Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina to Governor ..., for the scholastic years ... |
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OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION NORTH CAROLINA. 1889=1890. Cbe iti&rarp of t|>e Ontoersttp of JI3ottb Carolina Collection ot jRortt) Caroltniana CnDotocB bp Joijn feprunt $ffl of the Class of 1889 ^ 00030756021 This booh must not be taken from the Library building. LUNC-15M F.38 OP-1S906 BIENNIAL REPORT SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC INSTRUCTION OF NORTH CAROLINA, FOR THE SCHOLASTIC YEARS 1889 AND 1890. RALEIGH: Josephus Daniels, State Printer and Binder. PRESSES OF EDWARDS & BROTJGHTON. 1890. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, Department of Public Instruction, Raleigh, October 1st, 1890. To His Excellency Daniel G. Fowle, Governor of North Carolina. Sir :—In accordance with Section 2540 of The Code, I have the honor to submit my report for the biennial term ending June 30th, 1890. Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, S. M. FINGER, Superintendent Public Instruction. •J Index. INDEX. Page. Superintendent's remarks and recommendations - ix Table comparing school finances of all the States - xiii Summary of receipts for 1889 and 1890 xvi Summary of expenditures for 1889 and 1890 xvi Comparative statistics for seven years, 1884-1890 xvi Census from 6 to 21 xvii Enrollment for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii Average attendance for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii Average length of school terms for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii Average salary of teachers for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii Value of public school property, 1888-1890.-. xviii No. of public school-houses, 1888-1890 xviii No. of public schools taught, 1888-1890 xviii No. of districts, 1888-1890 xviii Statistics of normal schools (colored), 1888-1890 xix Normal schools and teachers - xix County superintendency xx Confusion of ideas about moral and religious training xx Enrollment and attendance xxii Compulsory education - - - xxiii Text-books and libraries . . xxv Manual and industrial training xxvii Committeemen xxviii Examination of teachers and list of questions xxix Peabody fund and scholarships at Nashville, Tenn xxxv City schools ...- xxxvii Higher educational institutions xxxviii Croatan Normal School xl The Negroes xl Notes upon school revenue xliii Constitutional provisions xliii Funds raised in the counties and retained xliv Funds that go into the State Treasury for schools . . xlv Application of the funds xlvii Funds from special local taxation xlviii Institutes , xlix What we aim at in the Institute work 1 Houses and furniture lv Inspiring confidence in public schools lvi vl Index. Page. Help of influential citizens - lvi Increase the funds -- ^v" Statistics of Institutes l viii Reports of Institute Conductors: Report of Prof. E. A. Alderman 1 Report of Prof. C. D. Mclver 15 Report of Prof. J. Y. Joyner, 1889 and 1890 21-24 Report of Prof. M. C. S. Noble, 1889 and 1890 28-31 Report of Prof. E. P. Moses, 1889 and 1890 - 33 Report of Prof. Alex. Graham, 1890. - 34 Report of Profs. E. L. Hughes and J. J. Blair, 1890 36 Statistical Tables: School fund received, 1889 ---- 59 School fund received , 1890 - 65 School fund disbursed, 1889 - 62 School fund disbursed, 1890 68 School census, number enrolled, average attendance and Insti-tute statistics - - 71 Number of districts, schools taught, school-houses, etc - - 74 Number of teachers examined and approved, 1890.. 77 Attendance of pupils of different ages and number of pupils studying different branches - 81 Money apportioned to white and colored; assessed value of prop-erty, white and colored ; insolvent polls ; poll-tax levied and amount of poll-tax applied to schools - 84 Normal Schools for the Colored Race : Boards of Directors and Superintendents 38 Fayetteville, 1889 38 1890 -- 40 Franklinton, 1889 - 42 1890.-. - -'. 43 Plymouth, 1889 - -- -- 47 1890 - 48 Goldsboro, 1889 - - --- 51 1890 —- --- 52 Salisbury, 1889 • --- 55 1890 - 56 Croatan Indians - 57 Private schools in the several counties - - 88 List of Boards of Education --- 106 List of County Superintendents - -- i13 Appendix : Public school law with Superintendent's notes. . - - - 1-52 List of text-books ... - - - - 58 Index. rii Appendix—Continued : Page. Arrangement for purchasing text-books 59 Questions and suggestions for school officers and others 53 Committeemen - - - 53 County Boards of Education 53 County Superintendents - 54 Teachers - 54 Opponents of public education -. -- 55 Justices of the Peace and County Commissioners 57 Plan of school-house 60 Form of contract. - - 61 BIENNIAL REPORT Superintendent of Public Instruction FOR THE SCHOLASTIC YEARS 1889 AND 1890. SUPERINTENDENT'S REMARKS AND RECOM-MENDATIONS. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE NOT SATISFACTORY. 1. In the beginning of this report I desire to say, with as much emphasis as possible, that our schools, except in a few of the cities, are not satisfactory to any class of our citizens. As everywhere, we have in North Carolina people who either want no public schools, or if any, only a sort of charity schools for the poor. For such people we have already too much tax for public schools. We also have many people, and the number of such is rapidly increasing, who believe in liberal education for all the people for the people's benefit and for the safety of the State. To such people, many of whom are entirely depend-ent upon the public schools for the education of their children, the schools are unsatisfactory because of the small amount of money applied and the consequent shortness of annual terms and want of proper qualifications on the part of many teachers. THE SCHOOLS ARE DOING MUCH GOOD. 2. It is not my purpose to underrate the good the public schools are doing. I wish to bear testimony to the fact that 2 X Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction they are doing much good ; that there is continual improve-ment in the teachers and in public sentiment ; but it is simply idle to expect satisfactory schools with our average annual terms of sixty days, and with an expenditure of money amounting to forty-four cents on each of the federal population (each man, woman and child), and only one dollar and twenty-two cents on each of the school popula-tion from six to twenty-one years of age. PUBLIC EDUCATION MUST ADVANCE. 3. Public education is a part of modern civilization, and it cannot be dispensed with or successfully resisted—it must go forward. How fast it is to advance is the question, and it is one to be decided by the people. Complaint is not made here against the people; my desire is to do my duty as their agent by way of informing them and the General Assembly as to the exact status of their schools and leave the matter with them. THE SCHOOL FIND MUST BE INCREASED. 4. The amount of money must be doubled before we can expect[satisfactory schools, and even when that shall have been done, we will have no longer school terms than some of our sister Southern States. The table on page XIII will enable all to see what each of the States is doing in public education. No better measure of the educational force of a State can be found than the per capita amount of money expended per annum, and the average annual length of school terms. It will be seen that North Carolina expends 44 cents to each man, woman and child, while the average in the fifteen Southern States is 98 cents, and the average in the United States is $2.05. North Carolina's annual school term is sixty days, while Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xi the average in the Southern States is 101 days, and in the United States 135 days. The property of the fifteen Southern States, as assessed for taxation, is $4,418,844,711, their school fund $22,033,849; the property of the Northern States is about $20,000,000,000 (few of the States not included in this table), their school fund $110,113,976. The school fund in North Carolina amounts to 34 cents on the $100 of her assessed valuation, while in the Southern States it is 45| cents, and in the Northern States 55 cents. These figures, deduced from this table, and a careful study of the table, comparing North Carolina with each of the other States, show the necessity of an immediate increase of our school fund. Under our Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Barksdale v. Commissioners of Sampson County, 93 N. C. Reports, the practicable way to increase the general school revenue, is by increase of the tax levy by the General Assembly. There is no doubt as to their authority to do this. Prior to that decision it was the policy of the State to require each county to supplement the State lev}7 . That policy was defeated hy this decision of the Court, which was to the effect that the county authorities could not add to the total State levies a rate of taxation that would make the total State and County taxes more than 66| cents on $100 of property, and $2.00 on poll ; and that the county authorities had the discretion to prefer other county matters to schools. In most counties the whole margin of taxes left to the County Commissioners by the General Assembly is exhausted before the school question is considered, and so the schools have had no additional funds from county levies, except in a few instances. It is, however, within the power of the* General Assembly to require the County Commis-sioners to levy school taxes before they provide for other county matters If the Assembly would pass an act to this .'//' Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction effect, and margin enough should not be left to meet other necessary expenses of county government, it is thought that there is authority under sec. 7, Art. VII of the Constitution, to levy taxes for all necessary expenses. This section is as follows : " No county, city, town, or other municipal corpora-tion shall contract any debt, pledge its faith, or loan its credit, nor shall any tax be levied, or collected by any officer of the same, except for the necessary expenses thereof, unless by a vote of the majority of the qualified voters therein." If it should be held that the levy cannot be made under this section, it is believed that there is no constitutional difficulty in getting a special act to meet the necessary expenses of the county. After the Assembly shall have gone to the utmost extent they are willing to go, either by levying the additional taxes themselves, or commanding the counties so to do, sections 2654 and 2655 should be so amended that ai^ county, town-ship, city, or town shall be allowed to vote upon the question of taxing its people, keeping up the equation between the property-tax and poll-tax, to such extent as they deem desirable, in order to meet their educational wants. Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. .nil xiv Hi port of Superintendent of Public Instruction •uoiiBjndoj pSJOJ JO B^ldBO aed ainjipugdxg i so eo s-i c-i a a c? cs* cj •uoij -Bn[,Bi>L pass9ssy jo 001$ 9cl* uo s*ua0 m 9.ttnipu8dx^ T^°X •sjuay^ puB spntij iooijos jnauBcnaSfj mo.ij 9tiu8A8}j p3nuuy CO 00 t- 01 t- -f Of O £- ">* tO-fCfSGlOWlOOCOOGOOOOO?tQ-OGOCCO© OCOtDM t- GO 31 GO COrHGiOJ K) r-l IC lO « Ol X M » IO CS lO GO CO CD t- -#•**< HO i-H CO ^t< "* h mH OIOBWS3, eo-^s S co ei i-i i-i-^Q •pUTljI oO t- CO oao_ id id t- co GO SO O--• lO O-OOO -* t- CO IC CO CO © CO O? CO_ O? l> ©_ «> as" w oi cs" csf of t- GO aCIi-ifflOO, too -^o co co co" go" * -? its e o o t- co t- <r> ->* CO O CO —' <N CO t- CO Bt-»0» CQ co" CvT"* GO —' CI CO ) - -. — CI t- CS i-l CO CN* lO "* GO i-^CO OS C-} OS * l-T 09 ^i-1 t3 •sasod.mj jooqog ioj papuad -xa iimoray apqM. 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O --i * O 000£-CCOOOClCO£-i*IOWHt-<SC3 CS_ -^CO__ -*)i C- CD" •*£ id -^" i-< t-' CO" CnT Go" »C t— CO" C~> O 'GO O CO aOt-lOTft-^OOi-iCO—' if "* ^ 5S M CO i* !S oo CJCOO co-*cscococo O?_C0 T-^t^CS^CO cc^t- co^ t-T C« i-T n'e'rfCQ lO i—l i—l CQ i-H i-i '0681 aoi^'B[ndo(j P3JOJ, •SjfBp UI rajaxT°olPS J» uoij-eatiQ eSeaaAy m-HitOC0«00Ot0 05Oe»00C3«t-C5N05 ^^i-t--— cst-coceo-'+'aocot-i-icOi-ioco ^H tH i-i i-H i-H i-l HHrlH grlHHiHH 8 e e s e CD H .2 O CC CO CC CO d CC tn eg g3 > co cS a) —l-HQ CO 2 'So C gcoaJ^cUcog-d^ o^ o —* oJ co -i- '-' co t^ oo" cs o — vi co ^ id co ^ooao « CM 01 CJ « 01 Ci Ol Ol O"! CO CO 00 CO CO CO CO CC CO CO i* Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xv go o o GS C© IO -1- I- Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction SUMMARY OF STATISTICS. ^Summary op Receipts for 1889 and 1890. 1889. 1890. General poll-tax $241,866.36 $271,344.88 General property tax (12*) 258,826.86 281,096.26 Special poll-tax 5,104.19 2,631.85 Special property tax 10.688.04 3,700.02 Special property tax under local acts 3,950.16 14,806.37 Special poll-tax under local acts 3,200.83 840.80 Fines, forfeitures and penalties 14,915.26 24,207.97 Liquor licenses 55,406.64 74,290.43 Auctioneers.- 17.16 31.21 Estrays ..'... - 9.86 51.47 Other sources --- 18,165.95 19,691.66 State Board of Education 29,063.46 Totals $612,151.31 $721,756.38 *SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES FOR 1889 AND 1890. 1889. 1890. Tuition for whites ....$283,665.74 $366,737.23 Tuition for colored - 143,106.94 189,246.82 Houses and sites for whites 34.599.98 52,165.34 Houses and sites for colored 17,026.06 21,454.59 County Superintendents 12,011.39 18,762.78 County Institutes for whites - 445.97 2,538.52 County Institutes for colored 249 50 787.00 Treasurer's commissions-- 13,448.01 14,171.70 Mileage and per diem of Boards of Education.-- 4,995.14 7,543.34 Fuel for Boards of Education, stationery and postage^ 898.44 2,367.55 Other purposes 16,412.00 42,450.73 Total expenditures - $526,849.17 $718,225.60 Comparative Statistics for Seven Years, from 1884 to 1890 inclusive. Receipts for 1884... - $580,311.06 Receipts for 1885. - 631,904.38 Receipts for 1886 670,671.79 Receipts for 1887 ---- 647,407.81 Receipts for 1888 ---- 670.944.73 Receipts for 1889 (8 months) 612,151.31 Receipts for 1890 721,756.38 *Owingtoa change in the date of the beginning- of the fiscal school year, the figures for 1SS9 are for 8 months only. Scholastic Years 18S9 and 1890. XVII Census from 6 to 21 Years of Age. For 1884 321,561 whites and 193,843 colored. For 1885 330,890 For 1886.. - 338,059 1887.. 353,481 1888 363.982 199,237 209,249 212,789 216,837 For For For 1889—Not taken. ~ 1SQn \ Males ...190,423 \ „~n 1A± j Male ...108.707 ) 01fi ,o , For 1890 j Females _ 179,721 \ °' 0Mi \ Female. 107,817 } 216> 534 Enrollment. For 1884 170,925 whites and 113,391 colored. For 1885 185,225 For 1886 188,036 For 1887... 202,134 For 1888 211,498 For 1889 For 1890 i Male " " - 107 ' 073 *or lSJU^ I 905 844 Female _ 98771 j- --- -05,844 112,941 117,562 123,145 125,884 j Male ...55.455/ { Female .61,234 J 116,689 Average Attendance. For 1884 . _ 106,316 whites and 66,679 colored. For 1885... 115,092 " " 70,486 For 1886 117,121 " " 68,585 For 1887... ..124,653 " " 71,466 For 1888.. 133,427 " " 75,230 For 1889. For 1890 134,108 " " 68,992 Average Length of School Terms. For 1884 11^ weeks for whites and llf for colored. For 1885 12 11| For 1886.... llf For 1887 .12 For 1888 .12.8 For 1889. For 1890 11.85 12 12 12.3 11.81 Average Salary of Teachers. For 1886 xviii Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction Value of Public School Property. 1888—For whites . . $505,291 .90 1888-For colored 230,218.68 Total in 1888.... f735,510.58 1890—For white 612,303.51 1890—For colored 240,402.60 Total -. $852,705.11 Number of Public School- Houses. 3—For whites... 3,779 1888—For colored 1,766 Total houses 1888 5,543 1890—For white - 3,973 1890—For colored ....1,820 Total houses 1890 5,793 Number of Public Schools Taught. 1888—For whites 4,438 1888—For colored 2,317 Total for 1888 6,755 1890—For whites 4.508 1890—For colored 2,327 Total 1890 - -.6,835 Number of Districts. 1888—For whites 4,763 1888—For colored 2,031 Total 1888 - 6,794 1890—For whites -- ...4,893 1890—For colored 2,289 Total 1890 7,182 Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xix Statistics of Normal Schools for 1889 and '90, for Colored Race. 1889. 1890. Attendance at Fayetteville.. :.. 153 145 Attendance at Salisbury 106 119 Attendance at Franklinton 245 275 Attendance at Plymouth 106 123 Attendance at Goldsboro 109 115 Total attendance 719 777 NORMAL SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. 