George P. Stacy, of Richmond, had a fine assortment of school furniture of all kinds.

Messrs. W. J. C. Dulaney & Co., Baltimore, exhibited specimens of "Soper's patent school desks."

Messrs. G. & C. Merriam & Co., of Springfield, Mass., copies of "Webster's Unabridged Dictionaries."

Messrs. Sower, Potts & Co., Philadelphia, school books.

Messrs. Gately & Haskell, copy of "Gately's Universal Educator." American Soapstone Company, Providence, "sample blackboards." Messrs. E. L. Kellog & Co., New York, "Educational Publications."

The Conference Proceedings.

The second annual Conference of County and City Superintendents and Principals of Public High Schools convened in the Hall of the House of Delegates on the night of April 15th, and was called to order by the President, Hon. R. R. Farr, and opened with prayer by Rev. George W. Dame.

G. W. Hawxhurst, Secretary of the Board of Education, was appointed secretary of the Conference; Captain W. F. Pumphrey, sergeant-at-arms; James Jasper, porter.

The roll of Superintendents was called, and the following were present either at this call or registered during the Conference, viz.: Albemarle, L. A. Michie; Alexandria city, W. F. Carne; Alexandria county, A. B. Grunwell; Alleghany, A. A. McDonald; Amelia, H. T. Tucker; Amherst, O. G. Bailey; Appomattox, Rev. J. B. Bristow ; Augusta, H. S. Roller; Bland, James T. Taylor; Botetourt, M. D. Obenshain; Brunswick, W. F. Jones; Buckingham, A. J. Eppes; Campbell, R. A. Hamlet; Caroline, B. B. Wright; Charles City, J. P. Stagg; Charlotte, Dr. J. C. Paris; Chesterfield, E. S. Robinson; Clarke, Carter M. Louthan; Culpeper, John W. Colvin; Danville, H. C. Slaughter; Dinwiddie, C. M. Harris; Essex, B. G. Rennolds; Fairfax, E. F. Crocker; Fauquier, W. H. Strother; Floyd, John W. Simmons; Fluvanna, John R. Haden; Frederick, George W. Ward; Fredericksburg, General Daniel Ruggles; Gloucester, R. H. Franklin; Goochland, E. S. Reeve; Grayson, W. S. Hale; Greensville, John S. Spencer; Halifax, T. E. Barksdale; Hanover, J. L. Valentine; Henrico, D. E. Gardner; Henry, Dr. J. M. Smith; Highland, Sidney Ruckman; Isle of Wight, W. S. Holland; James City, C. W. Taylor; King & Queen, J. G. Cannon; King William, Colonel J. C.

Johnson; Lancaster, S. P. Gresham; Louisa, W. J. Walton; Lunenburg, O. L. Hardy; Madison, H. N. Fry; Manchester, E. B. Howle; Mecklenburg, H. E. Coleman; Montgomery, W. A. Havener; Nansemond, V. S. Kilby; Nelson, Judge George S. Stevens; New Kent, J. D. Turner; Norfolk city, Major R. G. Banks; Norfolk county, J. E. Baker; Northampton, J. B Dalby; Northumberland, Wm. Broun; Nottoway, J. E. Perkinson; Orange, F. L. Marshall; Patrick, Major J. A. Taylor; Petersburg, Major E. B. Branch; Portsmouth, G. F. Edwards; Prince Edward, T. W. Crawley; Prince George, H. C. Britton; Princess Anne, A. B. Malbore; Pulaski, M. J. Alexander; Richmond city, E. M. Garnett; Richmond county, Rev. George H. Northam; Roanoke, Marshall Frantz; Rockbridge, J. L. Hamilton; Rockingham, Rev. A. P. Funkhouser; Russell, E. D. Miller; Smythe, Major A. G. Pendleton; Southampton, J. J. Deyer; Spotsylvania, J. M. Holladay; Stafford, Strother Harding; Staunton, W. A. Bowles; Sussex, W. N. Blow; Warwick, C. F. Groome; Wythe, Major W. G. Repass. Total present, 78.

