COMPILATION FROM THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, For the years 1845 and 46, WITH IMPORTANT ADDITIONS, EMBRACING THE REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1847. Prepared pursuant to the directions of the Legislature, SUPERINTENDEnt of public iNSTRUCTION. Detroit: BAGG & HARMON, PRINTERS TO THE STATE. JOINT RESOLUTION relative to publishing the Reports of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, That the Superintendent of Public Instruction be requested to compile so much of his annual reports for the years eighteen hundred and forty-five and eighteen hundred and fortysix, as he may deem necessary for the purpose of giving general information relative to common schools, and that the contractor to do the state printing be required to print four thousand and five hundred copies of said compilation of reports, to be distributed by said superintendent of public instruction, one copy to each township and county clerk, one copy to each school inspector, and one copy to each school director within this state, and to such other persons as he may deem advisable. Approved March 4, 1847. In pursuance of the preceding JOINT RESOLUTION, the Superintendent will forward to the several County Clerks in the State, a package of this Compilation from his Annual Reports, to be distributed as follows: 1. A copy for the county clerk's office; 2. A copy for each township clerk in the county, for the use of the board of school inspectors; 3. A copy for every director of a school district, for the use of district board. The directors of fractional districts will receive this pamphlet from the township clerk to whom they are required by law to make their annual reports. [See section 81 of the Revised School Law.] This pamphlet will be received by those persons entitled to it in their official capacity. It hence becomes a part of the papers of their office, which they are required by law to deliver to their suc cessors. COMPILATION FROM THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SUPERIN TENDENT OF PUPLIC INSTRUCTION. OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, To the Legislature of the State of Michigan: By a joint resolution of the last legislature, approved March 4th, 1847, it is made the duty of the Superintendent of Public Instruction "to compile so much of his annual reports for the years eighteen hundred and forty-five, and eighteen hundred and forty-six, as he may deem necessary, for the purpose of giving general information relative to common schools." The proper discharge of other important duties has required so great a proportion of my time, that the execution of this important trust has necessarily been delayed longer than it otherwise would have been, Among the most important of these duties, has been the publication of the "statutes of the state, relating to primary schools, with explanatory notes, and forms for conducting all proceedings under said laws." In the preparation of this compilation, I have concluded not only to omit certain portions of my former reports, but to introduce such additional matter as will render the document more useful. In doing this, I have interspersed among my former reports, and appended to them, nearly the same matter which otherwise would have constituted my annual report for the current year. This course was not determined upon until after consulting several members of the legislature, by which the joint resolution was adopted, of which the preceding is an extract; and also with the contractor to do the state printing. Care has been taken to omit more matter originally |