5. We must have Normal Schools or Training Schools for teachers before our teachers will be fully abreast with modern progress. We have many good teachers who attended the old summer Normal Schools and the County Institutes, and who have, with the facilities at command, done well in pre-paring themselves in the science and art of teaching and governing. It must, however, be said, that a very large proportion of our public school teachers are young men and young women who, if prepared on subjects, are without ade-quate knowledge of proper methods of teaching and of organ-izing and governing their schools. It must not be forgotten that we will continue to have such teachers as long as our school terms are so short as not to justify persons in making teaching a profession. Teaching must become a profession just as the ministry of the gospel, the law, medicine, etc., are professions. The teachers must be able to live by their pro-fession before they can devote their best energies to their work. One of the strange things is the failure of many people to recognize the importance of trained professional teachers. In matters where money and physical life are involved, the people employ the best trained lawyers and physicians, but when the training of the immortal minds of their children is to be attended to, any novice is thought by so many people good enough for this most important work. It is hoped that xx Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction the General Assembly will not be again appealed to in vain on tins subject. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENCY. * 6. In many counties we must have more active work by County Superintendents. No money spent for public schools is so well spent as that paid to competent and active Super-intendents. In some counties we have such active and competent supervision, and in no county, where it has been tried, has it failed to make great improvement in the schools. In such cases the Superintendents not only instruct their teachers and make addresses to the people, but they also know all about their teachers and their methods, the kind of school-houses in their county, the furniture in them, and the}T can give the County Boards full information about suitable men for committeemen, proposed changes of district lines, etc.; they are always ready to correct abuses and inform and advise the Boards. But in many counties the Superintendents do not visit the schools. Perhaps they are not allowed by their Boards to do so. Perhaps the pay is so small that they cannot afford to visit the schools and do the active work necessary to be done. A little consideration of this subject will convince any intelligent man that active and competent superiutend-ency is the life of the system. When we shall put enough money into our system to make it what it ought to be, the county superintendency will demand the whole time of a competent man. CONFUSION OF IDEAS ABOUT MORAL AND RELIGIOUS TRAINING 7. We must have less opposition by many good people who seem to mistrust the public schools in their bearing upon the morals and religion of the children. There is Scholastic Year* 1889 and 1890. xxi much misapprehension and confusion of ideas on this sub-ject, The Constitution and Statutes require the inculcation of good morals, but forbid the use of any sectarian text-books. This is as it should be; the church and State are separate in this country. The church can educate only a very small part of the people; she has not the means to reach the masses even with elementary education. But ignorance is slavery of some kind, whether it is found in individuals, communities, States, or Nations. To be rid of this slavery and to lessen crime, the universal attendant of ignorance, the people must be educated. When the State takes hold of this work, she must, therefore, by the inculca-tion of good morals, lay the foundation of good citizenship and the foundation of good Christian character. Allowing that the home is the proper place for the inculcation of good morals—truth, justice, honor, fidelity, integrity, purity, etc., that character work so essential to the State's welfare—yet there are so many fathers and mothers who are thoughtless, careless, ignorant, aimless, and so many who are degraded and vicious, that it must be acknowledged that this home-work must be supplemented by the State. There seems to me to be in the minds of many good people much confusion as to what the State can and ought to do on the subject of moral and religious training. I hold that the highest morality of any people is the highest religion of that people. In a State whose people, as a whole, are guided by the truths of Christianity, public sentiment will compel the teachers of the public schools to inculcate that morality which is based in Christ's teaching and example. It seems to me that it matters but little whether we have in our schools special text-books on morals. I believe that the very best possible way to teach morality is by the example of the teacher and the actual friction of the school-room and school-life. This is teaching in the concrete. Besides, we have in our school-books, especially Readers, precept upon precept and the very best illustration of practical morality. .r.rli Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction This kind of daily illustration of good morals by the exam-ple of teachers and by the practical lessons in the books in the public schools throughout this nation, is building up substantial, moral and Christian character, and preparing the people of the country for such definite tenets as the dif-ferent denominations may desire to impress. As a matter of fact, the public-school teachers of this State, speaking of them as a whole, are a body of noble Christian men and women. I think that even among intelligent people—Christian people—there is much ignorance of public-school matters, and by them much injustice is often done to the public school workers. I will add, that I believe much damage is done to the cause of Christianity by the opposi-tion that is manifested by some, if not many, leaders in church matters. Such men's lives are as cities set upon hills, and it should not be forgotten by them that their mistakes shine no less conspicuously than their virtues. There are some things that are axiomatic, one of which I think is, that education is better than ignorance, even if it is only intellectual education, which I think it is impossible to give without, at the same time, imparting some moral training. I think it may also be considered settled that general education cannot be imparted by private or church enterprise, and if the masses of the people in any country are to be educated, that result must be effected mainly by the State. It is high time, in the blazing light of the close of the 19th century, that good people everywhere recognize these truths and lend a helping hand to the State in this great work instead of opposing it. ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE. During the year ending June 30th, 1890, the enrollment of white children was 55 per cent, of the school census, and the average attendance 36 percent., while the enrollment of colored children was 54 per cent., and the attendance 32 per Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xxiii cent. I was unable to get the enrollment in the private schools in the following (24) counties : Burke, Camden, Cherokee, Cleveland, Craven, Davidson, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Harnett, Henderson, Lenoir, Madison, Pamlico, Richmond, Robeson, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Tyrnell, Wilson, Yadkin and Yancey. At the proper place in this report there will be found a list of the private schools and colleges of 72 counties, which shows an enrollment of 24,301 white and 4,413 colored, Estimating a proportional number for the counties not reported, the total enrollment of whites would be 32,402, of colored 5,884. Owing to the fact that, under Section 2591 , there is, in many cases, a union between the public and private schools, quite a number of children are evidently counted twice, to-wit, in the public school enrollment and in the private school enrollment. I think it is safe to estimate that there were last year enrolled 25,000 white children in the private schools who were not enrolled in the public schools, and 5,000 colored children enrolled in the private schools who were not enrolled in the public schools. It is a fact worthy of notice that the enroll-ment in the private schools and colleges increases as the public schools are made more efficient. It must not be inferred that, although the enrollment was only 352,533 out of 586,068, the remaining 234,135 have never been in school, and never will be. Many of this 234,135 are considered too young to attend school, but they will attend later on; and many others are in active life-work, having gone to school more or less, and are still within the school age, and, per-haps, 30,000 are in the private schools. But the fact does remain, nevertheless, that a large number of children do not attend school at all. COMPULSORY EDUCATION. Section 15, Article 9, of our State Constitution is as follows : " The General Assembly is hereby empowered to enact that xiv Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction every child, of sufficient mental and physical ability, shall attend the public schools during the period between the ages of six and eighteen years, for a term of not less than sixteen months, unless educated by some other means." The same principle that justifies the State in providing the means for public education justifies her in requiring the people to avail themselves of it. Instruction is so much needed by each citizen for his own sake, and for that of society, that the father who neglects to provide for his child's instruction sins against the child and against society, and the State has a right to punish him. The difficulty lies in the enforcement of a compulsory law. Some people are so poor that it seems they cannot provide for their children suitable clothing and books, even if they desire to do so When the children of such persons do find their way into the schools they do not find among many other children such forbearance and sympathy as to make the school a desirable place, and consequently school is no pleasant place for them. If parents refuse to send to school and a compul-sory law is to be enforced, it must be done by punishing the parents by fine or otherwise. I am not sure that this would be a wise course to pursue, at least in the present condition of our school matters. About half of the States have no compulsory laws, and those that have them have not been able to enforce them writh much success. I suggest that children under 14 years of age ought not to be employed by any manufacturer unless they can read and write. If manufacturers would take the matter in hand and say that they would employ no person under this age who could not read well and write a respectable hand, more good would be done than by any possible compulsory law, so far as their employees are concerned. Of course reasonable time would have to be allowed to work up to such a requirement Indeed, I am inclined to the opinion that, at least in our present condition, more will be done to secure the attend-ance of poor people's children, and the children of others Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xxv who do not send to school for reasons otlier than extreme poverty, by persuasion and the active influence of commit-teemen and others, than by an attempt at compulsion by fines and other penalties. A compulsory law will promise better success when we shall have worked up a stronger sentiment in favor of better public schools among all classes of our people, especially among the more intelligent. There are not many opportunities for charity by the Church and by individual Christians that promise more good than work for the children of parents who are either too poor to send to school or who are so debased as not to care for the elevation and education of their children. Not unfrequently, especially in cities, the children are in dens of vice and immorality, and unless they are rescued by some agency other than the public schools, and are in some way prepared for entrance to the schools, they will almost neces-sarily grow up into the vices, immoralities and contagions of their parents. Vice and crime are specially recruited from the children born and reared in the debased homes which the \ ublic schools cannot reach. As this is so, special agencies and work are here indicated as necessary work that, unorthodox as the statement may seem, the public schools cannot do. TEXT ROOKS AND LIBRARIES. The books recommended by the State Board of Education, which are required by statute to be used in all the public schools of the State, are now largely used in the country schools. The Histories, Geographies and Arithmetics are almost exclusively used, and the others are rapidly going in, so that the State is almost uniformed, and much money is saved the children by the use of these books. More than one-half of our list in value is published by the University Publishing Company, and about one-fourth 3 xxvi Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction (the Arithmetics) by the J. B. Lippincott Company. These books are all of Southern authorship, as are also our North Carolina Histories, published by A. Williams & Co , and our United States Histories. These are all good books, ami free from anything objectionable to our people. One of the most serious questions that confronts theSuuth is the character of schdol books. The book-houses are making a great fight over the introduction of books, some of them going so far as to make combinations, or syndicates, or trusts, and to offer to swap eveu for all old books, and, indirectly, if not directly, to use money to control the judg-ment and action of school boards and teachers. If our Southern people are wise they will look carefully after the books that are put into the hands of their children. So far as the distribution of the books is concerned, our law contemplates that each child shall own his books. I believe this is better than any other plan that can be adopted. The possession of a book causes the child to take better care of it, and really to take more interest in studying it than he would if it were lent to him by the school committee for the term, or distributed daily in the school-room from a common stock. Besides, there are other objections to the promiscuous use of books by different children, connected with their health and cleanliness. It might be well for the statute to allow ommittees to donate books in the elementary branches to a few children that, in their judgment, are not able to purchase them, but I would go no further. Every district ought to have a library. It would very much encourage investigation and general reading, not only among the children, but, also, among their parents. It is hoped that our school fund will be so increased as to justify the application of some money in this direction. But whether public funds can be so applied or not, certainly something can be done by private individuals and by the efforts of enterprising teachers to supply good books for general read- Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xxvii ing. Certainly, every town can have a library, and it will have it, if the people see the importance of it, and at what small expense it can be had. Some of our city schools have already established libraries, and all of them should take steps at once to do something in this direction MANUAL AND INDUSTRIAL DRAINING. "In the sweat of thy face shaltthou eat bread " is the lan-guage of the Bible. "The gods have placed sweat in the pathway to all excellence " is the language of the old Greek poet, Hesiod. These sentences teach that, in accordance with Divine law, and also the experience of mankind, labor is the normal condition of all men. I believe it may be said with strict truth that the father and mother, no matter what their circumstances may be, who fail to teach their children to do some useful labor commit a wrong against their offspring and lay their lives open to trying temptations. But, so far as the State is concerned, the main aim is to impart such instruction as should be possessed by all good citizens of whatever calling. North Carolina has not yet nearly reached this aim. She must have intelligent, moral, self-sustaining and law-abiding citizens, but she cannot instruct all her citizens in trades and professions. What she can do, beyond the education that should be common to all her people, can reach in a direct way only a small number of persons in her University, the Agricultural and Mechanical College, and in a few other labor schools which she may establish for men and women. The few persons, however, thus educated in such institutions will, in an indirect way, be teachers and examples to the great body of the people. One good mechanic and one good farmer will teach many more in the active work of life; one ripe and cultured scholar from our University will be of much value to his neighbors and his State. The great mass of the people must depend, for industrial xxviii Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction training, up in the farms, work-shops, and factories. This source of industrial training is open to all, and may be learned on the farms, in the household, and in the shops. under the guidance of persons trained in different kinds of work; and when it is thus learned it will be of the most practical kind. The day will not soon, if ever come, when, in the public schools except in the cities, even manual training can be taught'to the great body of the children. Wherever it can be taught it ought to be taught It not only dignifies labor, but it is very valuable, both as an educa-tional factor and as a preparation for practical, self-sustaining citizenship. A result specially to be aimed at in the educa-tion of children is to get them to think for themselves. Per-haps the very best way to do this is to put them at some kind of manual labor which will necessarily require them to think, and to depend upon themselves. Drawing and modeling are closely allied to manual train-ing, and are not only valuable educational helps, but they are among the very practical branches which can be and ought to be taught in all schools and to all children. COMMITTEEMEN. There are three committeemen for each district, It is difficult to get three competent men to serve, and in many cases, if not in most cases, they do not meet and organize, as the law directs, nor do they in their organized capacity employ teachers. In most cases I think the teacher seeking employment goes first to one and then another of the com-mitteemen, and in this irregular way gets the individual consent of each committeeman to teach the school. I suggest whether it would not be better to have but one committeeman for each district, and give him and the County Superintendent the employment of the teacher and the transaction of all business pertaining to the district, under the supervision of the Board of Education. If this Scholastic Yean 1889 and 1890. xxix plan were adopted I feel sure more competent committeemen could be secured. The County Superintendent could, at his examinations, learn where each teacher desired to teach, and, if his judgment approved, he could indicate this approval, and the teacher could secure the school by seeing the committeeman. One of the fertile sources of trouble is the employment of persons who are of near kin to the committeemen. This should be forbidden. EXAMINATIONS OF TEACHERS. For the examination in September, 1890, I sent out the following set of examination papers, coveriDg the principal subjects contemplated in our public school law : Raleigh, N. C, August 25th, 1890. Superintendent of Public Instruction of. County : In conducting your next examination of candidates for teachers' cer-tificates, you are requested to use the following questions and adopt the following rules : 1. The questions should not be made known to any one until the time specified for the beginning of the examination on each subject. The questions on one subject at a time will be given the candidate. 