from a city board of examiners. A diploma from the State normal school, or from a like normal school of another State, has the force of a high-grade certificate; the latter, however, must be approved by the State superintendent after a year of successful teaching in the State. Teachers giving evidence of high character and scholarship, or of graduation from a college or university in good standing, and of successful teaching for at least 3 years in a high school of the State, are entitled to a professional State certificate, which authorizes them to teach in any public school in the State without further examination, except in physiology and hygiene.

STATE NORMAL TRAINING.

The State Normal School, Peru, offers a 2-years course of elementary studies and an advanced one of 3 years. The former is designed to prepare teachers for ungraded and lower grade schools. The higher course qualifies students for any educational position in which they may be placed. Second-grade State certificates are conferred upon graduates from the former course, and first-grade State certificates upon those from the latter, valid in any part of the State for 3 years. A diploma, good for life, is offered graduates of the higher course, who, after graduation, shall teach two annual terms of school of not less than 6 months each, and shall present evidence of good morals, with satisfactory discharge of duties, from the directors of the district or districts taught in, the county superintendent countersigning the diploma. Three years of successful teaching previous to graduation in the normal higher course also brings a life diploma to a graduate.

OTHER NORMAL TRAINING.

Doane College presents a 3-years course of normal instruction in common English and advanced studies, with book-keeping, free hand drawing, international law, and normal reviews. Special attention is given to methods of teaching and to school organization and discipline. Opportunity is given to students for practice teaching in the presence of critic teachers.

Nebraska Wesleyan University, in a 3-years teachers' course, includes all the branches required by the school law of the State for a first-grade certificate. The Methodist Episcopal College, of Nebraska, also offers a 3-years normal course, embracing the higher English branches, with calisthenics, botany, solid geometry, physics, and science of government.

The Bloomington Normal and High School, Bloomington, in its 1-year course prepares students for first, second, or third grade certificates, and the full scientific course of 3 years presented by the school fits them for State diplomas.

The Santee Normal Training School, Santee Agency, in charge of the American Missionary Association, offers primary, intermediate, and advanced studies, and industrial work. The special object of the school is to train Indian teachers for work among their own people.

SECONDARY INSTRUCTION.

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS.

Any district containing more than 150 children of 5 to 21 years of age may elect a district school board consisting of 6 trustees. These trustees may classify and grade the scholars in their district, and cause them to be taught in such schools and departments as they deem expedient; may establish in such district a high school, when ordered by a vote of the district at any annual meeting; and may determine the qualifications for admission to such school or schools, employ the necessary teachers, and prescribe the courses of study and the text books to be used.

The reports of this State being biennial, and 1884-85 being the off year, no definite and satisfactory information in regard to high schools is at hand, although 37 were reported in 1883-84.

SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION.

COLLEGES FOR YOUNG MEN OR FOR BOTH SEXES.

The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, comprises 3 departments, viz: a college of literature, science, and the arts, an industrial college, and a college of medicine. A school of art and music, pending the opening of a college of fine arts, furnishes opportunity for vocal and instrumental training, also for instruction in drawing, painting, and the history of art. The studies in the college of literature, science, and the arts includ classical, scientific, and literary courses, each covering 4 years; ample opportunitie are offered for graduate study, the branches embraced in this department including, among others, political science, Sanskrit, comparative philology, Old French Gothic, Old Norse, Modern Scandinavian, Teutonic, and Romance literatures, Anglo-Saxon, Early English, and the various departments of history.

The other collegiate institutions in the State are Doane College, Crete; Nebraska Wesleyan University, Fullerton; Creighton College, Omaha; Nebraska College, Nebraska City; and the Methodist Episcopal College of Nebraska, York-all of very fair standing. The last-named institution was organized as a college in 1883, under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 1884-'85 had 306 students in all its departments, under 19 instructors. Its departments include literary, art, music, normal, business, medical, and theological instruction. The college offers classical, scientific, and philosophical courses of 4 years each, literary and normal courses of 3 years each, and an English preparatory course of 1 year. All the institutions above named, when last reporting, included preparatory training, classical courses of 4 years, and scientific departments, Doane adding a department of music, and one of drawing and painting; Nebraska Wesleyan, commercial, music, and art departments; and Creighton, a special night course for young men who are employed through the day, and wish to acquire a thorough knowledge of physics and chemistry in their applications to the various arts?

