E.—l2.

REPORT UPON STATE EDUCATION.

Gratuitous, Secular, and Compulsory Features. of age, and tlicy increased largely between 1870 and 1880, the date of the last census; 1 which figures " will probably startle some who have too hastily assumed that America is an educated paradise." 2 Agents of truancy are employed in some States to assist in enforcing compulsory laws, and truancy is punished in certain States by the Courts. 3 Next to the absence of an effectual obligatory system, inadequate school accommodation is stated by the Bureau to be the potent cause of insufficient school attendance. 4 SCHOOL AGE. " There arc eighteen different legal school ages in the States and Territories; the longest, extending from four years of age to twenty-one, covers a period of seventeen years, and the shortest, from eight years of age to sixteen, a period of eight years. " J The average is from a little over five and a-half years to nearly nineteen and a-half years. But it is stated that the actual school age of the pupil generally begins at six years, and ends 8 at fifteen or sixteen. 7 Cramming, as producing " over-pressure," has been loudly complained of, even by prominent physicians and educationalists. 8 School libraries are encouraged in some States, 9 and teachers' libraries are not unknown. 10 SCHOOLS. 11 The schools for ordinary courses of study consist of 13 — (1.) Primary schools; (2.) Grammar schools ; (3.) High schools; 13 (4.) Colleges; and (5.) Universities. There are also night and half-time 14 schools. The usual ages for frequenting day schools are 15 —

ages in States and Territories.

Over-pressure.

.

Classes of day schools.

Ages for frequenting schools.

1 See— (a) C. rep., 1885, pp. 6 and 229 ; 1884, pp. 15, 77, and 293; (b) 1.E.C., vol. IG, pp. 182, 183, and 211, and vol. 14, p. 574; (c) S. and R.1., 14 Oct., 1884; but see 21 Oct., 1884; (d) London Daily Telegraph, 19 Mar., 1885 ; (e) " Q.R., p. 425. 2 But the coloured-race difficulty must not bo overlooked, see supra,, and C. rep., 1884, p. 55, and 1885, Table p. 53 and seq., and 59. Note, for instance, Kentucky, p. 97. s For instance, note their work in New York—C. rep., 1885, p. 196, and Rhode Island, pp. 243, 244, 248. 4 See statement by the (now ex-) Commissioner.—■ " Journal of Ed.," London, 1 Oct., 1880, p. 420. 6 For details, including summary of school age, population, enrolment, attendance, &c, see C. rep., 1885, pp. 10-16, 27, 29, 66 and seq., and compare with 1884, p. 16. But see—■ (a) M. rep., p. 17, and see p. 48; (b) S. and E.1., 9 Sept., 1884 ; (c) Statement, p. 19. For compulsory school ages see Table infra at end of this section. 6 The ago mentioned to mo at the Bureau was fifteen. Compare with New Zealand 1887 Act, s. 83. ' Statement, p. 19 ; and see Dr. R., p. 5. Note, however, M. rep., p. 48. When discussing the question of illiteracy at the Bureau, it was stated to me that it was only fair to remember that the actual school age population is much less than the legal school age population. 8 For instance, seo Dr. Philbrick, p. 29; and especially as affecting female pupils. But Dr. R. M. Hodges, in his recent address before the Massachusetts Medical Society, said: "The alleged over-pressure in school is in the main a fallacious assumption. Sound study is an advantage, if the general rules of health are attended to, and for one youthful person injured by excessive application there are a hundred whose physical condition is deteriorated by want of wholesome mental exercise. The special provocatives

of ' delicate health ' in females are in great mcasuro social. The deleterious influences of a multiplicity of engagements, of the exacting demands of ambitious fashion and gaiety—and not unfrequcntly an early betrothal—are intensified by the capacity for endurance which belongs to the so-called weaker sex." 9 For instance, New Jersey, C. rep., 1885, p. 185 ; and see Now York, p. 192. 10 See, for instance, Pennsylvania, C. rep., 1885, p. 233. 11 For full details see Dr. Philbriek; and for statistical summary of institutions, instructors, and students from 1874 to 1884, see C. rep., 1885, p. 8, and 1884, p. 12. For building and apparatus, see C. ropt., 1884, p. 30, and 1885, p. 931 and seq., Dr. Philbrick, pp. 156, 166, and 171. And for subject generally note recent Canadian publication, and other authorities referred to supra, " Great Britain," and " Circular of Information," No. 5, 1884, respecting Educational Exhibits. In the Indian territory "most of the teachers are educated Indians who teach only English in the schools. The Gherokees have two fine seminaries, managed and operated by themselves." —C. rep., 1885, p. 301. '2 See (a) C. rep., 1884, pp. 12 and 85 ; (b) M. rep., p. 12 ; (c) S. and R.1., 14 Oct., ana 6 and 9 Sept., 1884 ; (d) Dr. R., p. 5. 13 See also C. rep. 1885, and Dr. Philbriok, especially pp. 22 and 35; and for higher education of women also see— (a) C. rep., 1885, pp. 13C, 146, 605, and 622. (6) 1.E.0., vol. 15, especially pp. 388-393, 397-399, 400--402, and 405-407. On subject generally see paper on the " Higher Education of Women," by Mrs. Bycrs, Principal of Ladies' College, Belfast, Trans. Nat. Soc. Sc. Assoc, Dublin, 1881 (hereafter termed Mrs. Byers's paper). 14 Note, for instance, the provision in Pennsylvania, C. rep., 1885, p. 229 ; and see M. rep., p. 13. 16 M. rep., pp. 12 and 13. But note— (a) R.C., vol. 3, p. 494 ; (6) Ages in Boston schools, S. and R.1., 6 Sept., 18S4, and Q.R., pp. 448-454.

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