The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-17
rpuoArloNAL MATTERs.
The Report Of the Commissioner Of EduGa
tIOR-WoSt Virginia Notes,

The Report OF the Commissioner OF EduGA'
tIOn-WSSt YiTginia NOtsu.
Special C0napoadtRcs Of pt l4ttlligmeE.
WASHINGTON, D. O., March l5.-The
fourteenth annual report Of the Commits
sioner Of Education, which has just been
issued, brings the record Of education in
the United States up TO the end Of 1884 1t
is a voluminous document OF 1914 pages
and contains abstracts Of the official re-
ports Of school officers OF States, Terrific
tories and cities, together with 6sU pages
OF statistical tables relating to education
in the country. From the report 1t ap-
reared that the school population for
iha torsy.eight States and Territories is
1874, iO2 The total enrolment ia 10 1885,
l92, or about one-tiIth the entire popula'
ton Of the country.
The number Of public school teachers re.
ported is SO7, 304. The average salary Of
teachers In the States ranges from ST 81
TO Sl7 Is. Nevada reports the highest sal
aries for men, Sl4O 5Oi for women, SUI o.
GENERAL REVIEW or TUE YEARS RkcoRD
In general review Of the record oipub
lie education for the year, the Colmis'
sioner says;
az Iorts have been made in certain sec.
tons to direct public interest toward de-
nominationsl schools, and in others to
limit the free schools to the most element-
ary work. Here and there such efforts
have hindered the progress OF Tree schools,
but on the whole they have had the con-
traTy effect. Tho growth Of the free
school system In the South, thu interest
manifested in the Eastern and Western
States in yarious measures ioI the i'm
proyement OF the schools, the attention
given to the subject by the public press
and public societies. the enthusiasm dls'
played at the meeting Of the hstl0na!
Educational Association AZ Madison, WIS.,,
show that on the whole the public school
system is stronger than ever in the CONT
lience OF the people. Since the date Of my
last report, legislation has been secured
in several States increasing the efficiency
Of the schools.
Wherever proper provision Is made for
The inspection aud supervision OF rural
schools exCellentresults follow. Union II
dihtriCls aud the adoption Of the township
Tor the district system are measures that
have greatly promoted the efficiency Oh
this class Of schools, and experience
abundantly illustrates the advantage OF
definite classification by means OF graded
courses Of study, OF, where it isPraClica-
Bile. by the formation Of primary and in-
terneulale CLASSES under different aGh'
ers. Grading in tho country schools leads
to provision for branches u littls in ad-
vance OF those that the school laws make
obligatory, prevents the early Withdrawal
Of pupils, and increases tue number who
advance to the high schools IL msy also
be epsiiy shown that grading is An eCono'
mical provision"
The following States have, by special
enactment, made instruction in the ELECTS
Of alcoholic Liquors obligatory: New
Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, New
York, and Michigan, In some other
states, as, for instance, Massachusetts,, in.
auuctIon in physiology, hygiene, and ten
perauCs has long been required.