ADRIAN UNION SCHOOL.

PROF. FRANKLIN HUBBARD-Principal.

Hon. J. M. GREGORY, Supt. of Public Instruction:

DEAR SIR-The number of children between the ages of five and twenty years, resident in Adrian Union School district, is 2,178.

The whole number of pupils attending school the past year, and arranged for this year, is:

Thirteen hundred and six were residents, and twenty-six were non-residents.

The schools are divided into twelve years of study-three in

the Primary; three in the Secondary; two in the Grammar School, and four in the High School. In the High School there are also four years' study in Latin and three in Greek. What are usually termed the common school studies are completed in the Grammar School. The advantages of the union school system are decidedly apparent in those even who only intend to go through the Grammar School. They are with those who are going into the High School, and all soon have a fixed determination to do wlth credit to themselves the work before them.

The High School course is very extensive, and will not be fully appreciated at once. But so long as the expense for every scholar in all the School is only twenty cents a week, while scholars, it is anything but a burden to a people.

Eighteen teachers were employed for the year, besides the Superintendent. Six in the Primary; seven in the Secondary; two in the Grammar School, and three in the High School.

Thirty-eight weeks in the year-closing the middle of June. Moneys for the school district from all sources, were $15,208 85. Paid for teachers, $5,586 00; for buildings, $7,174 50; for current expenses, $1,300 00, nearly.

Non-resident scholars pay from $10 60 to $15 00 a year. No charge of any kind is made on resident scholars.

From 1854-5 for four years, our records show that the regularity of attendance while scholars was nearly ten per cent. higher than before. It was owing to the tardy rule, which does not allow a scholar to attend school for the half day unless over the threshhold of his room before the last bell ceases to ring. But after the greatest efforts possible, the attendance was not what was desired. For the last three years the absentee rule, which dismisse a scholar for four half days of absence in a month, unless for sickness or like excuses, has brought the regularity of attendance, while enrolled, up to 94 per cent. The progress in school in other particulars, which cannot be marked by figures, has been equally steady and great.

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Some get the impression that the tardy and absentee rules

make the attendance upon our schools less than it otherwise would be. It is a very erroneous impression. The crowded condition of our schools from one year's end to another, is owing mainly to the promptness with which they are treated. Scholars like such treatment. While the whole number for the year has, in eight years, increased only about two hundred, the daily attendance has more than doubled. The tardy rule has been carefully worked seven years, and the absentee rule three years. To educate children irregularly takes twice or three times as long; and then habits of irregularity, tardiness, &c., so firmly fixed in the precious hours of youth, are to be unlearned before one can be successful in any calling. If the children of Adrian city learn to be prompt and attentive to business while in school, they never need to unlearn so much of their education, at least.

I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,
F. HUBBARD,

Supt. Adrian Public Schools.

November 11, 1862.

ALLEGAN UNION SCHOOL.

ALLEGAN, Sept. 25th, 1862.

To the Hon. J. M. GREGORY, Supt. of Public Instruction:

DEAR SIR:-Agreeably to your request, I transmit a statement of the condition of the School in District No. 1, Allegan township, the past year:

The whole number of pupils between the ages of 5 and 20 years, residing in the District, is 218.

The whole number of pupils who attended school the past year, resident, is 133; non-resident, none.

The pupils are graded into two departments, the Primary and Secondary. In the Primary Department the course of study was Reading, Writing, Orthography, Geography, Map-Draw

ing, Mental Arithmetic and Declamation. In the Secondary, Reading, Writing, Orthography, Geography, Mental and Practical Arithmetic, Grammar, Map-Drawing, Declamation and Composition. Exercises in Singing and Calisthenics in both Departments.

There was one teacher in each department, the Principal in the Secondary, and the Assistant in the Primary.

In the Primary Department there were 68 pupils; in the Secondary, 65.

The first term commenced on the 14th of October, continuing 16 weeks; the second on the 31st of March, continuing 15 weeks. The first vacation was, two months, February and March; the second two and a half months, from July 15th to October 1st.

The total expense for the year was $425 92. Average cost per week, $13 74; for each pupil, per week, about 10 cents. The items of receipts are

There were no non-resident pupils in the school, there being as many in the District as conld be accommodated.

The school-house is divided into two separate apartments, and a recitation room. Both departments are strictly Primary, the more advanced being assigned to the Secondary depart

ment. Pine Grove Seminary, which is located in the District, takes the still more advanced pupils, and last year, the nonresidents. And generally, as soon as the pupils are prepared in the Primary School, they go to the Seminary.

There is a good degree of interest manifested on the part of the District, and by a majority of the pupils, in educational pursuits. In the employment of Teachers, reference is especially made to their qualifications for moral training, as well as mental culture.

The school is a free school, made so by tax on the taxable property of the District, and no rate-bills have been collected for the past four years.

Regular and punctual attendance on the part of all the pupils has not yet been attained, by any methods yet employed. By endeavoring to excite in the pupils a taste for learning, a love of study, by introducing a variety of interesting, as well as instructive exercises, connected with their immediate studies, we have heretofore sought to obtain this object. By this method we have succeeded, to some extent, but it will not meet all cases; and in addition to this, we think of making a rule that if any pupil, without the written excuse of the parent or guardian, shall be behind time ten minutes, he shall be excluded from the school for that half day.

The school is opened on the morning of each day, by reading in the Scriptures, and prayer by the Principal, with occasional short lectures of a moral and religious nature.

E. D. FOLLETT,

Director.

BATTLE CREEK UNION SCHOOL.

PROF. FRANK PEAVY, PRINCIPAL,

Annual Report of the Trustees to the District.

The following Report of the Trustees has been received at the office of Public Instruction, and is here inserted-omitting a few items of merely local interest.