Nebraska College and Nebraska Wesleyan University send no report for 1884-'85. For statistics of colleges see Table IX of the Appendix, and for a summary see a corresponding table in the report of the Commissioner preceding.

INSTITUTIONS FOR THE SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION OF WOMEN.

All of the above institutions, except Creighton, admit young women upon equal terms with young men. For statistics of colleges for young women only, see Table VIII of the Appendix.

SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION.

SCIENTIFIC.-The University of Nebraska in its Industrial College provides scientific instruction in agricultural chemistry, horticulture, entomology, farming, and veterinary science. Chemistry, physics, geology, zoology, and botany, are also found in the general scientific course. A civil engineering course agrees with the scientific till the end of the freshman year, the subsequent years being given to mathematical and technical study. Scientific courses are also found in Nebraska Wesleyan University, and Doane, Creighton, and Methodist Episcopal Colleges. The chancellor of the State university calls the attention of the legislature to the matter of a State geological survey, and recommends that the necessary facilities be provided for instruction in mechanical engineering in the industrial college.

THEOLOGICAL instruction is reported in the Nebraska Divinity School (Protestant Episcopal), Nebraska City; German Theological Seminary (Cong.) Crete; and in the Methodist Episcopal College of Nebraska, York. No report for 1884-'85 has been received from the Baptist Seminary, Gibbon. The German Seminary offers a 4-years course, with 2 years for preparatory study. Greek and Latin enter into the course, as well as chemistry, mental science, and music. By agreement between the Garrett Biblical Institute, Evanston, Ill., and the trustees of the Nebraska Methodist Episcopal College, the former has become the theological department of this college. Graduates who show, by properly applied tests, thorough intellectual work and proficiency in ministerial studies may receive the degree of B. V.

LAW.-There appear to be no schools of law in this State. The law department of Nebraska Wesleyan University, formerly reporting, has been discontinued.

MEDICAL instruction is given in Omaha Medical College, and in the College of Medicine of the State university. The former, organized in 1881, is an outgrowth of a preparatory school established in 1880. A 3-years graded course is recommended, but not required. For admission to either school, candidates must pass a satisfactory examination; and for graduation, they must be at least 21 years of age, of good moral character, must have attended 2 full courses of lectures, and have had 3 years of study, including practical chemistry and anatomy; they must also have faithfully attended all the lectures, and passed a satisfactory final examination in all the branches taught.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTION.

TRAINING IN art.

A school of fine arts at the State university presents a conrse of instruction in art, history, painting, and drawing, the course covering a school year and dealing with art development from the earliest times to the 19th century, illustrations being given by photographs, engravings, casts, etc. Doane College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and the Methodist Episcopal College of Nebraska, all show considerable instruction in painting, drawing, and other forms of art.

TRAINING IN MUSIC.

Piano and voice culture, with harmony and composition, organ, and choral singing, appear also in the courses of the State university. Doane College, with 2 in

structors in music, had 40 pupils in it in 1884-85; Methodist Episcopal College 3 instructors in a 6-grade course, including harmony, solo, chorus, organ, piano, and violin, which seems to be especially thorough.

EDUCATION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB.

The Nebraska State Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, Omaha, offers free educational and industrial training to all deaf-mute persons in the State who are of sound mind and between the ages of 7 and 25 years; and persons either older or younger may be admitted, at the discretion of the proper authorities. Common school studies are pursued as well as the trades heretofore reported, such as carpentry and printing for the boys, and sewing, fancy work, and general housework for the girls. The methods employed are the aural and the oral; the former has been carefully tested, with the happiest results, and it has been demonstrated that through its use the dormant sense of hearing can be aroused, cultivated, and utilized in the education of the partially deaf.

EDUCATION OF THE BLIND.

The Nebraska State Institute for the Blind, Nebraska City, has its literary department thoroughly graded in primary, intermediate, and higher studies, each grade occupying 3 years. Music, both vocal and instrumental, is taught in the various departments, with a view, in part, to develop teachers in this branch among the students, while industrial training enables graduates from the institution to become self-supporting. Sewing by hand and machine, knitting, crochetting, and bead-work are the main occupations of the girls, and broom-making and chair-caning those of the boys. This department pays its own expenses from the sale of manufactured articles.

REFORMATORY TRAINING.