2. No candidate will be permitted to leave the room after a subject has been assigned without depositing his work with the Superintendent. In no case shall papers, once deposited, be returned to the candidate. 3. During the examination all books, maps, globes, or other aids must be removed from the observation of the candidates. 4. Every candidate supplies himself with paper, pens and ink. If any corrections are necessary the candidate shall not erase, but shall draw a single mark over the error, that the Superintendent may see the error as well as the correction. 5. The name of the candidate shall be written at the top of each page. 6. No books shall be consulted, no communication permitted during the examination. 7. All candidates shall commence each subject simultaneously, and the Superintendent shall state how much time will be allowed. When this time is out the examination shall be closed. 8. I have endeavored to so grade the questions on all the subjects that xxx lh port of Superintendent of Public Instruction they may be used for examination for all grades of certificates in accord-ance with Section 2566. 9. At the close of the examination, I advise that you have each appli-cant write on his examination papers and sign the following pledge: "I certify that in this examination I have neither received nor given help." 10. Please send me the best set of examination papers with each ques-tion marked with the value you attach to the answer. Also state the number of teachers examined on these questions, and the number of certificates of each kind issued. 11. On Reading and Penmanship, you will please make your own examination. 12. I cannot send examination papers for all of your examinations during the year, and these are sent with the hope that they may be a guide to some extent to uniform the examinations throughout the State. Very respectfully, S. M. FINGER, Sup't Public Instruction. SPELLING. 1. Do you think rules are of any use in learning to spell ? If so, state one such rule, with two applications. 2. What do you think of having pupils spell a few words in every branch at the beginning of the recitation '( 3. Why do you think some pupils learn to spell so much more easily than others? 4. Spell the following words correctly: 1. Scholastic Years 1SS9 and 1890. xxxi GEOGRAPHY. 1. Give the width of each zone in degrees. 2. Of what value is map drawing? 3. What geographical features make New York the Metropolis of the United States ? 4. Locate the following, and tell what they are : Samoa, Aspinvvall, Ceylon, Rio Janeiro, Yosemite, Cape Colony, Rhine, Azores, Berlin. 5. Of what use is a globe in teaching Geography ? 6. What mountains between Spain and France ? Between Italy and Switzerland ? Between Europe and Asia ? 7. Name the five principal rivers in North Carolina, and locate its five most important cities. 8. State the causes which modify the climate of a country. 9. What important cities could one stop at in going by boat from Pitts-burg, Pa., to New Orleans? 10. How- could you go by water from the United States to Italy without crossing any part of the Atlantic Ocean ? ARITHMETIC. 1. Divide 9f X %° by f +f. Substract 2^ from the sum of 8£, 3£, 7£, 8^. 2. Divide 2 gals., 2 qts., 1 pt. into 2,000 equal parts. 3. Find six per cent, interest of $4,352.50 for one year, three months and thirteen days. 4. A man having $2,025 in the bank drew out $1,560. What per cent. did he draw out? 5. A pile of 4-foot wood 24 rods long contains 100 cords. What is its height ? 6. A man sells pens at £ cent apiece above cost and makes 20 per cent. What do the pens cost him apiece ? At what price per dozen does he sell them ? 7. A man sold 16 horses at $200 each ; on one-half he gained 10 per cent., and on the other half be lost 10 per cent. Find net gain or loss. 8. A rectangular park, the sides of which are respectively 45 rods and 60 rods long, has a walk crossing it from corner to corner. How long is the walk ? 9. From the unit of the third order substract the sum of .371 and sixty-five ten thousandths, multiply the remainder by three-tenths, and divide the product by five millionths. 10. What sum must be invested in 7 per cent, bonds at 10H per cent, to vield an annual income of $980? .r.rxii Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY. 1. State, briefly, what you know about Sir Walter Raleigh's effort to make a settlement in North Carolina. 2. What King granted North Carolina to "The Lords Proprietors?" 3. About how long did "The Lords Proprietors" govern North Carolina ?" 4. How did the government of "The Lords Proprietors" come to an end? 5. Who was the first Governor under the King, and who were some of his successors prior to 1776 ? 6. Who was Lord Granville, and what was his connection with our colonial history ? 7. Who were the Regulators ? 8. Give some account of their grievances, and the Governor's treatment of them. 9. During the Revolutionary war what battles were fought in North Carolina V Give some account of them. 10. Name some of the Governors of North Carolina, and what events of note took place under the administration of any of them. U. S. HISTORY. 1. What were the prime causes of the war of 1812? 2. What is meant by "a Congress of the United States"? How are the members chosen ? 3. Of what nationalityVvas De Soto? What discovery did he make? 4. WThy was Virginia thus named, and where was its first settlement ? 5. In what colony and in what year was slavery introduced into the United States? 6. Who was William Penn? What State did he found ? 7. Name four distinguished generals who afterward became Presidents of the United States. 8. Who were the Hessians who took part in the Revolutionary war ? How came they here ? 9. Who was President of the United States during the war of 1812? The Mexican war ? 10. WThat is meant by the "Centennial Year"? What event was spe-cially celebrated ? GRAMMAR. There is a realm where the rainbow never fades ; where the stars will spread out before us, like islands that slumber on the ocean, and where the beautiful beings which here pass before us like shadows, will stay in our presence forever. The first six questions refer to the above st lection. Scholastic Year* 1889 and 1890. xxxiii [Note.—In naming a clause, include only its simple subject and simple predicate. In giving the syntax of a noun or pronoun, give only the case and the reason for it. By phrase is meant a preposition and its object. In naming a p>hrase give only the preposition and its simple (unmodified) object. A modifier may be a icord. phrase or clause. Infinitives are classed as modes of the verb.] 1. What four modifiers of realm? 2. Parse the words of "will stay in our presence forever." 3. Name two relative pronouns, and state what the clauses in which they occur modify. 4. What are the modifiers of pass ? 5. Give the syntax of realm. 6. Parse which. 7. Define voice. By example illustrate both voices. 8. Give an example of the regular comparison of an adjective, and the irregular comparison. 9. Define a common noun. 10. Write a sentence containing a verb in the potential mode and a verb in the infinitive mode. PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE. 1. Name and locate ten bones in the human skeleton. 2. What is a gland'? Name and locate four. 3. What is a muscle, and what is it for? How can it do this? 4. What is the diaphragm, and when is it put into action ? 5. Trace a drop of blood from the right auricle through its complete circulation. 6. What does the blood circulate for ? 7. What injury with regard to the saliva may result from using tobacco ? 8. What are the kidneys for? What injurious effect upon them is frequently produced by the excessive use of alcohol ? 8. Why are not stimulants, inasmuch as they stimulate, a good thing for the nervous system ? 10. How does the action of narcotics differ from that of stimulants? Why are they called narcotics ? QUESTIONS ON PAGE'S THEORY AND PRACTICE. For First Grade Teachers Only. 1. State what acquirements are necessary to fit a person to teach. 2. What must be the spirit of the true teacher ? xxxiv Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction ). What should be the personal habits uf a teacher ? 4. What is the "pouring in" process, and what the "drawing out' process ? 5. How much should teachers help the pupils in their studies? 6. State some requisites on the part of a teacher to enable him success. fully to conduct a recitation. 7. State some incentives to study. 8. State some requisites in the teacher for good government. 9. State some means of securing good order. 10. What are some rewards of the teacher ? With the force in my office I cannot prepare sets of papers for all of the examinations, but this set was sent out with a view of setting a standard for the guidance of the County Su-perintendents and of uniforming the examinations through-out the State. I find among the County Superintendents a diversity of opinion as to this set of questions. Some of the Superintendents say that they are about as difficult as they are in the habit of giving, while others think they are too difficult and will reduce many first-grades. One Superin-tendent says that the teachers say this is the " roughest examination " they have ever had ; another says that the examination should be searching, but if some leniency is not exercised, he will not have a colored teacher in his county ; another says, " I think if all the teachers should have been put on examination, there would not be a first or hardly a second-grade in the county ;" while another thinks it is not too difficult, but more difficult than has been used in his county. Perhaps one failure in our management is granting first-grades to persons who really are not worthy of them, and so allowing higher salaries to such persons than they should have. I think it would be better if all questions were sent out by the State Superintendent, especially for examination for first-grades. Most of the County Superintendents seem to desire that the questions be sent out from the State Super-intendent's office. Upon examinations conducted in this way, the first-grade certificates should be made good for a Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xxxv term of years. I submit farther, that annual certificates should issue at the option of the County Superintendent to persons who hold regular diplomas from colleges, and that some provision should be made for granting permanent cer-tificates. PEABODY FUND AND SCHOLARSHIPS AT NASHVILLE, TENN. The State has at the Normal College, Nashville, Tenn , fourteen (14) scholarships, worth each $200 per annum, for two years, and tuition. At the recent meeting of the Trus-tees, the annual allowance to each student, after this year, was reduced to $100 and traveling expenses. These scholarships are filled by the State Superintendent under regulations made by the institution. Examinations are held upon questions sent out by. the President of the College through the State Superintendent, The questions now embrace the branches named in our school law and Elementary Algebra. The President is trying to raise the standard of scholarship, and it is probable that hereafter some Latin will also be required. The State Superintendent has no option to select the stu-dents from the different counties, so as to give all the coun-ties in turn the benefit of this fund, but he must be guided by scholarship as shown by the examinations, and by the physical health of the applicants and their purpose to make teaching their regular profession. The object of the College is to provide proficient teacheis, and no one need apply who has not a well determined purpose to make teaching a life-work and, to be successful, he must promise to teach at least two years in the State. The following persons are now at the College: 1. Those whose two-year course terminates May, 1891: Miss Viola Boddie, Nashville, Nash County, N. C. Miss Josephine Coit, Salisbury, Rowan County, N. C. xxxvi Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction Miss Fannie R. Scales, Reidsville, Rockingham County, N. C. Miss Minnie E. Sparm, Henderson ville; Henderson County' N. C. Miss Eleanor S. Smith. Scotland Neck, Halifax County, N. C. Mr. T. C. Amick, Crystal, Guilford County, N. C. Mr. M. L. Earnhardt, Norwood, Stanly County, N. C. Mr. G. N. Bennett, Fines Creek, Haywood County, N. C. Mr. W. F, Davis, Cana, Davie County, N. C. Mr. J. S. Mcintosh, Taylorsville, Alexander County, N. C. Mr. D. M Weatherly, Greensboro, Guilford County, N. C. 2. Those whose two-year course terminates May, 1892: Mr. M. A. Griffin, Eagle Rock, Wake County, N. C. Mr. E. R.Harris, Rutherford College, Burke County, N.C. Mr. J. R. Mosley, Boonville, Yadkin County, N. C. 3. Those who have just (Oct., 1890,) entered at their own expense, except that books and tuition are free to them : J. U. Gibbs, Whittier, Swain County, N. C. E. W. Gudger, Trail Branch, Madison County, N. C. Fred. S. Crawford, Statesville, Iredell County, N. C. W. P. Dunlap, Cedar Hill, Anson County, N. C. C. M. Jones, Tarboro, Edgecombe County, N. C. ' S. V. Chamblee, Rosinburg. Wake County, N. C. Philip E. Shaw, Hartshorn, Alamance County, N. C. Catalogues can be had from the State Superintendent or from I)r W. II. Payne, President, Nashville, Tenn. In addition to the §2,800 per annum thus given the State at Nashville, the following amounts have been given during the last two vears : Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xxxvii 1889. Reidsville City Schools $ 750 00 Asheville City Schools 750 00 Greensboro City Schools 250 00 Salisbury Colored Normal School 125 00 Goldsboro Colored Normal School 125 00 Plymouth Colored Normal School 125 00 Greensboro Colored Normal School 50 00 County Institutes, white 965 00" Total 83,140 00 1890. Reidsville City Schools $ 750 00 Asheville City Schools 750 00 Salisbury Colored Normal School 125 00 Goldsboro Colored Normal School 200 00 Franklinton Colored Normal School 125 00 Plymouth Colored Normal School 125 00 Greensboro Colored Normal School 100 00 Greensboro City Schools 250 00 County Institutes, white 1,470 00 Total $3,895 00 The regulation in reference to assisting public schools now requires the voting of a tax sufficient to put the schools on a permanent basis. In case this is done, within the limits of the fund, any community can get help to assist in starting the school. Without this, application is useless. CITY SCHOOLS. The cities named below have, most of them by special taxation, schools for both races from eight to ten months per annum, some with high-school departments. The highest xxxviii Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction rate is 30 cents on $100, and 00 cents on polls ; the lowest is 10 cents and 30 cents. Wilmington, Tarboro and Fayette-ville have no special taxes for schools. The general school tax is sufficient to support the Wilmington schools. In Tarboro and Fayetteville the general school fund is supple-mented by private subscription, which is not satisfactory, because the amount is less certain than it would be by taxa-tion, and because taxation is more just. I understand that these cities and others will apply to the next General As-sembly for special acts of Assembly allowing them to vote a sufficient amount of money to support their schools. Sections 2G54 and 2655 ought to be- so amended as to render it unnecessary to apply for special act of Assembly when any community wishes to take a vote on an amount that will be necessary to support the schools for such time as may be desired. Wilmington—M. C. S. Noble, Superintendent. Goldsboro.