Letters were read from the following Superintendents excusing their absence:

Accomac, J. C. Weaver, sickness of wife; Bedford, J. G. Board, sickness of self; Carroll, T. J. Jennings, sickness of self; Elizabeth City, I. L. Jones, burning of store; Giles, G. T. Porterfield, sickness of wife; King George, W. McDaniel, sickness of wife; Lee, J. H. Graham, sickness of self and family; Loudoun, Colonel W. Giddings, attendance on court; Mathews, Rev. R. B. Collier, house destroyed by fire; Middlesex, R. T. Bland, private business; Page, E. T. Broyles, attendance on court; Pittsylvania, J. W. Wilson, sickness of self; Powhatan, Dr. W. H. Hening, sickness of wife; Prince William, Samuel Martyne, sickness of self; Scott, J. B. Wolfe, sickness of self and family; Surry, William Dillard, failure to get notice; Shenandoah, W. W. Logan, sickness of wife; Westmoreland, Rev. H. H. Fones, sickness of family; Wise, M. M. Wells, sickness of family; Washington, R. P. Carson, sickness of self; York, L. U. Evans, personal reasons.

The following Superintendents make no excuse :

Buchanan, T. W. Ratliff; Craig, P. O. Reynolds; Cumberland, C. A. Holman; Dickenson, J. M. Thornbury; Franklin, Dr. B. A. James; Green, J. N. McMullen; Rappahannock, A. H. Buckner; Tazewell, J. H. Gillispie; Warren, J. T. Silman.

At the conclusion of roll-call Superintendent Farr introduced His Excellency W. E. Cameron, Governor and president of the Board

of Education, who in an appropriate address welcomed the members of the Conference to the city.

Hon. F. S. Blair, Attorney-General and member of the Board of Education, was then introduced, and delivered a forcible and welltimed address, at the conclusion of which Superintendent Farr, after a few eulogistic remarks of the valuable assistance rendered the cause of public education by Hon. J. L. M. Curry, agent of the Peabody Educational Fund, introduced that gentleman to the Conference. Dr. Curry was received with hearty applause, and his address was a happy effort in behalf of public education.

Professor George E. Little, of Washington, D. C., entertained the audience with some fine specimen of drawing on the blackboard. The following committees were announced:

ON ORDER OF BUSINESS.

Rev. G. W. Dame, Hon. J. L. M. Curry, Rev. A. P. Funkhouser, L. A. Michie, J. G. Cannon, W. H. Strother, Major W. G. Repass, Professor W. B. McGilvray, General Daniel Ruggles, E. B. Howle, J. L. Hamilton, H. S. Roller.

ON PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.

Judge G. S. Stevens, C. M. Loutham, Professor W. F. Fox, M. D. Obenshain, J. B. Dalby, T. E. Barksdale, H. N. Fry, Major E. B. Branch, Rev. G. H. Northam, J. T. Taylor.

On motion of Judge Stevens, Hon. R. R. Farr, Superintendent Public Instruction, was unanimously elected permanent President, and George W. Hawxhurst, Secretary Board of Education, permanent Secretary.

Judge Stevens offered the following:

Resolved, That a committee of ten be appointed to prepare and report a constitution and code of by-laws for the government of the Conference.

Adopted.

On motion, the Rules of the House of Delegates, session 1879-80 were adopted, so far as practicable, for the government of this Conference.

On motion of Superintendent Strother, the Conference adjourned till to-morrow, 11 A. M.

MORNING SESSION- Wednesday, April 16th.

Conference met pursuant to adjournment. President Farr in the Chair. Opened with prayer by Rev. A. C. Bledsoe.

The Committee on Order of Business presented a programme of exercises for each day as follows:

Wednesday Morning, 16th.-1. Address by Hon. M. A. Newell, secretary Board of Education of Maryland. 2. Followed by discussion of subject-“ Rights and Obligations of Public School Teachers under the Law." Opened by Superintendent Henry C. Slaughter. 3. Address by Gen. Eaton, United States Commissioner of Education—“ Education and the building of the State." 4. Followed by discussion of subject-" Conflicts between District Trustees and Superintendents. How to be avoided." Opened by Superintendent Gen. Daniel Ruggles. 5. Address by Prof. Noah K. Davis, LL.D., representing the University of Virginia.

