Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1878.djvu/31

Rh realized by each State from its educational land grants, have formed the subject of another report now in hand.

The preparation of the report on industrial and high art education in the United States, including the subject of drawing in the public schools, the history and present condition of all public art educational institutions in the United States, as well as of all public art collections, is substantially ready for the press.

The Commissioner alludes to the interruption of work caused by the recent removal of his office to new quarters, but observes that the rooms now assigned, though inadequate, afford some additional advantages, especially as they allow him to bring the collection illustrating the condition, progress, methods, and appliances of education belonging to his office into close proximity to its library. The benefits to accrue from a national collection illustrating the improvements in these appliances can hardly be overestimated. The valuable library has now more commodious quarters. Since its removal, the books, numbering 10,000 volumes, and nearly the entire collection of pamphlets, numbering 25,000 (with 10,000 duplicates), have been re-examined, classified and arranged, and rendered convenient for use.

During the year the office has issued Circular of Information No 1, 1878, a pamphlet of thirty-six pages, relating to the training of teachers in Germany; Circular No. 2, 1878, relating to education in London, is now in press. The special articles which appeared in the education report for 1876 has been reprinted, in order to supply many requests for them.

The office has sent about 20,000 communications and 15,000 packages of documents; it has received about 24,000 communications and 6,000 packages of documents.

The tendency to modify instruction so as to connect with it industrial training has increased, and several special schools for this purpose have been established. The colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts have supplied successfully many wants of this kind.

The pecuniary embarrassment of the country has continued to reduce the amount of money expended for school purposes. Reduced salaries in some places have, in the opinion of the Commissioner, had the effect of increasing the number of incompetent teachers, and in many communities the total lack of funds has caused the schools to be closed.

The friends of educational progress both in France and this country looked forward with interest to the International Exposition at Paris; and particularly so, because education was made so prominent a part of the scheme. Dr. John D. Philbrick, of Boston, was requested to take oharge of the educational section of the American exhibit, and the Bureau of Education afforded him all the assistance it could. The result of the exposition has been very gratifying. Although the section of education occupied a space of only 550 square feet, the number of premiums awarded to the exhibitors was 121 — about one-sixth of the whole