John P. Brooks to Richard Yates

Department of Public Instruction,

Springfield, Dec. 15th, 1864

To His Excellency, Richard Yates,

Governor of State of Illinois.

I have the honor to submit to your Excellency the following Abstract of the Biennial Report of this Department, for the official term commencing January 12, 1863, and ending January 9, 1865.

The Report, which is now in course of preparation, and which I hope to have completed in time to lay before the Legislature at an early day in the Session, will contain information explain the following subjects:

General Statistics:

1. Whole no. of school districts in the State.

2. Whole no. of schools in the State.

3. Whole no. of districts in which schools have been kept for six months or more, during each school year.

4. Whole no. of districts in which no schools have been kept.

5. Average no. of months during which schools have been kept.

6. Whole no. of persons under 21 years of age.

7. Whole no. of persons between the ages of 5 and 21 years.

8. Whole no. of male scholars.

9. Whole no. of female scholars.

10. Whole no. of scholars in attendance at all the schools.

11. Average daily attendance in the State.

12. No. of schools in which the Bible is read as a daily exercise.

13. No. of children in school under 6 years of age.

14. Whole no. of male teachers.

15. Whole no. of female teachers.

16. No. of teachers who have taught same school less than one year.

17. No of teachers who have taught same school one year or more, but less than two.

18. No. of teachers who have taught same school two years or more, but less than three.

19. No. of teachers who have taught same school three years and upwards.

20. Longest time any teacher has taught same school.

21. No. of graded schools in the State.

22. No. of private schools in the State.

23. No. of scholars in private schools.

24. Whole no. of school-houses in the State.

25. No. of school-houses erected he State during the last two Schools Years.

26. No. of districts in which the records are kept according to law.

27. No. of districts having an outstanding debt.

28. No. of districts having a surplus in treasury.

29. No of School libraries purchased during the last two school years.

30. No. of acres of school land sold during two years.

31. No of acres of school land remaining unsold.

32. No of townships in which elections have been held on day fixed by law.

33. No. of districts in which elections have been held on day fixed by law.

34. No. of teachers who subscribe for an Educational journal.

35. No. of students in Normal University.

36. No. of days spent by Co. Comns. in visiting schools.

37. No. of different schools visited by Commissioners.

38. No. of whole township in the State.

39. No of fractional townships in the State.

Financial Statistics:

1. Amount of State and County funds.

2. Whole amount of principal of townships funds.

3. Total amount of interest on township funds.

4. Amount received from School lands sold.

5. Amount received from special district taxes.

6. Amount rec'd from any sources not before specified.

7. Total amount received for all school purposes.

8. Whole am't. paid for teachers' wages in the State.

9. Whole am't. paid for School house sites and grounds.

10. Amount paid for building new school houses.

11. Amount paid for purchase of school houses.

12. Amount paid for rent of school houses or rooms.

13. Amount paid for improvements and repairs.

14. Amount paid for School furniture.

15. Amount paid for School apparatus.

16. Amount paid for School libraries.

17. Amount paid for fuel and other incidental expenses.

18. Amount paid for compensation of township offices & others.

19. Amount paid for outstanding district debts.

20. Amount paid for other debts legally contracted by directors, and not herein specified.

21. Total amount expended for all school purposes.

22. Highest monthly wages to male teachers.

23. Highest monthly wages paid to female teachers.

24. Lowest monthly wages paid to male teachers.

25. Lowest monthly wages paid to female teachers.

26. Average monthly wages paid to male teachers.

27. Average monthly wages paid to female teachers.

28. Whole estimated cost of School houses built during the two School years.

29. Amount of outstanding district debts.

30. Amount of surplus in treasury belonging to districts.

31. Amount of principal of County School fund.

32. Amount of interest rec'd on principal of County fund.

33. Amount of fines, forfeitures, &c., collected under Section 82 of School law.

Statistical information will be given in the forthcoming Report upon all the points here enumerated. I would be happy to communicate these statistics to your Excellency at this time, but it is not in my power to do so, inasmuch as the statistical returns for the last school year have not yet been received at this office. The Reports from the county officers are coming in daily, and I hope that full

returns from all the counties will have been received by the 31st of the present month.

I give below Some statistics, representing the most material of our Common School interests for the School Year 1863. I have chosen to place the statistics referred to in juxtaposition with similar statistics for the School Year 1862, in order that you may be able to form some correct idea, from the comparison, of the general progress of our Educational interests. It is due to state, however, that from the returns of this school year 1864, so far as they have been received, there are indications of a more gratifying increase in all material points of progress than is shown by the statistics of 1863, given below. I respectfully invite your attention to the following:

1862. 1863 .

No. of districts in State. 9,443 9,559

Increase - 116

No. of Schools (Common) in State. 9,811 9,887

Increase - 76

No. of Schools kept open for 6 months 8,406 8,572

Increase - 166

No. of graded schools. 402 426

Increase - 24

No. of Scholars attending school 521,301 547,183

Increase - 25,882

1862. 1863.

No. of children between 5 and 21 613,014 665,141

Increase - 52,127

No. of private schools 720 674

Decrease - 46

No. of children in private schools 22,527 21,926

Decrease - 601

Amount of district taxes $1,055,340 $1,087,651

Increase - $32,311

Amount paid for building school houses $147,080 $113,705

Decrease - $33,275

Amount paid to teachers $1,315,686 $1,432,464

Increase - $116,778

Amount paid for all school purposes $1,923,867 $2,051,552

Increase - $127,685

It is gratifying to observe a reported increase in every item of the above statistics, with the Single exception of "Amount paid for building School houses." True, the term "Decrease" is used to designate the difference in the numbers representing the no. of "Private Schools," and the "No. of children attending Private Schools," but it is to be recollected that in proportion as the number Private Schools is reduced, (and the no. of children attending them,) the influences of our Common Schools is extended and strengthened.

