OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT.

R. R. FARR, Superintendent Public Instruction, Editor.

[The Journal is sent to every County Superintendent and District Clerk, and must be carefully preserved by them as public property and transmitted to their successors in office.]

CENSUS OF TEACHERS.-Perhaps no information that the Superintendents have ever been called upon by this office to furnish has given them as much trouble as the census of teachers. They imagined at the outset that it was a herculean task, and have treated it accordingly. We undertook to get the sheets all in by the first of March, but failed; for, whilst some Superintendents showed commendable zeal in forwarding them, as usual the laggards were sufficiently numerous to prevent any compilation of the information they contained, and even at this date the Superintendents of the following counties are on the delinquent list, viz: Chesterfield, Giles, Norfolk, Northumberland and Surry.

This failure to furnish the census promptly shows a lamentable want of system in the conduct of the office of the Superintendent; for, if the records of that office were properly kept, any information that might be required could be easily furnished. Superintendents must forsake their old ways, and make it a matter of business in the conduct of their school work, or get out of the way, and let some one take charge who will. Unless every detail, however trifling it may seem to be, is honestly and systematically looked after, our great school interest must suffer. Remember, that however important trustees and teachers may be, the real vitality of our schools depends upon the energy, accuracy and push of the Superintendent. By following strictly the regulations and forms furnished, Superintendents will have no trouble next year in making up and forwarding to this office promptly a neat and accurate census of teachers.

The work already done in this direction, whilst not as accurate or as neat as it should be, has given those who are interested in public education great satisfaction, and the information contained in this report is called for oftener than any other in the office.

EXAMINATION OF TEACHERS.-The attention of Superintendents is called to section 348 of School Law; and we suggest that it would be well for them to hold at least one examination as early

in the school-year as possible, so as to enable those who desire to teach school to know whether or not they will be able to get a certificate, so that they may make their arrangements for the year.

The enforcement of the provisions of the section referred to requires fairness and promptness. Read it carefully.

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS.-Blank paper, properly headed, upon which Superintendents are to report the questions used by them in the examination of teachers, under section 350, has been sent out. Superintendents are advised to prepare their questions at once, and forward a copy of same, written in a legible hand, and only on the paper furnished. These questions, when returned by all the Superintendents, are bound, and form a part of the records of this office, hence it is important that they should be returned on the same size and style of paper, accurately and neatly written. We aimed to furnish a full supply of paper, but if more should be needed advise this office, and it will be forwarded immediately.

TO KEEP A REGISTER OF APPLICANTS FOR TEACHERS' CERTIFICATES. By referring to section 364, Superintendents will see that the register named above is required to be kept, as well as what it shall contain. In order to facilitate and make perfect this branch of the work, we have prepared a blank, in the form of interrogatories, which contains nearly all the information the Superintendent is rèquired to enter in the register. This blank is to be filled up, certified to, and filed with the Superintendent conducting the examination by each applicant for a teacher's certificate before he or she shall be examined. A sufficient number of these blanks for the use of every county and city will be sent to the Superintendent thereof in a few days. When the backs of these certificates are properly filled up, they constitute the cover of the papers required, by section 351, to be filed and kept. We would advise Superintendents to rule their registers for each subject, required to be entered therein, to correspond with the census blank, as it will save them much trouble in making up their annual report of the census of teachers. Read the sections.

BLANK FORMS.-Blanks have been sent to Superintendents upon which to make up their annual reports for the school year ending the 31st day of July, 1884, and we trust they will read them carefully and fill them up accurately, as it is impossible for our annual report-which is a simple compilation of those of the Superin

tendents' to be correct, if theirs are inaccurate. If Superintendents will take the report of this office for 1883 and examine it carefully, they will be utterly astounded at some of their own mistakes as reproduced in the columns of the tables of that report. We are bound to use the data furnished us by the Superintendents, and have no means of detecting errors except by comparing the information given in one table with the same information given in a different table; and it is to that comparison that we invite the attention of every Superintendent. Thus, for example, columns Nos. 3 and 4, table No. 9, call for the number of schools in each county by districts, white and colored; whilst columns Nos. 1 and 2 of table No. 2 call for the number of schools, white and colored, in each county. Of course, the sum of the schools in the districts should give, and must give, the number of schools in the county containing the districts; but it will be readily seen, by comparing the columns referred to, that many Superintendents have given entirely different results, and we are left in doubt as to which is correct. By examining the tables it will be seen that much of the information called for by districts is also called for by counties, and, of course, it should always be the same; but it is not, and the errors in the report of the information asked for in table 9 were so glaring that we were compelled to discard it as accurate in making up the last report, and published it as giving merely approximate information. Any Superintendent who feels aggrieved by the published report has access to his own manuscript, which is filed in this office, and from which the information was taken.

