of the General Statutes, it is made the duty of every town divided into districts, to vote at the next annual town meeting, namely in 1866, upon the question of abolishing such districts. It is earnestly hoped that when this vote comes to be taken, it will result in the total abolition of this cumbrous and unwieldy district system, which has so long clogged the progress of educational improvement in the towns where it has been suffered to remain. Reason and fact alike condemn it as a fruitful source of inconveniences and evils. It perpetuates poor schoolhouses, inefficient teachers, and neighborhood feuds and jealousies. It prevents the equalization of school advantages, and stands in the way of a proper classification of pupils. As compared with the town system, it is at once expensive and inefficient. For these and other reasons, the highest authorities in educational economy agree in pronouncing an emphatic verdict against it. Horace Mann, at the close of his long term of service as Secretary, said of it: 'I consider the law of 1789, authorizing towns to divide themselves into districts, the most unfortunate law, on the subject of Common Schools, ever enacted in this State.' His successors have been no less decided in pronouncing it a deleterious element of the system. Dr. Sears, who devoted the greater part of an able report to the exposition of its evils, said: 'The division of a town into independent districts is a great sacrifice of economy, for which no equivalent is received.' Mr. Boutwell, with great earnestness, on all proper occasions, urged its discontinuance, and in his last report, he said: 'I trust that the day will again and speedily be seen when every town will, in its municipal capacity, manage its schools and equalize the expenses of education.' The present Secretary has demonstrated by the most convincing proof, the necessity of doing away with it. After years of experience and observation as pupil, teacher, a member of the school committee in city and country, and as Secretary of the Board, he says: 'I honestly and most firmly believe that the sub-division of the towns into numerous, and in the majority of cases, small districts, presents the most formidable obstacle to any considerable improvement in their schools.' Thus reason has arraigned it, fact has given evidence against it, argument has convicted it, experience has pronounced judgment upon it, and it only remains for the intelligent citizens, at the time appointed, by their votes, to put an end to its existence."

SALARIES OF TEACHERS. "One of the surest signs of the condition of education in any community is the estimation in which the profession of teaching is held. Where low views of education prevail, the teacher is valued at a low rate, and his services are poorly paid. On the other hand, where elevated and enlarged ideas of the nature and ends of wise education are entertained, the true dignity of the profession is appreciated, and the importance of securing to it the highest talent and accomplishments is practically acknowledged by providing the requisite means for the attainment of the end in view. Measured by this standard, our progress as a State, it must be confessed, has not been so satisfactory as could be desired. By a comparison of statistics it appears that in the course of twenty years the average wages of teachers, male and female, in this Commonwealth, have been advanced nominally

about fifty per cent. If, in the meantime, the average wealth of the State per capita had remained stationary, and if the wages of labor, in general, had not been raised, this increase might justly be regarded as a gratifying proof of progress. But the facts in the case will scarcely justify such a conclusion. Within the period named, such has been the increase in the valuation that the ratio of taxable property to population has been doubled, so that in reality the compensation of teachers has not kept pace with our growth in material wealth. That the wages of labor, of every other description, whether skilled or unskilled, professional or industrial, have risen more than fifty per cent, does not admit of question. The wages of male teachers average fifty-four dollars and seventyseven cents per month. This rate does not exceed that paid to an ordinary journeyman mechanic. The six thousand two hundred and ninety-five female teachers receive an average of twenty-one dollars and eighty-two cents per month. It is more than probable that an equal number of females could be found in the State who are engaged in industrial occupations at a higher average rate of wages. “These facts demand the serious consideration of the friends of popular education. Without good teaching, a school is but a name. But good teaching can be had only from men and women of high ability and ripe culture, and to suppose that such men and women can be attracted to the laborious profession of teaching without adequate compensation is a fatal delusion. Poor schools can be had cheap, but good schools will always be costly; and if the character of our Public Schools is to be elevated and improved, if they are to be kept up to the standard of excellence required by an advancing civilization, affording competent instruction to every child, it is absolutely essential that the compensation of teachers should be raised in proportion to the general increase of wealth in the community. Teachers will correspond in their character and qualifications to the demands of public sentiment as expressed in the rate of salaries paid. The demand creates the supply. If there is a real demand for gifted men and women, qualified by their intelligence and moral power to do the great work of education as patriotism and religion would wish it done, such men and women will not only be liberally paid, but they will receive other proofs of the consideration in which they are held, and thus they will be secured and retained in the profession. But while so many paths to wealth and promotion are open, while talent is invited through so many broad avenues to emolument and distinction, it is unreasonable, it is preposterous, to expect that superior persons--and only such can be good teachers can, in sufficient numbers for the wants of the present time, be won to the arduous and responsible office of teaching without stronger inducements than have yet been offered. As to the pecuniary ability of the Commonwealth to pay the teachers of her children, it is sufficient to state that at present only about one mill and a half on a dollar of valuation is appropriated to this object, and in the most wealthy cities the ratio even falls below this small fraction."

