ions of some of our best and most conservative educators, be embodied and presented.

In order that this end might the better be encompassed, recourse was had to the following expedient, to wit: A series of questions in manuscript form, embracing as briefly as possible, the principal items contemplated in the report, was prepared and sent to all the principal Normal Schools in the United States and Canada, with a request that the inquiries be answered, and the manuscript returned.

Before entering upon this part of the report, however, it might be well to call a brief attention to the history of Normal Schools in other countries. For this your committee is indebted to that able and popular document, the first Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey State Normal School. The article is from the pen of Prof. Wm. Phelps, the able Principal of the School. The whole report is worthy of a careful perusal—especially that part of it which relates to Normal Schools. We only make a few extracts.

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'The original signification of the word Normal, as applied to schools, was that of Pattern or Model School. It was an elementary institution in which the best methods of instruction and discipline were practiced, and to which the candidate for the office of Teacher resorted for the purpose of learning, by observation, the most approved modes of conducting the education of youth. Of this class, were the schools of Neander, established at Ilefield, Germany, as far back as the year 1570, as also those of Abbe de La Salle, at Rheims, France, in 1681." **

"According to the present acceptation of the term Normal School, as used in many of the European countries, it denotes an establishment composed of young men and women, who have passed through an elementary or even superior school, and who are preparing to be Teachers by making additional attainments, and acquiring a knowledge of the human mind, and the principles of education as a science, and its methods as an art. The Normal School of the present day, includes also the Model or Pattern School of earlier times. It thus combines theory with practice, there being 'Model Schools,' Experimental Schools, or, Schools for Practice,' as they are variously called, established in connection with them, to afford an opportunity for testing practically the mode of instruction which they inculcate.”

"The first regularly organized Teachers' Seminary, or Normal School, as at present understood, was established at Halle, in a part of Hanover, about 150 years ago. A similar institution was opened at Rheims, in France, in 1794, by ordinance of the National Assembly, to furnish

Professors for Colleges and Higher Seminaries. But the first Normal School for the training of Elementary Teachers in France was organized at Strasbourg, in 1810. Now, each department of the Empire is obliged, either alone or in conjunction with other departments, to support one Normal School for the education of its School Masters. In 1849, there were ninety-three of these in France, and ten thousand five hundred and forty-five of their graduates were actually employed in the Primary Schools of the Empire."

Says M. Guizot, in a report to the King, in 1833, on the state of primary education in the departments constituting the Academy of Strasbourg: "In all respects, the superiority of the popular schools is striking, and the conviction of the people is as general, that this superiority is mainly due to the existence of the Normal School."

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He says further: "All of you are aware, that the primary instruc tion depends altogether on the corresponding Normal School. The prosperity of these establishments is the measure of its progress. Imperial Government, which first pronounced with effect the words 'Normal Schools,' left us a legacy of one. The restoration added five or six. Those, of which some were in their infancy, we have greatly improved within the last two years, and have at the same time established thirty new ones, twenty of which are in full operation, forming in each department a vast focus of light, scattering its rays in all directions among the people."

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Normal Schools were first organized in England about the year 1805. Lord Broughman, ever an able and eloquent advocate of popular education, in a speech in the House of Lords, on the education of the people, in 1835, thus remarks: "Place Normal Schools-Seminaries for training Teachers in a few such places as London, York, Liverpool, Durham and Exeter, and you will yearly qualify five hundred persons fitted for diffusing a perfect system of instruction all over the country. These training Seminaries will not only teach the masters the branches of learning and science in which they are now deficient, but will teach them what they know far less-the Didactic Art-the mode of imparting the knowledge they have or may acquire, the best methods of training and dealing with children in all that regards temper, capacity and habits, and the means of stirring them to exertion and controlling their aberrations."

This able champion of popular education has lived long enough to see thirty-six Normal Schools, or Training Colleges, in England and Wales, four in Scotland, and one in Ireland, in successful operation.

New Jersey, and those in other States, and how well they have kept pace with each other in growth and importance, subsequent comparisons will show.

On the same subject, Mr. Dana P. Colburn, Principal of the R. I. State Normal School, writes, that "as a State Institution, their school has been in operation since May, 1854; but that it had been in operation two winters previous as a private school."

It is well known by those conversant with the Normal School enterprise in the Eastern States, that the success of the experiment in organizing and sustaining the State Normal School in the city of Providence, has been very gratifying to the friends of the measure. The Teachers have been models for their profession; and they have successfully accomplished a work for which they deserve the gratitude of the State.

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D. H. Cochran, Principal of the State Normal School, Albany, N. Y., writes and answers by circular, that the school has been in operation since Dec. 18, 1844. It was established " for the instruction and practice of Teachers of Common Schools, in the science of education and the art of teaching. It was at first established for five years, as an experiment, and went into operation as above, in a building provided gratuitously by the city of Albany, and temporarily fitted up for that purpose."

