raise in the requirements of teachers. Notice was given that the questions would be made somewhat more difficult, and the law was so changed that teachers could not teach for life on the lowest grade of certificate granted by the State. In accordance with this policy questions were prepared. As was to be expected, the advance met with bitter opposition among certain classes and in comparatively few localities. When was there ever a reform that was not combatted by conservatives? However, to the credit of the State of Michigan be it said that, as soon as the people understood the new movement and saw it stripped of the misconstruction and falsehoods with which it had been clothed by designing politicians and unprogressive incompetents, they sustained the advanced position taken by the department. The results of three years of this policy are such as to convince the most skeptical that it was a move in the right direction. The rural schools especially have received the benefit of a better prepared, more mature, and more broadly educated class of teachers. Not that new ones have in every case come in, but old ones have been stimulated to prepare themselves better. Nearly as many second grade certificates have been granted during the past year as in any two preceding years since the present system of county examinations was adopted. The increase over last year is 630, or 53+ per cent. Another pleasing fact comes from the statistics of examination. The number of special certificates granted has been reduced from 1078 in 1892 to 804 in 1895. The decrease in the past year has been 366, or about 31 per cent. In all the older and well settled counties of the State there is no need of a special certificate. It is of no credit either to the board that grants it, or the person who holds it.

EXAMINATIONS FOR CITY TEACHERS.

Most cities and villages have complied with the law requiring certain examination of city teachers or of applicants for positions in city schools. Few indeed fail to see the justice and necessity of such a law. The cities as well as the country draw public money for the maintenance of their schools; it stands to reason, therefore, that the State should have some authority in determining to whom this fund should be paid. It is possible, in a system of city schools, that teachers may be selected for many other reasons besides competency. To protect pupils, there must be a strict regulation concerning the qualification of teachers. It is also of great benefit to the teaching corps that such a law be carried out. The worthy teacher is protected by it; no law should be made to protect unworthy ones. Sympathy, politics, sect, "pull," should play no part in the choice of teacher. It is not understood that the teacher need be examined year after year in the same studies, but every teacher should forever be a student.

TEACHING AS A PROFESSION.

A new table appears in this report, showing the years of service of teachers in city and village schools, also the academic and professional training of teachers now employed in such schools. The table is an interesting one, though not particularly flattering to us. How few comparatively have received normal or college training! In some instances a truly fine showing is made, and a goodly share of the teachers have

received a proper training for their work. Has not the time come when boards of education in cities and villages may demand of all applicants either experience in teaching, or professional training in normal school or training class?

THE CENTRAL MICHIGAN NORMAL SCHOOL.

It is to be regretted that the last legislature did not make an appropriation with which to carry on the work of the new normal school at Mt. Pleasant. The people of that enterprising city have given most liberally of their funds to maintain the school there during the year. Prof. Bellows and his assistants have labored zealously and quite successfully to start the new institution on right lines and to lay a good foundation for future growth. When one considers the disadvantages under which the start was made, the attendance has been encouraging. It is hopefully expected that the next legislature will, early in the session, make adequate provision for the equipment and support of the school.

THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

This famous and justly popular school has carried on its work with vigor and success. It has maintained its number, in spite of the depression in business, and a gratifying fact in this connection is that the preparation of the students who enter is better than ever before. Members of graduating classes readily secure positions; and this, too, is a hopeful sign of the times.

THE MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

The management of this institution has been quite severely criticized during the year, and certain changes in its courses of study and in its administration have been suggested. Believing that the real merits of the school and the real defects in its management were not fully known nor impartially considered, a board of visitors was appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to make a careful and candid investigation and report the result to the department. The committee's report is given in full on pages 398-400 of this report, and is certainly worthy of very careful consideration by the public as well as by the Board of Agriculture. With the excellent equipment which the college possesses, its able and devoted instructors, its various courses of study and remarkably low cost of tuition and living, this school should enroll at least 1,000 students.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.

No one thing has rendered Michigan more famous than has the excellent standing of her great University. It is the crowning glory of our educational system, and its influence upon that system has been most beneficial and far-reaching. The boy or girl may start on an educational career in the log school house and, without a jog in that career, graduate with honors from the University. The number of students now in attendance is larger than ever before and very nearly reaches the 3,000 mark. Mere growth in numbers, however, would give little ground for congratulation; but when coupled with the fact that thoroughness of work and

additional requirements have accompanied this growth, the State has reasonable grounds for a feeling of pride and satisfaction. One thought should dominate the teachers of the University as well as those of every grade of school, viz., the prime purpose of the school is character building. The products of the school should be model citizens, honest, intelligent, unselfish, patriotio, sound in body, strong in thought, noble in ideals. Teachers who do not by precept and example teach these things, have no place in the faculty of any school.

READING CIRCLES.

Our State Teachers' Reading Circle continues to be a most helpful and popular ally in the cause of education. The new books selected for the coming year are King's "School Interests and Duties," and Skinner's "Reading in Folk Lore" or Watkins' "American Literature and Select American Classics." For full particulars concerning the work, address the secretary, Commissioner C. E. Palmerlee of Lapeer.

The Pupils Reading Circle has also aided very materially in placing many excellent books before our youth; and by cooperation and organization, it cultivates a reading habit. The books selected for the coming year are as follows:

2nd Grade-Lane's Stories for Children, Johonnot's Friends in Feathers and Fur.

3rd Grade Baldwin's Fairy Stories and Fables, Johonnot's Grandfather Stories.

4th Grade-Eggleston's Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans, McGuffey's Familiar Animals and their Wild Kindred. 5th Grade-Eggleston's True Stories of American Life and Adventure, Johonnot's Curious Fliers, Creepers, and Swimmers.

