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 character ?'

"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."

TRAVELS, LECTURES, ETC.

Thirty-two different counties have been visited during the year, and several schools in each of these counties. About fifty lectures have been delivered by the Superintendent, or his Assistant, Mr. Craig, and twenty institutes, convening fifteen hundred teachers, have also been visited, and, we may add, not a little useful work done therein. All this, in addition to the correspondence, which, though changed in character, has increased in amount, has made the year a busy one. In no previous year has so much been done for the schools, notwithstanding the excitements of the war, and "at no time since I entered upon my work as Superintendent," says Mr. Pickard, has so much interest been manifested in the cause of popular education, as during the year under review." This is encouraging.

A notice of the remaining topics of the Report must be deferred till next month.

SAUK CO. TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.-The fourth annual session convened at Reedsburg, Dec. 29. We condense the account of the proceedings furnished by W. C. Russell, Secretary: Addresses were given by the President, I. W. Mòrley, (who is also County Superitendent,) Professors J. S. Hascall, of Delton, and E. F. Hobart, of Baraboo, and Mr. J. Brown, of Woodland; soveral essays were read by lady members, and discussions were held upon the best methods of teaching the several branches and upon other matters interesting to teachers. The session continued two days and was attended by between thirty and forty members. Supt. Morley announced that an Institute would be held at Ironton, before the opening of the summer schools.

A PATRIOTIC TOWN.-Wyalusing, Grant Co, with about 90 voters, has sent 54 soldiers to the war.

MICHIGAN. We have received the Twenty-Sixth Annual Report of the State Superintendent, (Hon. J. M. Gregory,) and have marked some passages for insertion in the Journal. Mr. Gregory's reports have the ring of an educator and school-officer who looks far beyond the details of teaching and the technicalities of school-systems, and comprehends the true significance and importance of public education. "Not merely," he says, as a State gratuity to little children, or a State aid to families or neighborhoods-a mere subordinate or side interest to the great, busy, trading and voting body of citizenship-are the schools to be regarded. He must be grossly ignorant of true state-craft, and of all the laws of national growth and prosperity, who so considers them." But thus, alas! do most people apparently consider them, and hence the obscure and subordinate place which they occupy in public estimation.

Mr. Gregory advocates the adopting of a County Superintendency and the Township District. May we be able to gain the latter as we have the formerno, we will not say in advance of our sister State, but along with her.

DEFERRED ARTICLES.

GALESVILLE UNIVERSITY.-We prepared a notice of this institution last month, which, with various other items, was excluded by an unexpected excess of matter on previous pages. It has passed in part into the collegiate stage, and a freshman class has been organized. Prof. Traber, the Principal during the past year, is assisted by Miss C. C. Bunn. Enlistments have reduced the attendance to forty-eight. The substantial stone edifice is but partly finished, but accommodates present needs. A fine and healthful site and beautiful scenery, with ample grounds, indicate a place well chosen by the founder, Judge Gale, and where we hope a prosperous institution of learning will be built up.

PLATTEVILLE ACADEMY.-The Catalogue for the last scholastic year shows 200 pupils in attendance in all departments, 24 of whom were in the normal class Of 48 young men fit for military duty, 26 or more have gone to the war. No county has exceeded if any has equalled "old Grant" in giving up her sons for their country's service. Mr. Guernsey, the Principal, still retains the services of Miss Joslyn, so long connected with the school, and several members of the normal class also render assistance, more particularly we believe in the "Model Class." A fine substantial stone edifice, well arranged and provided in every respect, and the utmost neatness and good order, together with skillful teachers devoted to their work, make altogether a most desirable place of instruction. This is one of the academies of the State which we hope to see entering earnestly upon the work of normal instruction.

WISCONSIN FEMALE COLLEGE.-This institution. at Fox Lake, admits young gentlemen, at present, and may be familiarly called Fox Lake Academy. The attendance the last term was about one hundred, the majority ladies-about forty designing to teach, and twenty (all of whom have had some experience in teaching) in the normal class. There is a substantial and convenient three story stone building and suitable fixtures. Mr. Goldthwaite is assisted at present by Misses

Tenney and Hatch; Prof. Hawley teaches music. This, like most of our academies, furnishes many teachers, and seems to be well situated to assume the distinctive character of a normal academy, or a school whose leading object is to train teachers.

JEFFERSON COUNTY.-Passing through this county, we learned of the erection of a new school-house at Jefferson costing 300 dollars, and subsequently visited one at Fort Atkinson which cost 3,000. This is the difference between a scattered and a concentrated interest. The union school-house at Fort Atkinson is built, as a school-house should be, on a dry, airy, retired site, commanding an extensive and beautiful prospect. We came in contact with some pupils belonging to the high school and the normal class, who evinced a very careful and thorough training.

