perfect records, probably, rather than of dishonesty of officials. September 30, 1858, the primary school fund amounted to $2,890,090.73, and the swamp-land school fund to $461,237.20. The qualification of teachers and the supervision of schools were for many years in the hands of a board of three inspectors, then the county superintendency system was adopted for many years, and since 1875 the township system has been in vogue. The township Board of School inspectors now consists of the Township Clerk, one elected Inspector, and a Township Superintendent of Schools.

The latter officer licenses the teachers and visits the schools. In 1877, the school children (five to twenty years of age) numbered 469,504; the average number of months of school, 7.4; number of graded schools, 295; number of schoolhouses, 6,078, valued at $9,190,175; amount of two-mill tax, $492,646.94; district taxes, $2,217,961; total resources for the year, $3,792,129.59; total expenditures, $3,179,976.06.

STATE UNIVERSITY.

By an act of Congress in 1804, a township of land was to be reserved in the territory now constituting the lower peninsula "for the use of seminaries of learning;" but the most of this reservation in 1841 went to a Catholic institution at Detroit. In 1824, through the exertions of Austin E. Wing, delegate to Congress, Gov. Woodbridge and others, a second township was granted, with permission to select the sections in detached localities, and about this time Judge Woodward devised that novel and extensive scheme for the "catholepistemaid," elsewhere referred to in this volume. In 1837 the Legislature established the University at Ann Arbor, and appropriated the seventy-two sections to its benefit; 916 acres of this land were located in what is now the richest part of Toledo, Ohio, from which the University finally realized less than $18,000.

But the State in subsequent years made many liberal appropriations to this favorite institution, until it has become the greatest seat of learning west of New England, if not in all America. It is a part of the public-school system of the State, as tuition is free, and pupils graduating at the high schools are permitted to enter the freshman class of the collegiate department. It now has an average attendance of 1,200 to 1,400 students, 450 of whom are in the college proper. In 1879 there were 406 in the law department, 329 in the medical, 71 in pharmacy, 62 in dental surgery, and 63 in the homeopathic department. There are over fifty professors and teachers. The University is under the control of eight regents, elected by the people, two every second year. Rev. Henry B. Tappan, D. D., was President from 1852 to 1863, then Erastus O. Haven, D. D., LL. D., to 1860, then

Prof. H. S. Freeze (acting) until 1871, since which time the reins have been held. by Hon. James B. Angell, LL. D.

The value of the buildings and grounds was estimated in 1879 at $319,000, and the personal property at $250,000.

STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

John D. Pierce, the first Superintendent of Public Instruction, in his first report to the Legislature, urged the importance of a normal school. In this enterprise he was followed by his successors in office until 1849, when Ira Mayhew was State Superintendent, and the Legislature appropriated seventy-two sections of land for the purpose; and among the points competing for the location of the school, Ypsilanti won, and in that place the institution was permanently located. The building was completed and dedicated with appropriate ceremonies, October 5, 1852; next year the Legislature appropriated $7,000 in money, for expenses. Prof. A. S. Welch, now President of Iowa Agricultural College, was elected the first Principal. In October, 1859, the building with contents was burned, and a new building was immediately erected. In 1878 the main building was enlarged at an expense of $43,347. This enlargement was 88x90 feet, and has a hall capable of seating 1,200 persons. The value of buildings and other property at the present time is estimated at $111,100. Number of students, 616, including 144 in the primary department.

Each member of the Legislature is authorized by the Board of Education to appoint two students from his district who may attend one year free of tuition; other students pay $10 per annum. Graduates of this school are entitled to teach in this State without re-examination by any school officer.

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

The Michigan Agricultural College owes its establishment to a provision of the State Constitution of 1850. Article 13 says, "The Legislature shall, as soon as practicable, provide for the establishment of an agricultural school." For the purpose of carrying into practice this provision, legislation was commenced in 1855, and the act required that the school should be within ten miles of Lansing, and that not more than $15 an acre should be paid for the farm and college grounds. The college was opened to students in May, 1857, the first of existing agricultural colleges in the United States. Until the Spring of 1861 it was under the control of the State Board of Education; since that time it has been under the management of the State Board of Agriculture, created for the purpose.

In its essential features of combining study and labor, and of uniting general and professional studies in its course, the college has remained virtually unchanged frem the first. It has had a steady growth in number of students, in means of illustration and efficiency of instruction.

An Act of Congress, approved July 2, 1862, donated to each State public lands

to the amount of 30,000 acres for each of its Senators and Representatives in Congress, according to the census of 1860, for the endowment, support and maintenance of at least one college where the leading object should be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts. The Legislature accepted this grant and bestowed it upon the Agricultural College. By its provisions the college has received 235,673.37 acres of land. These lands have been placed in market, and about 74,000 acres are sold, yielding a fund of §237,174, the interest of which, at seven per cent., is applied to the support of the college. The sale is under the direction of the Agricultural Land Grant Board, consisting of the Governor, Auditor General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General and Commissioner of the State Land Office.

The Agricultural College is three miles east of Lansing, comprising several fine buildings; and there are, also, very beautiful, substantial residences for the professors. There are also an extensive, well-filled green-house, a very large and well-equipped and chemical laboratory, one of the most scientific apiaries in the United States, a general museum, a museum of mechanical inventions, another of vegetable products, extensive barns, piggeries, etc., etc., in fine trim for the purposes designed. The farm consists of 676 acres, of which about 300 are under cultivation is in a systematic rotation of crops.

OTHER COLLEGES.

