2d. A tax of two mills on the dollar. (This was changed from one to two mills in 1851, and changed back again to one mill in 1853.)

3d. The districts (not the towns, as before,) might vote a tax of one dollar per scholar.

4th. The same as in 1847, above.

5th. The rate bill.

6th. The proceeds of fines, &c.

The whole amount raised in the State for the support of Schools, in 1852, was about....

$200,000 00

The sales in this year were about five thousand dollars less than the average for the previous eight years; but in 1853 they increased four fold; and in 1854 nearly six fold; amounting in the two years to $519,801 88.

This was about equal to all the sales of previous years. since the lands were offered, excepting the first year; and the sales from 1853 to 1857, inclusive, were nearly equal to all previous sales from the beginning.

From these extensive sales, the amount of interest rapidly increased, till from thirty-four cents per scholar, in 1851, it reached fifty-three cents in 1857; but in the latter year the sales amounted to but a little more than forty thousand dollars-not keeping pace with the increase of population-and the amount, the present year, 1858, is but fifty cents per scholar. The sale of the lands depends much upon the financial prosperity of the State; and must of necessity show a wide difference between years of commercial activity, like 1853 and '54, and a year of revulsion, like 1857. The increase of population is more uniform, and less affected by these causes.

The entire amount expended in support of Primary Schools in 1857, was $636,000 00. This shows a gratifying increase of interest in the public mind in behalf of Public Education; and the more so, inasmuch as about two-thirds of the whole amount was raised by the voluntary self-taxation of the people, in addition to more than one hundred thousand dollars they were required to raise by law. Yet, large as this sum seems in the aggregate, it is probably not more than ninety cents for each inhabitant of the State. But it presents, nevertheless, a gratifying contrast with 1842, when the entire amount was but about thirty-five cents to each one of our population.

The money so liberally expended in the erection of School-houses by voluntary taxation, speaks well for the intelligence and broad views of the people of Michigan. More than one hundred and forty thousand dollars was raised for that object alone, in 1857. A most gratifying feature of this subject is the fact, that men of wealth are generally quite as ready to tax their own property for the erection of commodious and elegant School-houses, and for the support of the ablest teachers who can be obtained, as are the men of moderate means; or as those who have no property, are to tax those who have. Indeed, it is probably true generally, that the poor, whose tax would be very little or nothing, have been the strongest opposers of Union Schools, on the ground of anticipated expense. While we thus behold our rich men taxing themselves to build School houses, at an expense of five thousand to forty thousand dollars, with the interest that must consequently be felt in making the schools all they should be, for the proper development of the intellectual and moral faculties of the rising generation, we need not greatly fear for the perpetuity of our free institutions. We may reasonably hope that such a people can never be made the dupes of politicak demagogues, or social empirics.

The following table exhibits the sales of land, and interest, for the several years since 1843, after deducting forfeitures:

The capitol at Lansing was located on the School section; no part of which had at that time been sold. The section was divided into lots, reserving about forty-five acres for State, Church, and local School purposes.

The remainder has all been sold-principally prior to 1855 for the aggregate sum of $90,640 75, averaging $152 33 per acre. It is safe to estimate the present value of these lots, as now held by their owners-and about onehalf of which were sold no longer ago than in 1852 and 1853 at half a million dollars.

The following table shows the comparative progress of Primary Schools, at periods of five years from November 30, 1837:

An act was passed in 1849, establishing a State Normal

School, for the specific purpose of qualifying teachers. This institution is now producing most gratifying results.*

In 1855, the Legislature appropriated funds not exceeding eighteen hundred dollars per annum, for sustaining Teachers' Institutes; to be held at the discretion, and under the direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. These have been held from time to time, as circumstances and other duties of the Superintendent would admit, with highly beneficial results.†

An examination of the records of the management of the School Funds, for the first four years, shows the greatest confusion, contradiction, and deficiency. The Reports appear ambiguous and imperfect; and the School and University Funds are at times so united that it is impossible to separate them. Until the establishment of the Land Office in 1843, there appears to have been but little system in keeping the accounts, or it was so imperfect that the Reports conveyed no intelligent understanding of the situation of the Funds. The first Report from the Commissioner of the Land Office, at the close of the fiscal year 1843, says:

"Upon an examination of the books transferred to this office, it was soon perceived that their keeping was deficient in system, and incapable of affording exact and perfect information of the business transactions of the department."

This "exact information" must probably be reckoned with the lost arts; though the latter may be recovered, while the former never will. It is, therefore, impossible to go back to the commencement, and make a table of the receipts and expenditures of the Funds. The details of the first four or five years cannot be obtained and arranged so as to give a clear exhibit of the subject. The earliest

*See article under head of "State Normal School," following.

† See Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction, recently published, page 479,

and on.

specific statement of affairs is found in a Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, December 1st, 1842. From the most thorough examination he was able to make, of the subject, he arrived at the following aggregate result, as it appeared at that date:

Receipts on account of principal,..

$121,332 73

Total deficiency in principal and interest,... ...$15,725 93

The deficiency was really more than this; as the "expenses" (and perhaps the "uncurrent funds") were partly on account of the University Fund, (probably one-fourth,) but the Report does not state how much; and we here let the deficiency in the School Fund stand as above, instead of $20,000 00, as it probably was.

The following tables have been prepared with some days of labor in searching and comparing the official Reports and records, and are believed to be as correct an exhibit of receipts and expenditures as can be obtained. If any person wishes to search for further information, he will truly find it a "search for knowledge under difficulties."

Previous to 1843, the confusion and contradictions in the