was an attendance of forty. I have allowed persons to attend the examination who did not wish to take a certificate at the time of examination, and have issued the certificate when called for any time previous to the next public examination.

In this county we have a better class of teachers than we have ever had before. Our beginners are more disposed to make it a profession, and consequently make better preparation than they did a few years ago. Perhaps a more rigid examination tends to raise the standard of qualification. Efficient teachers are finding more certainty in employment for longer terms in the same schools.

TEACHERS' REGISTER.

A

The register furnished by the State is generally kept in fairly good form. Some of the details are neglected, and perhaps are not thoroughly understood. Teachers in this county are, as a rule, energetic and industrious. majority of our teachers are young, and lack the experience necessary to make the work run as smoothly as it should, but there is no lack of earnest, thoughtful, willing application.

There are so many causes of failure or partial failure in teaching, that I shall mention only one or two: A failure on the part of a school board to select a teacher qualified for their particular school. This often arises from the very erroneous idea that anybody can teach beginners, or from a disposition to employ cheap teachers, and also a failure to give the teacher needed support and encouragement. I furnished the number of school visits in my statistical report.

SCHOOL HOUSES.

Our school houses compare well with the average residences in their vicinity. I believe this to be the correct method of estimating school property.

COURSE OF STUDY.

We have attempted nothing like a uniform graded course of study in the schools of this county, and I do not think it could be done successfully.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

There has been but little tardiness and no truancy worth mentioning. Tardiness arises more from a lack of a fixed standard of time. Each school house should be furnished with a reliable eight-day clock, and regulate time for teachers, pupils, and patrons by that.

READING CIRCLE.

Teachers' reading circle work has been practically taken out of my hands by the secretary, and I have no reliable information concerning the number who have taken the benefit of the course. The few that I know are pleased with the work and consider it profitable.

EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT.

The principal of the Oregon City public schools (Prof. Strange) informed me that they intend to be represented at the World's Fair, 1893, but had not determined what sort of exhibit they would prepare. I think no other school in the county has determined to do anything of the kind.

ARBOR DAY.

There are so many of our schools that are not in session Arbor day that we have been unable to observe the day in a proper manner in many districts.

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT'S WORK.

The schools of this county demand the entire time and attention of an energetic superintendent. The teachers and pupils are, as a rule, pleasant, agreeable, and earnest in their work, eager to receive suggestions and willing to give them due consideration, and act upon anything that will improve the school. The patrons of the schools are interested in the welfare of the schools, as a rule, but in the matter of division of districts there is often a clashing of interests which makes it doubtful as to what is best to do in that particular

case.

DISTRICT TAX.

A district tax often makes trouble. A few taxpayers who have no direct interest in the school will object to the tax and make the board so much trouble about collecting it that it creates confusion and annoyance during an entire term, or perhaps an entire year. I think that some scheme whereby the school tax could be added to the State and county tax, and all collected at once, a scheme that would compel a man to pay all his taxes at once and not be annoyed any more for a whole year, would be an improvement on our present system and a great advantage to our public schools.

EDUCATIONAL OUTLOOK.

The educational outlook in the county is good. Clerk's reports for 1888, my first year in office, show 4,911 childreu of school age. Reports this year show 6,847 children.

The county fund for 1888 was $11,962; for 1892 it is $19,480. The best school houses have all been built within the past three or four years, and several good, new buildings will be constructed this year. The patrons are taking more interest and more pride in their schools.

The material resources of the county are developing steadily, and everything points to a bright future for the public schools of Clackamas County.

CLATSOP COUNTY.-SUPERINTENDENT C. W. SHIVELY.

School district No. 42 is a joint district with Columbia county. The clerk of the district did not fill out the names of the school directors, so I could not fill the names in my report.

I have had a great deal of trouble this year with the school reports. Many of them I have to make out, and some are late in arriving, and some it is hard to make out figures or writing. Most of the clerks and school directors are foreigners, and are entirely unfit to be in the offices, as they do not understand the school law when told to them. And a great deal of the school superintendent's time is taken up in explaining the law and enforcing the same.

