publications of the Office. The space thus gained has been given to the consideration of other parts of the general subject. My two previous Annual Reports, especially the last, indicate the general direction in which I am moulding the details and shaping the contents of this volume. Simplicity, unity, consistency, and due brevity have been the objects sought to be attained. I am confident that this volume will be found more concise, more logical, and more comprehensive than its immediate predecessor.

In addition to the permanent topics which should be considered every year, researches in special directions have been prosecuted; these will be continued or replaced by others as propriety or opportunity dictates. In this way I hope to preserve the continuity essential to a series, while giving each document some marked individuality of its own.

I reserve further remarks about the contents of this volume for Chapter II.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE OFFICE.

I take this occasion to recapitulate the documents issued by this Bureau since I assumed charge of it, in the month of August, 1886. And first as to

(A) Documents left unfinished by my predecessor, which have been completed in accordance with his designs, but printed and distributed during my incumbency, as set forth in each case:

(a) The Annual Report for 1884-85. One hundred and four pages of tabular and index matter were compiled, and 158 pages, completing the document, were printed.

(b) Circular of Information No. 1, 1886: Study of Music in Public Schools; 20 pages added, and the whole, 78 pages, printed.

(c) List of Libraries in the United States, 96 pages; tabulated and printed.

(d) The Special Report on Educational Exhibits and Conventions at the New Orleans Exposition of 1884-85, 964 pages; printed from the plates.

(e) The Special Report on Indian Education and Civilization, 693 pages; 100 pages added, the whole revised, set in type, stereotyped, and printed.

(B) Next as to documents undertaken and completed entirely during my term of office.

(a) The Annual Report for 1885-86, 813 pages.

(3) The Annual Report for 1886-87, 1,170 pages.

(c) Circular of Information No. 2, 1886: Proceedings of the Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association for 1886, 91 pages.

(d) Circular of Information No. 1, 18S7: The College of William and Mary, 89 pages.

(e) Circular of Information No. 2, 1887: The Study of History in American Colleges and Universities, 299 pages.

(f) Circular of Information No. 3, 1837: Proceedings of the Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association for 1887, 200 pages.

(g) Circular of Information No. 1, 1888: Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia, 308 pages.

(h) Circular of Information No. 2, 1888: History of Education in North Carolina, 180 pages.

(i) Circular of Information No. 5, 1888: Industrial Education in the South, 86 pages.

(j) Circular of Information No. 6, 1888: Proceedings of the Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association for 1888, 165 pages.

The foregoing items, when consolidated, show that since August, 1886, this Bureau has printed 1,771 pages of matter on hand at that date, and collected, compiled, and printed 3,621 other pages of matter, a total of 5,392 octavo pages. About 2,000 of these pages are printed in solid brevier.

(C) Lastly as to documents unfinished at the present writing.

(a) This present Annual Report, for 1887-88, which will shortly be completed, except the index.

(b) Part II of the Special Report upon American Education in Fine and Industrial Art; this work was undertaken in response to a resolution of the U. S. Senate, dated February 2, 1880; Part I-Drawing in Public Schools-was first printed in 1885 as a Senate document; next, to the number of 250 copies, in 1886, on requisition of this Bureau; and lastly in 1887, to the number of 5,000 copies, by concurrent resolution of Congress. Part II is mainly devoted to an account of the movement for industrial training which is at present attracting so much attention, not only in the United States, but throughout the .civilized world. It is treated in this volume with especial reference to the question of its adoption by the public schools throughout the United States. The delay in the issue or Part II has compelled considerable change in the original plan, since the movement has so rapidly developed. This work is still in charge or Mr. I. Edwards Clarke, by whom it was begun.

(c) Circular of Information No. 3, 1888: History of Higher Education in South Carolina; at the Printing Office."

(d) Circular of Information No. 4, 1888: History of Education in Georgia; at the Printing Office.2

'The edition of 1885 was entitled "Instruction in Drawing applied to Industrial and Fine Arts;" that of 1886 was called "Industrial and High Art Education in the United States;" and that of 1887, "American Education in Fine and Industrial Art."

Printed and distributed before the issue of the present Report.

L

(e) Circular of Information No. 7, 1888: History of Education in Florida; at the Printing Office.'

(ƒ) A monograph on the History of Higher Education in Wisconsin; at the Printing Office.'

(9) A monograph on the History of Higher Education in Indiana; at the Printing Office.

(h) A monograph on the History of Federal and State Aid to Higher Education in the United States; at the Printing Office.

(i) A monograph on the Teaching and History of Mathematics in Secondary and Superior Schools; at the Printing Office.

In the second chapter of this Report I present a full account of the reasons for undertaking these historical publications, of the progress in detail to date, and of the plan as a whole. I would state here, however, that in addition to those mentioned above as having been already published or sent to the Printing Office, there are now in course of preparation, and will be rapidly made ready for the press, monographs on the history of education in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The cost of preparation has already been provided for out of the appropriations of the Office.

It will be seen at this writing, that besides this volume the Bureau is pushing, either through the press, or to completion with that purpose in view, one special report, and thirty-nine circulars of information. These publications will probably cover at least five thousand octavo pages.2

'Printed and distributed before the issue of the present Report.

I venture to quote here a few testimonials as to the quality and value of the publications of the Bureau, selected almost at random from the many that have been received.

