and they are now taking measures to secure upon it before another autumn, the erection of buildings, not unlike the plan forwarded to you with this report.

With much respect, your obedient servant,

CHARLES C. TAYLOR.

Grand Rapids, Feb. 6th, 1852.

YOUNG LADIES' SEMINARY, MARSHALL.

In compliance with a request made by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, this brief report of the Young Ladies Seminary is now given.

This institution was opened in March, 1850, under the superintendence of Miss S. Burgess, and has now been in operation nearly two years, A building was erected by the citizens, capable of accommodating forty pupils, with the intention of enlarging it when necessary. This is carpeted, and tastefully furnished. A more attractive school room is no where to be found. Its location is retired, and one of the best in the village.

The ultimate design is, to furnish a school of the highest grade, for the education of young ladies. It was entered upon as an experiment. The number of pupils has varied; yet such are the present prospects, that the friends and founders of the institution are sanguine that their hopes will be realized.

Arrangements will be made hereafter for the accommodation of pupils from abroad, and it is designed as soon as practicable to have a boarding house connected with the school, where they may be under the immediate supervision of their teachers.

The course of instruction pursued embraces the elementary and higher English branches, (including Algebra and Geometry,) French, Latin and Drawing. As soon as circumstances render it expedient a musical department will be added. Exercises in composition are required weekly, from which no one is excused, except by a request from their parents or guardians. The scholastic year consists of two terms, or four quarters of eleven weeks each. The Fall term commences the second week in October. The Spring term about the 20th of March.

In consequence of the frequent changes in the school, and the limited time for which many pupils are entered, it is deemed advisable that a public examination should be held at the close of each quarter.

Especial care is taken that the instruction given should be as thorough as possible under the existing counteracting circumstances; and every effort is used to induce habits of attention, of thinking, reasoning, and punctuality. Pupils are not allowed to pass over their studies superficially. The principle is adopted, that the quantity learned is not of so much importance as the manner in which it is learned, and the character of the discipline given to the mindthat it is not so necessary to impart knowledge as to create a desire for it-to bring out ideas, and teach the pupil how to learn every thing.

The practical duties of life are ever kept in view. To lead young ladies to feel their high responsibility in the cultivation of their intellectual faculties to fully understand their reistions to God, to their fellow creatures, and their duties to society at large, and fit them for scenes of future usefulness, is most prominent in the instruction given.

S. BURGESS.

Marshall, Jan. 31, 1852.

FAYETTE UNION SCHOOL-JONESVILLE.

To the Superintendent of Public Instruction:

At a public school meeting, held May 28th, 1844, the expediency and feasibility of establishing and sustaining a union school, of a character to meet the entire wants of our community in that regard, were fully discussed. It was finally resolved by a large majority to be both

feasible and expedient, and that no time should be lost in making the necessary preparations. A suitable house must be erected. A committee was appointed to prepare plans, and submit estimates. At a subsequent meeting this committee submitted several plans: one of which was adopted; and a brick house, 32 by 60 feet, two stories high, was erected, at a cost of $2,100, a plan of which is hereto attached.

The house was completed January 1st, 1848, and the school opened aner the auspices of A S. Welch, A. M., as principal, with two competent assistants. The year was divided into two terms, of twenty-two weeks each, the first term commencing the 1st of September, with a short vacation of two weeks at its close, and a vacation of six weeks at the close of the summer term. The amount paid teachers the first year, was $900. The number of scholars in attendance, was two hundred and twenty-two; the whole number of persons in the district betwen the ages of four and eighteen, being only two hundred and twenty.

At the close of the first year the experiment of employing experienced and highly educated teachers, though at an expense far exceeding the amount the people had been accustomed to regard as a liberal compensation to teachers of district schools, had proved so eminently successful, that the district with great unanimity, determined to continue the school under the same auspices, with an increased salary to the principal, and an additional number of assistant teachers. Mr. Welch continued in charge of the school until the summer of 1849, when he was compelled by the state of his health, to relinquish it; and Rev. C. S. Kingsley, A. M., was employed to succeed him. The sum of $600 was paid to teachers for the first term of 1849, and yet cost of tuition was only from $1 to $1,50 to each scholar, for the term. Mr. Kingsley continued in charge of the school until the fall of 1850, with from two to four assistant teachers, at a cost to the district of between $1,000 and $1,100 per year. The cost to each scholar during this time ranged from $1,50 to $3 per term.

In the fall of 1850, the Rev. S. C. Hickok, A. M., was employed to take charge of the school, at a salary of $600 per year, with authority to employ such assistants as he might require, at an expense not exceeding $600, in addition to his own salary. Mr. Hickok was shortly afterward taken sick, and after an ilness of some weeks, died. It was then too late for the district board to secure the services of such a teacher as was desired, and they were compelled to employ for a short time, a person capable of teaching only the common branches of an English education. The principal received $35 per month, aud was furnished with two competent assistants; but owing to the fact that only the common branches were taught, the school was not so fully attended, and the cost of tuition per scholar was much greater than when teachers had been paid at the rate of $1,200 per year.