It is our object to get the reports correct, and by repeated efforts, and by sending them back to the Superintendents time and again we, in the main, succeeded; but in some cases, and on some subjects, after the most energetic efforts, we failed to secure what we wanted, and had to put up with an approximation. But our patience is exhausted, and delinquent Superintendents need expect no indulgence this year, as the law will be promptly enforced. These reports are due at this office on or before the 10th day of September annually," and we trust that this year all the Superintendents will send their reports in before that time.

The school year closes the 31st day of July, and it is much easier to get the report up and forward it immediately after that time than to wait until the last moment. Just as soon as each report is received it will be examined, and if found correct, a warrant for the quarter's

salary will be forwarded to the sender, as we do not propose to punish the prompt Superintendents with the delinquent ones.

PEABODY SCHOLARSHIPS.-President Stearns informs us that Virginia will be entitled to ten scholarships in the Nashville College the coming session, which opens on the first Wednesday in October.

These scholarships are awarded strictly on merit by competitive examination. These examinations will be held this year at Wytheville and Harrisonburg during the Teachers' Institutes at these places on the following subjects: Spelling, Reading, Penmanship, Grammar and Analysis, Rhetoric, Geography, civil and physical, Arithmetic, Algebra, Book-keeping, Physiology, United States History and Elements of Geology.

The applicant for a scholarship must be between the ages of 17 and 30, present to the President of the College a certificate of irreproachable moral character, gentlemanly or lady-like habits, presumed good health, declare his or her intention to make teaching a profession, must give a pledge to remain at the College two yearsif the scholarship is continued so long, promise to submit cheerfully to all its requirements, in study, discipline, etc., and to teach in the Public Schools, of his or her own State at least two years, if there is opportunity.

The scholarships will be awarded only to those who come up to the requirements of the examination.

All applications must be filed in this office in the handwriting of the applicant, giving age, occupation, &c.

Any further information can be obtained by addressing this office.

NATIONAL AID TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.-Are we to be disappointed in obtaining this great boon? And is the act entitled an act "to aid in the establishment and temporary support of common schools," which passed the United States Senate with so much unanimity last spring, and which it appears was printed April 9, 1884, for the use of the House of Representatives, to be allowed to die in that body in full sight of its many friends?

In common with every friend of public education, we desire this aid, to enable the great burden of illiteracy to be at least lightened in the whole Union, and especially in our own State. We have written to our Congressmen from Virginia, urging them to use every effort to have the bill taken up and passed. Hon. George D. Wise, Hon. C. T. O'Ferrall, and Hon. H. Libbey have responded to our appeal,

assuring us of their deep interest in its success, and hearty support of the bill. All seem to agree that if a vote could be reached it would pass by a two-thirds vote. If this be so are not its friends assuming a great responsibility in not pressing a vote upon it? We confess we are at loss to understand why, in the face of such expressions, favorable action cannot be had, and trust that ere another issue of the JOURNAL we may be able to herald it abroad that the National Congress has at last come to our aid in the great cause of popular education.

OUR SUMMER NORMALS-This office has spared no pains nor labor in giving every teacher in the State due notice of the Summer Institutes, and we presume ere this each one, both white and colored, has received through their respective Superintendents, circulars giving full information relating thereto. These circulars have been furnished each Superintendent for this purpose, and we hope they have attended promptly to sending them to their teachers. No teacher can afford to let the opportunity pass to secure the full benefit of the instructions to be given at these Institutes. Men of wide experience have been selected to conduct them; liberal rates of travel have been secured, the best possible terms arranged for board, and everything done for the comfort and pleasure of those who attend. Are you going?

The one at Harrisonburg commences July 22d, lasting four weeks. Rev. A. P. Funkhouser, Superintendent of Schools, Rockingham county, Post-office Harrisonburg, in charge of local arrangements.

The one at Wytheville commences July 15th, with Major W. G. Repass, Superintendent Schools, Wythe county, Post-office Wytheville, in charge of local arrangements.

The one at Farmville for colored teachers has Superintendent T. W. Crawley, of Prince Edward, arranging local matters, whose postoffice address is Prospect Depot. This commences August 4th, and will continue two weeks. In addition to this, for colored teachers, the summer course of six weeks at tne Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute commences July 15th. Hon. A. W. Harris or Prof. James Storum, of Petersburg, will give full information concerning local arrangements.

We hope Superintendents and other school officers will also make an effort to be present. The reduced rates are for their benefit as well as teachers, and are as follows:

Richmond and Petersburg-Return at half rates.