Wednesday Night, 16th.-1. Address by Hon. John Eaton, United States Commissioner of Education. 2. Followed by discussion of subject "School Supervision." Opened by Judge Stevens. 3. Address by Hon. M. A. Newell, secretary Board of Education of Maryland. 4. Followed by discussion of subject-"Duties of School Trustees." Opened by Superintendent Maj. A. G. Pendleton. 5. Illustrated lecture by Prof. George E. Little, of Washington, D. C. Thursday Morning, 17th.-1. Address by Hon. J. L. M. Curry. Subject: "The Importance of Normal Training for Teachers." 2. Address by Hon. J. G. Cannon. Subject: "Free Text-Books along with Free Education." 3. Followed by discussion of subject--" TextBooks. How Should they be Used?" Opened by Superintendent W. A. Bowles. 4. Address by Prof. W. B. McGilvray. Subject : "County Institutes, their Importance, and the Best Mode of Conducting Them." 5. Followed by discussion of subject: "Institutes required to be held by County and City Superintendents. Do they improve the teacher and generally elevate the Public Free School System, or are they a disadvantage to both? Who is most benefitted by the Institutes, the teacher who attends or the people whose children he teaches? "Ought County Institutes to be abolished, or should the Superintendents do all in their power to make them a success?" Opened by Superintendent Rev. A. P. Funkhouser. 6. Address by Superintendent Gen. Daniel Ruggles. Subject: "Higher Education for Woman-Industrial and Scholastic."

Thursday Night, 17th.—1. Address by Prof. T. N. Conrad. Subject: "Aims and Purposes of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College." 2. Followed by discussion of subject: "Should the standard for professional certificates be raised and made uniform, and an agreement had among the Superintendents at the Conference as to what said standard shall be; and that a teacher holding a professional certificate may teach in any of the counties or cities of the State without a re-examination." Opened by Superintendent W. H. Strother. 3. Address by Prof. W. F. Fox. Subject: "Importance and Benefits of Proper School Literature" 4. Followed by discussion of subject-" Examination of Teachers. Of what should it consist, and should it be uniform." Opened by Superintendent C. M. Loutham. 5. Address by Hon. A. W. Harris, representing the "Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute."

Friday Morning, 18th.-1. Address by Gen. S. C. Armstrong, president Hampton Normal and Collegiate Institute. Subject: "Labor as a Moral Force." 2. Followed by discussion of subject-" The Importance of Grading Schools of one Teacher, and how to do it." Opened by Supt. H. S. Roller. 3. Address by Prof. C. E. Vawter, principal Miller Manual Labor School. Subject: "Aims and Purposes of this Institution." 4. Followed by discussion of subject— "Powers and Duties of School Superintendents, with reference to the proper administration of the School Laws of the State." Opened by Rev. G. W. Dame. 5. Address by Prof. N. B. Webster, of Norfolk. 6. Followed by discussion of Subject-" The Best Arrangements for School-Houses." Opened by Superintendent Rev. G. H. Northam.

Friday Night, 18th.-1. Address by Hon. J. L. M. Curry, Agent Peabody Education Fund. 2. Address by Hon. B. L. Butcher, Superintendent Public Instruction West Virginia. 3. Address by Hon. W. H. Ruffner, Principal State Female Normal School. trated Lecture by Prof. George E. Little.

4. Illus

Saturday 19th.-Discussion of miscellaneous subjects. Sessions of the Conference.-Morning sessions, 10 A. M. to 2 P. M. Night sessions, 8 P. M.; adjourn at will. First hour each session to be devoted to miscellaneous business. Quiz-box to be opened at close of each morning session and questions referred to H. N. Fry, A. G. Pendleton and Sidney Ruckman, committee. Time for discussion of each subject shall not exceed thirty minutes, and each speaker shall be limited to five minutes, except the opening address which may be allowed more time. On Thursday, 4 P. M., the Conference