—J. Y. Joyner, Superintendent. Tarboro.—C. J. Parker, Superintendent. Raleigh.—E. P. Moses, Superintendent. Durham.—E. W. Kennedy, Superintendent. Greensboro.— G. A. Grimsley, Superintendent, Reidsville.—E. L. Hughes, Superintendent. Winston.—John J. Blair, Superintendent. Salisbury.—R. G. Kizer, Superintendent. Asheville.—P. P. Claxton, Superintendent. Fayetteville— B. C. Melver, Superintendent. Charlotte.—Alex. Graham, Superintendent. HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. The University, the Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, and the Oxford Orphan Asylum, all of which are supported in part by appropriation from the State Treasury, make no Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. x.r.rix reports to the Department of Public Education. Their con-dition and needs are set forth in special reports. The University is the State's property. It is a valuable property, but it does very much need an appropriation to repair the old buildings and to furnish water and lighting facilities, in order to put it more in touch with modern pro-gress and demands It is hoped that the Assembly will take this matter into earnest consideration. It is a matter of congratulation that all of our colleges, for both males and females, are so well patronized ; their enroll-ment and course of study show a rapid improvement in our higher educational work. Successful efforts are being made to increase the endow-ment of all our colleges for young men, and to endow a Chair of History in the University. It is to be hoped that the day is not far distant when tuition can be free in these institutions to all young men who are not able to pay for it. But neither the State nor the Church has done much for the higher education of young women. The State has done nothing at all for them in this respect, except the scanty provision as to Institute instruction; and the church noth-ing, I think, except what those denominations have done that have some endowment for their colleges whose doors are open to both sexes. This question is being agitated, and it is hoped and believed that both the State and the church will soon do something more for the young women. Why is it that we do not see the same efforts put forth to raise endowment funds for colleges and institutions for females as for those devoted to the education of the male sex? Why does the State provide a University for the young men and refuse to provide even a training-school for the young women? Why do men endow colleges for males rather than females? Why is higher education for young women made more costly in the State than higher education for young men ? Asking these questions is suggestive. While we are struggling to endow our male institutions, xl Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction let us also endow the female institutions, to the end that higher education for young women may be as cheap in the State as for young men, and as cheap as it is anywhere else. CROATAN NORMAL SCHOOL. I call attention to the report, in its proper place, of the Trustees and Principal of the Normal School for the Croatans. These people seem to be so much divided, from causes stated, that the school is not as effective as it ought to be. I respectfully suggest that, inasmuch as the appro-priation of $500 is annual, the Assembly pass an act allow-ing the State Board of Education to exercise their discretion as to future expenditures for this school. The school was provided for by chapter 400, Laws 1887, which was amended by chapter 60, Laws 1889. THE NEGROES. I cannot do better thafi in part repeat what I said in last report about the negroes. There is much opposition to public schools in the State, and in the South generally, because of the small amount of the taxes paid by the negroes The opposition is intensified by the belief, that is more or less prevalent, that education spoils the colored people as laborers, to their own damage and the damage of the white people. It is said that when you "educate a negro you spoil afield hand." On this point it may be said with truth that the negro's sudden freedom and citizenship, for which he was unpre-pared, the privileges of education, and all the new expe-riences he had at and soon after the war, including much bad leadership, completely turned his head, so to speak. Forced labor to him had, during slavery, been his peculiar hardship. In his ignorance he thought the new conditions, and especially the privilege of education, were to relieve him Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xli from this curse of labor. The old negroes went earmstly to work to learn to read. They failed, but attributed their failure to lack of early opportunities But they resolved that they would secure education for their children, and with this special end in view, the escape from manual labor. The present generation of younger negroes has been educated too much with this purpose in view, and, because of this wrong idea, it is true that a smattering of education to many of them has caused idleness and laziness. If education is to be given them in any liberal sense by the State they must show a much higher appreciation of it. They must recognize it not as a means of relief from labor, but as a help to successful labor. Many of their best teachers are striving now, by precept and example, to correct these wrong ideas as to what educa-tion is to do for them, and my earnest advice to school com-mitteemen is that they do not employ teachers who are above manual labor A man or a woman who depends upon the money he can make by teaching a three or four-months school per annum, and will not apply himself to some useful labor during the balance of the time, is not fit to direct the education of children, and should not be employed to teach. The colored people must not lose sight of the fact that manual labor is the lot of almost all people, white and col-ored, and that this is now and will be their lot to a larger degree than that of the white people, because of the peculiar conditions and circumstances that surround them. The destiny of the negroes of the United States is in their hands, with the powerful help of the white people as they may show themselves worthy of it, Let them pay their taxes and show that education does not spoil them as laborers, at least to any greater degree than it does the whites, but that it does add to their efficiency as laborers and to their usefulness as moral and upright citizens, and all the help they need that the State can, in her financial condition, reasonably afford will be extended them. 4 xlii Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction The white people must not lose sight of the fact that it, is the labor of a country that makes its wealth, and that, therefore, the education and elevation of the children of the laborers is a proper charge upon the property of any country. If we did not have the negroes we would have some other poor people, whose children would have to be educated in the public schools. But, whatever may be said about educating the negroes, we cannot afford not to improve our educational facilities, whether we consider our financial condition and progress, or the perpetuation of our civil and religious liberties. If it is said that we are too poor, then I reply that the way to get rich is to educate our people intellectually and indus-trially, so that they may be able successfully to apply labor to the development of our many resources. The history of the world points out this wray, and we cannot fail if we walk in it. With good schools in the country districts there will be less incentive for the country people to crowd into the cities and towns to educate their children, much of the dis-content and restlessness will disappear, and better success will attend their labors. Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. aiiii NOTES UPON SCHOOL REVENUES. C< NSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS. •'Article 5, sec. 1. The General Assembly shall levy a cap-itation tax on every male inhabitant in the State, over twenty-one and under fifty years of age, which shall be equal on each to the tax on property valued at three hundred dollars in cash, * * * and the State and county capita-tion tax combined shall never exceed two dollars on the head." "Art. 5, sec. 2. The proceeds of the State and county capitation tax shall be applied to the purposes of education and the support of the poor, but in no one year shall more than twenty-five per cent, thereof be appropriated to the latter purpose." "Art. 9, sec. 1. Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of man-kind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." "Art. 9, sec. 2. The General Assembly, at its first session under this Constitution, shall provide by taxation and other-wise, for a general and uniform system of public schools, wherein tuition shall be free of charge to all the children of the State between the ages of six and twenty-one years. And the children of the white and the children of the colored race shall be taught in separate public schools; but there shall be no discrimination in favor of, or to the prejudice of either race." "Art. 9, sec. 3. Each county shall be divided into a. con-venient number of districts, in which one or more public schools shall be maintained at least four months in every year : and if the commissioners of any county shall fail to comply with the aforesaid requirements of this section, they shall be liable to indictment." xliv Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction Under the provisions of article S, section 14, the county boards of education were created by act of the General Assembly. "Art. 9, sec. 4. The proceeds of all lands that have been or hereafter may be granted by the United States to this State, and not otherwise appropriated by this State or the United States: also, all moneys, stocks, bonds, and other property, now belonging to any State fund for purposes of education ; also the net proceeds of all sales of the swamp lands belonging to the State, and all other grants, gifts or devises, that have been or hereafter may be made to this State, and not otherwise appropriated by the State, or by the term of the grant, gift or devise, shall be paid into the State treasury ; and, together with so much of the ordinary revenue of the State as may be by law set apart for that purpose, shall be faithfully appropriated for establishing and maintaining in this State a system of free public schools, and for no other uses or purposes whatsoever." -Sec. 5. All moneys, stocks, bonds, and other property belonging to a county school fund ; also, the net proceeds from the sale of estrays; also, the clear proceeds of all pen-alties and forfeitures, and of all fines collected in the several counties for any breach of the penal or military laws of the State; and all moneys which shall be paid by persons as an equivalent for exemption from military duty, shall belong to and remain in the several counties, and shall be faithfully appropriated for establishing ami maintaining free public schools in the several counties of this State: Provided, that the amount collected in each county shall be annually reported to the Superintendent of Public Instruction " FUNDS RAISED IN THE COUNTIES AND RETAINED. 1. At least three-fourths of all State and county poll-tax. In most of the counties the total poll-tax amounts to $2.00 Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xlv per capita, $1.50 of which must be and is applied to schools. From this source we get about 40 per cent, of our school fund. 2. The General Assembly in the school law levies 12| cents on .$100 worth of property. From this source, and including a small amount of property tax levied in a few counties by the county commissioners, we get about 43 per cent of our funds —just about as much as from poll-tax. 3. From liquor license we derive about 13 per cent, of our fund. Twenty-five counties of the ninety-six have no liquor license. 4. From fines, forfeitures and penalties we get about 3^ per cent. From these four items, viz. : poll-tax; 12?, cents property tax and special levies of property tax ; liquor license; and fines, forfeitures and penalties, we get 00] per cent., or about all of the general public school fund 5. The* only other sources from which anything is derived are tax on auctioneers, estrays, dogs, and on acts of incor-poration by Superior Court Clerks. The amount received from these sources is a mere trifle. FUNDS THAT GO INTO THE STATE TREASURY FQR SCHOOLS. 1. From entries of public lands. This item amounts to only, say, $5,000 per year. It is a variable quantity, and as the public lands are almost all taken up, it gradually becomes less, and very soon it will amount to almost nothing. 2. In 1825, the Legislature set apart all the vacant and unappropriated swamp lands for schools. While the Board of Education (Literary Board) about 1S40 spent about $200,000 in an effort to ditch and reclaim these lands, and while at other times considerable sums have been spent in surveying and reclaiming them, not much money has ever been received from them. Occasionally some of them are sold, but the prices obtained are always small, so that the xlvi Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction sums realized can hardly be counted at all as a present help in augmenting our school fund. 3. To the State school fund belongs $99,250 of North Carolina four per cent, bonds, from which the distributive fund receives as interest §3,970 per annum. It will therefore be seen that the amount per annum from this State school fund is not more than, say, $8,000 to $10,000, unless the State Board of Education sell some of the swamp lands, and this is not often done for want of pur-chasers at sufficient prices. Owing to the small receipts a dis-tribution to the counties, as provided for in the general school law, is not made every year. It is made only when, in the judgment of the board, there is a sufficient accumu-lation to justify the distribution. Even when a distribution is made, it amounts to only a few cents to the pupil. The total annual accumulation, unless swamp lands are sold, is less than two cents per pupil of school age. So, virtually, all the money any county gets is what is raised under the general law on polls, property, etc., as above enumerated, and paid over to the County Treasurer for schools. The State fund is hardly to be taken into con-sideration. Some counties have a larger fund proportional to number of children than others. This results from the following-causes: (1.) A difference in valuation of property in the different counties. (2.) Closer collections of school funds by officers of some counties than of others. (3.) Receipts .from license of retail liquor dealers, which are large in some counties and small or nothing in others. (4.) Special levies for schools by some county commis-sioners and none by others. Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xlvii APPLICATION OF THE FUNDS. Between the ages of six and twenty-one years, we had by last census 5S6,668 children — 370,144 whites, and 216,524 colored. This shows 63 per cent, to be white and 37 per cent, colored, or about § white and J colored. In 1890 we spent for the whites $475,177.63, and for the colored $242,047.77. This shows 66 per cent, of the funds spent for the whites and 34 for the colored. The average amount on each child throughout the State is $1.22, and on the total population only 44 cents. The average salary of white teachers is, males, $25.80; females, $22.95. Of colored teachers it is, males, $22.72; females, $20.36. Last year the average length of school terms in the State was, for whites, 11.85 weeks; and for col-ored, 11.81 weeks. The number of colored polls returned for taxation (not near all are returned) is 66,594. A large proportion of these polls that are returned are never paid. From reports from the different counties I estimate that 50,000 of them are paid. This would showT that, counting $1.50 on each, the school fund gets from colored polls $75,000. If the colored people pay their proportional part of liquor license, and fines, for-feitures and penalties, and of receipts from other sources than property tax, it would amount to $44,000 more, which would increase the amount paid by the colored people for schools to, say, $119,000. Last year their part of the expenditure was, as I have said, $242,047.97, about double what they are fairly estimated to have paid. Our funds do gradually increase, as the officers—sheriffs, justices of the peace and clerks of the courts—look after collections more closely, and as the county commissioners use economy and find it possible to levy some additional tax within the constitutional limit of 66f cents on prop-erty and $2 on polls. .i-l ri li Il<purl of Superintendent of Public Ins\'ruction FUNDS FROM SPECIAL LOCAL TAXATION. Art. 7, section 7 of the Constitution is quoted on page xii of this report. If any community desires longer school terms than can be had with the money raised under the general law, and within the constitutional limitation of taxation, authority to vote additional money, as much as they desire, can be obtained by applying to the General Assembly for a special act. By such special legislation public schools are on a perma-nent basis, their terms extending to eight or nine months per annum, in Goldsboro, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston, Reidsville, Salisbury, Charlotte and Asheville. If any township, city or town desires to increase the gen-eral school fund not more than ten cents on $100 of property and thirty cents on polls, the following law may be put into operation without asking for special legislation, and the only or principal reason for asking special legislation is to secure a larger tax than ten cents on property and thirty cents on polls : Sec. 2654 <>f The Code, as amended by the laws of 1889. In every township, or in every city or town, one-third of the freeholders therein may apply by petition, in writing, to the board of commissioners of the county in which said town-ship, city or town is situated, asking that an annual tax be levied for the support of one or more graded schools therein, whereupon, on or before the next regular meeting of said board, but not oftener than once a year, they shall order that the question, whether such tax shall be levied, be sub-mitted to the vote of the qualified voters of such township, city or town, at the different wards and election precincts therein, as prescribed in the chapter entitled "Elections Regulated." Sec. li\7)'). \\\ case a majority of the qualified voters at such election are in favor of such tax, the same shall bo Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xli levied and appropriated in such township, city or town, in the manner prescribed for the levying and appropriation of other school taxes: Provided, that the taxes so levied and collected shall in no case exceed one-tenth of one per centum on the value of property and thirty cents on the poll." These sections, 2654 and '2055, are so restricted that they have not proved of any advantage. They should be amended so that it will be less difficult to get to a vote, and so that a larger amount can be, voted upon. INSTITUTES FOR WHITES. ANNUAL APPROPRIATION $4,000- CHAPTER 200, LAWS OF 1889. This statute repealed the statute under which the eight Summer Normals were held, and appropriated the $4,000 which formerly went to them to the County Institutes under the direction of the State Board of Education. Instead of the old plan of County Institute work, which was done mainly during July and August, the State Board of Education decided to select two competent men as Insti-tute Conductors, and make this Institute work their regular work under the supervision of the State Superintendent. It was also decided that the duration of each Institute should be one week. The Board elected Prof. Chas. I). Mclver and Prof. Edwin A. Alderman, and fixed their salaries at $2,000 each per annum, they to bear their travelling expenses. It was found that it would be impossible to hold an annual Institute in every county, unless the services of other persons could also be employed. Dr. J. L. M. Curry, agent of the Peabody Fund, kindly put at the disposal of the State Superintendent funds by which he was enabled to employ Superintendents M. C. S. Noble, J. Y. Joyner nnd E. P. Moses during July and August, 1889, and the same persons and Superintend-ents Alex. Graham, John J. Blair and E. L. Hughes in July and August, 1890. / Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction I invite special attention to the reports of these gentlemen, which will be found in their proper places in this report, To all these Institute Conductors I wish to express my apprecia-tion of their most excellent work. To them and to the County Superintendents and County Boards of Education are due thanks for co-operation in carrying out the wishes of the State Board. Before starting upon their work I had per-sonal interviews with these gentlemen, and had printed for their guidance and for distribution in the counties, the fol-lowing suggestions: WHAT ARE WE TO AIM AT IN THE INSTITUTE WORK? 1. The improvement of the teachers, mainly in the methods. 2. The improvement of school-houses and furniture. 3. Inspiring confidence in, and making friends for, public education. 4. Securing the active help of influential citizens in all the neighborhoods. 5. Inducing the people to add to their school fund by either private or public subscriptions. It is proposed that the Institutes shall be of only one week's duration. In that time of course not a great deal can be done in teaching subjects, nor do I think it necessary or desirable that much should be done in this line. Schools are plentiful in which any person of even ordinary talent and energy may secure knowledge of the common school branches. The Summer Normal Schools labored to teach subjects and methods. They accomplished but little in subjects, but very much in methods. They accomplished but little in subjects because the sessions were short, and so time was wanting for such work, and specially so when most of the teachers could attend only a few days during the session. Very much was accomplished in methods, because what is so often called the new (ducat ion — a term which ought not to be used —has special reference to methods. The science of mind-development and of teaching, and the art of imparting information and governing children, cover, in the main, what is called new in education. For this reason, the Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. II influence for good by the Normals was specially felt along the line of methods in both teaching and governing. This was the field ripe for the harvest, Many of' our teachers in private schools and colleges, as well as many of our public school teachers attended these Normals and were much aided. The results are that the methods in our private schools, as well as in many public schools, are improved. The private schools furnish many of the teachers of the pub-lic schools, and these teachers of the public schools imitate methods they saw illustrated in the instruction given them in the private schools. In this way, if not in a more direct way, almost every neighborhood has felt the good influence of the Normal Schools. But while good has been done in this way, these methods have not been introduced into our schools in any very sub-stantial way. Good methods must &< more fully introduced. This is one of the main things to be aimed at in the new system of County Institutes. These instructors go to every county, and the teachers are required to attend. In these Institutes there is, therefore, opened up to the Institute Instructors and the County Superintendents a splendid opportunity for usefulness. 1. They will show the teachers of the country schools how to organize their schools; how to classify or grade their pupils, and how to make out a regular daily programme, so that everything shall proceed from day to day uniformly and without loss of time. Proper organization is half the battle, not only in successfully teaching the pupils, but also in the ease with which the teacher can do even double the amount of work that he could otherwise do. 2. They will teach the teachers how to govern their pupils by inspiring them with a thorough interest in their studies, and by showing such zeal for their progress and Avelfare in every way as to command obedience by respect and love, rather than by fear. No doubt it will be insisted upon that, while corporal punishment is necessary for some children, such as have had bad raising or bad inheritances, the best teacher is the one who can "command obedience, good morals and good work with the use of the least amount of Hogging or other corporal punishment. 3. They will be expected to take the State list text-books, from the primer recently placed on the list up through the higher books, and show the teachers how most successfullv to use these books. Hi Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction This one cardinal principle will be insisted upon: The sooner the children can bi taught to get for themselves infor-mation out of books the better. This is so whether we have regard merely to storing the mind with useful facts or whether we consider the discipline and strengthening of the mind. While reading charts and other charts, in the hands of expert teachers and under proper conditions, may be helps, they, in the very nature of the case, can contain very little of the great range of information which the children must have, and so the hooks must soon be resort d to. Besides, all the elementary books and others adopted by the State Board of Education are constructed upon the new and most approved methods, and they contain the pictures, script, elementary reading, etc.,— all that the charts do and very much more — and all teachers should he made to feel that with proper desks for the children, and with these books and with slates in their hands, success must attend their teaching. It is easily possible in the very beginning of school life to interest children in these books at their seats. The desirability of doing this, especially in the ungraded country school in which the teacher can give comparatively little attention to the little children, is evident. They will show how cruel and discouraging it is lo punish a child, anyone, but especially a child, by requiring it to spend months if not years, as is often the case now. in learn-ing merely to spell words the meaning of which it cannot understand and is not expected to understand. They will show that it is not necessary for the child to he able to spell in-com-pre-hen-si-bil-i-ty before it reads in the first, second or third reader, or to spell any other word before it is ready to use it in a sentence and make it a part of its vocabulary. 4. They will show that the beneficial effects of these better methods is seen specially in the earlier school days of the children, and that by the proper use' of them the children are advanced much faster, and that much valuable time can be saved. 5. They will show that reading understandingly, and writ-ing letters and other compositions, simple in their nature. are far the most important and valuable part of a practical education: and that in order to read well and understand-ingly, the children must have a vocabulary.— the power to use words freely.— and that the way to get the use of words is not by learning definitions from a dictionary, but by the actual use of them in conversation and in writing, and in Scholastic Year* 1889 and 1890. liii the exercises of some well-arranged book like Harrington's Spelling Book. If this course involves a condemnation of Webster's Spelling Book, so much the better. The use of this old book has dwarfed and damaged many a child. Think of a child who has been accustomed at home to learn to attach a meaning to all words, after it has spent perhaps weeks in learning the names of the letters, which to it have no significance, trying to spell the first three hundred and seventy-live words in this old book, and finding only about thirty-five to which it can attach any meaning at all ! Of the first three hundred and seventy-five words, only about one in ten or twelve is a proper word at all. In the time that it takes to put the child through this process, it can bo taught not only to read through an ordinary primer or Holmes' First Reader, but also to write the words, too, as well as to spell them. This old book ought to be banished from our school-rooms. There ought to be substituted for it the bright new books con-structed on sci ntific principles, and contemplating that the child shall learn to spell and write the words at the same time it learns to use them in its reading lesson. 6. In arithmetic, a'so, they will show how easy and inter-esting the learning of numbers and their application to practical problems of every-day life can be made by proceed-ing in a natural way. They will show how great folly it is to put an arithmetic in the hands of a child and require him to attempt to study it before he has a sufficient vocabu-lary to understand the language in which it is written. In addition to the application of numbers to practical problems, it will be insisted that learning by continued practice rapidly and correctly to add, subtract, multiply and <liri<lr are of very great practical importance. Want of facility in these funda-mental operations is the cause of a loss of much valuable time to people engaged in the every-day business of life, and not unfrequently it causes young people to lose or fail to secure positions of trust that would be valuable to them in starting life. 7. They will likewise show the folly of putting grammars in the hands of pupils and requiring them to try to use them before they are far enough advanced to understand them. They will show how to develop children in the use of proper language by the use of language lessons, and by encouraging them to write their thoughts and experiences on their slates and on paper. They will emphasize how valuable an acqui- ///• Report of Superintendent of Public Inst ruction sition it is for any one to be able to express his thoughts in writing. Children like to use a slate, and the slate properly used, even by little children, is a most valuable means of education. 8. Geography and history in many, if not in most, schools are dry and uninteresting studies. They ought not so to be, and in these Institutes it will be shown how these branches may be really clothed with beauty, and be made not only intensely interesting to the children, but also of very great value. I trust the teachers will be made to see most clearly that while books are necessary and must be used, they have a much wider and more important duty to perform than to assign lessons and hear recitations; and I trust that they may be inspired with higher appreciation of their vocation, and that they may become more and more living examples of good morals and good manners. The teachers will be made more fully to realize that not only is "character greater than intellect," but also that example is manifold greater than precept. This is the age of cheap books. Books are everywhere. Even the poorest people may have an abundance of reading matter. To one who can read well, all the avenues of knowledge are thrown wide open. Almost all books of value, ancient and modern, are either translated into the English language or are originally written in English. Teach a child to read English well, teach him how to use an English dictionary, and teach him to love books and to love to read them, and you have started him on the r.oad to intelligence, no matter whether he finds his labor on the farm, or in the workshop, or in what activities of life he may engage. This is a lesson to be learned by the teachers and to be impressed by tbe Institute work. Would that all teachers might adopt and impress upon the children the language of Petrarch, when he said of nook's. '"I have friends whose society is extremely agreeable to me; they are of all ages and of every country. They have distinguished themselves both in the cabinet and in the field, and obtained high honor for their knowledge of the sciences. It is easy to gain access to them, for they are always at my service, and I admit them to my company, and Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. Iv dismiss them from it whenever I please. They are never troublesome, but immediately answer every question I ask them. Some relate to me the events of past ages, while others reveal to me the secrets of nature. Some teach how to live, others how to die; some by their vivacity drive away my cares and exhilarate my spirits; while others give forti-tude to my mind, and teach me the important lesson how to restrain my desires, and depend wholly on myself. They open to me, in short, the various avenues of all the arts and sciences, and upon their information I may safely rely in all emergencies. In return for all their services, they only ask me to accommodate them with a convenient chamber in some corner of my humble habitation, where they may repose in peace ; for these friends are more delighted with the tranquility of retirement than with the tumults of seciety." Perhaps something can be done by way of suggesting books to be kept by booksellers especially for children, and by way of influencing parents to buy them. The reading-habit, after all, is the most important acquirement to be aimed at. 2. HOUSES AND FURNITURE. The second object to be aimed at I have said is the improvement of school-houses and school-furniture. It is to be hoped that not only teacriers and members of the County Boards of Education, but also committeemen and other citizens, will attend the Institutes; and that it will be shown how cruel it is and how detrimental to health it is to put children into uncomfortable, small, and poorly venti-lated houses, and seat them upon such benches as are now found in so many of our houses. ' Not only so, but it must be made apparent that such treatment of children renders it impossible for them properly to advance in their studies, no matter how efficient the teacher may be; that uncomfort-able houses and seats are necessarily loss of time to the children ; that good methods of teaching require that every child must be provided with a comfortable seat with a writing-desk attached ; that such seats cost but very little and may be made by any carpenter; that plenty of black-board surface is absolutely necessary; that an uncomfortable school-house and uncomfortable furniture are inexcusable and a reproach to any district. hi Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction 3 INSPIRING CONFIDENCE IN" PUBLIC schools. What we lack perhaps as much as anything else is a want of confidence in public education. So many people look upon public schools as objects of charity, and what support they give them is simply on the ground of charity. As charity institutions they regard them as proper schools for the poor, but not for the rich. They place upon the public schools the badge of inferiority and so fail to patronize them or provide in any liberal way for their support. To whatever extent this false estimate exists there must be a revolution. It muet be seen that the State supports schools not at all on the ground of charity, but as a preparation for citizenship to the end that the government may be rendered safe and the life and property of her citizens be rendered sate. Public schools must be made good enough for any and every family's patronage — the high and the low, the rich and the poor. The Institutes must strive to inspire confidence in the safety and efficiency as well as in the cheapness of public schools. 