1716

164

houses rendered more comfortable and attractive, and, in
short, the whole school machinery made to work smoothly,
evenly and profitably. And though this has not been done
without much labor, many annoyances, and not a little' so-
licitude, yet it has brought its reward to those who have
been instrumental in its accomplishment. The consciousness
of having done some good with no selfish end, the knowledge
that whatever betide, they have laid the foundations, who-
ever may build, of a system of Free Public Schools in Tal-
bot County, which will ever remain sources of unmixed
satisfaction.

Very respectfully,

SAMUEL A. HARRISON,

President of the Board.
Eastern, December 26th, 1866.

WASHINGTON COUNTY.

REV. L. VAN BOKKELEN, LL. D.,

State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Sir :

In accordance with the provisions of Sect. 5., By-Laws,
and your circular C., I have the honor to present the
following report, as President of the Board of School Com-
missioners for Washington County.

The statistics furnished in Tables, A, B, C, and D, are
as full as they can be made. They lack that definite and
positive value which would have attached to them, had the
schools continued four terms, and the terms been fully kept
in every school. As I advised you in my former report, a
number of the schools did not open until after the 4th of
September, 1865, and some for prudential reasons, or be-
cause of necessity, did not make full terms. With the pros-
pects before us for the current year, it is hoped a far greater
value will be given to the statistical report by a more careful
attention to details upon the part of teachers and Commis-
sioners.

The total number of different pupils in the schools last
year (6,689) while embracing the greatest part of the children
of the County, does not include all the available educational
material. Many children who now attend private schools,
or are taught in families, will eventually be drawn into the
Public Schools; and the means now used for private tuition
be, in a great measure, applied to the help of the system.
A very liberal disposition is manifested by some of the
patrons of public education in contributing largely of their
means for the employment of first class teachers. In some
of our districts, patrons by voluntary contributions add