Victor M. Rice, in his annual report for 1855, says, "that in a State like New York, comprising an extended territory, and a population of nearly three and a half million, including above one million of children of proper school age, more than nine hundred thousand of whom actually attend the schools, it could not have been rationally expected that one such institution could supply the demand for Teachers. Still, it is but just to say, that it has been, and is fulfilling a mission of usefulness; though perhaps not always appreciated in every county and town in the State.'

Upon the same subject, Mr. J. W. Dickinson, Principal of the State Normal School at Westfield, Mass., answers, "that this Institution is one of the four State Normal Schools under the direction of the Mass. Board of Education. It was first opened at Barre, Sept. 4, 1839, and reöpened at Westfield, Sept. 4, 1844." This, perhaps, is one of the oldest schools of the kind in the State, or even in our country; and it is but just to say that it has won its way into public confidence, and still enjoys a high degree of prosperity.

Mr. Richard Edwards, Principal of the State Normal School at Sa

lem, Mass., writes, "that the Institution over which he presides, was opened Sept. 14, 1854. It is one of the four State Normal Schools of Mass., and is intended for females only."

The State Normal School of Conn. was established by the act of the Legislature, May session, 1849. On the 1st of Feb. 1850, it was permanently located at New Britain. The school was opened for the reception of pupils on Wednesday, May 15, 1850."

Other Normal Schools were addressed, but full reports were not received.

The second question in the series reads as follows:

"Is your Institution established and maintained wholly or in part by the State."

To this New Jersey gives answer as follows:

"It is supported entirely by the State. The annual appropriation for the purpose being ten thousand dollars." Mr. Phelps says further, "that it is proper to remark in this connection, however, that we are enabled to make our Model School defray its own expenses, besides yielding an annual revenue of about twelve hundred dollars, which sum is appropriated to the purchase of books, apparatus, etc., for the Normal School."

And shall Ohio, with all her wealth and resources, developed and undeveloped, and with her population of two millions, more than eight hundred thousand of which are children of proper school age, shall she -in many points the second State in the Union-be outstripped by little New Jersey? It were glory enough for the little State; but we should hang our heads for our own broad acres.

To the same inquiry Rhode Island answers, "wholly by the State." N. Y. says: "The Normal School proper, wholly by the State. The Model School is self-sustaining, in fact, adds something to the Normal School fund."

The Westfield Normal School, Mass., says: By the State, with the exception of a small sum paid by pupils to meet incidental expenses$3.00 per annum."

The one at Salem answers, that " the building was only partly paid for by the State, but that the State maintains the school."

The sum of $11,000 was appropriated by the State of Connecticut in 1849, for the support of her Normal School at New Britain, for a period of at least four years. By a unanimous vote of both Houses, at the May session of the Legislature in 1853, the further appropriation of four thousand dollars a year for four years was made, to continue the school after the expenditure of the first sum.

It was the good fortune of the writer to be present when this appropriation was made, and we know something of the estimation in which the State Normal School of Connecticut is held, not only by her Teachers, but by her politicians. No appropriation, perhaps, was ever made with more cheerfulness, and we may add, none with more propriety. The third question reads as follows:

What is the probable value of grounds, buildings, apparatus, etc., and what the annual expense ?"

N. J. answers, that "the probable value of the entire property as named, is $30,000. The present annual expense of the establishment is about $13,500-viz: $10,000 from the State Treasury, and $3,500 receipts for tuition in the Model School.'

This again tells fearfully against the stinted policy of the State of Ohio. While each one of her Normal Schools are conducted at an annual expense not to exceed $3,000 per annum, New Jersey expends more than four times that sum upon one! And while the former is paid out of the hard earnings of the faithful Teachers of our State, the latter is paid from the State fund, as a means of securing a good investment of her school fund.

Dana P. Colburn, of R. I. State Normal School, answers: "We rent our buildings. Value of library and apparatus, about $1,000; annual expense $4,000."

It will be borne in mind that this school has been in operation under its present organization only about three years.

D. H. Cochran, of the State Normal School of N. Y., says: "The cost of buildings, apparatus, etc., not far from $30,000. The annual appropriation is now $12,000."

J. W. Dickinson, of the State Normal School at Westfield, Mass., reports: "Value of grounds, buildings, etc., $12,000. Annual expenditure $3,200."

Richard Edwards, of State Normal School at Salem, Mass., reports on the same-$18,000, and $3,300."

Connecticut answers: Cost of buildings alone $25,000." Cost of grounds and apparatus, etc., not given.

The fourth question, "How many departments? how many in each? how many of each sex?"

Mr. Phelps, of N. J. answers: “The school as at present organized, is composed of two departments-the Normal School proper and the Model School. There are now in the Normal School about 100 pupils -two-thirds of these are females, and one-third males, with the number