and Miss Gertrude K. Case, Principal of the Primary School. The former was regularly appointed to his position at the June meeting, but Miss Case was engaged by myself to fill a vacancy caused by the resig nation of Miss Hughes. I think it may very safely be said that the duties of these two positions were never better performed than they are by the present incumbents. Both of the parties are more than commonly well fitted for the work. There is every indication that both appointments will prove eminently fortunate. An arrangement has been made for enabling our pupils to meet the requirements of the new school law. Brief courses in Human Physiology, Zoology and Natural Philosophy have been already given, and an opportunity to join the classes has been given to all the students. The work in Natural Philosophy is now going on. A sufficient amount of elementary instruction is given in each subject to enable the student to give profitable instruction in the elements. I have purchased, subject to the approval of the board, books for the Reference Library, to the value of $417.21. The purchase was made of Messrs. Hadley Bros., Chicago, and the terms are very favorable to the institution. For our guidance in selecting proper books, I procured the catalogue of a library, that seemed to me exceedingly well chosen; and at a meeting of the entire faculty, every book in the catalogue was passed upon. Many were thrown out as not fit or not needed, and others were added. The list thus made up was given to the Messrs. Hadley, and something more than half of the selected books have been furnished for the sum mentioned above. I am sure that we could not have done better, if as well, in New York city. Some years since, a copy of Rees's Encyclopædia was purchased in Boston for a very small sum. The volumes greatly need binding, and if it meets the views of the board, I will order it done. This encyclopæ dia contains much useful information. Its chief drawback is that it was published forty or fifty years ago. There are also other books that need re-binding. A valuable addition has been made to the scientific books in the museum. This will be found set forth in Prof. Forbes' report. During the present term I have given much more attention than heretofore, to the Model School and the pupil teachers. At the beginning of the term classes were assigned to 16 young ladies and 15 young men. One gentleman and two ladies have since been added, as new gradings were made and classes multiplied. I visit every class as often as possible, remaining sometimes through the recitation hour. Any defect in the teaching or governing is carefully and rigorously noted in a book used for the purpose, and at the private interview which always succeeds the class visit, the criticisms are freely and fully made to the young teacher. Besides this, two meetings are held each week, one for the primary teachers and another for those having classes from the High and Grammar Schools. At these meetings I am able to present general criticisms, to discuss general principles, and to set before the pupilteachers any suggestions that occur to me, of an encouraging, stimulating or inspiring character. At these meetings, too, each pupil-teacher is liable to be called upon to read a diary, which each is required to keep, detailing the work of each day, stating the subject of the recitation, pointing out the difficulties that have been encountered, the methods by which they have been surmounted, the various expedients resorted to for securing an interest in the lesson, and the modes of reviewing and thus rendering permanent the acquisitions of the pupils. These diaries are found to be useful in many ways. They turn the thoughts of the young teacher to his methods and to the details of his teaching, and prevent him from doing anything thoughtlessly. Besides, the record itself is of value, for it shows just what has been done every day, and just how well it has been done. Thus the teacher has a ready means of determining just how much reviewing is needed, and what part of the term's work needs it most: At each visit, too, a mark is entered into the same book, indicating my estimate of the value of the young teacher's work as shown in that recitation. These marks are upon a scale of 10, and if the average of them for the term is less than 7, the teaching is pronounced unsuccessful, and no credit is allowed for it on the school ledger. The pupilteachers are divided into four classes. The first class consists of those who have taught, successfully, four terms, unless excused for some good reason; the second of those who have successfully taught three terms; the third, two terms; and the fourth, one. During the present term, classes have been under the care of Normal pupils, as follows: From the High School, one class in algebra and one in geometry. From the Grammar School, 5 classes in spelling and sentence-writing; 2 classes in writing; 1 class in the history of the United States; 6 classes in reading; 4 classes in geography; and 5 classes in arithmetic. From the Primary School, 3 classes in geography; 3 classes in arithmetic; I class in singing; and 2 classes in reading. All the appropriations made by the Legislature for our use expire on the first of July next. It will therefore be necessary to secure a renewal of them. For our current expenses, the amounts that we have been receiving for the last two years, will be sufficient. Those amounts are as follows: Twenty-three twenty-fourths of the interest on College and Seminary Funds. For museum.... For chemicals. For repairs.. For fuel.. .$12, 444 99 9,000 00 3, 000 00 1,500 00 1,000 00 750 00 These are all annual appropriations. But besides these sums we also need the following specific appropriations: For heating and ventilation, in addition to $4, 000 already appropriated....... .