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JANUARY 23.—LAID ON THE TABLE, AND 1,000 COPIES
ORDERED TO BE PRINTED.

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TO THE GOVERNOR.

INDIANAPOLIS:

JOSEPH J. BINGHAM, STATE PRINTER.

1861.

2 D. J.-11

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OLIVER P. MORTON, Governor.
WM. A. PEELLE, Secretary of State.
ALBERT LANGE, Auditor of State.
JONATHAN S. HARVEY, Treasurer of State.
JOHN P. USHER, Attorney General.

MILES J. FLETCHER, Superintendent of Public

Instruction, and ex-officio President of Board.

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REPORT.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION,
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENdent,

Indianapolis, January 1, 1862.

To His Excellency, O. P. MORTON,

SIR:

Governor of the State of Indiana :

The 127th section of the School Law provides that " In the month of Jannary, in each year in which there is no regular session of the General Assembly, he (the Superintendent of Public Instruction,) shall make a brief report in writing to the Governor, indicating in general terms the enumeration of the children of the State for Common School purposes, the additions to the permanent School Fund within the year, the amount of school revenue collected within the year, and the amount apportioned and distributed to the schools."

The voluminous annual reports heretofore made, at great expense to the State. have too often furnished the winters' kindling in our Auditors' offices. Through the carelessness of county officials, and a disinclination to study tabular statements, these reports have hardly filled a mission justifying the cost of publication. Hence we think the action of the Legislature wise in requiring only a biennial report for general distribution.

Though for the present year only statistics are required, we can not refrain from making a few remarks in regard to the present condition of our school system, and the practical operation of the new law."

THE PAST YEAR.

When we entered upon the performance of the duties connected with this most responsible office, we anticipated great and sacrificing labor, and innumerable embarrassments. Yet we went forth

cheerfully and hopefully, passing from county to county, examining Auditors' books, meeting with township officers and teachers, lecturing publicly, and visiting schools. Every thing for a time seemed to indicate a successful year's labor. But the booming of the cannon at the bombardment of Fort Sumter was the loud and mournful tocsin sounding its alarm through every township and district in Indiana. With an alacrity and patriotism unequaled in any sister State, our people flew to the rescue-the preservation of the Union as it was. For a few months, men, women and children had but one thought. Their earnestness seemed too sacred to allow an intrusion of any kind. But when the rebellion became a reality, and our hundreds of thousands were in the field, then those who were at home began in time of war to prepare for peace. They clearly understood that a cultivated generation could better appreciate the principles which their fathers and brothers were fighting and bleeding to make permanent, and that ignorance was the cause of vacillation and rebellion in governments. Hence public attention was turned with unusual interest to the great work we have in charge. The Superintendent ceased to be the fifth wheel of the "wagon of State." His coming was generously hailed by the people, and every where full houses greeted his efforts. It was the result of a general determination on their part that Indiana should be redeemed educationally. There is a better feeling, a more earnest spirit to-day in favor of our public school system than we have ever had before. Without any increase of the tax, we have been enabled to apportion $111,000 more to the counties than has ever been distributed in any previous year. Yet perhaps one-fourth of our districts have been without free schools. This, however, was the result of their anticipation of the revenue; many districts having used in 1860 that which they were to receive in 1861. This course having led to endless difficulty, the Legislature wisely forbade the use of the revenue prior to its receipt by the township trustee. By the advice of the Attorney General the Superintendent directed the trustees to pay their back indebtedness with the spring apportionment of 1861. They did so, and consequently those districts have no schools this winter. The difficulty is now remedied, and though it caused a temporary dissatisfaction, we are confident that all in future will be truly grateful for the change. We are happy, however, to state that in almost every instance the patrons in these districts came cheerfully and nobly forward and supported subscription schools.

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