RACINE. Our schools are flourishing under the kind and faithful visitations of Mr. Peabody, our Principal, who is soon to be installed into the office of City Superintendent. I believe he more than meets the expectations of patrons and pupils in the High School, and is esteemed very highly by all the teachers. -Communicated.

Mr. Peabody, has been Superintendent since January 1, we believe.

SPARTA.-Stopping in this pleasant town recently, we found friend Mason and his school exemplifying the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties. A building formerly used for a church had been purchased to accommodate the high school, but was not yet re-seated. This done, and the school will be in a much better situation than heretofore. Sparta exhibits a commendable zeal to improve her facilities for education.

The State Superintendent desires us to say, that in the list of County Superintendents printed in his Report, Vernon county was unintentionally left out. Vernon County.... .Rev. L. L. Radcliffe, . . . ...

should be inserted before Walworth county.

.....Viroqua,

He also informs us that by a recent decision of the Supreme Court, Mr. H. B. Phelps, of Beaver Dam, is Superintendent of Dodge county second district, in place of N. E. Goldthwaite.

In Manitowoc county, J. W. Thoms was elected in place of C. S. Canright. His P. O. address is Manitowoc.

Rev. C. Halsey was elected in place of J. P. West for Marathon county. P. O. address, Wausau.

J

C. C. Miller, of Tomah, Monroe county, takes the place of W. N. Mason, of Sparta.

TREMPEALEAU COUNTY.-I have visited once all the schools in the county but two, and have in most instances called the people together, in their several districts, during the evening, and presented the claims of the district school upon them, urging the importance of continually watching over their schools and

looking after their progress and welfare. These meetings have not been as fully attended in all cases as I should like, and yet I think they have been the means of doing some good. Teachers generally seem interested in their work and appear to be faithfully engaged in the discharge of their duties.

D. W. GILFILLAN, County Superintendent.

COLUMBIA CO., JAN, 12.-I have visited and inspected about forty schools during the present term, and find them generally doing well. Most of the teachers adopt the methods developed at our institutes, and are working very successfully. I will give you a list of all the districts in this county soon. D. W. R.

[We thank friend Rosencrans for the promise, and hereby express our obligations to friends Cheney and Dodge, for lists from Walworth and Kenosha counties.]

GRANT CO. While in this county two month since, we were sorry to learn that Supt. Parsons was confined to his house with illness. An Institute we learned was held at Lancaster in September, and another in November for the towns of Glen Haven, Patch Grove, Wyalusing and others in that vicinity, with an attendance of about 50.

STATE UNIVERSITY-NORMAL DEPARTMENT.

The Board of Regents of the University at their meeting yesterday, passed an ordinance authorizing a Normal Department, to occupy one of the University buildings, provided the organization and operation of such a department could be effected without charge to the funds of the University. Both sexes will be admitted as normal students. The details of the plan are left with the Executive Committee of the Board, and it is understood that if the necessary arrangements can be made, Prof., C. H. ALLEN of this city, the well known agent of the Board of Normal Regents, will be placed in charge of the new department. -State Journal, Jan. 21.

Since clipping the above from the Journal, we learn that the committee have made arrangements by which the foregoing plan will go into effect, and that the first term of the Normal Department will open about the 15th of March, in charge of Mr. Allen, who will no doubt be happy to answer all communications in regard to the matter. We bespeak a full school and renewed interest in the University, which has now taken the first step toward assuming its proper position as a series of professional schools. For more particular statement of the decails of the plan, we refer the reader to the advertisement on a subsequent page.

QUEER MISTAKES-Under this head the Massachusetts Teacher recounts several amusing experiences of the school-room, as the reply of a pupil in physiology that the passage by which the food enters the stomach is called the Areopagus. Examining a normal class some time since, a member enumerated in a classifica tion of rocks, the "Metaphoric." This, we suppose, refers to such rocks as are meant by our southern friends, when they speak of a "pocket full of rocks."

SIR:-In my last letter I urged the importance of Scientific or Professional Schools as a necessity of advanced civilization, and the establishment of Agricultural and Normal Schools as the more immediate want of our own State; closing with some remarks upon the former class of schools.

The subject of Normal Schools is therefore that which next claims attention.

The division of labor and the special training of individuals for particular vocations, though indications of human imperfection, are also characteristic marks of human civilization. The establishment of institutions for the training of teachers, in the larger sense of the term, is not entirely modern. The ancient schools of the Hebrew Prophets and of Christian theology, and to some extent, those of heathen philosophy, come under this gencral head. But as common schools, for children of all classes, are a peculiar development of modern civilization and philanthropy, so the normal school, technically so called, is a necessity which has grown out of the common school.

The origin of modern schools is deduced by Dr. Barnard from the beneficent influence of the Christian religion; to which we may add, that the intelligence to perceive their necessity, and to establish them successfully, was a result of that great awakening of the human mind which attended the reformation. Similar remarks apply to the origin of efforts to provide schools with suitable teachers; and to Germany belongs the honor of the first steps in these as in many other paths of human