The division of the year into two terms, being found inconvenient, a change was made in the spring of 1851, and the year divided into three terms, two of sixteen weeks each, and one of twelve weeks. Mr. Welch having fully recovered his health, was again induced to take charge of the school, at a salary of $700 per year. During the summer term he had three assistant teachers, who were paid at the rate of $600 per year, and yet the cost of tuition per scholar was only $1,20 for the term.

The fall term has just commenced, and the number in attendance is so large that four assistant teachers have already been employed, and it is probable that some classes will still be placed under the tuition of advanced scholars, who are pursuing a course of study with especial reference to the profession of teaching. Though so large an amount is paid for teachers, it is confidently believed by the school board that the cost per scholar will be less than for any previous year.

It has been the aim of the board and the district, to afford facilities for education in this district school, equal to those afforded by the best academies and grammar schools of the country. Especial attention has been paid to those preparing themselves for teachers. Classes in Latin, Greek, Spanish, Chemistry, Algebra, Geometry, &c., have been advanced considerably beyond what is usually required for admission into even an advanced class in college; and

yet there has been no want of attention to the minor and rudimental branches. Indeed, it has been found that much greater thoroughness has been secured in elementary studies than is usually attained in schools where these studies are alone pursued, and the general effect has been to secure an unusual degree of thought, attention and mental development.

The experience of this school has shown that as a matter of economy alone, it is poor policy to employ cheap teachers-that when the district has paid the highest wages, and secured experienced and highly educated teachers, the cost of tuition per saholar has been least.

It has shown, too, the practicability and the policy of affording facilities for the study of the classics, and the higher branches of English, in our district schools. A large proportion of the youth of our country have access to no other schools; and though their parents or guardians could not be induced to send them to academies or colleges, they are ever ready to afford them facilities for the attainment of all the knowledge to be obtained in the district school. Let these be made what they should, and what they may, without any greatly increased expense, and we shall have no need of academies and grammar schools.

UNION SCHOOL AT BATTLE CREEK.

W. J. BAXTER.

To the Superintendent of Public Instruction:

The district board of the Union School at Battle Creek, would respectfully report, that the first term of the Union School, since the completion of the school buildings, closed December 24th. Four hundred and thirty-six scholars were in attendance during the term. Twentyseven non-resident scholars have been admitted into the school.

Instruction was given during the term in the highest branches of mathematics, French and Latin, and weekly exercises in composition and declamation. The school is separated into three departments, two teachers in each under the superintendence of the principal. Teacher's wages per term, $511 00. The year is divided into three terms of fifteen weeks each. There are six hundred and one children in the district, between the ages of four and eighteen. The Union School House is constructed of brick, three stories in heighth, forty by sixty, containing three large rooms and three convenient rooms for recitation. The house is situated on a beautiful eminence, with two acres of land attached to it, which will be filled with forest and ornamental trees the coming spring. The first school district in this place was organized in June, 1834, with a sparse population, embracing twelve sections, known as school district No. 3, township of Milton. A tax of $60 was raised, for which a school house was erected, which answered the demands of the district until 1837. During the years 1837 and 1838, 8500 were raised to prepare a more commodious building. In 1840 a library was attached to the school, and a resolution adopted to support the school through the academic year. In the year 1844, the friends of universal education started the project of a Union School, and were encoun tered by strong opponents who were unceasing in their efforts to defeat the raising of a sufficient tax to execute their plans, and were successful for a time. The board of inspectors in the year 1845, not favoring the principles of Union Schools, attempted to divide the district into several, but were checked by the active exertions of those who believed such an act would prove injurious to the cause of popular education. Public meetings were called, and the question discussed for some months with a beneficial result.

In 1847, the inspectors of Emmet, Battle Creek and Bedford formed a Union school district, composed of fractional parts of said townships, including a territory equal to five and fiveeighths sections. At the annual meeting of 1848, a resolution passed to raise $2,000 to purchase a site and build a house suitable for the Union school. The tax was duly assessed and mostly collected; a site had been secured and arrangements were being made for the erection of an edifice suitable for the district; but by the ingenuity of the enemies of the investment of a capital for the benefit of the rising generation, an injunction was placed upon the treasurer

and the amount which had been collected was refunded; the district was obliged to relinquish their claims on an enviable site and await a proper time for another effort, suffering much from an unnecessary expense and delay. In 1849 they succeeded in passing a resolution to raise another tax, and were successful in collecting it. A site was procured and the building commenced. In 1850, men were selected to fill the offices of the district with perseverence sufficient to overcome all obstacles which were presented in their way, and the speedy completion of the building was the result; and we are happy to report the present prospects of the school encouraging. The building and site has been obtained at an expense of $5,500, The board feel determined to do all in their power to make this school worthy the patronage so liberally bestowed. The district is in much need of apparatus and a district library, and we believe if the Union schools could have their share of the township libraries and of the library fund, much more benefit might be derived than is now obtained.

