eral thing, very commendable improvements. In almost every county good models are found. Old fashioned seats have, in many old school houses, been remodeled and suited to the comfort and health of the occupants. Some easy mode of making the upper as well as the lower sash movable, has been discovered. Upon the whole, there has been very commendable progress in the right direction. Time will work a radical change in the apathetic neighborhoods, if not in the line of improvement, in the utter demolition of what are improperly called school houses. In efforts to make the school houses comfortable and attractive, we should not forget the important appendages alike demanded by our moral and physical natures. Very many of our school houses are destitute of out-houses. I would here insert an extract from a report made by Dr. Barnard to the legislature of the state of Connecticut, in 1850, which briefly expresses very important truths: "An appalling chapter might be written on the evils, the almost inevitable results of neglecting to provide these indispensable appendages to school houses in our state. Who can duly estimate the final consequences of the first shock given to female delicacy, from the exposures to which the girls in the public schools are necessarily subjected, and what must be the legitimate result of these exposures during the school-going years of youth? What quenchless fires of passion have been kindled within the bosoms of the young of both sexes by these exposures; fires that have raged to the consuming of personal happiness, to the prevention of scholastic improvement, and to the destruction of personal char-acter ?" The evils here so forcibly depicted will be found in many cases, where a mere apology for a privy is erected, and that too in some public place. Much of the obscenity that exists in our public schools is fostered by the parents who neglect the duty of providing separate and suitable places of retirement for the children of different sexes. If immorality be increased through such neglect, let it not be laid to the charge of the public school. In the columns of the report bearing upon the valuation of school houses will be found some strange facts. A school house in Christiana, Dane county, is reported as worth one cent. Sheboygan city reports no house worth less than $10,000; Waupun village reports no house worth less than $5,000; Milwaukee and Beloit cities each none less than $4,000; Depere village, Brown county, none less than $3,500. In the column of highest valuation of school houses, Clay Banks, in Door, and Montpelier in Kewaunee county, report the lowest, ($15). Russell, in Sheboygan county, $20. Lincoln, in Polk county, $25. In each of these towns the highest valuation is the same as the aggregate valuation, so that but one school house is found in each town. The lowest aggregate valuation for any county is $750, for Douglas county; Buffalo county shows an aggregate of $2,365; Milwaukee county shows the highest aggregate valuation of school houses, $110,786, of which amount Milwaukee city reports $81,000; Rock county stands next, $110,691, of which amount Janesville city reports $68,000; Dane county next, $72,983; Dodge, $64,849; Racine, $57,663; Fond du Lac, $54,438; Waukesha, $51,600; Grant, $46,120; Winnebago, $44,830; Walworth, $42,815; Iowa, $42,046; Columbia, $38,641; Jefferson, $35,494; Sauk, 32,779; Green, $31,658. All others less than $30,000. The total valuation of school houses in the State is $1,255,852. The average valuation is $322 25, which is $13 25 higher than last year. This higher average confirms me in the belief that many of the poorer houses reported heretofore are now accounted unworthy the name and are of course omitted. This omission would explain both the decreased number and the higher valuation of those reported. District Libraries.-There are 32,895 volumes in 818 libraries. Of this number but 20,871 have been loaned during the year. The largest libraries are reported from Dodge, Fond du Lac, Rock, and Racine counties, in the order named. Sauk county reports the largest number of volumes loaned. Racine city reports the largest single library. Sixteen counties have no libraries reported. One county reports 3 volumes in the district libraries. Another reports 6; another 9. SCHOOL FUND. The following extract from the able report of Hon. James T. Lewis, Secretary of State, will explain fully the nature of this fund, and will also exhibit the transactions in the same from October 1st, 1861 to September 30, 1862. "This fund will be fully explained by reference to the following provisions of the constitution and statutes of the state: Section 2 of article 10 of the constitution of the state, provides that "the proceeds of all lands that have been or hereafter may be granted by the United States to this state, for educational purposes, (except the lands heretofore granted for the purposes of a University,) and all moneys, and the clear proceeds of all property that may accrue to the state by forfeiture or escheat; and all moneys which may be paid as an equivalent for exemption from military duty; and the clear proceeds of all fines collected in the several counties for any breach of the penal laws; and all moneys arising from any grant to the state, where the purposes of such grant are not specified; and the five hundred thousand acres of land, to which the state is entitled by the provisions of an act of congress entitled an act to appropri ate the proceeds of the sales of public lands, and to grant pre-emption rights,' approved the fourth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and forty-one; and also the five per centum of the net proceeds of the public lands to which the state shall be entitled on her admission into the Union, (if congress shall consent to such appropriation of the two grants last mentioned,) shall be set apart as a separate fund, to be called the school fund."". "Provision is also made by