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.]

OUR PEABODY NORMAL INSTITUTES.-The Institute at Wytheville was formally opened, on Tuesday night, July 15th, by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, under the most favorable auspices, and has from our latest report three hundred teachers in attendance. Professors E. V. DeGraff, and W. B. McGilvray are in charge, and all are much interested. Prof. Little, with his inimitable blackboard drawings added no little to the success of the opening exercises. A large number of County Superintendents are taking an active interest in the sessions.

On the same day we had the pleasure of being present and opening the summer session of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute at Petersburg, which commenced very auspiciously. Prof. James Storum, Principal of the Institute, was present with a full corps of instructors and reports received from there since the opening indicate a successful and profitable session. On July 31st, Hon. J. L. M. Curry delivered to the teachers one of the most practical and effective addresses we have ever listened to.

On Tuesday, July 22d, we opened the Institute at Harrisonburg which commenced with an enrolment of three hundred teachers and this number has been increased daily, until our latest advices indicate that over four hundred teachers will avail themselves of the advantages of the instruction. Professors M. A. Newell, of Maryland, and J. G. Swartz, of Lexington, are in charge of this Institute, assisted by Mrs. Murrell and Miss McGee. On Tuesday night a public reception was given in the court-house building, which was crowded to excess. An able address of welcome was made by Judge John Paul, and responded to by Prof. M. A. Newell and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. This Institute is also being attended by a large number of superintendents, whose names we will give with a more full report which we hope to have for the next issue.

We are extremely gratified at the success of these Institutes, which far exceeds our most sanguine expectations. Too much praise cannot be given Superintendents Major W. G. Repass, of Wythe, and Rev. A. P. Funkhouser, of Rockingham, who had charge of the local arrangements, for the untiring zeal and energy manifested by them in the work.

The Wytheville Institute will probably close August 12th, and the one at Harrisonburg August 19th. The Farmville Institute for colored teachers will open August 4th.

ANNUAL REPORTS.-We again remind superintendents that we expect prompt and accurate reports for the year ending July 31st, and hope not one will have to be returned for correction.

We call attention to section 48, of school law, which requires that until the annual report is received, warrant for last quarter's pay cannot be forwarded.

It always gives us pleasure to mail promptly the warrants to superintendents for their well-earned salaries, but unless they comply with all the requirements of the law, this cannot be done, and we will be in no wise to blame; we cannot accept a report unless accurate in every detail. The superintendents whose reports pass the close scrutiny to which they are subjected will not be kept waiting for their warrants, and we hope none will be disappointed in this respect.

WE again call the attention of teachers and school officers to the importance of subscribing to the EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL, commencing with the May number, in order to obtain the complete school law of the State, and would say that as soon as the full law is published it will be followed by the index of the same, thus furnishing to each subscriber a ready reference to every section and page.

WARRANT Books. At our suggestion, the firm of Mess. Randolph & English, of this city, have manufactured a large number of warrant books for the use of District Boards in drawing money from the different funds under their control.

These books have been gotten up in good style and will be found very useful in keeping the funds separate and facilitating the work of the clerk in making his reports. It is very desirable that a uniform system should prevail in the manner of disbursing the school funds, and with this object in view, we made the suggestion to this enterprising firm, and believe it would be wise for our District Boards to provide a set for the use of the clerk.

SCHOOL LAWS.-Copies of School Law have been sent to every superintendent for the following school officials of his county, viz: one for superintendent, one for each trustee, one for each member of the Board of School Commissioners and one for the County or City Treasurer. We hope ere this, that each of the above named officers has received his copy, and as the laws are conveniently arranged and appropriately indexed, there will be now no excuse for all connected with the schools not knowing their respective duties, and we shall not expect henceforth to hear of any violations.

THE year just closed has been a prosperous one to the schools of our State, and we feel assured, that when the reports are all in they will show a gratifying increase in every department of our great school system, which, year by year, is gaining in strength and popular favor. Our superintendents and other school officials, with rare exceptions, have labored earnestly and faithfully to promote the efficiency of the schools in their respective counties, and we feel very much encouraged for the future of our public school interests.

THE law passed by the last Legislature establishing the State Female Normal School, has been declared unconstitutional by the Court of Appeals, for the reason that the law specified that the annual appropriation to sustain the school should be taken from the public free school fund.

SCHOOL LAW OF VIRGINIA.

(Continued from page 264.)

SEC. 20. The general assembly shall confer on the courts the power to grant divorces, change the names of persons, and direct the sale of estates belonging to infants and other persons under legal disabilities; but shall not, by special legislation, grant relief in such cases, or in any other case of which the courts or other tribunals may have jurisdiction.

SEC. 21. The general assembly shall provide for the annual registration of births, marriages, and deaths.