The State Reform School, Kearney, opened for pupils in 1880, receives juvenile offenders under 16 years of age, and aims to reform those committed to its charge, by means of instruction, labor, and thorough discipline, accompanied by rewards or punishments, as may be deserved. The common school branches, including music, are taught, as well as the industries of baking, tailoring, shoemaking, and fa ming. The State makes an annual appropriation of $42,000 for all purposes, and in 1884-'85 the total earnings of the inmates, including the proceeds of the sale of farm products, was $3,000. The number of boys in the institution for the year was 77, of girls 17, all under 6 teachers and other officers.

EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION.

NEBRASKA STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

This association held its annual convention at Lincoln, March 31-April 2, 1885. A full account is not given, only gleanings thereof. Mr. Wilson, of Lincoln, said that the percentage of college-bred men had rapidly increased in the last 50 years, and that there had never been a greater demand than at present for efficient workers in every business of life. The question now is not "What do you know?" but "What can you do?" Professor Randall, of Fairfield, said: "To make a good citizen a child is not to be educated as a bread-winner merely, but in the science of government. Above all, he should be taught that the voluntary submission of a subject to the authority of the government is the keystone of the arch of a full, pure, systematic citizenship." Superintendent Sabin, of Clinton, said there were three questions propounded to the American people: "(1) Can the nation allow, with safety, a people to obtain firm lodgment in its western territory who have no regard for law (2) Can the nation, because it was able to strike the fetters from 4,000,000 slaves and afterward make them citizens, allow with safety the same people, with their descendants, to dwell in the borders of the valley of the shadow of death, too weak and ignorant to obtain their rights by force, and yet too restless and aspiring to bear a long infliction of their wrongs? (3) Can a nation renowned for the freedom of its institutions, because it is not willing to abridge in the least the personal liberty of its citizens, allow with safety the saloon to overshadow the school, the gambling hell and the low resort to compete with the church, while ignorance, pauperism, and crime recruit and re-enforce their ranks from the helpless children of the State? The teacher's life is narrow only to a narrow mau. The duty of the hour is to establish national schools in all parts of the Territories which are subject to Mormon rule." Miss Tibbitts, of Lincoln, said that the pupil should be taught to observe passing events; to hear and understand, and to speak the language correctly. Professor Clarenden, of Fremont, said: "Educational effort suffers from the exactions and inflictions of per cents. Can we measure by arithmetic the moral questions of the hour? The examination is made the grand arbiter of the pupil's school career. Upon it depends his advancement or his disgrace. Among the educative processes of the schools, the recitation stands chief." Mr. Valentine, of Nebraska City, said: “There

are three parties concerned in education, the child, his parents, and the teacher. You can teach a child carpentry, but you cannot expect him to earn a living at the trade, unless he is made to work at it. He must learn the dignity of labor by actual experience and encouragement." Miss Austin, of Wisner, addressed the convention on "Civil service reform"; Colonel Parker delivered his lecture on "Learning to do by doing"; and Mrs. Parker gave a talk on "Elocution." Papers were read on "Laws of nature naturally taught," and "The proper pronunciation of Latin." Kindergarten work from St. Clair Hall was on exhibition during the convention and was the wonder and surprise of the teachers, of whom many visited the school. This is the only kindergarten school in the State. A committee was appointed to report at the next meeting concerning the best methods of study and investigation of the effects of alcohol upon the human system. The convention then adjourned.

CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICER.

Hon. W. W. W. JONES, State superintendent of public instruction, Lincoln.
[Third term, January, 1885, to January, 1887.]

(From report of Hon. Charles S. Young, State superintendent of public instruction, for the biennial school term ending August 31, 1884.)

STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

GENERAL CONDITION.

The returns from the counties for 1884-'85 have been so meager and incomplete that Superintendent Young is unable to furnish any fair statement of the general educational condition, or to give the figures for that year. He therefore prefers that the Office present anew the statistics given in the Report of the Commissioner for 1883-84.

ADMINISTRATION.

The general supervision of public school interests is in the hands of a State superintendent of public instruction, chosen by the people for 4 years, and a State board of education, consisting of the governor, the surveyor-general, and the State superintendent, the last-named officer being secretary of the board. County school affairs are administered by county superintendents, elected biennially by the people. District schools are supervised by boards of trustees elected by the people, and consisting of 3 or 5 members according to population.

Kindergarten, primary, grammar, and high school departments must be established in connection with the public school system, provided the funds be sufficient for all; if not, preference is given to the lower grades, with the exception of the kindergarten, which may not take precedence of any other department. Public schools are free to all youth 6 to 18 years of age, and those 8 to 14 years of age are required to be se