selves more anxious for its prosperity than for the gratification of their political preferences.

Let the University be preserved entirely free from party strife; let it be kept a common object of friendly and favoring regard among the several religious denominations of the State; let its ample endowment be vigilantly guarded, and all its expenditures made with a strict regard to wisdom and economy; let its Regents be educated men, men of broad and comprehensive views, practical and energetic, and devoted to the interests of the University; let its corps of instructors be able and earnest men, skillful to teach, and wise and faithful in administering the discipline of the institution-and our University will indeed be the pride of the State, destined to hold a distinguished place among the varied agencies for diffusing useful knowledge among men.

January 29, 1851.

RUFUS HOSMER,

ELLSWORTH WALKLEY,

WM. FINLEY,

L. SMITH HOBART,

G. C. GIBBS.

Report of the Board of Education.

It is made the duty of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; who is ex officio Secretary of the Board of Education, to transmit to the Legislature the annual report of the Board. The original act creating a STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, and providing for a Board of Education to which its management is entrusted, was passed by the Legislature of 1848. The members of the Board consist of the following gentlemen, viz: Isaac E. Crary, Samuel Barstow, Elias M. Skinner, the Lieutenant Governor of the State, State Treasurer and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The original law granting twenty-five sections of unappropriated Salt Spring lands, belonging to the State, provided for the selection by the Board of ten sections; the avails of which was to constitute a "building fund." And the interest arising from the sale of fifteen sections was set apart for the support of the Normal School, and was denominated the "endowment fund." Under this act, as reported to the last Legislature, the twenty-five sections were selected, and the Commissioner of the Land Office notified according to its requirement. After such notification, information was received from the department of the general government which has charge of the public lands, that twelve of the sections selected had been disposed of by the general government of the United States, prior to the passage of the law authorizing the saline selections, and patents issued there for. The question was submitted last year to the Secretary of the Interior, whether in view of the erroneous action of the general land office in submitting for approval to the Secretary of the Treasury, as saline lands, tracts which had been previously disposed of by the general government, the State of Michigan would be at liberty to make other selections. The decision was that "any selection by the State under the act of June, 1836, made subsequent to June, 1840, would be illegal; but that the circumstances of the case presented a fair claim for the consideration of Congress." No other selections in lieu of them have been made by the Board. Under present circum

stances, therefore, but thirteen out of the twenty-five sections can be made available at present. It is deemed a matter of importance to the interests of education, and of the institution, that an equivalent should be had for the sections so disposed of by the government of the United States. This equivalent cannot be furnished by making selections from remaining salt spring lands undisposed of, belonging to the State. These 12 sections constitute a part of the 72 sections granted to Michigan in the ordinance of admission; and as the title was not in the general government when they were selected and confirmed, the number of sections received by the State amounts only to sixty. It is possible that the Board of Education may be enabled to obtain some favorable action on the subject, on the part of Congress; but if not, it may require the actian of the Legislature.

The site of the State Normal School was last year established at Ypsilanti, in the county of Washtenaw, by the law consolidating and amending the original act. During the past year the Board have added four additional acres to the original site, and fixed upon a plan for the building, the foundation of which has been already laid. The contract for putting up the building has been executed by the Board and the contractor, and full and sufficient security taken for the performance of the work, at the sum of fifteen thousand two hundred dollars; twelve thousand of which has been received as cash by the contractor, and the balance is to be paid by the Board when the building is finished. The building is to be three stories high; the first story to be divided into a model school room, front entries, reception, library, recitation and clothes rooms; the second story into a normal school room, recitation, clothes room, and entries; the third story to be finished as a large hall or lecture room, with other smaller apartments for various purposes. The size of the building is to be 55 by 100 feet, to be built of brick, warmed by two furnaces, and thoroughly furnished with flues and ventilators. The contract has been also let for the furniture of the building, which is to be completed and finished by the first day of March, 1852. It is believed by the Board that the architectural taste and internal plan of the building will make it an ornament to the State.

No. 5.

CHARTERED INSTITUTIONS.

In pursuance of suggestions contained in the last report from this office, and of the statute, various institutions have forwarded reports of their condition and course of study. All of these institutions are of a high grade, and situated in various parts of the State, are educating annually a large number of our youth. In these institutions it is not definitely known how many young men are preparing for the University. Some of them have the privilege of conferring degrees and granting diplomas under acts passed during the last ses. sion. This right granted to them in their charters, it would seem, forbids the hope that the young men attending them are to be gradutes of the State institution. It was suggested heretofore by this department, that some system might be devised which would have induced these institutions to become tributaries to the University, and if it be considered a settled policy on the part of the Regents that branches are not eventually to be sustained, it is to be hoped that some inducement may be held out by legislation to effect the great object of filling up the halls of the University with students. The union schools which are now beginning to be put into successful operation in our principal villages, may perhaps eventually become preparatory, and fill up the chasm which now exists in the system. Granting this, some system might nevertheless be adopted, and will, it is thought, become necessary, in order to excite proper emulation among them all, as well as among other institutions, to contribute to the welfare of the "University of Michigan," by bestowing to it each their full quota of pupils.

It was suggested in the report of this office to the Legislature of last winter, that the creation of the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction was intended to embrace the supervision of the entire system of public instruction in our State, including not only primary schools, but all other institutions. By this supervision, it was not intended to refer to any control over these institutions, but that they should be included in the general system of reports to this office. In this way information is accumulated and concentrated, and full means afforded of watching the progress of education in all its departments, and of forming a better and more accurate judgment as to the relative operations of the general system and of each incor