In many of the clerks' reports the State and county fund is very much mixed up, and I have a great deal of trouble with them, and had to check from the stubs of the order book in my office. I have endeavored to make my annual report to the office of the Hon. State superintendent of public instruction as complete and correct as possible.

COLUMBIA COUNTY. SUPERINTENDENT J. G. WATTS.

LOCAL AND COUNTY INSTITUTES.

There were no local or county institutes held in this county during the year 1891. This fact is to be attributed principally to the superintendent, who failed to call out the teachers, owing to the difficulty experienced in getting together enough teachers to make the meeting profitable.

As yet we have never had any normals in this county. The expenses of such a course would doubtless discourage the major number of our teachers, and the result would be unsatisfactory all round. Our teachers must be better paid and terms longer, if any good can be expected from normals.

TEACHERS' REPORTS.

A conscientious teacher always strives to send in a good, full report; and the reports as now required are full and complete, and nothing can be added to make them any more useful.

CLERKS' REPORTS.

On the other hand, a great many of the clerks' reports come into our office in very poor condition. The blanks are all that could be desired, but the fault lies in the clerks' failures in filling out the proper data at the right time. Many clerks are elected who are not fitted for the office, and their work not being properly audited at the annual meeting accounts for the numerous mistakes arising among the records of the district clerks' offices.

TEACHERS' EXAMINATIONS.

The operations of the new law is having a very beneficial result in the grading of our teachers. Of the number securing certificates, comparatively few attain the average required for a first-grade certificate; and even many teachers from the East, who have held good certificates in their home States, fall short on mental arithmetic. Our present methods of grading are very good, and only the more energetic teachers can hope to follow up the occupation.

It seems to me that our examinations could be cut down to one day's work at the desk, instead of the two or three now required. Any board of examiners can find out the qualifications of an applicant without three days of written testimony.

PERMANENCY OF TEACHERS' WORK.

The permanency of our teachers is hampered in two ways: Competition among low grade teachers, and the height of the standard required, causing many timid teachers to discontinue teaching. At present we have among us several very good teachers - filled with zeal and enterprise-and their influence is gaining ground very rapidly. The old school teacher with his cut and dried rules and personal eccentricities is rapidly giving way to the live and wide-awake teacher of the present-teachers who read and think-and this is to be attributed in a great measure to the teachings of the many admirable publications now sent broadcast for the teachers' study. Educational journals are to be greatly encouraged.

DISCIPLINE.

Shall the unruly pupil be suspended, or shall he be conquered by the teacher? is the most important question arising in the teachers' work.

There are perhaps two ways of handling a bad case; either by the rod or other corporal punishment, or by reason and kindness.

In the first case, nine times out of ten the parents will blame the teacher, and thus unconsciously uphold the pupil, claiming that if the teacher's rules were correct the child would not need chastisement.

On the other hand during a term of say three or four months (our average being a little over four months), a teacher has not the opportunity to study the nature and home culture of every pupil and thus be able to manage his pupil

as he is accustomed to at home.

SCHOOL HOUSES.

School houses as a rule are below the average-in fact district property generally is poorly attended to and even neglected.

Some of the other districts prefer to rent old buildings, claiming it to be cheaper, and as a natural result the houses and grounds are in a bad condition. Something should be done to bring out a wholesome desire for material improvements in our rural districts. The usual cry is that "taxes are too high already," and therefore no effort has been made to raise the money for school purposes in the districts. It seems that the newer districts are far more energetic in this line than the older ones. Out of fifty-one districts in this county, we have but thirty-six actual school houses.

Many of our districts have good modern apparatus, but have no fit house to keep it in. Likewise the desks, etc., are of home construction and rude, and much dissatisfaction to school life can be laid directly to the poorly furnished houses.

COURSE OF STUDY.

Our books are well graded and uniform in degree of advancement, and but little can be done to better the usual methods of laying out courses of study. Naturally one branch comes after another, and teachers with any tact whatever can have no difficulty in properly placing the pupils in uniform classes.