OBITUARY.

Died in Rockville, December 23d, Miss Betsey L. Adams, aged 46 years. We feel that something more than a mere passing notice is due to the memory of one so justly esteemed as a faithful, efficient teacher; one who has labored so successfully to promote the cause of education, and whose sudden death will long be deeply mourned by a large circle of pupils who have been favored with her instructions for many successive years.

For nearly thirty years the deceased was engaged in what she always esteemed the delightful employment of teaching, during most of the time in the town of Medway, where she resided for many years previous to her death; and seldom do we see one in whom so many, if not all the requisite qualifications of a good teacher were so happily blended. Possessing a mind of a high order, strong, active, well balanced; endowed with talents of no ordinary character, having uncommon energy and perseverance; blessed with a cheerful, happy disposition, kind and gentle, yet firm and decided, together with a rare tact for imparting instruction, she readily won the love and esteem, while she secured the respect and obedience of her pupils.

But the true secret of her long continued success, was her ardent love of the employment, a love which increased instead of diminishing. She remarked to a friend only a few weeks previous to her death, that the longer she taught, the better she loved to teach. With her, teaching was not a task, or a mere mechanical routine of daily duties; she loved the work, and devoted herself and all her energies to it; indeed, her whole end and aim seemed to be to benefit her pupils, and train them up for lives of usefulness here, and fit them for happiness hereafter.

It was her custom in the course of her reading, and from various other sources, to treasure up items of historical or scientific knowledge, and each day communicate one or more facts to her pupils, and in this way, she imparted much valuable information which they would not otherwise have acquired.

No exertions were too great, no sacrifice too much for her to make. It was enough for her to know that her pupils were made wiser and better and happier, at whatever cost of toil or sacrifice to herself. But while she was so anxious to promote the intellectual improvement of her pupils, she did not forget their moral and religious culture. A devoted, consistent Christian herself, she endeavored both by example and precept, to exemplify the religion of Jesus, and we doubt not that, through her instrumentality, many of her pupils have been led to seek that good part which can never be taken away.

"She rests from her labors, and her works do follow her." Her earthly mission is ended, her work done, and well done, and she has gone to her reward. [Communicated.

INTELLIGENCE.

We are pained to have to record the death, by drowning, on Christmas, at Edisto Island, S. C., of three teachers employed under the auspices of the Freedmen's Association : Miss Ellen S. Kempton, formerly a teacher in the Cedar St. Primary School, in New Bedford: Miss Stanton, of Lowell, and Mr. James P. Blake, of New Haven.

Mr. John P. Averill, for many years the efficient and successful master of the Chapman School, at East Boston, has resigned his situation, preparatory to removing to Madison Co., Mississippi, where he has purchased a plantation, and will go into the business of raising cotton stock, etc.

