National Republican., 1883-03-02
THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION.
Extent Of its Inquiries Into the Working Of
Schools and School Systems
How the Work Of This Important Office
is Conducted.
An Idea Given Of the Vast Amount Of Correspondence
Carried On.
Sketch OF the Personnel OF the Force of
the Bureau.

great WORK in the interests oil education.
SO unobtrusively have its labors been directed
to this end that few persons are aware Of the
extent and value of the work IL is doing By
its fruits can IL best be judged. And these
fruits can only be appreciated by becoming
acquainted with the amount and diversity of
the labor. The primary object of the bureau
Of education Is to collect information about
tho various school systems and schools, not
only in this country, but throughout tho
world. The law directs that statistics thus
gathered shall be compiled and difiiiscd by
reports and circulars. The magnitude Of the
homo work may be appreciated by stating
that the last report contained about 900
pages, all of vital interest. Besides the an
nual report the bureau averages every year
about six circulars on general subjects, be-
sides bulletins and at times supplementary
special circulars.
The amount of correspondence done by the
bureau is immense. As specimen brick"
of its work in this respect IT may be men
toned that during tho last year there were
answered from one room thousands of letters
In reply TO inquiries about the education of
colored pupils in state and city schools about
the course Of study in district schools; the
free school system in the southern states be-
fore the war; the number of public school teach
er5 in the country; the educational qualifica-
tions of voters in the several states the COM
pulsory school laws Of the states; arguments
for and against the co-educaton of the sexes in
schools md COLLEGES; city free schools for deaf
mutes professorships Of pedagogcs in British
universities aud American colleges, aud uni
versity and polytechnic instruction in Europe
as compared with that in this country. All
this in one room.
The scope of these inquiries, IL will be seen,
Is great and varied. And it is seldom that
any two of the thousands of letters on any one
branch here specified are so nearly alike that
the same answer is applicable to them. AS
rule each letter of inquiry requires the
preparation OF a separate letter of response.
The range of the >above questions, however
great, is only small part Of the bureaus
work. From another room are answered all
inquiries rs to industrial education; inquiries
as to instruction in civil engineering; or
ganization and management of technical
schools the early history of public instruc.
tion at home and abroad military schools in
this country laws exempting school property
from taxation in the several states; mining
engineering; hygiene in school and colleges
aud teachers examination. In still another
room are answered special questions about nor
nal schools-city andcountry school systems I;
courses OF study; graded schools and school
supervisor. In n fourth room are answered
questions pertaining to kindergarten work
and agricultural colleges.
There arc more rooms devoted to corre-
spondence, but the specification of the princi-
pal topics treated Of in the above mentioned
four will give q good idea of the immense
amount of labor in one branch of the service
only. The statistics of foreign education col
lected and arranged by this bureau are of inn
mense value, and have wide range. They
relate to Great Britain and all English speak
ing countries, France, Germany, Italy, Den
mark, Austro- Hungary, Spain, Portugal,
Sweden, Norway, Mexico, Turkey, Brazil,
Viii H.. ~. L.. ~
Uruguay, Belgium, Holland, Russia, and
Japan.
The statistics from these countries include
periodicals published in each language. The
collection is very full from all English speak
ing countries and colonies, and also from
France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium. The
cause of education in France Is warmly fl-
yored, and great progress is being made there.
As proof of the high estimation in which the
bureau Of education is held abroad, the French
have modelled their bureau of education upon
Gen. Eaton's plan, and adopted many of his
suggestions. The same remark applies to
Switzerland. Prof. Baur, of Leipsg, one OF
the highest Of foreign authorities ON educa-
tion, in late official communication, spoke
highly of the great facilities afforded by the
American bureau of education, and said its
reports served as models to all other countries
One the most interesting features of the
foreign department OF the bureau is a very
full chronological and historical exhibit from
Japan illustrating the progress and appli-
Rnces OF education in that country.
OF the publications of the bureau IL may be
said that of the report for 1880 1900 copies
were called for within two months after its
publication. A vast demand was made foI
the circular on industrial education prepared
BY Mr.. Charles G.. Leland, of Philadelphia, and
published in 1882. In one day 5000 copies
were called for.
Some idea of the growth of the work of this
bureau may be had by recalling tho fact that
in 1873 the number of pieces of mail matter
received was 10000 and the number sent out
10000. In 1882 the number received was
1S,200, and the number sent out 227,000
The total force Of the bureau is 81 of whom
are laborers, one commissioner one chiei
clerk, and % assistants. Gen. Eaton's execu.
tive ability is well displayed by his choice oI
assistants. Among the gentlemen of the force
are graduates Of Yale, Dartmouth, Emory
Bowdoin, Bristol, and William and Mary col
leges and Miami and Cornell universities
Many of the ladies are graduates of distin
guished institutions of learning, and nearly
all the clerical employees are practical educa
tors.
The bureau was started in 1867, and the re
suits Of its labors are seen partially in tht
awakened interest in educational matters felt
all over the country. This work, too, is done
on very small appropriations More money
was spent, for example, on the Fish exhibit
now being sent to London than was appro
priated for the whole year for the bureau o
education. The total appropriation for the
fiscal year 1888 was $52, ,555. II Is a trife les
the coming year. When the extent and valu,
OF the work of this bureau is appreciated on,
is tempted to exclaim that never before was
small appropriation so judiciously and dis
oreetly expended.