At Albion is a flourishing college under the control of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The grounds comprise about fifteen acres. There are three college buildings, each three stories high, having severally the dimensions of 46 by 80, 40 by 100, and 47 by 80 feet. The attendance in 1878 was 205. Tuition in the preparatory and collegiate studies is free. The faculty comprises nine members. The value of property about $85,000.

Adrian College was established by the Wesleyan Methodists in 1859, now under the control of the "Methodist Church." The grounds contain about twenty acres. There are four buildings, capable of accommodating about 225 students. Attendance in 1875 was 179; total number of graduates for previous years, 121; ten professors and teachers employed. Exclusive of the endowment fund ($80,000), the assets of the institution, including grounds, buildings, furniture, apparatus, musical instruments, outlying lands, etc., amount to more than $137,000. Hope College, at Holland, is under the patronage of the Dutch Reformed Church. It was begun in 1851, and in connection with the ordinary branches of learning, it has a theological department. In 1877 it had ten professors and teachers and 110 pupils. Up to 1875 there had graduated, in the preparatory department, begun in

1863, ninety-five; in the academic, beginning in 1866, fifty-three; and in the theological, beginning in 1869, twenty-four. Value of real estate, $25,000; of other property, above incumbrance, about $10,000; the amount of endowment paid in is about $56,000.

Kalamazoo College, headed by Baptists, is situated on a five-acre lot of ground, and the property is valued at $35,000; investments, $38,000. There are six members of the faculty, and in 1878 there were 169 pupils.

Hillsdale College was established in 1855 by the Free Baptists. The "Michigan Central College," at Spring Arbor, was incorporated in 1845. It was kept in operation until it was merged into the present Hillsdale College. The site comprises twenty-five acres, beautifully situated on an eminence in the western part of the city of Hillsdale. The large and imposing building first erected was nearly destroyed by fire in 1874, and in its place five buildings of a more modern style have been erected. They are of brick, three stories with basement, arranged on three sides of a quadrangle. Their size is, respectively, 80 by 80, 48 by 72, 48 by 72, 80 by 60, 52 by 72, and they contain one-half more room than the original building. Ex-Lieutenant Gov. E. B. Fairfield was the first president. The present president is Rev. D. W. C. Durgin, D. D. Whole number of graduates up to 1878, 375; number of students in all departments, 506; number of professors and instructors, 15; productive endowment, about $100,000; buildings and ground, $80,000; library, 6,200.

Olivet College, in Eaton County, is a lively and thorough literary and fine-art institution, under the joint auspices of the Presbyterian and Congregational denominations. Value of buildings and ground, about $85,000. Fourteen professors and teachers are employed, and the attendance in 1878 was 190, the sexes in about equal proportion. There are five departments, namely, the collegiate, preparatory, normal, music and art.

Battle Creek College, conducted by the Seventh-Day Adventists, was established in 1874, with four departments, eleven professors and teachers, and an attendance of 289. It is practically connected with a large health institution, where meat and medicines are eschewed. In 1878 there were fifteen instructors and 478 students. Special attention is paid to hygiene and hygienic medi

cation.

Grand Traverse College was opened at Benzonia, in 1863, as the result of the efforts of Rev. Dr. J. B. Walter, a prominent divine of the Congregational Church. The friends of this institution have met with serious discouragements; their lands have not risen in value as anticipated, and they have suffered a heavy loss from fire; but the college has been kept open to the present time, with an average of seventy pupils. The curriculum, however, has so far been only "preparatory." The land

is valued at $25,000, and the buildings, etc., $6,000. The school has done a good work in qualifying teachers for the public schools.

Besides the foregoing colleges, there are the German-American Seminary in Detroit, a Catholic seminary at Monroe, the Michigan Female Seminary at Kalamazoo, the Military Academy at Orchard Lake, near Pontiac, and others. Large numbers of Michigan students study at the college of Notre Dame in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.

No State in the Union takes better care of her poor than does Michigan. For a number of years past, especially under the administrations of Govs. Bagley and Croswell, extraordinary efforts have been made to improve and bring to perfection the appointments for the poor and dependent.

According to the report of the Board of State Commissioners for the general supervision of charitable, penal, pauper and reformatory institutions for 1876, the total number in poor-houses of the State was 5,282. For the five years preceding, the annual rate of increase was four times greater than the increase of population during that period; but that was an exceptionally "hard" time. The capacity of the public heart, however, was equal to the occasion, and took such measures as were effectual and almost beyond criticism for the care of the indigent. At the head of the charity department of the State stands

THE STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

In the year 1870 a commission appointed by the Governor for that purpose, visited many of the poor-houses in the State, and found a large number of children in them under sixteen years of age, indiscriminately associated with idiots, maniacs, prostitutes and vagrants. Their report recommended the classification of paupers, and especially, that children in the county houses, under sixteen years, should be placed in a State school. The act establishing the rule was passed in 1871, in conformity with the recommendation. As amended in 1873, it provides, in substance, that there shall be received as pupils in such school all neglected and dependent children that are over four and under sixteen years of age, and that are in suitable condition of body or mind to receive instruction, especially those maintained in the county poor-houses, those who have been deserted by their parents, or are orphans, or whose parents have been convicted of crime. It is declared to be the object of the act to provide for such children temporary homes only, until homes can be procured for them in families. The plans comprehend the ultimate care of all children of the class described, and it is made unlawful to retain such children in poor-houses when there is room for them in the State Public School. Dependent orphans and half orphans of deceased soldiers and sailors have the preference of