The history of early legislation may now, perhaps, be considered a matter of no practical importance. But to know the difficulties which embarassed it, is to increase our appreciation of the value of the blessings we derive from the grant, and make us estimate more highly our educational privileges. Much of this history has been developed in former Reports from this Department. Reference to it will show, what an object of constant interest, education has been to the inhabitants of Michigan, from its earliest settlement to the present day. In the Journals of the Territorial Legislature, in the Articles of admission into the Union, in its first Constitution as a State, in the messages of its successive Chief Magistrates, in the Acts of the Legislature, and in the efforts of the people, will be found ample proof that under all changes and circumstances the subject of Public Instruction has been of the first importance. And while in its first constitutional provisions relative to education, Michigan was in advance of the older States, progression has marked every act of legislation, till it is safe to say that there is no system in the old States of the Union which works with greater equality of taxation, or with better hopes of success, in accomplishing the education of all the youth of the State at present or in the future. Our system is, without doubt, based upon the surest principles of improvement and success, the division and subdivision of duties and powers, and due regard to all interests, both local and general, with a constitutional and head. Older States had made the education of the children of proper the State a part of their public policy, and provided for the appointment of officers to manage the affairs of the schools, but it does not appear that any of them adopted the idea of a system of Public Instruction such as was contemplated by the framers of our Constitution. The idea that every State should have its general officer of Public Instruction, was derived from the Prussian system. The creation of such an officer was the great and only feature which the Constitution engrafted from that into our own educational system. Such an officer had not been before appointed in the Union. Other States had Superintendents of Schools, whose official positions in the State were subordinate, and whose duties extended only to that class of schools which we have in this State wisely denominated "Primary," not "Common." There was no officer charged with the general supervision of Public Instruction, who stood at the head of the entire system, as the represen

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tative of that whole subject, on the part of the sovereignty of the State, and the people of the State. It was not the business of the Superintendent of Schools to superintend the whole system of State Education, but it was designed in Michigan to create an officer who should in substance and in fact, have the general supervision of public instruction; who should stand as the acknowledged head of the system, supervising every educational interest, whether it pertained to the University, to the Normal Schools, to the Primary Schools, or to any other educational institution in the State.

The Revised Constitution, in accordance with this idea, expressly declares; that he shall have "general supervision of Public Instruction." This supervision being general, the various Institutions of the State are placed nevertheless under the immediate and special control of local authorities, all of which were created and designed to work with harmony and in unison, each with the other. The University is under the control of the Board of Regents; the Normal School, under the Board of Education; the Union and the Primary Schools, under the immediate supervision of the people, in their municipal capacity. Each have their appropiate sphere of duties. It is the business of the Faculty of the University, both literary and medical, to instruct the youth under their charge, and govern the internal affairs of the Institution; of the teachers in the Normal School, to instruct and govern in the same way. It is the province of the Superindent to have general supervision of Public Instruction, as the head of the system. Thus each acting in his own appropriate sphere of duties, without infringement upon the powers and duties of the other, the system is harmonious in theory and ought to be so in fact. The Superintendent is, by the Constitution and law, the head of the system. To recognize any other principle than this, is to destroy the unity of the system, and to thwart the design of the Constitution and law. Unless such a supervision is recognized by all the Educational Institutions of the State, there will be misunderstanding and jealousy, rather than mutual confidence and good will between the Educational forces of the State, and danger to the success of every scheme for the promotion of the great cause of Popular Education.

To give greater perfection to this idea, and to enable the Superintendent-to give greater efficiency to his labors, it is indispensable that there should be,

1. An office appropriated solely to his use, at Lansing.

2. A Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction.

3. An Educational Journal under his supervision, sent by law to the school districts.

>4. Authority to settle questions arising under the school laws finally!

The importance of these suggestions will doubtless be sustained before the appropriate committee, by the gentleman who is placed in charge of this department, and whose experience and knowledge on the subject will enable him to afford whatever light on this point may be necessary to secure proper legislation, so important to the interests of the educational system. While the law makes it necessary for the Superintendent to keep an office at Lansing, and while it is essential that he should have an office at that place, it is impossible for him to rémain permanently in it. His duties call him in all sections of the State, and like the adage of the schoolmaster, "he must be abroad.” Due preparation for labors in the field, require much time and thought and labor, which no one can perform but himself—and while he is engaged in this preparation, and in active visitation of the schools, and attendance at Institutes, and in the delivery of lectures, he cannot well perform the manual labor required to copy letters, foot reports, and file papers in his office. Besides, there should be some one who could ac quire a knowledge of the affairs of the office, in case of the death of the incumbent; some one who would feel an interest in the subject too, not less than the Superintendent himself. There is no such thing as conducting and arranging the manual labors of the office, without such an officer as is here contemplated. A former Legislature devolved cer tain of these duties on the Librarian, but experience has demonstrated that this arrangement cannot be made effective.