$6,000 00 6,915 00 It is certainly time that the Normal building should be properly ventilated. Very often the air in it is totally unfit to breathe. Teachers and pupils are compelled to sit during the long hours in a sea of loathsome impurity. With all the care than can be taken, it is impossible to avoid evil results. If, in the cold months, the windows are opened in the hope of partially dispelling the cloud of offensive gas, then comes a cold and piercing current, bearing the seeds of pulmonary ailments, and causing a discordant diapason of coughing. For the State of Illinois the amount asked for is insignificant, but the effect of enfeebled health and exhausted energies, upon these teachers is most disastrous, and the privilege of breathing pure air would be of incalculable value to them. And not to them alone, but also to the children who are to be placed under their tuition. In the school room, if any where, bounding health is needed. A person whose lungs have been permanently poisoned by carbonic acid and the putridities of a foul atmosphere, is, in one very important respect, unfitted for the work of instruction. What is called a deficit arose in the following manner. The school originally went into operation in October, 1857. It received its first money from the State in January, 1858. Of course, a part of this money was retrospectively applied-enough to pay the current expenses of two months. Thus the matter continued year after year. But no very serious inconvenience was felt so long as we received our whole annual appropriation in January; for, after paying up the arrearages, there was always money enough for all the expenses of the remainder of the school year. But, under the new law, we receive in January only one quarter of our annual appropriation. And of this, nearly the whole is needed for arrearages. So that for the whole year we are kept about two months behind-hand with all our payments. What we ask of the Legislature is merely to fill up this gap. We ask really for no new appropriation of money; we only ask that this amount be paid some two months earlier than it is by the present arrangement. All of which is respectfully submitted. RICHARD EDWARDS, President. Particular attention is invited to two points in the foregoing report. One is the urgent need of a small additional appropriation to enable the Board to introduce into the University building a thorough system of ventilation. This appeal for a supplementary sum is only made after exhausting every means to accomplish the object with the $4,000 previously appropriated. The matter has had the most careful consideration of the Board, having been twice referred to a select committee composed of members most familiar with the subject, who were instructed to confer with experts, and ascertain if an efficient plan of ventilation could possibly be carried out with the funds in hand. It was thought better to pursue this course than to risk the loss of the appropriation by expending it upon inferior apparatus, which would never be satisfactory and would ultimately have to be discarded for something better. The committee reported that the building could not be properly ventilated for the amount in hand, but that the object could be accomplished in a thorough and substantial manner, and full satisfaction guaranteed, with an additional appropriation of $6,000. We therefore report the $4,000 as still on hand intact, and ask for the additional means necessary to accomplish the object in a thorough, scientific and durable manner, confident that this will be the most economical in the long run, and not doubting that our course in the premises will, under all the circumstances, be approved. The other point of the President's semi-annual report to which especial attention is invited, is the exhibit made of the amount of practice teaching done by pupils of the Institution, and the care taken to inspect and supervise their work. The fourth section of the act creating the Institution declares that its "objects shall be to qualify teachers for the common schools of this State, by imparting instruction in the art of teaching, in all branches of study which pertain to a common school education, in the elements of the natural sciences, * and such other studies as the board of education may, from time to time, prescribe." The report of the President shows that the intention of the legislature is properly interpreted and well understood, and that the school is held closely and steadily to its appropriate work, which is being faithfully and thoroughly performed. With the reports of other leading State normal schools before me, I find none in which the paramount duty of shaping the course of study and training with direct reference to the special and characteristic objects for which such schools exist, is more distinctly recognized, or performed with greater fidelity, than in ours. The same fact will be noticed in the reports, hereafter given, of our County Normal Schools. Skill in the art of teaching, power in the school room-these are the ends aimed at in all of them. Vol. II-34 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS NORMAL UNIVERSITY. The act to establish and maintain the Southern Illinois Normal University, was approved March 9, 1869. My last biennial report noted the organization of the board of trustees, the selection of a site, and the adoption of a plan for the building, with a full description thereof. The subsequent progress and present condition of that important enterprise will now be stated: Pursuant to an act of the 27th general assembly, in force April 15, 1871, the board of trustees appointed under the act of March 9, 1869, were succeeded by a new board of three "Commissioners," who were charged with the duty of constructing both the Southern Illinois Insane Asylum, located at Anna, and the Southern Illinois Normal University, located at Carbondale. Messrs. R. H. Sturgess, Vandalia, Fayette county; John Woods, Cairo, Alexander county; and E. J. Palmer, Carbondale, Jackson county, were appointed and confirmed as said Board of Commissioners. This Board, in their first report to the Governor, dated Carbondale, Illinois, Nov. 2, 1871, say : "On May 3d we met at Carbondale, to receive property belonging to the Normal University, only one member of the retiring board being present, the others reporting their inability to attend. After taking possession of such books and property as could be found, we proceeded to the transaction of business. "In complying with the requirements of section 6, of the act creating the present Board, we were unavoidably delayed by the unfortunate death of the contractor, J. M. Campbell, who lost his life while employed at the building. We could do nothing until administrators were ap pointed by the court. As soon as this was done, we notified the administrators of our readiness to hear any proposals they had to make, or to receive the assets in their hands, and to proceed to a final settlement. In compliance with our notice, the administrators turned over to us the following described assets, to-wit: bonds of the city of Carbondale to the amount of $100,000, less the first year's coupons taken from said bonds; the unexpended portion of the Illinois Central Railroad freight donation, to amount of $19,685.53; lands situated in city of Carbondale, Jackson and Williamson counties; and signified their readiness to have the price of work done and material furnished affixed by appraisers, as provided by said section 6. The appraisers selected, were, David Johnson, on the part of the appraisers, and Edward Jungunfeld, architect, of St. Louis, on the part of the Board. The two appraisers selected as umpire, Arthur Boyle, of Cairo. The appraisers made a careful estimate, by actual measurement of the work done and materials furnished, suitable for the building, and al |