This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870 edition. Excerpt: ... serious obstacles in the way of improvement is the shortness of the time for which the schools are kept open; the bad eifects of which are felt not only in not sustaining a professional class of teachers, but in the want of progress made by the pupils themselves. Children are naturally prone to forget, and when their attendance upon school has been but four months during the year, and that perhaps irregularly, with little or no attention paid to studies at home, it is not surprising that they should return to school the following year to commence their studies about where they began them the previous year. Some changes in the school law might add to its efiiciency. The present law is evidence that it is easier to pull down than to construct, and hence would not advocate its total repeal, but simply that its imperfections be remedied. A return to the " township system," or the placing of the control of schools, buildin of school-houses, and the employment of teachers in the hands of t e board of education of the township, as at present constituted, would have a tendency to obviate local differences and personal preferences, promote a more uniform system of education, and dignity the position of school ofiicers. EDUCATION OF COLORED PEOPLE. The law provides for the education of colored children, and in order that its benefits might reach this benighted race, a special act was passed last Legislature. The law seems to be ample in its provisions for the education of this class of persons, yet still there are obstacles that no legislation can remove. In many townships there seems to be a disposition on the part of directors, without respect to party, to carry out the provisions of the law on this subject. But I am sorry to say that...