4. HELP OF INFLUENTIAL CITIZENS. It is hoped that the Institutes may do much toward secur-ing the active interest and help of influential citizens in all the neighborhoods in the £>tate. Without such help in the district no district school can be what it ought to be. Every school must have an intelligent and interested com-mittee to manage it. If it has not. it is very probable that an inferior teacher will be employed because he can be had cheap, and so the school bean inferior school, not worthy of the patronage of anybody. If influences can be brought to bear to secure intelligent management of the money appropriated to the different districts, where such manage-ment has not already been secured, old, inferior houses and furniture and incompetent teachers will disappear, and good houses and furniture will take their places, and the system be more effective in the education of the children and in better repute and more cheerfully supported by the tax-payers. Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. Ivii 5. INCREASE THE FUNDS. Our school fund is small and it ought to be increased in every district, This would be done in many cases, perhaps in most cases, if the public school could be surely made to meet the wants of all the residents of the district. If the people had confidence in the teacher, and if the house and furniture were comfortable, many a district school would not only be patronized by people who do not now do so, but it would be prolonged by private subscription. And as the schools are made better in the various neighborhoods of any township or county or town, the people will willingly tax themselves by vote to prolong their schools, and the county commissioners will economize at every point in order to place as large a sum of money to the credit of the school fund as possible. In the directions I have indicated and in other ways, such as uniforming certificates as far as possible by conferring with County Superintendents ; explaining the school law of this State; comparing our schools with those of other States; discussing text-books and showing the necessity of using the books on our State list as required by law, these Institutes may accomplish very great good. The extent of the good will depend much, of course, upon the zeal and efficiency of the Institute Instructors selected by the State Board of Edu-cation, but perhaps it will depend more upon the hearty co-operation of the County Superintendent and the County Board of Education. Let all work together for the accom-plishment of whatever good is within our reach. The work has gone on according to the plan above out-lined, and has done very much good by way of inspiring the teachers, informing the people, and creating a sentiment more favorable to public schools. After much correspondence the State Superintendent makes the appointments for the Institutes in as convenient circuits as possible, and at as convenient times in the differ-ent sections as possible. He owes much to the accommoda-ting spirit manifested by the County Superintendents and Boards of Education by which he has been so much aided Iviii Report of Superintendent of Public TnstrucUon in carrying forward this difficult but important work, and also to the newspapers, for giving publicity to the appoint-ments and for their words of approval and encouragement, During the year from June 80th, 1889, to July 1st, 1*90, Institutes were held in eighty-four counties, and in July, August and September, 1890, fifty-one Institutes were held. Up to this date, October 1st, 135 Institutes have been held. During the fifteen months in which this work has been prosecuted, the total number of teachers in attendance was about 5,775. As there have been two Institutes in a large number of counties, in the number 5,775 many teachers are included twice. I estimate that about 4,000 teachers have really been touched by these Institutes during the fifteen months cov-ered by this report, I think it would be within bounds to say that the addresses on Fridays were listened to by at least 50,000 people, among whom were many of the most intelli-gent citizens. They were, as I know by personal attendance upon many of these Friday meetings, much impressed in favor of improving our schools by the very earnest and learned advocacy of public education by these Institute Conductors and others. About 300 State certificates were issued, good for three years. I did not instruct the Institute Conductors to report the names to this office of those to whom they issued certifi-cates, and some of them did not do so. I cannot, there-fore, present a full list These examinations by Institute Conductors, in connection with County Superintendents, have done much to uniform certificates in the different counties. In addition to these Institutes, there were held under the statute (section 2567), seven for the whites and twenty-one for the colored. S. M. FINGER, Superintendent of Public Instruction. REPORTS OF INSTITUTE CONDUCTORS. REPORT OF Prof. E. A. ALDERMAN. To the Honorable S. M. Finger, Superintendent Public Instruction : Sir—I have the honor to submit herewith, in accordance with your request, a report of the work done by me as Institute Instructor from July 1, 1889, to July 1, 1890. An analysis of the table hereunto annexed will reveal the fact that I conducted thirty Institutes, each of one week's duration, for white teachers, at the places and times indicated. In order to reach these widely scattered localities, extending from Ashe to Carteret, it was necessary for me to travel 3,100 miles, 2,625 by rail and 475 by private conveyance. The number of teachers in the counties visited by me, as reported by the County Superintendents, was 1,548—881 males and 667 females. The number of teachers in continuous attendance upon the Institutes was 1,335—767 males and 568 females. The enrollment inclu-ded only those teaching in the public schools, or preparing to teach in the public schools. It thus appears that eighty -six per cent, of the bona Jide teachers of these counties attended and partook of the benefits of the Institutes. It should be borne in mind, however, that the teaching force of the counties changes quite rapidly. Indeed, it is probable that owing to the slight pecuniary inducements offered, at present, in that line of work, the entire personnel of each corps of teachers changes every four or five years. I consider the above per cent, of attendance a most satisfactory one — in fact remarkable: and a certain impressiveness and dignity is added to it when one reflects that that number of men and women have under their care and tutelage about seventy-five thousand children—a grand army—who, a generation hence, will inevitably give shape and ten-dency and character to our State and its movements. The Institutes have met with a most cordial reception from school officers and citizens wherever they have been held. County Superin-tendents, as a rule, have left no effort untried to make them occa-sions of real and genuine profit to the teachers, and citizens of all classes have contributed the support of their presence, endorsement and good will, without which, being a new departure in our educational policy, the Institutes could not have fulfilled so effectively the purposes of their establishment. The preliminary work of the County Superin-tendent, in a great measure, determines the success or failure of the Institute, after the arrival of the Instructor. The increased and marked ? Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction success of the Institutes held since July 1. 1890, proves this, experience having introduced greater effectiveness into the preparatory arrange-ments. I desire to record my deep sense of personal obligation to County Superintendents, school officers and citizens of the territory through which I have gone, for their unvarying kindness and helpfulness. It might not be invidious or improper to make mention of the special excel-lence and completeness of the Institutes held in Henderson, Cleveland, Cabarrus, Stanly, Ans.on. Union, Lenoir, Pitt, Beaufort, Polk and Wayne. In Pitt the teachers were entertained free of cost by the citizens of Greenville, a noteworthy thing, and the only instance of the kind in my experience. The Institutes under the law had at least three very definite purposes: 1. It was desired to carry to the people, whose property the public-schools are, and without whose desire and consent they cannot be made better, definite knowledge of the educational work resting upon the public schools; their condition; their necessities; the means feasible and available for their betterment and the fundamental reasons for their existence and for the widening of the area of their influence. 2. It was desired to carry to the doors of the five thousand public school teachers, who could not seek it, definite instruction as to the meaning of teaching and the teacher's office, training in scientific methods of teaching; in school government; in organization; in the details and arrangements of schools; and by suggestion and exhorta-tion to create a more intelligent notion of the teacher's work, and to cause parents to have a wider and truer idea of the qualifications neces-sary to conduct the intellectual operations of childhood, and. perforce, affect its character. 3. It was desired that the Instructors should make such suggestions as would tend to perfect and increase the efficiency of the system. THE INSTITUTE AND THE PEOPLE. Any school system is a growth, not a creation. No system of public schools can be better than the people wish it to be. The people are here to rule, not to be ruled. They must be trained for this sovereignty. The State must provide this training, or confess its inability to preserve its existence. No other agency can accomplish it so cheaply or so well. All other agencies combined barely touch the outer rim of the great necessity. The public schools are imbedded in the Constitution and entrenched in the convictions of the people. A vast educational respon-sibility rests upon them. By actual statistics, seventeen out of every eighteen educable children are dependent upon them for all school train-ing. Fourteen-fifteenths of our population live in the country. To this large rural population, the properly equipped public school is, at once, their first necessity and their only hope. Scholastic Year* 1889 and 1890. 3 It is not desirable that any State should force the alternative between, deserting the farm and seeking the town, or leaving the child untrained and untaught. From this predominant class the State must expect to derive its greatest forces, its strong men, the salt that must savor its society and give color to its civilization in the years to come. A State will always have need for trained men. It needs no prophetic power to foretell that our State will have such a need—in the industrial, social and economic changes gathering about us—men who cannot be bought, nor cheated, nor scared. Our schools last, on an average, sixty days. They are held in inadequate school-houses, though it is pleasant to report that there is a marked and steady improvement along this line. They are conducted by ill-paid, and, therefore, for the most part, un-trained teachers. They offer to men and women of talent and ambition three months' employment and seventy-five dollars in wages. Two courses of action suggest themselves to the mind. The schools cannot be abolished. Therefore, we can either endow them with a pale, feeble, ineffectual existence, or we can give them power and effectiveness and, under God, change, in a measure, the face of our society. Merely reme-dial measures, the patching up of things, will no longer avail. Some-thing radical must be done. The people alone can do radical things. An untrained community is in a state of industrial and political servi-tude to trained communities. Intelligence is the true money-maker, not by extortion, but by increasing the productiveness of labor and by diminishing pauperism, which is both a cause and an effect of crime. Our money flows in a golden stream to the people to the North of us, whose skill enables them to make things that we need and cannot make. Four-fifths of the improvements in machinery is the result of their trained mental acuteness. Among them an inventor is an ordinary citizen. Among us he is a celebrity. Their per capita wealth indicates prosperity. Ours indicates poverty. We have brains, character, soil, climate, homogeneity. We lack s£ill. Training produces skill. They spend money for training. Our expenditures barely keep pace with the increase of population. Being poor, we cannot afford for this to con-tinue. The Farmers' Alliance understand this. They ask for adequate schools. These will cost money, but how can men spend money better than for their own benefit. The farmers know that if they gain their desired economic legislation and leave their children ignorant, the fruits of their victory will be wrested from their. descendants. The immense energy put forth to perfect this great organization will have been j ustified, and it will deserve to rank among the great industrial reform move-ments of history, if by its exertions there shall be brought to the throng-ing children of the commonwealth the opportunity to think and to do for the State's good and their own. In view of all these things, by your direction and advice, the morning hours of Friday of each week have been devoted to addresses to citizens 4 Report of Snperinti-uririit /if I'uhlic Instruction oh these matters. These addresses, as a rule, have been generously attended, and the newspapers have kindly given the matter of them cordial endorsement and wide currency. I feel that the cause of popu-lar education in North Carolina owes a debt of gratitude to the press of the State for its active zeal and intelligent co-operation with the Instruct-ors in carrying to the thousands what otherwise could have reached only the few. The table shows that I spoke to 8,500 citizens on these subjects. In seven other addresses, and in my daily talks, it is fair to claim that I reached 3,500 more, making a total of 12,000. My largest public audiences were in Union and Wayne. My leading idea in these addresses has been to show the need and duty of a State to educate its children; the absolute right of every child to the privilege of an edu-cation: training as an essential condition of all progress; to show that education in a free government is legitimately a tax on protected property: to plead for more money, longer terms, better teachers and a training school for women. It has been far from my purpose to underrate and I have not underrated in any way what we are doing in this State for education. No State, in my opinion, expends what she has more wisely. We are poor, and, in pro-portion to our assessed wealth, compare favorably, perhaps, with most of the States in our educational efforts. A great war fell upon us a generation ago and carried away in its tide the arts and implements of our civilization, and left us with a changed social and industrial order. Granted that we have done what we could, this stern condition con-fronts us. The children of North Carolina have a less number of days in public schools than the children of any other State. Can we not strain a point and do better for them V We must educate in order to grow rich. Can we not, ought we not to have a five or six months' school term, in a comfortable school-house, under a good teacher? To realize this more money is needed. I have spoken to 641 committeemen in the various counties, and have sought to impress them with the paramount importance of their work in the economy of the system and to demon-strate that, at least, they had three very definite duties to perform— 1. To secure a comfortable school-house supplied with cheap home-made desks, black-board and chalk. 