than it does for one of only 100. Teachers and school officers cannot more fully show their appreciation of Dr. Curry's kindness to them, as the agent of the Peabody Fund, than by attending these Institutes. We expect him to be present at each of them, and want him to meet all the teachers of the State, so that he may see the men and women who are doing such noble work in building up the lasting interest of Virginia.

SCHOOL LAWS.-We receive a great many applications from school officers and others for the new edition of the codified school laws. We would be glad to furnish all who apply, but cannot, as the expense of printing and binding is considerable. They are gotten out for the use and information of school officers, and are sent to trustees only through the county superintendent who is held responsible for their proper distribution.

The distribution of the laws from this office has been delayed by waiting for the acts passed by the last Legislature affecting the schools -some of which make a complete change in the law and the school system. These laws are now in the hands of the binder, and we hope soon to be able to distribute the edition which will embrace all the laws governing or affecting the public free schools from their inauguration up to the present time.

Teachers and others now have a fine opportunity to obtain these laws complete for a nominal sum; as previously announced they will be published in full in the EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL, beginning with this number and running through until completed.

WILLIAM D. WILSON, who will graduate with high honor in the first division of his class at Bates College, Maine-so says Professor George C. Chase of that Institution-desires employment in some of our Virginia schools.

He comes highly recommended by General Armstrong, Professor Chase and others as a colored man of fine attainments. I trust a good place may be given him by some of our school officers. His address is Lewiston, Maine.

SUMMER SESSION OF THE VIRGINIA NORMAL AND COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE.-The following circular, which was prepared by the Hon. A. W. Harris and the faculty of the Institute, by authority of the Board of Education, fully explains the intention of the summer session of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, which, properly managed,

will add greatly to the efficiency of the colored teachers of the State. It is not intended to interfere with the usual summer Institutes for teachers-which are temporary, and are supported wholly by funds furnished by the agent of the Peabody Education Fund— but rather to be a well-defined part of the public school system of the State, and a permanent feature of the Institution:

PETERSBURG, VA., May 31st, 1884.

This is to inform you, that at the last session of the Legislature of Virginia, an act was passed establishing an eight weeks' Course of Normal Instruction, and appointing the President and Faculty of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, with such trained assistants as the Superintendent of Public Instruction may think proper, to conduct said Course of Instruction.

By this act all the teachers are required to attend said Course of Instruction for at least one month in every year, and should any teachers fail to attend for five consecutive years, then their license to teach in the public schools of this State is to be withdrawn, and they will not be allowed to teach in said schools until after they have attended at least one session of said Normal Course of Instruction.

The act also provides that the same accommodations shall be furnished the teachers attending said Normal Course of Instruction as is furnished the students of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, in the way of sleeping apartments, board and instruction, at a cost of eight dollars per month. Those who desire to do so, can find accommodation in the city, but this will be upon their own responsibility as to price, &c. The entire management and control of this Institute is left to the Board of Education, and they have decided to hold a six weeks' Course of Instruction this year, at the building of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, near Petersburg, beginning on the 15th of July, and that the following Course of Instruction suggested by the Faculty of the Institute, will be pursued:

Algebra, Arithmetic, Geography, Grammar, Reading, Writing, Drawing, History, Physiology with Lectures on Hygiene, and Civil Government with the School Laws of Virginia.

Lectures will be given on the Theory and Art of Teaching; Principles and Methods of Education; School Organization and Government; and kindred topics.

General Exercises in Composition, Object Lessons, etc., will be conducted in such a manner and at such times as shall be deemed best.

Rules for the government of the Institute will be the same as those of the Normal School.

Certificates will be given only to those who complete the Course of Instruction.

The persons attending this Institute will be divided into classes, according to their degree of proficiency, so that each one may receive the greatest amount of practical benefit during the time they are here.

