REPORT. THE Committee on Text-Books respectfully submit their Annual Report. By the Rules and Regulations, it is provided that the Committee on Text-Books "shall, in the month of May, annually, examine the course of studies prescribed for the schools, and shall recommend to the Board, at the quarterly meeting in June, such improvements in the course of instruction, and such changes in the books used in the schools, as they may deem expedient." This is a broad and important commission, and the Committee, having endeavored faithfully to fulfil it, submit the result of their inquiries and deliberations. They have examined with some care the course of studies prescribed for the schools, and find it, in their judgment, well arranged and sufficiently comprehensive. They believe that if this course be thoroughly and systematically pursued, it would lay the foundation of a good substantial education, prepare all, who wished to avail themselves of their privileges, for admission to the English High, and Girls' High and Normal Schools, and, even without the advantages of these schools, fit them for useful and honorable employments in life. They fear, however, that the course of studies prescribed is not so thoroughly pursued, or so systematically taught, as it ought to be. Having reason to believe that there was some want of uniformity in the condition of the schools, and the action of the masters, in this respect, the Committee appointed one of their number to ascertain whether any of the prescribed text-books had fallen into disuse, and whether any considerable diversity existed in the amount of instruction given in the prescribed studies. This member reported to the Committee as follows: "Personal visitation to about one half the Grammar Schools, and information derived from reliable sources, have established the following facts in relation to some of the studies required by the Rules and Regulations. "1. Book-Keeping by single and double entry. "In more than one half the schools, no instruction at all is given in this important branch; in some very little attention is paid to it; and in a very few it is carefully and thoroughly taught; but in none, so far as ascertained, is any instruction given in double entry. 2. Natural Philosophy. "In some of the schools regular recitations are required. In others the subject is occasionally presented to the pupils by means of familiar lectures, illustrated by the use of philosophical apparatus; but in very many of the schools no attention whatever is given to the study. "3. Physical Geography. "Not more than one half the teachers use the treatises of Warren or Carteé, as required by the Rules. The remainder |