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ience, and by the results already attained. The manual for 1901, the fifth edition, revised and published by Superintendent Delos Fall, makes, including the appendix and index, a pamphlet of 160 pages.

Space does not permit the presentation of an epitome of its contents, or of the course of study so elaborately drawn out, explained, and illustrated. It may be regarded as the embodied result of the efforts thus far made to secure a systematic and graded course of study and instruction for the common district schools, and as a fairly reliable index of the character and extent of the work done in them both by pupils and teachers. Compared with the first edition and with the previous tentative courses, it enables one to estimate, with a fair degree of accuracy, the progress of the rural schools of the State, taken as a whole, during the last fifteen years. If the advance has not been all that could be desired, it has at least been encouraging and affords reason for expecting even "better things" in the not remote future.

The grading of the schools has, as a rule, kept pace with the introduction of the graded course of studies. Circumstances have allowed the work to be more thoroughly done in some counties than in others, but few counties have failed to show some real and hopeful improvement.

RELATION OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

During the early years of our educational history, the district schools sustained no appreciable relation to other parts of the school system, and a very slight relation to each

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RELATION OF THE PARTS OF THE SYSTEM

other, even within the same township. The books, the studies, the management and arrangements of each school, with very inconsiderable limitations, were determined by the school board of the district or by the wishes and whims of parents and pupils. Scholars, in most cases, studied such branches as they chose or as their parents directed, and used such books as the family happened to have. This state of affairs could be thoroughly changed only through efficient supervision accompanied by positive authority. As a first step, school boards were clothed with authority over books and studies; but, for obvious reasons, this authority has been exercised very sparingly and reluctantly. Schools in adjoining districts, or throughout a township, could have been brought into such relationship that pupils might pass from one to another without loss of time or additional expense for books by the concurrent action of the boards of these districts; but this was seldom or never done. A relation between the rural schools and the neighboring graded and high schools was the one most likely to come first into existence, not by any legislative provision, nor even by direct action of school boards, but by considerations of mutual advantage and convenience. As early as 1878 some efforts were being made in this direction. During a debate in the State Teachers' Association in that year, it was stated that, "A vital, though not official, relation between the country and the city schools may be fostered by, (1) a distribution of city courses of study among country teachers, (2) by influencing the pupils sent out from graded schools as teachers in the country schools to fit their pupils for the various grades of city schools."

While efforts of this kind reached and influenced com

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paratively few of the rural districts, they prepared the way for securing a closer voluntary relation between the country and the village and city schools. The regular graded course of studies, issued by the state department with the coöperation of the county commissioners, has gradually been introduced into a large number of the country schools. With the adoption of this course, many of the schools have become fairly well graded, as well as could be expected under existing conditions. Under a township system the work could be rendered more complete and also more permanent. In connection with the introduction of a consecutive course of studies, in many counties regular and somewhat formal examinations are made of pupils who have completed the full course of eight grades. Diplomas are given to the successful candidates for examination, and graduating exercises of various kinds are held, which are found to stimulate the laudable ambition of scholars, and to increase the interest of parents in the work of the schools. By a voluntary arrangement with school officers and teachers, pupils are admitted to the neighboring high schools on the presentation of these diplomas. In this way, without the intervention of legal enactments, a relation, practically organic, is formed between the rural elementary schools and the secondary schools of a township or county, and through these secondary schools a relation is created between such elementary schools and the university and other higher institutions of learning. An approximation is thus made toward the ideal system of public instruction, and the elementary common schools are greatly benefited.

The extent of the influence of these various elements of progress may be inferred from the fact that, during the

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RELATION TO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE

year 1900, in one county 450 pupils were examined, of whom 185 received diplomas; in another county 300 were examined and 77 received diplomas; in another county 107 diplomas were granted.

The rural schools have been placed in another important organic relation by direct legislative enactment. In 1897 the Legislature passed an act requiring the Superintendent of Public Instruction to prepare a course of study for district schools, to be known as "The agricultural college course." The course must include the studies then required for a third grade teacher's certificate. The completion of this course, evidenced by a diploma or a certificate signed by the county commissioner of schools, entitles a student to admission to the freshman class of the college. This act is of importance for two reasons. It elevates the character of the district schools by putting them into organic legal relation with one of the higher educational institutions of the state, and it gives the State Superintendent, for the first time, authority to prescribe a uniform obligatory course of study for these schools. Commenting on this act, the State Superintendent said, in his report for 1897: "I wish to congratulate the people of the state on the passage of the law recognizing a graduate from the eighth grade of a country school as a suitable person to be received, without further examination, to the freshman class of one of our state educational institutions. This step on the part of our legislature seems not only consistent, but a very helpful one to the young people of our country schools who desire to enter higher institutions of learning." In view of this brief record of the progress of the elementary district schools, and of existing conditions and prospects, it may be said that there is reason for feeling a very moderate degree of satisfaction with the results already attained, and for indulging in more hopeful anticipations for the future.

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CHAPTER VI.

DEVELOPMENT OF UNION AND GRADED SCHOOLS.

In the first school law no provision was made for the union of districts or for the grading of schools. These features could not then be anticipated or provided for. The older States had only just begun to consider them in a tentative way. The first suggestion by our State department of the probable advantages which might follow from uniting contiguous districts and grading the pupils, appears in the report of Superintendent Comstock for the year 1844. After referring to the evils resulting from the multiplication of small districts, he wrote: "The consolidation of districts in our cities and rising villages is highly desirable. A district thus augmented would be rendered capable of erecting and furnishing a building containing four rooms for graduated schools. The rule of graduation should have reference alone to degrees of scholarship. * The graduated schools would obviate the necessity of select seminaries. The necessity of select schools is founded in the imperfect character of the primary schools; elevate these, and the select schools will be superseded."

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"In order to enable a district to carry out a plan analogous to the one intimated, it will be necessary to invoke the aid of legislation," he said. Authority must be given to raise more money by taxation for buildings, apparatus, and other school appliances. A little of detail in tracing the development of the union and graded system is necessary to enable