"Especially important among these publications are the large Annual Reports, the comprehensiveness of which arrests our attention. These Reports give, most completely, a general view of school affairs in the several States of the Union, and of all important changes made, matters of discipline, instruction in hygiene, and school architecture. Not only is the educational condition of the United States thus comprehensively covered, but the course of educational affairs in every civilized country is followed with an attention greater than that which we, here in Germany, are accustomed to give, depending, as we willingly do, upon the supposed excellence of our own system, an excellence that, we believe, continues to fill foreigners with envy. "Besides these classically edited reports, as they may well be called, the Bureau publishes numerous smaller works of value."-Dr. H. G. WEISKE, Editor Zeit. für das höhere Unterrichtswesen, Leipsic.

"I shall esteem it a great favor if you can send me, from time to time, copies of your valuable "Circulars of Information." While holding the office of Minister of Edu

EDUCATION IN ALASKA.

The publie schools established and conducted under the supervision of this Office, and the management of the Territorial Board of Education of Alaska, are believed to have done as much good work as the means available for their support permitted.

There have been 15 public free schools in operation during the year, besides a public day school at Anvik, conducted by the missionary society of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and one each at Bethel and Carmel, conducted by the Moravian Church; also two industrial training schools, two schools on the Seal Islands maintained by the Fur Seal Company, two wholly supported by religious societies in the United States, and 17 deriving their support, their teachers, and their inspiration from the Russian Government through the Orthodox (established) Church of that Empire.

The two industrial training schools were formerly supported from appropriations for "Indian Education" disbursed and controlled by the Office of Indian Affairs. This division of control and responsibility was deemed unnecessary, and Congress consolidated the appropriation for this purpose with that for the support of other public schools in the Territory, so that all public moneys for educaticnal purposes in Alaska during the current year have been disbursed under the supervision of this Bureau.

This is, I think, a judicious change. The so-called "Indians" of Alaska are not Indians in the sense in which the term is applied elsewhere in the United States. They are, like the other inhabitants of Alaska, self-supporting, and many of them are anxious to receive the training needed to fit their children for the duties and responsibilities of American civilization.

cation here, I derived great assistance from them, and am cf the opinion that they exercise an important influence over educational affairs generally throughout the world."-Hon. JOHN A. COCKBURN, Adelaide, South Australia.

"I have seen a copy of the Report for 1886-87, and consider it the most valuable Report the educational department has published."—A. R. WINCHELL, State Chemist of West Virginia.

"Many interesting data I can glean from the precious and valuable work, Report of the Commissioner of Education for the year 1885-86.”—Prof. LADISLAUS Lechner, of the Royal Gymnasium in Buda-Pesth, Hungary.

"I greatly admire the Report for 1886-87. Its scope and arrangement charm me."President H. A. CRANE, of Nebraska Central College.

"I have given your Report for the year 1886-87 a careful examination, and I now beg leave to say that in my estituation the document is one of the most valuable and wonderful it has ever been my privilege to consult. The patience, faith, industry, intelligence, and intrepidity necessary to the production of such a mine of information command my highest admiration. As one of the many who are to reap the benefits of this compilation, please accept my hearty thanks. The index at the close to the varied topics treated by issues from your department, is valuable in the largest degree."-Rev. ARTHUR EDWARDS, D. D., editor of the North-Western Christian Adrocate, Chicago.

The morals of these people have been painted in the most disgusting colors by sensational tourists, who have very little opportunity of knowing the truth of their statements. The testimony of those who have lived among these people reveals a different condition of their morals. In general, the state of society is not worse than that of tribes nearer the centres of civilization. It is the repetition of the same story of civilized men coming in contact with races of inferior or partial civilization. It has always existed and will always exist. This state of depravity can only be improved by a thorough moral and intellectual intercourse and association with the better class of American citizens.

New Metlakahtla.

I am happy to be able to state that the fugitive people from British Columbia, who have been converted from barbarism to civilization by Mr. William Duncan, and who removed to Annette Island in the Alexander Archipelago on account of disputes with the colonial authorities, civil and ecclesiastical, have made fair progress during the year in es tablishing themselves in their new home.

The island occupied by these people is about seven miles long and about one mile wide.

They have cleared, drained and prepared the land, constructed houses, and organized their affairs. A year ago, Mr. Duncan, their beloved and trusted leader, was commissioned as a magistrate by the Governor of Alaska, so that they might not lack the presence and protection of American law. They are now building houses for the accommodation of two boarding schools, with rooms for the requisite teachers, one of whom is to be a capable farmer and gardener. In other ordinary occu pations they are already trained by the wise forethought of their leader, Mr. Duncan.

Their day schools during the year contained from sixty to one hundred and ten pupils; this number will probably be increased during the current year by the attendance of pupils from neighboring villages.

The following extract from a recent letter from Mr. Duncan may prove of interest:

We have just celebrated our first fourth of July in our Alaskan home. Our people kept the day in a truly loyal spirit. In holiday attire they assembled around the flagstaff in the morning. The flag was hoisted and duly saluted from our small cannon, and the brass band played appropriate airs. The children of the village, each with a flag in band, marched and sang school songs. Canoe races and other games followed. In the evening the children were served with cakes and raisins, and adults, male and female, met in the school-room to partake of cakes and lemonade and to give expressions to their loyal feelings. Seven stirring speeches were made honoring the day, calling upon all to take fresh courage and quicken their speed.

I would respectfully recommend that a post-office be established at Metlakatla for the benefit of the colony. It contains now over one thousand inhabitants, and is the most important of the towns built up