THE SYSTEM.

The great want in the system now is undoubtedly, a class of intermediate schools, between the Primary schools and the University. There is no opinion better settled by the experience of the past in our educational history, than that expressed by successive Chief Magistrates and Superintendents, that the University was never so prosperous as when the branches were in existence. A return to the first policy of the Regents in this respect would be a return to a course of wisdom

The chasm should be filled in some way. It is thought by many whose opinions are entitled to consideration, that the Union Schools will fill the desired space. That they may be made to do so in the localities where they exist, is probably true. Most of them now fit students to enter the University. In pursuance of public opinion so often generally expressed throughout the State, the Legislature of 1851 provided in an act approved April 8, of that year, that the Regents of the University might establish and organize a branch, or branches of the institution by the creation of a trusteeship for the local management of the same, or they were authorized in their discretion and under limitations expressed in the act, to select for a branch, any chartered literary institution of the State. So earnest was the Legislature in relation to this, that it was further provided in the act referred to, that no buildings should be erected on the grounds set apart for the uses of the Universits, until one branch should be established in each judicial district of the State. Our chief educational institutions of higher grade, the University and Normal School, are situated in the eastern portion of the State, and both in the same county. Thus while ready facilities are afforded to citizens of the east and south portion of the State, the north and the west from want of such facilities, are in need of intermediate pre'paratory Institutions, where their sons and daughters may be instructed in the vicinity of their homes. The State of New York pays mileage to such students as attend the Normal School at Albany, but this plan has not been adopted here, for want of means. There seems to be but three practical methods of obtaining these preparatory Institutions. Firstly, by the re-establishment of the Branches of the University, as contemplated in the act of the Legislature referred to: Secondly, the adoption of the Union Schools as Branches: Thirdly, by separate Institutions under the name of Academies. To either of these purposes, the proceeds of the principal arising from the sales of Swamp Lands, might wisely be applied. Until some one of these plans shall be carried out, the University cannot be expected to draw within its halls the greatest number of students from all portions of our State. It is yet true that numbers of our young men enter the Collegiate Institutions of other States. This ought not to be, and it will probably, to a considerable extent, cease to be, when preparatory Institutions are established at home. It is not to be concealed that the Un

iversity has not yet secured to itself, the strong good will of all of the citizens of the State, and it is obvious that it never will be able to do so, till it represents itself, by means of Branches or Institutions adopted as such, in all sections of the State. Without these arteries, it must continue to remain a local and not in reality a State Institution. The best facilities for instruction are afforded to such as are actually in the Institution, and this could scarcely be otherwise, when the number of Professors is so great in comparison to the number of students to be instructed. But the number of the latter ought to be increased, and it can only be increased by a proper course of action on behalf of those who are entrusted with the management of the University. The law of 'b1, contemplated action in the direction of Branches or some other intermediate Institutions. The application of large amounts of money, whether accruing from the interest of the Funds belonging. to the University, or donated by the liberality of our citizens, to purposes of the highest branches of science, will not act as an incentive to draw within its halls scores of young men, who do not find it within the limits of their means to prepare to enter them. None of the means at the disposal of the Regents accruing from the interest of the University Fund, can wisely be applied in the present state of our system of education, (of which the University is but a part,) to any other purpose than that which will afford some more efficient means of filling up the Institution with students. This is the great want. With a large corps of Professors, instruction ought to be afforded to double and treble the number that have ever been in the Institution at any time. There can be no question as to this policy. It is demanded by the best interests of the Institution itself, and by the people, not of a section, but of the whole State.

The Reports of the Board of Regents, of the Visitors, and of the Board of Education, are respectfully submitted herewith.

STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

The Normal School continues to improve in its condition, and each term adds to the number of its pupils, and the reputation of the Institution. By an act of the last Legislature, the sum of $30,000 00 was appropriated for its maintenance, out of the avails of the swamp lands.