6th Grade Baldwin's Old Greek Stories, Scribner's Geographical Reader. 7th Grade-Herrick's Plant Life (Curious Forms), Johonnot's Stories of Other Lands.

8th Grade-Johonnot's Ten Great Events in History, Dickens' Child's History of England.

Pupils are especially delighted with Eggleston's "Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans," and in the reading of such books true patriotism is inculcated. By leading pupils to join this circle and wear its beautiful and patriotic button badge, much more of interest in reading is aroused. As the additional' expense is nothing, there seems to be no reason why nearly all the pupils of at least the intermediate and higher grades should not enroll. For definite particulars and circulars of information address the State secretary, Supt. J. W. Simmons of Owosso, Mich.

DENOMINATIONAL COLLEGES AND PRESIDENTS.

Of no mean value in the educational forces of Michigan are its excellent denominational schools with their earnest and able faculties. The fact that the boys and girls of our State have close at hand the means of acquiring a generous and liberal education, is of the most striking advantage. Headed by our University, the institutions for higher learning in Michigan are certainly of a character to challenge admiration. In order to call attention to these schools more definitely and also to pre

serve their history, sketches of the colleges and their present presidents are given in this volume.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

"Schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. Thus says the great Ordinance of 1787. One of these means and by no means the least, is the public library. Through private munificence in some places, public appropriations in others, and a combination of these factors in still others, there are a very considerable number of free public libraries in Michigan. A very able society exists in the State among librarians and those more immediately interested in the administration of library affairs. As a significant part of a State's educational system, it seemed to the State Superintendent that a portion of this report should be given to a sketch of these libraries, that there should be something of a history of these institutions recorded among the other educational factors. Perhaps the attention thus called to the libraries, may lead to the founding of others and the enlargement and possibly greater use of those already in existence.

HIGH SCHOOL COURSES.

The relationship that has grown up between our high schools and the University and colleges, has unquestionably been of great advantage to the former in elevating their standards and unifying their work. Nothing should be done to destroy this relationship. There is danger, however, that in attempting to do all the work required for recognition by the University, some of our schools may attempt too much and permit some superficial work in the fundamentals to pass unchallenged.

It is with great pleasure that reference is made to a revival in the study of United States history. The completion of this study in the eighth grade is exceedingly unfortunate; it should have a place in every high school course. The eighth grade pupil cannot possibly possess maturity of judgment sufficient to pursue the study as it should be by a person who is to be a citizen of the Republic. A review of other branches of earlier years would also save humiliation of high school graduates at teachers' examinations, and fit such graduates better to teach the topics of arithmetic, grammar, and geography.

FREE TEXT BOOKS.

There are now in this State upwards of 400 districts that have for a longer or shorter period been working under the free text book plan. Among these are the cities of Benton Harbor, Bessemer, Bay City, Detroit, Grand Haven, Hastings, Marine City, Muskegon, Saginaw, E. S., Saginaw, W. S. The unanimous testimony from these districts is decidedly in favor of this system. A general adoption of the plan by the State would secure all the benefits of State uniformity with none of its disadvantages. The subject is a proper one for careful consideration by the legislature at its next session.

TOWNSHIP UNIT SYSTEM.

Among the many educational factors that have been much discussed and considered by many of our States, the township unit school district

has perhaps occupied as large a share as any. The present Superintendent of Public Instruction believes the plan a practicable and helpful one; he has, however, never considered it the only educational factor, nor in fact the chiefest one. Recognizing that a majority of the rural communities of the State oppose the plan, and realizing that such reform, if it come at all, must come slowly through an education of the people, the time and energy of the Superintendent has been exerted almost wholly upon other reforms, those which appeared to be attainable and most beneficial. In the mean time the department has begun a series of investigations and comparisons between our system and the systems of other States working under the township district, and the result of this careful and impartial investigation will be given fully in the next volume. sent out by this department.

SCHOOL APPARATUS.

There is a certain amount of apparatus as essential to the proper and economical conduct of a school as of a farm or shop. During the first year of the present administration of this office, a large number of counoils with school officers and patrons was held in all portions of the State; and among the questions discussed at each of these meetings was the question as to what constituted necessary school apparatus. The average of opinions given at these councils was taken, and the result expressed in a bill which was made a law by the legislature of '95. This law provided for the purchase by the director of some of the needed appliances for the proper conduct of a school. The amount asked for was very reasonable, and in most cases the result has been very satisfactory. An occasional school officer enters complaint, because the law compelled the district to make the purchase. However, such officers should be ashamed to acknowledge that the district had before been so derelict in its plain duty as to fail in providing the dictionary, maps, etc., for the proper equipment of the school.

One of the prettiest and most inspiring sights to a true citizen is the flag flying over the school house. Many travelers through Michigan have mentioned the appropriateness and beauty of the flag floating over the groups of happy children. The dedicating of flags and raising of flagstaffs, have been made the occasion of many patriotic celebrations. School children have more than ever been taught the lessons of the flag and the meaning it has for the youth of America. We are yet far from the goal in this particular. Intelligent citizenship should be taught in every school from kindergarten up through the University. A pure love of country and a desire to live for it, if need be to die for it, should be inculcated with nearly every lesson of history, geography, civil government, and reading. No pupil should go from the school who cannot repeat the words of "America," with a full comprehension of every sentence. Our country has need of patriotic citizens as much as it ever did, citizens patriotic enough to give a portion of their time toward solving unselfishly some of the knotty problems requiring solution. Let the child be taught to place right and duty foremost. Let profit and policy give place to honor and principal. The most practical good our schools can do for our land, is to give it truly patriotic citizens.

HENRY R. PATTENGILL, Superintendent of Public Instruction.