Persons proposing to enter the Institute this summer are required to send a letter, addressed to A. W. Harris, 26 Sycamore street, Petersburg, Va., in their own handwriting, dictated without the aid of any one, in which they must answer the following questions: Ist. State the length of time you have taught. 2d. What kind or kinds of schools? 3d. If you expect to continue to teach. 4th. What kind of school you expect to teach? 5th. What, if any, special training for teaching you have received? 6th. What school, or schools, you have principally attended? 7th. Branches in which you are most proficient. 8th. Branches in which you are most deficient. 9th. Your present post-office address. Sign the letter with your full name and give your age. Write on regular note paper, so that the letter with the Institute papers. be filed may away Prof. Geo. E. Little, of Washington, D. C., will assist the instructors for two weeks, by a course of Lectures on Drawing, in which he will explain both the theoretical and practical phase of this art. Dr. J. L. M. Curry, Agent of the Peabody Education Fund, Hon. R. R. Farr, Sup't of Public Instruction for the State of Virginia, Hon. John Eaton, Commissioner of Education for the United States, Prof. N. B. Webster, Lecturer on History, Maj. E. B. Branch, Sup't of Schools for the city of Petersburg, and others have consented to be present and lecture on various subjects during the session of the Institute.

We are making arrangements for reduced fare on the various railroads, which, when completed, we will forward to the persons who have signified their intention of attending the Institute.

We hope to hear from you at once, so that we may know how many will attend the Institute, in order to make full preparations for them in sufficient time, and desire that all the applications may be in before July 1st.

This course of instruction is intended as well for those who are preparing for teachers as those who are already teaching, and they will receive the same advantages as the regular teacher.

Done by order of the Board of Education.

Our Students at University of Nashville.

UNIVERSITY OF NASHVILLE,

STATE NORMAL COLLEGE, May 30th, 1884.

Hon. RICHARD R. FARR,

State Superintendent of Public Instruction:

Dear Sir,—I beg leave herewith to transmit for your inspection a statement of the average rank, etc., of the students from Virginia holding Peabody scholarships at the Normal College at Nashville, Tenn., for the period ending May 28th, 1884.

Seventy-five is a fair average, and entitles the student to continu

ance in his class and progress with it.

SCHOOL LAW OF VIRGINIA.

PREFACE.

This revised edition of the School Law has been prepared by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, by order of the State Board of Education, for the use and information of school superintendents and district school trustees. Whilst the text of the Code of 1873, as amended by subsequent legislation, including many entirely new sections, is closely followed, the scheme of the compilation has been radically changed, and, I believe, for the better. Starting with the Constitution of our State, I have endeavored to arrange all the subsequent legislation affecting the public school system, inaugurated by that instrument, in logical order without regard to the relative position occupied by the sections in the Code and various acts in which they are found, every section having its proper reference to the Code or the acts from which it has been taken. As this is intended as a means of giving information to the school world, I thought it proper to give succinctly the rules governing every institution in the State, supported, either in whole or in part, by State annuity, with the steps necessary to be taken to gain admission therein. Having experienced great difficulty with the old compilation, owing to its multipying sections by sub sections, I have discarded all such divisions, and have given each section, however unimportant, its proper number, running from one on through the book; and have indexed it by subjects, pages, and sections; so that every section has its number, and there can be no confusion in referring to it.

Beginning with page 123 will be found the Regulations which have been adopted from time to time by the Board of Education, by virtue of authority vested in it by law.

This edition of the School Law is prepared merely as a matter of convenience for school officers, and has no authority independent of the acts from which it is compiled.

A sufficient number of copies for the use of boards of school trustees will be forwarded to the city and county superintendents, who will be required to receipt to the Board of Education for the number of copies supplied; and upon their failure so to do, the value of the books delivered will be deducted from their salaries. The Superintendent shall deliver to the clerk of each board of school trustees in his county three copies, one for each member thereof, taking his receipt therefor, which he shall enter upon his record-book. The district clerk shall mark the name of his district in large letters on each of said copies, and shall deliver one to each member of the board, taking his receipt therefor, which he shall duly enter upon the recordbook of the district; and the district clerk shall be responsible to the board, or his successor in office, for each of said books so delivered, and each member shall be responsible to the district clerk for the proper care of the copy delivered to him; and any trustee whose term shall expire and who shall not be re-appointed, or who shall die, resign, or be removed, shall, by representative or in person, deliver to said clerk, in good order, the book for which he receipted.

R. R. FARR, Superintendent of Public Instruction.