law that twenty-five per cent. of the net proceeds of the lands granted to this state by act of congress, approved Sep tember 28, 1850, and all of the purchase money for the lands selected by or under authority of this state in lieu of swamp and overflowed lands sold or otherwise disposed of by the United States since the passage of the aforesaid granting act, shall form and be constituted a part of the school fund of this state. The transactions in this fund during the last fiscal year, have been as follows, to wit: The condition of the fund Sept. 30, 1862, was as follows: Due on swamp land certificates $318,537 37, of which one-fourth belongs to school fund.. Total fund.......... This is $238,445 90 less than was reported Sept. 30, 1861. The decrease is the result of forfeitures of school land certificates, mortgaged lands, and swamp land certificates. That the relative loss or gain upon each of the three items may appear, I append the tabular list for two years, with a column for decrease and another for increase: Total........... .$2,458,351 49 $2,219,905 59 $238,445 90 While the amount due on school and swamp land certificates has been considerably diminished, the amount due on loans has been increased. In this connection I would most cordially approve the action of the legislature of 1862 upon the matter of investing the school fund in state bonds. The security upon which school funds have been heretofore loaned, has, in many cases, proved totally iusufficient, and that too in spite of the best precautionary measures. The judgment of men, even if having no special, personal interest in the matter, has not always been found reliable. Many instances have come to my knowledge, in which the security given has proved totally inadequate, and yet such were the circumstances that no blame could attach to any person. State security is ample, and will never be forfeited. The expenses attending the care of the fund will be much reduced by this measure. Heretofore the actual condition of the school fund, beyond the amount paying interest, has been a matter of conjecture. During the year past a careful estimate has been made by the school land commissioners, which shows what the school fund would be were all the lands sold at their appraisal : School fund, from school lands and loans...... Total....... $3,018,486 18 461,710 77 $3,480,196 95 This falls but $75,000 short of the estimate I made last year. For a detailed statement of the fund, I beg leave to refer you to the concise and satisfactory report of the school land commissioners. The forfeitures for the year 1862 will still further reduce the productive fund, but exactly how much cannot at this writing be determined. The income for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1862, would indicate a productive fund of a little more than two millions of dollars, so that the forfeitures must be considerably less than during the previous year. Some definite action should be had with reference to the forfeited lands or they will remain unsold for a long period, during which the timbered lands will be stripped of that which gives them the greater part of their value. II.-WORK OF THE YEAR. DISTRIBUTION OF DICTIONARIES. At the date of the last report there were on hand 74 copies of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. Of these 72 copies have been distributed, in accordance with the provisions, section 2 of chapter 41 of the session laws of 1861, as follows: COUNTIES AND TOWNS. Brown.-Scott, 1............ Calumet Chilton, 2: Brothertown, 1; Harrison, 2; Brillion, 1... Fond du Lac-Auburn, 1; Fond du Lac, 5; Ripon, 2.. Grant-Clifton, 1; Wyalusing, 1; Marion, 2; Paris, 1; Platteville, 1; Bee town, 1......... Green Lake-Princeton, 2......... Iowa-Mineral Point, 3; Dodgeville, 1; Waldwick, 1.................... Juneau-Plymouth, 1.... Kenosha-Pleasant Prairie, 1......... La Crosse-Burns, 1.......... Marathon-Texas, 1......... Trempealeau-Arcadia, 1; Lincoln, 2; Gale, 5... Vernon-Whitestown, 1; Union, 1; Hillsboro, 1................................ Wood-Dexter, 1; Centralia, 1; Saratoga, 1........ Total In accordance with section 4 of chapter 41 of the general laws of 1861, Dictionaries have been sold to replace those lost by districts, at the price which they cost the state, as follows: Calumet county, Chilton...... Waukesha do Ottawa .... Total 1 1 For the price of these two dictionaries I hold the receipts of the state treasurer, the sums received for them having been returned to the income of the school fund. The greatest number of dictionaries sent to any one county since the last report, is 8 to Trempealeau county. There are 30 counties to which no dictionaries have been sent during the year, and 25 from which no applications have been received. Of the 74 dictionaries sent out, 14 were sent prior to the 1st of January, 1862, and the remainder since that time. The supply was exhausted on the 2d of August. Since that time applications have been received for about 20. These facts indicate that the old districts of the state are pretty generally supplied with dictionaries, and that hereafter only enough will be needed to supply those newly organized. To meet the probable demand for the ensuing year, it will be necessary to purchase about 100 copies. Receipts are on file in this office showing that all the dictionaries distributed by me prior to the date of my last report, have reached their destination; and of the 74 dictionaries distributed during this year, and of the 900 sent out during my term of office, there are only 7 for which I have not receipts showing that they reached those for whom they were designed. For those 7 I have the American Express Company's receipt. Superintendent of Public Instruction in account with the State of Wisconsin. 1861. Dec. 10. To 74 copies Webster's Unabridged Dictionary remaining 1862. Dec. 10. on hand......... By distribution as above, as per vouchers in this office........ CR. DR. |