2. To secure the best available teacher and not to hire the one who would work the longest for the least money. 3. To give such a teacher latitude, confidence and co-operation, and to judge him or her rigidly by results. It is my belief that the commit-teemen will take greater and more intelligent interest in the schools in proportion as the schools continue longer, become of more importance and bring more satisfactory results. This is natural. The average attendance by the county upon the Institutes up to July 1. 1890, was: teachers 45, committeemen 22, citizens 288. The average attendance since July 1, to October 1, owing to the impetus given by the Institutes, has been, teachers 68, committeemen 27, citizens 375. Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. -5 THE INSTITUTE AND THE TEACHERS. While 1 have considered it, in a sense, of first importance to instruct and arouse the people to the point of wishing and demanding better school facilities, I have endeavored to keep steadily in view the present and urgent necessities of the 1,335 teachers who have come under my instruction, who are now at work training for life about 75,000 North Carolina children. It has been my desire and ambition to be of real, practical aid to them, not to criticize them, or to ply them with methods of ideal excellence for which they are not prepared. As a condition precedent to doing them actual good, I have realized that I must know their conditions, their limitations, their environment, and must apply my instruction in the light of this knowledge. I*have made it a point to know them personally, and to get as near them professionally as was possible. Let me say, in the first place, that I have never failed to find in any county some teachers seeking the light, earnest, thoughtful, effective, and, at times, showing rare and unexpected skill. Let me say further, that the entire force that I have met, as a rule, has been an eager, sober, receptive and prompt body of men and women, realizing more or less keenly their shortcomings and their responsibilities. Self-sufficiency and false pride does not distinguish them. On the contrary, a certain fine humility and patient questioning of theirs has so impressed me as to win my enduring sympathy and regard. As may be seen from the table, the teachers are young people, their average age being twenty-six—males twenty-eight, females twenty-four. One seldom sees middle-aged folks, among the men at least. They largely belong to the extremes of life, youth and old age. Young men, farmer lads frequently; young girls, middle-aged women, old men, make up the force. It has not been an inviting work in which to spend one's days of strength. During nine months of the year another sort of work must be done in order to live. In my circuit I found about one fourth more men than women in the work. In Cumberland, Richmond, Craven, Wayne, Beaufort, Lenoir and Pitt the women were largely in excess. In the two latter counties they were five to one. In Montgomery, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Harnett and Carteret the men largely predominated. From careful estimates made in twelve representative counties, I estimate that twelve per cent, of the teachers spend six months of the year in the business of teach-ing, and about the same per cent, teach continuously in the same dis-tricts for three terms. From autobiographical sketches of their lives, written to me in nearly all the counties. I find that only a small fraction of the teachers have had the advantages of any ampler training than that afforded by the public schools, not then so efficient as now. Teachers teach as they were taught. Hence, remote from one another, 6 Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction unable to compare methods, to discuss ways and means or to enkindle enthusiasm, they perpetuate the errors and, of course, the excellencies of their own instruction. Of professional training for their difficult work they have had little. About twelve per cent, of them have read a technical work on teaching. This per cent, is increasing quite rapidly since July 1, 1890. About eight per cent, read regularly some school journal. I have sought to impress the necessity of a change in these matters, and, I believe, with some success. An agent of a good school journal usually does a thriving business among them. The teachers are stronger in arithmetic and technical grammar than in other subjects; and weaker in the use of their language, both oral and written, and in history. One generally magnifies one's strong points. The immense utility of the slate and blackboard is rather slowly coming into general recognition, though this is due less perhaps to the wish of the teacher than to the conservatism and folly of school officers and patrons. Our teachers do not read much. They do not know books. The reading habit has not fastened itself upon them. The bright and splendid land of fancy and fiction, of poetry and imagination, of history and biography has not revealed itself to their eyes. They teach an art which they do not practice. I have looked carefully into this matter. Of course, notable exceptions exist, generally among the women. I recall a simple country girl who enumerated among the books she had read, Dickens's " Dombey and Son and David Copperfield,'' Scott's "Ivanhoe," Holmes's "Autocrat," "Ben Hur," "Little Lord Faunt-leroy," Charles and Mary Lamb's " Prose Tales," and, she added naively, that Scott had been "the joy of her life." Others find it difficult to recall three books which they have read. This is, perhaps, their mis-fortune, rather than their fault. Lack of leisure, lack of opportunity, and ignorance of where books might be gotten have produced these results. The teachers have been the prey of the subscription agent, with his costly book full, not infrequently, of rather pithless matter and highly-wrought engraving. Much attention has been given by me to the necessary details and machinery of school- life and to proper methods of punishment. Purely physical punishments are much in vogue. The purposes of punishment, wise and just methods, are not yet clearly understood. Youth knows little of self-control, and many of our teach-ers are youths. Still there is a growing sentiment against the lash, and the use of corporal punishment, as an habitual corrective, is slowly but very surely fading from our schools. One cannot scourge young children up the hill of learning. Slavish physical discipline makes slavish tempers. The teachers, as a rule, are people of very good moral character, faith-ful and duty-doing. Indeed, it is their strongest point, and this is as it should be. The pedagogical and disciplinary value of attractive open-ing exercises—readings, music and the like—has not been duly appre-ciated. A school where the children never sing, must be a dreary sort Scholastic Years 1880 and 1890. 7- of place. In a factory the 'hands" go, without ceremony, to their joyless work. The school is not that sort of a factory. The methods employed to teach the subjects are very similar every-where. Some have learned, through Normals and Institutes, truer ways of doing things. Some have fought their way into the presence of the truth. The majority teach as they were taught. Five types or products of the schools have continually presented themselves to me : 1. The child who could not read, but had •'spelled" through the Speller. 2. The child who could read, but could not write. 3. The child who could write, but wrote poorly. 4. The child who knew more or less of grammar, but could not write simple English decently. 5. The child who had " been over" the arithmetic, but had no grasp upon the simple essentials of that science. I have sought to change these types, for they are the result of wrong notions, of irrational ideas. A child ought to be taught to read, write and spell at the same time. A child ought to know the use before he knows the science of his language. A child needs to know the essen-tials of arithmetic in a masterful way. A change along these lines-would, in my opinion, partially revolutionize our schools and greatly increase their power. The following is a skeleton outline of the work attempted by me. though, as you may imagine, it necessarily varied with the character of the teachers : f 1. His daily preparation. I 2. His professional preparation. 1. The Teacher: -[ 3. His general preparation. | 4. His social preparation. I 5. His moral preparation. 1. Attendance. 2. School-room. 3. Text-books. 2. How to Organize : ',- 4. Classification. 5. Opening Exercises. 6. Programmes. 7. School Devices. ( 1. Discipline. 3. How to Govern : - 2. Punishments. ( 3. Purposes of Punishment. f f 1. Reading. j 2. Spelling. 4. How to Teach: -j Methods in \ f ^Kftlc. j 5. History. { 1, 6. Geography. S Report of 8uperititmdmt of Public Instruction Each subject was presented for treatment and discussion under five heads, as for example . Arithmetic.—1. What is arithmetic? 2. Why do we teach arithmetic ? 3. What are its essentials ? 4. What is the rational method of teaching arithmetic? 5. The best books on arithmetic? Five hours—three in the morning and two in the afternoon, were given to the work of the Institute. The teachers were required to provide themselves with note-books and pencils, and to take notes and copy all blackboard work. The lecture method of teaching was largely used, though the Socratic method was resorted to whenever feasible. Teach-ers, I believe, teach as they are taught, not as they are taught to teach. Hence, the lecture method is not an ideal method of instruction. It was the only way available for this work, however, considering the shortness of time and the nature of the work to be done. My work was mainly in methods, not subjects. It was my desire to present and dis-cuss the vital points in the work of that complex organism that we call a school, and to reclaim veterans and start tyi-os along a right track. This idea dominated my conduct. I sought to ascertain, in regard to the branches of study, what the teachers spent most of their time, under the necessities of their situation, in trying to do. I then spent most of my time in trying to show them how to do those things in a rational and scientific way. I did not seek to cover the wide regions of pedagogics, but to focalize the work upon pressing necessities. I shared the fear of some, at the outset, that little could be accom-plished in so short a time. My actual experience showed me that much could be done. The work of the Institute proper was varied by music, written exercises by the teachers, historical and geographical games, and by addresses by prominent people. I wish to return my obligations to yourself for material and valuable aid given in the counties of Gaston, Anson, Alamance, Orange, Lincoln, Catawba, Davidson and Rocking-ham. The greater part of Thursday was devoted to the non-compulsory examination of teachers for the three-year State certificate. The exami-nation was both written and oral, comprehended the common school branches and the Theory and Practice, and while not difficult, was justly comprehensive and testing. Seventy-nine teachers—fifty-one males and twenty-eight females—out of the 1,335 who came under my instruc-tion, received this certificate. This means that six per cent, of the teachers, and the best generally stood, won this distinction. Many of the questions given were taken from examinations given to twelve-and thirteen-year-old children in our city graded schools. Their names and localities are herein submitted. I find that many of the brightest of those who received certificates from my colleague, Prof. Mclver, have Schohtstic Ymrs t889 and 1890. 9 moved away or quit the business. This would seem to indicate that in order to command good talents we must give due compensation. Cleveland County received the largest number of certificates given by me. There are no such uniform and stubborn truth-tellers in the world as facts. That only six out of one hundred teachers in the counties visited by me could exhibit sufficient excellence to obtain this first grade State certificate, establishes the fact, for this territory at least, that the great body of the children are under the tuition of teachers unprepared for the work. Indeed, it is the simple truth, to say that a large part of our public school money is expended on teachers whose geography does not extend much farther than their localities and horizons ; whose science is the multiplication table and simple arithmetic ; and whose language, history and belles lettres are about comprised in Webster's Spelling-book, technical grammar, and, at times, a meagre historical compendium. Among the causes operating to render the work of the public schools defective, I submit the following as the most prominent : 1. Bad school-houses, deficient as to size, light, private arrangements and accommodations. 2. Schools too large, requiring too many daily recitations and irregu-larly classified. No arrangements made for profitable seat-work. 3. Incompetent teachers, occasioned, 1st, by inadequate compensa-tion; 2d, by the want of suitable provision for training competent teachers. 4. Lack of uniformity in text- books, occasioned, 1st, by the parsi-mony and ignorance of parents ; 2d, by lack of vim and desire by the teacher. There is much improvement in this matter, owing to the reso-lute action of the last Legislature. Many teachers have practical uni-formity. 5. Want of interest in the parents, resulting in part from existing evils in the system, and, at the same time, enhancing those evils. 6. Want of interest by committeemen, honorable exceptions existing of course. 7. Perpetual change of teachers, and the teachers so changing leave behind them very meagre and unsatisfactory reports of the work done during their encumbency. Teachers should be required to leave behind them a record of their work. 8. Want of a general supervisory power in some individual, of suitable qualifications and fitly compensated, for each county. This is not intended to reflect upon the County Superintendents. Their work is largely clerical at present. The great desideratum for the realization of an adequate public school system in North Carolina is more money—an increased appropriation to that end. We need a six-month school in every one of the 7,064 10 Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction school districts. Money alone cannot make good schools, but good schools cannot be made without money. Under the energizing stimulus of adequate appropriations, so given as to call into play the principle of active local self-help, many of the evils that clo« and beset our public school system in its course towards a proper conception of its work, would be overcome and dissipated. Good talents could be attracted and given steady employment. The peripatetic teacher would be supplanted by the permanent one. Time would be afforded to pursue definite aims and to attain definite results. The necessity for text-book uniformity would become apparent to the wayfaring man. The people, for whom schools exist, would taste for the first time the fruits of really good school work, and having once tasted, as the history of the growth of common schools shows, would never again be content to live on meaner food. Interest in schools and care about schools would be enkindled among parents and school officers. Our public schools would become to be looked upon as an active, saving, renovating force among us, not as among many now, a scorn, a shaking of the head, and a hissing. All this would not materialize in the twinkling of an eye, but it would come to pass. It is for the wisdom of the Legislature to devise the ways and means of raising this needed money. Taxation is unquestionably a burden to all men. North Carolina has shown her aversion to it throughout her history. We have never been a heavily taxed people. Our schools received their first impulse from a government grant, and our leading public school—the University—up to 1880, had not received but $17,000 in direct money grants from the State. Our rate of taxa-tion on property for schools is less than any State that I have knowledge of, being 12£ cents on the $100, or $1.25 on the $1,000. If we are the poorest of the States, which I do not believe, so much the more reason whv we should, by the investment of education, emancipate ourselves from this poverty. Nor should the negro be permitted to block the way. Having citizen-ship, he must be trained for it. He pays in money for one-half what he gets. He does our labor and his home is among us. Our refusal to help further to train the negro, and it cannot be said that we have treated him unjustly, means our refusal to train the white child. Whatever is sown to one is reaped by the other. A system of public-schools necessitates a training school for teachers. The men can get normal instruction at the University and the colleges. The women have no place to go. A majority of the public school teachers will be women — surely they ought to be. We must for years to come look to the women for our most skilful work in the schools, as we must rely upon them to preserve and advance whatever is highest and best in our civilization. There are now practically no endowed schools for women save among a few wise but small sects. Neither the State nor the Church has provided any adequate means whereby they can be fitted for motherhood or for Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. 