A correspondent sends us an account, which we have not room to print, of the very popular and successful efforts of Prof. Mark Bailey, of Yale College, to promote an interest in the great cities of the West, in the study of Elocution and the neglected art of Reading. We rejoice to see judicious efforts made in this direction.

Miss Maria Baldwin, a graduate of Baldwin University, at Berea, O., has been filling, during the past year, the chair of Professor of the Greek and Latin languages, in the Baker University, Kansas.

Our excellent Normal Schools have all held their semi-annual examinations and exhibitions during the past month, and we regret that want of space prevents us from copying a portion of the interesting reports of the exercises. At the Salem School, now in charge of Mr. D. B. Hagar, fourteen young ladies graduated in the regular and two in the advanced class. At the Framingham School, which, during the absence of Mr. Bigelow in Europe, has been wholly in charge of the lady assistants, twenty-six young ladies graduated, and at Bridgewater, twelve ladies, and two gentlemen. The exercises at Westfield take place after we go to press.

The Board of Education of the city of St. Louis has been empowered by the Legislature of Missouri to lay a tax not exceeding one-half of one per cent, for school purposes, on all the taxable property of the city, the Board to determine said rate each year. This liberal provision speaks well for the progressive spirit of the great West. One-half of one per cent on the taxable property of Boston would amount to a million and a half of dollars.

The January number of the Illinois Teacher contains a long and interesting report of the meeting of the State Teachers' Association, held at Joliet, Dec. 26. From the address of the President, Mr. S. M. Etter, we extract the following passage illustrative of the rapid advance our Western States are making in educational matters.

"The question may very properly here be asked, What has been done? In answer I would say,- A school-law has been enacted almost unparalleled in the liberality of its provisions, and a large majority of the people of the State are in

favor of every provision of the law, and will sustain it. Provision is made for the education of teachers in the State Normal School, which, for liberal support and efficient management, has no superior: its influence is already felt throughout the State. The office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction has been created, and the people have placed in that office one of our own number, of whom it can safely be said that no State can boast of a better, a wiser or a more efficient officer. Free Schools have been established throughout the State, which, to-day, are the pride of every good citizen. A few years ago there were but few schools, and those wholly unclassified. The progress that has been made during the last fifteen years, and especially during the last ten, in labors tending to improve the character and usefulness of the schools and teachers of the State, is truly a proper theme for congratulation here to-day."

We are glad also to see the following opinion expressed: "That all grades of schools may be even moderately successful, good libraries are indispensable both for the teachers and pupils."

We find the following account of the recent meeting of State School Superintendents at Washington in the correspondence of the Boston Advertiser:

"The convention of State School Superintendents has closed its session, and adjourned to meet at Indianapolis on the thirteenth of next August. The session here was a success beyond all expectation, and there is full warrant for saying that this success was largely due to the energy and earnestness of Superintendent Northrup of Massachusetts. The primary object of the convention was to give an incentive to the educational cause of the South, and the sense of the delegates found expression in a resolution declaring that the establishment of systems of common schools in the Southern States will do much to harmonize their relation with the other States of the Union, and that there is no other plan by which they can more readily and certainly secure the development of their great material resources. Another resolution expressed sympathy with the people of the South in their efforts to secure a system of public education, and still another suggested to General Howard the propriety of establishing training schools for colored teachers, who should ultimately be sent South to teach their own people.

Throughout the session there was frequent and complimentary reference to the school system of Massachusetts. Messrs. White of Ohio, Coburn of Pennsylvania, and Adams of Vermont, were appointed a committee to urge upon Congress the establishment of an educational bureau, and Mr. Northrup was chosen permanent president of the assocation."

The memorial of the Convention was presented to the House on the 14th, by Representative Garfield, together with the draft of a bill creating a Bureau of Education in the Department of the Interior. "For the purpose of collecting such statistics and facts as shall show the condition and progress of education in the several States and Territories, and diffusiug among the people such information respecting the instruction, organization and management of schools and the school system, the Bureau is to be under the charge of a Commissioner to be