SEC. 22. The manner of conducting and making returns of elections, of determining contested elections, and of filling vacancies in office, in cases not specially provided for by this constitution, shall be prescribed by law; and the general assembly may declare the cases in which any office shall be deemed vacant, where no provision is made for that purpose in this constitution.

SEC. 23. The legislature shall have power to provide for the government of cities and towns, and to establish such courts therein as may be necessary for the administration of justice.

SEC. 24. The general assembly shall have power, by a two-thirds vote, to remove disabilities incurred under clause third, section one, article third, of this constitution, with reference to duelling.

NOTE.-For Schedule in act for submission to the people of amendments to this article, vide Acts 1875-6, page 92.

ARTICLE VI.

JUDICIARY DEPARTMENT.

SEC. I. There shall be a supreme court of appeals, circuit courts, and county The jurisdiction of these tribunals, and the judges thereof, except so far as the same is conferred by this constitution, shall be regulated by law.

courts.

SEC. 2. The supreme court of appeals shall consist of five judges, any three of whom may hold a court. It shall have appellate jurisdiction only, except in cases of habeas corpus, mandamus, and prohibition. It shall not have jurisdiction in civil cases where the matter in controversy, exclusive of costs, is less in value or amount than five hundred dollars, except in controversies concerning the title or boundaries of land, the probate of a will, the appointment or qualification of a personal representative, guardian, committee, or curator; or concerning a mill, roadway, ferry, or landing; or the right of a corporation or of a county to levy tolls or taxes, and except in cases of habeas corpus, mandamus, and prohibition, or the constitutionality of a law provided that the assent of a majority of the judges elected to the court shall be required, in order to declare any law null and void by reason of its repugnance to the federal constitution, or to the constitution of this state.

SEC. 3. Special courts of appeals, to consist of not less than three nor more than five judges, may be formed of the judges of the supreme court of appeals and of the circuit courts, or any of them, to try any cases on the docket of said court, in

respect to which a majority of the judges thereof may be so situated as to make it improper for them to sit on the hearing of the same; and also to try any cases on the said docket which cannot be otherwise disposed of with convenient dispatch.

SEC. 4. When a judgment or decree is reversed or affirmed by the supreme court of appeals, the reasons therefor shall be stated in writing and preserved with the records of the case.

SEC. 5. The judges shall be chosen by the joint vote of the two houses of the general assembly, and shall hold their office for a term of twelve years; they shall, when chosen, have held a judicial station in the United States, or shall have practiced law in this or some other state for five years.

SEC. 6. The officers of the supreme court of appeals shall be appointed by the said court, or by the judges thereof in vacation. Their duties, compensation, and tenure of office shall be prescribed by law.

SEC. 7. The supreme court of appeals shall hold its sessions at two or more places in the state, to be fixed by law.

SEC. 8. At every election of a governor, an attorney-general shall be elected by the qualified voters of this commonwealth. He shall be commissioned by the governor, perform such duties and receive such compensation as may be prescribed by law, and shall be removable in the manner prescribed for the removal of judges.

Circuit Courts.

SEC. 9. The state shall be divided into sixteen judicial circuits, as follows: I. The counties of Norfolk, Princess Anne, Nansemond, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, and the city of Norfolk shall constitute the first circuit.

2. The counties of Sussex, Greensville, Brunswick, Prince George, Dinwiddie, Nottoway, Chesterfield, and the city of Petersburg shall constitute the second circuit. 3. The counties of Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Charlotte, Amelia, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Buckingham, and Cumberland shall constitute the third circuit. 4. The counties of Halifax, Pittsylvania, Henry, Patrick, Franklin, and the town of Danville shall constitute the fourth circuit.

5. The counties of Bedford, Campbell, Appomattox, Amherst, Nelson, and the city of Lynchburg shall constitute the fifth circuit.

6. The counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Culpeper, Goochland, Madison, Greene, and Orange shall constitute the sixth circuit.

7. The county of Henrico and the city of Kichmond shall constitute the seventh circuit.

8. The counties of Accomack, Northampton, York, Elizabeth City, Warwick, James City, New Kent, Charles City, and the city of Williamsburg shall constitute the eighth circuit.

9. The counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Mathews, Middlesex, Gloucester, King William, Essex, and King and Queen shall constitute the ninth circuit.

10. The counties of Westmoreland, Spotsylvania, Caroline, Hanover, Stafford, King George, Richmond, and Louisa shall constitute the tenth circuit.

11. The counties of Loudoun, Fauquier, Fairfax, Prince William, Rappahannock, and Alexandria shall constitute the eleventh circuit.

12. The counties of Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Page, Shenandoah, and Rockingham shall constitute the twelfth circuit.