Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/674

 656 MISSISSIPPI 200 ; value of public school property, $1,000,- 000 ; probable number of public schools to be in operation during the year 1873-'4, 3,000. The common school fund amounted to $1,950,000; amount of revenue accruing to the fund from various sources provided by the constitution and laws, $615,963 49 ; amount reported as arising from capitation and special county taxes, $602,481 36; total, $2,565,963 49. The reported expenditures were as follows : teach- ers' wages, $336,345 37; salaries of school officers, $79,381 11 ; school houses and con- tingencies, $65,935 32; total estimated cost of conducting the schools, including normal schools, $492,500. The average monthly wages of teachers was $50 ; number of teachers' institutes held, 6 ; number of lectures delivered by school officers on educational topics, 127; number of school districts, 79. There are two state normal schools, devoted to the training of teachers for the colored schools. One of these is connected with Tougaloo university ; the other was organized in 1870 at Holly Springs, and in 1873 had 3 instructors and 129 pupils. Each member of the legislature is en- titled to nominate one pupil for this school, who is instructed gratuitously. In the Touga- loo school, which was established by the act of Jan. 2, 1872, each county is entitled to the free tuition of two students, to be appointed by the county superintendent of education. The beneficiaries in the normal schools are required to sign a declaration of intention to make teaching a profession and to teach in the public schools of the state for at least three years. In 1870, according to the United States census, the number of schools of all classes was 1,564, with 1,054 male and 674 female teach- ers, 22,793 male and 20,658 female pupils, and an annual income of $780,339 ($11,500 from endowment, $167,414 from public funds, and $601,425 from other sources, including tuition). The schools were classified as follows : classi- cal, 19 (18 colleges and 1 academy) ; profes- sional, 1 (law) ; technical, 1 (for the blind) ; day and boarding, 1,542 ; parochial and char- ity, 1. There were at that time no public schools in the state. The statistics of the prin- cipal collegiate institutions of Mississippi for 1873-'4are as follows: INSTITUTIONS. Date of or- ganization. Location. Denomination. No. of in- structors. Student!. Volumes in libraries. University of Mississippi 1843 Oxford None 18 208 5000 Mississippi college 1851 Clinton Baptist 8 163 2000 1S66 Pass Christian Roman Catholic... 14 151 3,000 Alcorn university 18T1 Oakland "None 9 170 5000 18TO Tou^aloo . Union It 280 1 000 Shaw university 1873 Holly Springs Methodist . 10 263 1834 Sharon Methodist 4 46 1847 Columbus 7 100 250 Chickasaw female college 1850 Pontotoc 6 100 2000 Central female institute.. . 1853 Clinton 9 104 1 000 Union female college 1854 Oxford. . Cumberland Presbyterian 9 167 Whitworth female college 1859 Brookhaven Methodist 11 202 Meridian female college 1865 Meridian Baptist 5 66 50 Franklin female college 1870 Holly Springs... Episcopal 5 90 250 Starkville 6 112 The university of Mississippi, chartered in 1844, embraces three departments : preparatory edu- cation ; science, literature, and the arts ; and professional education. The department of science, literature, and the arts includes six courses: four undergraduate (for bachelor of arts, four years ; for bachelor of science, four years ; for bachelor of philosophy, three years ; and for civil engineer, four years), and two post-graduate (for master of arts and for doc- tor of philosophy). Students in this depart- ment may also pursue selected studies. Can- didates for the post-graduate degrees must have previously obtained the degree of bachelor of arts, or are required to sustain an examination in the studies requisite for that degree. The department of professional education embraces the school of law, the school of medicine and surgery (not yet organized), and the college of agriculture and the mechanic arts. The diplo- ma of the law school, which may be obtained upon passing a satisfactory examination at the expiration of a year's attendance, entitles the recipient to practise law in any court of the state. The college of agriculture and the me- chanic arts was established by a legislative act of 1871, which bestowed upon it two fifths of the proceeds of the 210,000 acres of land granted by congress to the state for the endowment of such an institution. The fund amounted to $75,600. The college has a farm connected with it, and confers the degree of bachelor of scientific agriculture upon graduates of the four years' course. In the department of sci- ence, literature, and the arts, and in the college of agriculture and the mechanic arts, tuition is free to students residing in Mississippi. Stu- dents preparing for the ministry and those pecuniarily unable to pay also have their tui- tion fees remitted. A state scholarship of $100 a year for four years was provided by an act of 1871 for one student from each representa- tive district or county, to be selected by a board of examiners from pupils of the free schools. Alcorn university was incorporated by the act of May 13, 1871, which appropri- ated $50,000 a year for 10 years for its sup- port, and also bestowed upon it three fifths of the proceeds of the congressional land grant.
 * Pass Christian college
 * Tougaloo university.
 * 8haron female college
 * Columbus female institute. . ..
 * Starkville female institute..
 * 1872--3.