sion of the kind, their hearts would be warmed and prepared to assist in the movement. If they did not succeed this year in getting a State tax, they would next. Mr. Seymour advocated the printing of circulars as early as possible. Mr. Swett said he learnt, in the course of his little experience in legislating the revised School Law through, that unless the representatives were backed by the people at home there could be no headway whatever towards the consideration, for an instant, of the idea of a State tax. Objection was made even to allowing, out of the General Fund, one thousand dollars for travelling expenses for the State Superintendent; some advocating nothing, some five hundred dollars, and others urging that it should be taken out of the School Fund. "You have got a magnificient School Fund," was one of the arguments. That thing ought to be ended, and it could only be done by first instructing the representatives through the people. The question was taken on requesting the Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue printed petitions for the purposes already stated, and it was carried unanimously. Mr. Swett stated that the petitions could be sent out in two or three weeks-he would endeavor to have them sent with the new School blanks, registers, etc. Mr. Seymour suggested the propriety of establishing a uniform system of examination for Teachers' certificates. A gentleman came to him the other day with very favorable papers, yet, after a candid examination, he felt that they could not consistently grant him a certificate to teach. He did not want to be righteous over much, but he did feel that if they wanted Schools worth anything, they would have to shuffle out a great deal of trash that now found its way into the School house. Men broken down three or four times thought they could still go into the School house and hear a class. Uniformity in examination was very desirable, so that a man accepted in one county might expect some reasonable chance in another; and if rejected in one, that he need not think he can slip in elsewhere. Mr. Hines moved that the State Superintendent be requested to lay out a plan of visitation-giving the preference to the rural districts during the summer, as he could always visit the cities and towns during the winter, and as it was difficult to hold Institutes in the country in winter-and to inform the County Superintendents at least four weeks before the time when he would be able to visit them. The motion prevailed. Mr. Wiles suggested that a blank form, or order, for the Trustees in the several districts to draw upon their County Superintendent, would save much trouble to the Superintendents, as they now come in in every possible shape, and so badly made out that not one in four of them conformed to the requirements of the law. He moved that the State Superintendent be requested to furnish fifty blank orders to each County Superintendent. Mr. Chittenden doubted the propriety of the Trustees' drawing orders upon the Superintendent. In his county they sent in audited bills, and he then drew his warrant on the Treasurer. Mr. Swett stated that the address of Mr. Willey, on Collegiate Education, was about to commence in the State Teachers' Institute, and therefore moved to adjourn till one o'clock to-morrow, which was carried. Accordingly, the Convention adjourned. SECOND DAY. At one o'clock on Thursday the Convention re-assembled pursuant to adjournment-the Rev. Mr. A. Higbie in the Chair. Messrs. Henry Gaddis, County Superintendent of Yolo, M. A. Lynde, County Superintendent of El Dorado, and A. H. Goodrich, County Superintendent of Placer, were added to the roll of gentlemen present. Mr. Thompson called up the proposition to furnish blank orders to County Superintendents for the use of Trustees, certifying that so much was due to A, B, or C. It was the duty of the Superintendent to know that the money was properly expended. The motion was carried. Mr. Crook moved that the words "full and correct return," in the new School Law, which he thought capable of different constructions, be understood to certify that the money has been earned by the Teacher. Mr. Swett said that was precisely the expression used in the old law. Mr. Lynde thought the meaning clear as it stood. Other members expressed their interpretation. Mr. Hines moved to amend, that the law be regarded as referring to the annual returns made by Trustees to the Superintendent, to serve as a basis of the State apportionment. Mr. Lynde thought it well to include, also, reports from Teachers, whenever in the course of the year they leave the School; which was accepted by Mr. Hines, and the amendment was adopted. The motion was carried. Mr. Swett called attention to the matter of County Institutes, and the arrangements proposed to enable the State Superintendent to attend them severally. Mr. Lynde moved, as the sense of the meeting, that the State Superintendent be requested to make his arrangements so as to visit the respective counties at the time of the holding of the County Institutes. Mr. Thompson suggested that Calaveras, Amador, Tuolumne, and those counties lying close by, have an understanding among themselves to hold Institutes about the same time. Mr. Goodrich said they had made arrangements to hold the Placer County Institute on the twenty-ninth of June. Mr. Lynde said the same date had been fixed upon in El Dorado. The matter was further talked over, and the motion, as amended, was carried. Mr. Swett said the State Superintendent's office was frequently in the receipt of School books from the East; and hav ing now been allowed a liberal Postage Fund for the current year, it was his intention to inclose postage stamps to the East to secure a large number of copies of the most valuable reports. He wrote early in the year for copies of city and State reports, and he intended to get enough to supply at least the larger counties holding Institutes. Hitherto there had been an abso lute dearth of documents. At two o'clock and fifteen minutes, P. M., the Convention ad journed till one o'clock, P. M., to-morrow. THIRD DAY. The Convention re-assembled in the committee rooms, and discussed various subjects connected with the practical working of the revised School Law, and the interpretation to be placed upon different parts of the same. Without transacting any further business of importance, the die. Convention adjourned sine 19 APPENDIX. [B] STATE BOARD OF EXAMINATION. SAN FRANCISCO, May, 1863. On the first day of the session of the Institute, May fourth, the State Superintendent, who is ex officio Chairman of the Board, appointed the following County Superintendents members of the State Board of Examination : A. H. GOODRICH........... J. A. CHITTENDEN J. B. OSBOURN............. GEORGE TAIT...... ....... County Superintendent of Placer County. ..County Superintendent of Nevada County. County Superintendent of Napa County. .County Superintendent of Butte County. .County Superintendent of El Dorado County. County Superintendent of Alameda County. County Superintendent of San Francisco. The Board invited the following Teachers to assist in the ex The examination was conducted in writing. The following sets of questions were used: |