Battle Creek, Jan. 3, 1852.

S. WRIGHT, Secretary of the Board.

YPSILANTI UNION SCHOOL.

YPSILANTI, April 30, 1852.

HON. FRANCIS W. SHEARMAN, Superintendent of Public Instruction: DEAR SIR-The directors of Ypsilanti Union School respectfully transmit, subject to your disposal, the following brief report of the rise, progress and present condition of this instuittion.

This school was organized in October, 1849, under a special aet of legislation authorizing the directors to adopt any system which would not conflict with the general school law.

It was a bold and in many respects an unprecedented experiment, undertaken by one district alone, and involving an amount of pecuniary responsibility which nothing but zeal in the cause of education could have induced its projectors to assume, and which nothing but great faith in the feasibility of their enterprise could have justified them in assuming.

In October 1851, two years from the time the school was organized, a second district united with the first, and since then it has been sustained by the united efforts of the two districtsstill leaving two others in our village which have not seen fit to unite with us. While under the control of a single district it was known as a model school, but soon after the union of the two, there then being no school in this part of the country which afforded advantages superior to those of the common district school, it was deemed advisable to extend the course of instruction, not only that our own children might receive a finished as well as a thorough and practical education at home, and under the parents' immediate protection, but also as an inducement for pupils from abroad to become connected with the institution. In this respect it is believed we have gone beyond most institutions in this and other States.

In a large majority of the Union Schools in the State of New York, the course of instruction is limited to that of the common district school, while but few give advantages of a classic or even an extended English course. Owing to this deficiency, they are in many instances compelled to support as separate schools, both an Academic and a Union School. We have aimed to unite both of these in one; and how far we have succeeded, the present condition of the school will show. From its character, the privileges it afforded and the large and comprehensive course of study then adopted, it insensibly, and by a kind of common consent, became known as Union Seminary, which name it has since borne, without, it is believed, giving offence to other seminaries, or bringing discredit upon the name.

If it is the first institution of the kind which has assumed this well merited distinction, it is to be hoped it will not be the last, for surely such schools taking the rank and doing the labor

of seminaries, in our populous and enterprising villages, are the hope of the State, not only as seats of academical learning, but as preparatory schools for our University; and there can be no good reason why they should not take title and position in keeping with their real rank and importance.

The buildings belonging to the district are valued at $8,000; the annual expense of school $2,300; the average attendance of pupils, 250; the average amount raised by tax for payment of teachers' salaries, 200; and the expenses per scholar to the inhabitants of the district, for common school privileges, $5.

This average per district scholar, though no higher than in many common district schools, we are in hopes soon to reduce at least one half.

The following course of studies have been adopted, and is now pursued by the classes in the school. Some will have completed the course at the expiration of the present term:

COURSE OF STUDIES-PREPARATORY.

Orthography, Reading, Penmanship, Modern Geography, Grammar, Arithmetic written and mental, Geography of the Heavens, History of the United States and Analysis.

FIRST YEAR.

First-Higher Arithmetic, Advanced Grammar, Ancient Geography.
Second-Algebra begun, Higher Arithmetic, Advanced Grammar.
Third-Book Keeping, Algebra finished, Syntax and Prosody.

Fourth-Bourdon begun, Physiology, Botany.

Composition during the year-Parker's Aid.

SECOND YEAR.

First-Bourdon finished, Botany, Geometry.

Second-Geometry finished, History, Rhetoric.
Third-Trigonometry, History, Rhetoric.
Fourth-Calculus, History, Logic.

Composition during the year-Parker's Aid.

THIRD YEAR.

First-Surveying, Geology and Mineralogy, Mental Philosophy.

Second-Chemistry, Mental Philosophy, Natural Philosophy.

Third-Natural Philosophy, Mental Philosophy, Agricultural Chemistry.

Fourth-Astronomy, Moral Science, Elements of Criticism.

Composition during the year.

There are two Primary departments for young pupils, and a Preparatory, which students

are required to pass through before entering upon the other course.

It is worthy of remark that the course of study is as thorough and extensive as in any other institution in the State, and that the rates of tuition are lower than in most.

In addition to the English course, just attention is paid in preparing young men for college, and much time and labor devoted to instruction in the modern languages. During the past year there have been large classes in French, German, Music, Painting and Drawing.

A philosophical, chemical and mathematical apparatus of considerable value, belongs to the Seminary, and the town library, containing over one thousand volumes, is kept in the build