11 life, with its contests and work. An army of bright young women in our State are clamoring to be allowed a chance to work in fields fitted for them, and these fields daily widen. The difficulties that bar the way of young white women of moderate means to a higher training in North Carolina, are greater than those confronting all the other educa-ble subjects in our population—red, black, or white males. No just reason can be given for this. It is simply an inherited wrong in our State life. We have drifted along unmindful of its meaning. An un-taught woman is the most sadly marred of God's creatures. The women are not mere onlookers in life. They have a great part to play. It is their part to bear the children of the commonwealth and to teach them the duties of life. This is serious work, and the State that leaves it to untrained women robs itself of its highest possibilities. A century ago the women of our State gave of their time and money to fit the University—our highest public school—to train its long line of illustrious sons. Again, in 1875 the women gave of their time and money to rehabilitate its dismantled halls. It is the men's turn now. President Caldwell, of the University of North Carolina, sixty five years ago, eloquently urged this great need of the State. The Teachers' Assembly, through its committees, have plead for it for six years. They will again plead for it. With an increased power in the public schools themselves ; with a school established for the training of those desiring to teach ; with agencies at work carrying instruction to those now at work, the dream of the fathers who drafted amid uncertainty and gloom the Constitution of 1776, will be in a fair way of realization, and every child in our State can be enabled to make out of himself for the State's sake, and his own sake, everything that can be made. Respectfully submitted, EDWIN A. ALDERMAN. LIST OF THOSE WHO RECEIVED THE THREE-YEAR STATE CERTIFICATE. Henderson County.—A. Osborne, J. H. Merchant and Miss Kate Logie. Transylvania County.— Polk County.—A. L. Rucker, D. T. Morrow, Jas. H. Smith and Miss Evie J. Boone. Cleveland County.—Miss Addie Gardner, Miss Cleo Gardner, Miss Olive Gardner, Miss Etta Curtis, J. H. Quinn, F. V. Falls, A. T. Gantt, and J. B. Philbeck. Rutherford County.—W. T. R. Bell, James L. Green, B. H. Bridges and C. C. Gettys. 1% Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction Gaston County.—Jno. F. Bradley and L. C. Glenn. Mecklenburg County.—S. M. Davidson. Cabarrus County.—H. T. Baker and D. J. Little. Stanly County.—J. A. Bivens, R. L. Smith and E. F. Eddins. Montgomery County.— Anson County.—W. S. Clarke, L. C. Smith and J. C. Hines. Union County.—T. T. Hasty. J. A. Williams. C. B. Ashcraft and T. C. Benton. Alamance County.—W. J. Thompson. Orange County.—John Thompson, D. S. Parker, Miss Maggie E. Forrest and Miss M. F. Kenion. Cumberland County.—E. R. McKethan, D. P. McDonald and Mrs. S. P. Bryan. Robeson County.—Miss D. E. Marsh and A. A. McMillan. Richmond County.— Wayne County.—Miss Eliza Robinson. E. T. Atkinson and Mrs. L. T. Oates. Harnett County.—D. B. Parker and Mrs. Anna B. Withers. Nash County.—S. E. Eure and Miss Laura Boddie. Lenoir County.—Miss Gertrude Bagby, Frank C. McCoy, Miss Lena Spain and Miss Fannie Kilpatrick. Craven County.—Miss Annie D. Chadwick, Daniel Lane and Geo. S. Wilcox. Carteret County.—Miss Julia Read, B. B. Arrington and W. Q. A. Graha
Object Description
Description
Title | Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina to Governor..., for the scholastic years... |
Other Title | Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina, for the scholastic years |
Creator | North Carolina. Department of Public Instruction. |
Date | 1889; 1890 |
Place | North Carolina, United States |
Description | Includes "Public School Law of North Carolina" |
Publisher | Raleigh :Office State Supt. Public Instruction,-1893. |
Agency-Current |
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction |
Rights | State Document see http://digital.ncdcr.gov/u?/p249901coll22,63754 |
Physical Characteristics | v. ;22 cm. |
Collection |
Health Sciences Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina State Documents Collection. State Library of North Carolina |
Type | Text |
Language | English |
Format | Reports |
Digital Characteristics-A | 256 p.; 13.38 MB |
Digital Collection |
Ensuring Democracy through Digital Access, a North Carolina LSTA-funded grant project North Carolina Digital State Documents Collection |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Audience | All |
Pres File Name-M | pubs_biennialreportofspi1889.pdf |
Pres Local File Path-M | \Preservation_content\StatePubs\pubs_edp\images_master\ |
Full Text |
OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
NORTH CAROLINA.
1889=1890.
Cbe iti&rarp
of t|>e
Ontoersttp of JI3ottb Carolina
Collection ot jRortt) Caroltniana
CnDotocB bp
Joijn feprunt $ffl
of the Class of 1889 ^
00030756021
This booh must not
be taken from the
Library building.
LUNC-15M F.38
OP-1S906
BIENNIAL REPORT
SUPERINTENDENT
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
OF
NORTH CAROLINA,
FOR THE
SCHOLASTIC YEARS 1889 AND 1890.
RALEIGH:
Josephus Daniels, State Printer and Binder.
PRESSES OF EDWARDS & BROTJGHTON.
1890.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Department of Public Instruction,
Raleigh, October 1st, 1890.
To His Excellency Daniel G. Fowle,
Governor of North Carolina.
Sir :—In accordance with Section 2540 of The Code, I have
the honor to submit my report for the biennial term ending
June 30th, 1890.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
S. M. FINGER,
Superintendent Public Instruction.
•J
Index.
INDEX.
Page.
Superintendent's remarks and recommendations - ix
Table comparing school finances of all the States - xiii
Summary of receipts for 1889 and 1890 xvi
Summary of expenditures for 1889 and 1890 xvi
Comparative statistics for seven years, 1884-1890 xvi
Census from 6 to 21 xvii
Enrollment for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii
Average attendance for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii
Average length of school terms for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii
Average salary of teachers for seven years, 1884-1890 xvii
Value of public school property, 1888-1890.-. xviii
No. of public school-houses, 1888-1890 xviii
No. of public schools taught, 1888-1890 xviii
No. of districts, 1888-1890 xviii
Statistics of normal schools (colored), 1888-1890 xix
Normal schools and teachers - xix
County superintendency xx
Confusion of ideas about moral and religious training xx
Enrollment and attendance xxii
Compulsory education - - - xxiii
Text-books and libraries . . xxv
Manual and industrial training xxvii
Committeemen xxviii
Examination of teachers and list of questions xxix
Peabody fund and scholarships at Nashville, Tenn xxxv
City schools ...- xxxvii
Higher educational institutions xxxviii
Croatan Normal School xl
The Negroes xl
Notes upon school revenue xliii
Constitutional provisions xliii
Funds raised in the counties and retained xliv
Funds that go into the State Treasury for schools .
.
xlv
Application of the funds xlvii
Funds from special local taxation xlviii
Institutes , xlix
What we aim at in the Institute work 1
Houses and furniture lv
Inspiring confidence in public schools lvi
vl Index.
Page.
Help of influential citizens - lvi
Increase the funds -- ^v"
Statistics of Institutes l viii
Reports of Institute Conductors:
Report of Prof. E. A. Alderman 1
Report of Prof. C. D. Mclver 15
Report of Prof. J. Y. Joyner, 1889 and 1890 21-24
Report of Prof. M. C. S. Noble, 1889 and 1890 28-31
Report of Prof. E. P. Moses, 1889 and 1890 - 33
Report of Prof. Alex. Graham, 1890. - 34
Report of Profs. E. L. Hughes and J. J. Blair, 1890 36
Statistical Tables:
School fund received, 1889 ---- 59
School fund received , 1890 - 65
School fund disbursed, 1889 - 62
School fund disbursed, 1890 68
School census, number enrolled, average attendance and Insti-tute
statistics - - 71
Number of districts, schools taught, school-houses, etc - - 74
Number of teachers examined and approved, 1890.. 77
Attendance of pupils of different ages and number of pupils
studying different branches - 81
Money apportioned to white and colored; assessed value of prop-erty,
white and colored ; insolvent polls ; poll-tax levied
and amount of poll-tax applied to schools - 84
Normal Schools for the Colored Race :
Boards of Directors and Superintendents 38
Fayetteville, 1889 38
1890 -- 40
Franklinton, 1889 - 42
1890.-. - -'. 43
Plymouth, 1889 - -- -- 47
1890 - 48
Goldsboro, 1889 - - --- 51
1890 —- --- 52
Salisbury, 1889 • --- 55
1890 - 56
Croatan Indians - 57
Private schools in the several counties - - 88
List of Boards of Education --- 106
List of County Superintendents - -- i13
Appendix :
Public school law with Superintendent's notes. . - - - 1-52
List of text-books ... - - - - 58
Index. rii
Appendix—Continued : Page.
Arrangement for purchasing text-books 59
Questions and suggestions for school officers and others 53
Committeemen - - - 53
County Boards of Education 53
County Superintendents - 54
Teachers - 54
Opponents of public education -. -- 55
Justices of the Peace and County Commissioners 57
Plan of school-house 60
Form of contract. - - 61
BIENNIAL REPORT
Superintendent of Public Instruction
FOR THE
SCHOLASTIC YEARS 1889 AND 1890.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REMARKS AND RECOM-MENDATIONS.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE NOT SATISFACTORY.
1. In the beginning of this report I desire to say, with as
much emphasis as possible, that our schools, except in a few
of the cities, are not satisfactory to any class of our citizens.
As everywhere, we have in North Carolina people who either
want no public schools, or if any, only a sort of charity
schools for the poor. For such people we have already too
much tax for public schools.
We also have many people, and the number of such is
rapidly increasing, who believe in liberal education for all
the people for the people's benefit and for the safety of the
State. To such people, many of whom are entirely depend-ent
upon the public schools for the education of their
children, the schools are unsatisfactory because of the small
amount of money applied and the consequent shortness of
annual terms and want of proper qualifications on the part
of many teachers.
THE SCHOOLS ARE DOING MUCH GOOD.
2. It is not my purpose to underrate the good the public
schools are doing. I wish to bear testimony to the fact that
2
X Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction
they are doing much good ; that there is continual improve-ment
in the teachers and in public sentiment ; but it is
simply idle to expect satisfactory schools with our average
annual terms of sixty days, and with an expenditure of
money amounting to forty-four cents on each of the federal
population (each man, woman and child), and only one
dollar and twenty-two cents on each of the school popula-tion
from six to twenty-one years of age.
PUBLIC EDUCATION MUST ADVANCE.
3. Public education is a part of modern civilization, and
it cannot be dispensed with or successfully resisted—it must
go forward. How fast it is to advance is the question, and it
is one to be decided by the people. Complaint is not made
here against the people; my desire is to do my duty as their
agent by way of informing them and the General Assembly
as to the exact status of their schools and leave the matter
with them.
THE SCHOOL FIND MUST BE INCREASED.
4. The amount of money must be doubled before we can
expect[satisfactory schools, and even when that shall have
been done, we will have no longer school terms than some
of our sister Southern States.
The table on page XIII will enable all to see what each
of the States is doing in public education. No better measure
of the educational force of a State can be found than the
per capita amount of money expended per annum, and the
average annual length of school terms. It will be seen that
North Carolina expends 44 cents to each man, woman and
child, while the average in the fifteen Southern States is 98
cents, and the average in the United States is $2.05.
North Carolina's annual school term is sixty days, while
Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. xi
the average in the Southern States is 101 days, and in the
United States 135 days.
The property of the fifteen Southern States, as assessed for
taxation, is $4,418,844,711, their school fund $22,033,849;
the property of the Northern States is about $20,000,000,000
(few of the States not included in this table), their school
fund $110,113,976.
The school fund in North Carolina amounts to 34 cents
on the $100 of her assessed valuation, while in the Southern
States it is 45| cents, and in the Northern States 55 cents.
These figures, deduced from this table, and a careful study
of the table, comparing North Carolina with each of the
other States, show the necessity of an immediate increase of
our school fund.
Under our Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme
Court in Barksdale v. Commissioners of Sampson County,
93 N. C. Reports, the practicable way to increase the general
school revenue, is by increase of the tax levy by the General
Assembly. There is no doubt as to their authority to do
this.
Prior to that decision it was the policy of the State to
require each county to supplement the State lev}7
. That
policy was defeated hy this decision of the Court, which was
to the effect that the county authorities could not add to
the total State levies a rate of taxation that would make
the total State and County taxes more than 66| cents on
$100 of property, and $2.00 on poll ; and that the county
authorities had the discretion to prefer other county matters
to schools. In most counties the whole margin of taxes left
to the County Commissioners by the General Assembly is
exhausted before the school question is considered, and so
the schools have had no additional funds from county levies,
except in a few instances. It is, however, within the power
of the* General Assembly to require the County Commis-sioners
to levy school taxes before they provide for other
county matters If the Assembly would pass an act to this
.'//' Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction
effect, and margin enough should not be left to meet other
necessary expenses of county government, it is thought that
there is authority under sec. 7, Art. VII of the Constitution,
to levy taxes for all necessary expenses. This section is as
follows : " No county, city, town, or other municipal corpora-tion
shall contract any debt, pledge its faith, or loan its
credit, nor shall any tax be levied, or collected by any officer
of the same, except for the necessary expenses thereof, unless
by a vote of the majority of the qualified voters therein."
If it should be held that the levy cannot be made under
this section, it is believed that there is no constitutional
difficulty in getting a special act to meet the necessary
expenses of the county.
After the Assembly shall have gone to the utmost extent
they are willing to go, either by levying the additional taxes
themselves, or commanding the counties so to do, sections
2654 and 2655 should be so amended that ai^ county, town-ship,
city, or town shall be allowed to vote upon the question
of taxing its people, keeping up the equation between the
property-tax and poll-tax, to such extent as they deem
desirable, in order to meet their educational wants.
Scholastic Years 1889 and 1890. .nil
xiv Hi port of Superintendent of Public Instruction
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