that by far the larger part of those employed during summer and winterare making teaching their business, we have not far from 2,000 professional teachers in the state, and, as other circumstances indicate, not merely those professing to teach, but earnest, wide awake men and women who, not content with present attainments, seek every possible opportu nity for improvement. There have been gathered into teachers' institutes and associations during the past year, not less than 1,500 teachers.. Some have remained from 1 to 4 weeks in these temporary normal schools. Many others, desiring more specific and longer continued instruction, have sought the advantages furnished by the normal departments of the colleges, academies and high schools of the state. These schools have been unusually full during the year past. The sale of books pertaining to the work of the teacher has largely increased as I am informed by those who, from their business, have every facility for knowing.

Self culture is the teacher's first duty. This duty performed, others cannot be neglected. From personal inspection of schools in all parts of the state, I am satisfied that there has been marked improvement during the year past in the qualifications of teachers. There are many, however, who have not yet felt the danger of delay in making the progress which the times demand. I fear they will not awake to a sense of their situation until it is too late. If they will not keep up with the advance, they must not complain if they meet with the punishment due, and so generally meted out to stragglers.

Below will be found a tabular statement by counties, of the aggregate number of male and female teachers employed, and the ratio of males to females.

If we make the per centage of punctual attendance upon the school a test of the ability or of the faithfulness of the teacher, female teachers will not suffer in the comparison with males, though there is not sufficient uniformity in the results as reported to warrant any positive assertion upon this matter. There may be enough to furnish the text of an argument under the head of teachers' wages.

Teachers' Wages.-It is deemed advisable to repeat here a table given last year, adding to the same the average wages per month for the year ending August 31st, 1862.

The reports for 1862 show the average wages of male and female teach

The increased average paid male teachers during the summer term must be accounted for by the fact that fewer male teachers are employed during the summer term, and generally these are connected with the larger schools. Similar facts will account for the increased average of wages paid female teachers during the winter term. The proportion of wages paid our best teachers when classified as to sex, may be ascertained by comparing the wages paid male teachers during the summer term with those paid female teachers during the winter term. This proportion is as $26 19 is to $16 61. This difference is greater than it should be. Wages paid should be in proportion to skill employed and results accomplished. There may be some slight, modifying circumstances, such as spring from social customs or expenses of living. All desirable results, save perhaps those which depend for their development exclusively or mainly upon the influence of the masculine mind upon the pupil, are as well secured by female as by male teachers. Nor is this single exception of any great weight in the more primary schools, which constitute the larger part of all our schools. Whatever the cause may be the counties having the largest proportion of male teachers do not show a larger or a more punctual attendance upon the schools than is found in counties where there is a great preponderance of female teachers. The instruction imparted by female teachers is without doubt as correct and as easily understood as that given by male teachers. Facts will show that the discipline in a majority of cases is equally good. I may be met here with the remark that many of our female teachers are light headed, trifling girls, unfit to teach or govern a school. It may be so, but it is a sufficient answer, for the purpose of the comparison, to say that this class bears no larger proportion to the whole number than is borne to the whole number of male teachers by the uncultivated and often boorish men who sometimes find employment in school teaching because they can find nothing else to do. It is of the whole number we speak. The results accomplished, with the exception mentioned, are no doubt the same. No one will deny that female teachers show as much skill in the managenent of a school as do males. It costs them as much to prepare for their work. We will consider for a moment the claim justly set forth by those who oppose the employment of female to the exclusion of male teachers, that by so doing the stronger masculine element is dwarfed, and the education thereby rendered incomplete. But in the employment of male to the exclusion of female teachers is not the equally important feminine element of grace and beauty dwarfed, and thereby education rendered incomplete? The influence of both is needed, and I know not which to call the more important. A moment's reflection therefore will show, that to admit the necessity of employing both sexes as teachers, does not at all affect the point under discussion, viz: the relative wages paid the sexes. So far as results reached and skill employed are concerned, the weight of the argument is against the disparity of wages. Whether social customs and the expense of living would warrant so great a disparity as exits is doubted. It is true that women cannot earn in other employments as much as men, but this is of no force when considered with reference to this subject. In teaching, mind-power and heart power are called most into exercise, hence what may be earned in other em

ployments demanding mainly muscular power, should not be made the standard of compensation in this.

The social custom, which places the larger share of all incidental expenses to the charge of the man, has grown out of courtesy, and should never be made a plea for making woman's dependence a necessity. The true woman scorns such a courtesy. The true man never urges such a plea.

I do not ask for any radical change in social customs, but I do ask that in the educational field, laborers should be paid, as in all other fields, in proportion to results accomplished.

Those who labor faithfully should receive the reward of the faithful. It is a very common impression that female teachers are entitled to far less pay than males, simply on the ground of their sex. Their ability to teach has nothing to do with the estimate placed upon their labors. It is against this erroneous impression that I would contend, and urge the adoption of some system which shall encourage industry and faithful service by proportionate rewards.

Demand being equal, the supply regulates the price of labor. This must be borne in mind in the perusal of the following facts: In the av¬¡ erages given in the appendix, it appears that Douglas county pays the highest wages to male teachers during the winter term; then Wood, Racine, Oconto and Clark, in the order named. For summer terms, Rock county pays highest wages to male teachers; then Fond du Lac, Dodge and Jefferson, in the order named.

No county pays male teachers less than an average of $20 per month during the winter. Vernon stands lowest, $20 48; then Richland, then

Marathon.

!

Of wages paid female teachers during the winter term, Clark county shows the highest average, $23 75, while Adams county shows the lowest average, $13 11, During the summer term female teachers have received: the highest average wages in Oconto county, $21 58, and the lowest in Waushara county, $11 64. In all connties except Adams, Waushara, Portage, Juneau and Calumet, the average wages paid female teachers in the winter is over $14. The average wages paid female teachers for the summer term is above $12 32, except in Waushara, Washington, Rich-1 land, Adams and Walworth. The highest wages paid in any city of the state to a male teacher is $100 per month, and the lowest in any town is $9 per month.

The highest wages paid any female teacher in this state is reported at $45 per month, and the lowest $8 per month.

These are the extremes. The wages generally paid are more nearly uniform throughout the state than ever before.

I visited one school during the past year, the teacher of which was laboring without compensation, merely for the love he bore the poor neighborhood in which he resided. It was a most praiseworthy act. He will

certainly have his reward.

APPORTIONMENT FOR 1862.

Table No. 1, of the appendix shows the apportionment made in June last. As was predicted in my last report the apportionment for 1862 was