Some teachers are not very anxious to teach grammar, claiming that Sells' is too difficult for beginners, but this embarrassment is overcome by introducing Barnes' Language Lessons for the use of young pupils; likewise, geography is often neglected, owing to the manner of Monteith's Elementary Geography, which doubtless is too difficult a book for beginners, and for this reason I have recommended Monteith's Primary Geography for the beginner. It is a small book, costing about 30 cents, and is destined to become of great aid to teachers and at the same time place geography and oral instruction on a level.

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE,

The average attendance in our schools is not very encouraging, but the reason for this is that most terms of school last only for three months in the spring, just at the time of planting, and farmers are prone to keep their children out a few days each for the busy season.

The enrollment, compared with the census, shows a larger per cent of children of school age not attending any school. This doubtless can be attributed principally to parents also, but pupils nowadays are presumed to finish the ordinary branches at sixteen years, and thus many never go after that age; and also bad roads, cold, uncomfortable houses, and frequently want of books, have much to do with the non-attendance of the younger pupils.

However, many of our more advanced scholars are sent off to more advanced schools, where they complete their education.

ARBOR DAY.

Arbor day bids fair to accomplish the intention of its founders, but as yet its importance has not been appreciated by the majority of our teachers. However, these observances must be cultivated. I would suggest that the usual Arbor day circulars be sent out about one month earlier, or have the day placed some time in May or June, when the weather is more genial for out of door exercises.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS, ETC.

The educational outlook is good in Columbia county. Many good teachers are with us, and our county is fast filling up with progressive and energetic people, and we may soon hope to see Columbia county in the front ran

in educational facilities. What will aid perhaps to bring about this hoped-for condition is embodied in a live and ambitious county school superintendent, who will be paid about $1200 per year for his work, and who will then be able to visit in person every school officer in the county, and by his enthusiasm infuse a wholesome desire for better education among our country patrons. Furthermore the county board should have the power to compel every district to build and maintain good schoolhouses, etc., as well as good, competent teachers.

SUGGESTION.

I would propose a change in the wording of question No. 32 of clerks' report, in order to avoid its being confused with the sense of question No. 51. More errors arise in this respect than any other in the clerks' reports.

COOS COUNTY.-SUPERINTENDENT. W. H. BUNCH.

COUNTY INSTITUTES AND NORMALS.

The institute work of this county began about twelve years ago under the superintendance of Mr. A. B. Camp, and as a means of increasing the efficiency of our teachers and promoting a greater interest in popular education, this phase of our public school system has grown beneficially, and in public favor from the first. It has been the studied and very commendable ambition of each succeeding county superintendent to keep our public school interest and advancement abreast of other and in many respects more favored-parts of the State. To do this every effort has been made to raise our county institute work up to the highest possible standard of excellence. Last year the usually conducted institute gave place to a two weeks' session of normal training under the management of Prof. P. A. Getz, of the Ashland public schools. It is the intention to hold a similar institute this year, the services of Prof. Getz having already been employed for that purpose. It is my experience that the county normal is far in advance of the commonly conducted institute for the practical training of teachers of all grades and especially those just entering the work. The majority of the teachers of this county are live, progressive teachers; therefore, our institutes are well attended and intensely interesting.

LOCAL INSTITUTES.

Local institute work has received no considerable attention so far, owing to the many difficulties teachers have to encounter in the way of travel. These hindrances are so great, especially during the winter months, that teachers' meetings would be poorly attended. We have found more advantage resulting from individual study of pedagogical works, of which most of our teachers keep well supplied.

TEACHERS' REPORTS.

Every teacher's report received in this office during the last two years has been fully made out and, to all appearances, scrupulously correct. These reports answer all purposes for which they are intended, except in the one particular of average daily attendance.

The county superintendent's annual report to your office requires attendance of males and females separately. This is not provided for in the teachers' reports the only source of information-which leaves the accuracy of that particular item in the county superintendent's report wholly dependent on his success at guessing. As the value of any statistics is evidently limited to the correctness of the information it is intended to convey, I would therefore sug