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other day in the success of our city Schools. Says he, "this
fall is really only the commencement of the Public Schools,
heretofore I have stood aloof from the Public Schools." But
finding that we had some system in our Schools, he thought
he would give them a trial and now is so well satisfied, that
were things reversed, could he send free to the Private
Schools, and pay to send to the Public Schools, he would
prefer the latter.

SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT.

It may not be amiss to add a few remarks as a Supplemen-
tal Report to the report already furnished you by my pre-
decessor.

This, the second year of our Public Free School System,
has just closed the fall term of the Schools.

By comparing the work and Schools of the present year,
with the same of last year to the end of the fall term, we can
form a correct conclusion, whether the Schools at this time
are in a better condition, whether the citizens of our County
manifest more interest in Public Education, whether the
School system has worked its way to the better feelings of the
citizens of the County, than one year ago.

To this, I can safely answer in the affirmative. The Fall
term of 1865 found our Schools attended by about 4000 child-
ren. The reports of our Schools ending the Fall term, of
1866, show an attendance of over 5000 children, an increase
of over 1000 children for the time of last year's report, and
many more yet to come in during the winter term.

In many instances citizens stood aloof from the Public
Schools last year, the same persons have nobly come forward
this year to their support, and are numbered among the
Schools' best and firmest friends, and would not to-day ex-
change our School system for the best abroad, nor would they
be willing to transfer their children from the Public Schools
to the Private Schools, which they have heretofore encour-
aged, even if they could send free of tuition, and pay to send
to the Public Schools.

They see in the system, which our State Board has furnish-
ed us, the elements by which the Schools of Maryland can be
placed on a better footing, and in a much shorter period,
than those of any of our older sister States that have been
experimenting with systems for twenty or thirty years.

They find live teachers in our Schools, who can teach not
only all the branches taught in our Private Schools, but can
teach them better; they find our manner of instruction is
more solid, more thorough, more systematic, than any of <wtr
Private or Select Schools, that they teach more successfully
that which it is necessary for every body to learn.

We? let these facts stand broad and free for the opponents
of the Public Schools to get arotind them, if they can.