K. Raymond..
John M. Osborne
Charles A. Speice..
James Bell

F. M. Williams.
James McCreedy
George C. Potwin..
Walter Fleming
George B. France.
A. C. T. Stevens
Byron F. Young
Rev. C. G. Bisbee
R. B. Crawford
Edward Kellogg
H. H. Tate..

Juniata.

Oakdale.

Hammond.

Croweltown.

Tekamah.

Savannah.
Plattsmouth.
Green Island.
Sidney.
Sutton.
Schuyler.

West Point.
Dakota City.
Plum Creek.
Iona.

Pebble Creek.
Omaha.

Ohiowa.

Bloomington.
Beatrice.
Grand Island.
Orville City.
Republican City.
St. Paul.
Fairbury.
Tecumseh.
Lowell.

Niobrara.
Lincoln.
Cottonwood.

Norfolk.
Lone Tree.
Brownville.
Kiowa.
Nebraska City.
Pawnee City.
Columbus.
Bellville.
Salem.
Pleasant Hill.
Papillion.
Sand Creek.
Milford.
Canton.
Hebron.
Fontanelle.
Taffe.

Red Cloud.
McFadden.

NEVADA.

[From the biennial report of Hon. A. N. Fisher, State-superintendent of public instruction, for the years 1871 and 1872.]

SCHOOL-FUNDS, PERMANENT AND DISTRIBUTIVE.

Amount in State-(irreducible) school-fund

Increase

Amount disbursed from general (distributive) school-fund during the school-years of 1869-70 and 1871-72, respectively.

Increase

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

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Total school-expenditure in all the counties of the State..

Increase

73, 836 64

98,468 82

Surplus of school-moneys reported in county-treasuries at close of school-year.

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As the result of unusual activity in the sale of public lands, this fund has rapidly grown.

By the loss of special deposits, it suffered in the treasury-defalcation of 1870 to the extent of over $43,000, and, in addition, it has been diminished since that date by the sum of $12,050, for expenses allowed, as per controller's report. An increase in the fund under these circumstances is a matter of congratulation.

The fund cannot, however, be regarded as having attained satisfactory proportions. It will yield, for the fiscal year 1873, about $10,000 for distribution. This will pay $2 towards defraying the tuition-expenses of each child of school-age in the State, or $100 to each public school of 50 children. The present endowment is, therefore, only sufficient to employ a teacher for the average public school for one month in the year. Nine months' tuition must be paid for by direct taxation.

If the permanent fund to-day amounted to $1,000,000 it could be considered hardly more than a generous endowment for the public schools. Amounting to barely one-tenth this sum, its condition appeals for legislative protection against the merciless spoliation it has been compelled to suffer. It has been made to serve the present convenience of the State. By supporting the land-office during selection and sale of the public building-grant, the children's fund helped to build the State-capitol. Unless the existing land-law is changed, the children's fund will, in like manner, assist in the endowment of the State-university. This is little to the credit of the State and less to its profit. Every interest involved demands that the State-school-fund be rendered in reality, as it is in name, an irreducible fund.

COUNTY-SCHOOL-FINANCES.

The superintendent says: “It will be noticed that the present report contains but a meager statement of transactions in the school-fund of the several counties. By collation of statistics received from treasurers and superintendents, I am able to give a table of total expenditures and of balances, but a detailed exhibit is impossible. The failure to procure complete and reliable financial returns is due to unfortunate legislation had at the last session. The statute authorizing county-superintendents to draw warrants on the county-school-fund, was repealed, and they were thereby deprived of informa tion with which they are required to furnish this department. The legislation referred to was, doubtless, well intended, but it seriously interferes with the working of the school-law, and should be rescinded. For several reasons the former provisions should be restored."

DEFECTS OF THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

The superintendent, after alluding to the unusual activity in educational matters lately evinced in several counties, resulting in the erection of new school-houses, the

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