The following subjects will be treated of in the body or text of my Report: Explanation in

detail of the Statistics reported; County Superintendency; State Convention of School Commissioners; County Teacher's Institutes; State Teachers' Association; State Normal University; State Industrial University; School Law, and proposed Amendments; State Department of Public Instruction, with an account of its labors and expenses.

I desire to call the attention of your Excellency to the accompanying printed Circular, which was issued from this Department, in the month of July, 1863. The Circular relates to the loaning of township School funds, and contains instructions to township School officers upon that subject. Under these instructions, township treasurers have invested moneys belonging to the principal of the township School fund at rates of interest lower than ten percent. To this alternative they were compelled, by the necessity of circumstances, as is fully explained in the Circular. I will recommend to the legislature the Enactment of a law to legalize the acts of township treasurers under my official instructions. I will only add, that provision would certainly have been made by the legislature at its last session for the relief of townships upon the subject referred to, but for the early adjournment of that body. If your Excellency will call the attention of the legislature to this subject, I will feel highly obliged.

The Amendments to the School Law which will be suggested in my Report, and which have also been recommended by the State Convention of School Commissioners, as well as the State Teachers'

Association, may be stated as follows:

1. Change of name of County Commissioner to County School Superintendent.

2. The addition of a clause to Section 38 of the School Law, requiring Boards of Trustree to report annually to the County Commissioner (or Co. Superintendent) the condition of the school fund in their hands; - the amount, and to whom loaned, and how secured; the the amount received, and from what sources; the amount, and how distributed; and the cash on hand.

3. Providing that notice of district elections shall be given by township treasurers, when directors neglect or refuse to do so.

4. Providing that the Board of Supervisors or County Court shall order the publication, in one or more of the county papers, of the fiscal report of the County Commissioner (or County Superintendent.)

5. Requiring Justices of the Peace and other officers interested, to report semi-annually to the County Commissioner (or Country Superintendent) the amount of fines, forfeitures, etc., collected by them under the conditions of the School Law, as specified in Section 82.

6. Providing for the return of district statistics by directors to township treasurers, and for the furnishing of blanks to said directors for that purpose.

7. The establishment of a system

of Teachers' Institutes, to be held under the Supervision of three "Superintendents of Institutes," said Superintendents to be appointed by the State Board of Education.

8. Providing that all educational public documents shall be distributed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

I am disposed to favor the amendments above specified, and I should the legislature be pleased to enact the changes proposed, and the bill receive Executive approval, I feel satisfied that the law would be materially improved.

Application will be made, during the approaching Session of the legislature, for an appropriation of funds - Say $25,000 - for the relief of the State Normal University. I think it highly necessary that the relief asked for should be granted. If the State Board of Education, and the friends of the University, should be denied the appropriation sought, I am satisfied that the denial could result to the great disadvantage of the Institution, and to the prejudice of all the great interests involved in its future. It is sincerely hoped that your Excellency amy approve the object, and recommend it to the favorable consideration of the legislature.

As is well knowns to your Excellency, the legislature failed, at its last session, to make the usual appropriations to the different State Offices, and in consequence, this Department was left unprovided

with means to defray its necessary expenses. The appropriation asked for amounted to $5,000 on the accounts following:

For clerk hire, $1000 per annum $2,000

" traveling expenses $500 per annum $1,000

" Furniture, repairs, stationery, blanks, painting, etc., etc. $2,000

______

$5,000

In consequence of the omision of the legislature to make the desired appropriations, and the failure of the State to make the accustomed provision for maintaining the Office of Public Instruction, I was compelled to seek other resources, and to apply to another and private source for the relief which was denied from the public treasury. After having exhausted my own small private means - about $300 - I succeeded in obtaining a loan to the State, on account of the Dept. of Public Instruction, from Mr. J. Bunn, banker of this city, of such an amount, which ten per cent. interest, as would be needed to defray the ordinary expenses of this office during my official term. The account with Mr. Bunn still stands open, and cannot be properly reported upon until the business of my administration is completed. At that time, I will submit an official statement in detail, of the expenses of the office, and of the amount necessary to cancel the entire indebtedness. The legislature will be applied to for an appropriation sufficient to cover the indebtedness incurred by this Department during the term of my

administration, and I would respectfully ask that the attention of that body be called to the subject by your Excellency, in your executive message.

I have thus indicated, by the foregoing brief allusions, the contents of the forthcoming Biennial Report of this Dept. I may say, in conclusion, that notwithstanding the prevailing excitement of the times, and the general diversion of the public mind from subjects not immediately connected with the war, the Educational interests of the State during my brief administration, have been characterized by a gradual and healthy progress, which, if continued in future years, cannot fail to place our noble State in pre-eminent rank, so far as our great common school interests are concerned, among the States of the Union. It is sincerely hoped that our Educational system will continue to receive the benefits of a kindly legislation, until its blessings have been extended to every neighborhood, and until every child in the State shall have been prepared, under its beneficent influences, for all the high duties of a useful and honorable citizenship.

I have the honor to be,

with the highest respect,

Your Ob't. Servant,

John P. Brooks,

Supt. of Public Instruction.

To His Excellency,

Richard Yates,

Gov. of St. of Illinois.

Report of the Sup't. of Public Instruction

Brooks,

Dec. 15th, 1864

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