all right, and all wrong nearly. I wish to combine the two methods. I wish to have the eagle, but I wish to have something go with it. I think the old system of being confined wholly to books, was a bad one. To undertake to teach by the book, is like cooking by book; we may book it, but never cook it.

The discussion was suspended here.

Mr. A. P. Stone, from the Committee to whom was referred the matter of the amendment of the Constitution, reported that they deemed it expedient to defer action for one year. They found an amendment, something like the one proposed, which was offered as long ago as 1841, and they could not find, in the brief time they could give to the examination of the records, what was the action in regard to it. It was difficult to understand, without further investigation, what is the precise form of the Constitution now. The Committee therefore recommend the adoption of the following resolution :

"Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to examine the Constitution and Records of the Institute, and report the Constitution as it now stands, with such amendments as may be deemed expedient at the next annual meeting."

The report of the Committee was accepted, and the recommendation for the appointment of a committee was adopted.

On motion by Mr. Geo. T. Littlefield, the committee who had already reported, were appointed to continue their examination, and report at the next annual meeting.

Rev. Mr. Northrop called attention to the fact that this meeting of the Institute was honored by the presence of a large delegation, sent by the New-York State Teachers' As

sociation, and stated that at the meeting of the officers of the Institute yesterday, it was unanimously voted to extend a cordial welcome to the delegates, and invite them to participate in the exercises of this meeting.

Mr. Bulkley. In behalf of this delegation, I thank you for extending this courtesy.

Rev. Mr. Northrop. We should not omit to extend the thanks of this Institute for the honor your Association has done us, in sending this delegation.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

The President. I think it desirable that something should be heard by the Institute, in regard to the Department of Education, as established by Congress.

As the Commissioner of Education is present, I will invite ·him, in behalf of the Institute, to give us a general idea of the department, and of its work.

REMARKS OF HON. HENRY BARNARD,

Hon. Henry Barnard. I will not, Mr. President, abuse the privilege you have accorded to me, by trespassing upon your time, so as to defer your action on other matters at the hour which is near at hand. My main object in complying with the request of the President is, to explain somewhat the nature of the law which creates, for the first time, the Department of Education at Washington, so far as we can point out the plan by its operations.

It will be remembered that the subject has been up for discussion several times, and a committee has been appointed

twice by this Institute, asking for some national recognition of the subject. It had been before presented by individuals from different parts of the country. It was desired to have at Washington some national recognition of this great cause of education. A little more than a year ago, a convention of superintendents met at Washington, authorized to present a memorial to Congress. This was presented by Gen. Garfield in the House, and the committee to which it was referred reported a bill creating a Department of Education. The subject came up for discussion in the House, and at first it did not meet the favor its friends expected; but it finally passed by a two-thirds vote. It went to the Senate, and was sent to the judiciary committee, of which Mr. Trumbull of Illinois was chairman. That committee reported in favor of the passage of the bill as it came from the House. It was discussed briefly, and passed that body without a division. And after the adjournment of Congress, the President did me the honor to invite me to an interview, and was kind enough to nominate me to the Senate, and I was confirmed; and the next day I entered upon the duties of my office.

Two or three points in this very brief act, which embraces only three sections, are all to which I can call your attention. The first is the name; and then give you some idea of the character of the department, so that we may act together to keep it from the political whirlpool which would swamp it.

The argument for calling it a department was, not to give it increased dignity, but to keep it from the other departments, so that the head of it may not be changed, with the change in the other departments, and that he might make his appointments from those who had made teaching a study and a business. If this department is carried out in the spirit in which the act was passed, it will be fortunate.

The power given to this department is very small. It does

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not recognize any intention on the part of the government to create a system of national education; nothing of the kind was contemplated. So far as I am called upon to administer it, my aim will be to carry out literally the provisions of the law, to collect and disseminate information, so as to show the condition and progress of education in the States and Territories, so as to aid the people of the United States in establishing school systems.

It gives the head of the department, the appointment of three clerks only; and no provision has been made, thus far, for the incidental expenses of the office. I mention this, that the friends of education may not be expecting too much from a head of a department which has no connection with any of the systems of education in any State, and must depend entirely upon the voluntary co-operation of friends of education. If they respond fully and cheerfully in forwarding the information sought, the department can have some means by which the reports can be made, which the law contemplates shall be made only to Congress. There have been only two steps taken by Congress. One is that there shall be a history of all the various land-grants made to the several States for education, and their condition. You are aware that millions of acres of land have been given for the purpose of aiding education in the territories.

Congress had had a department at Washington, to which there should have been some report, as to the application of the funds. If the history of the application of the money from the lands, in one State, had been known before action was taken in another State, millions would have been saved. It is not too much to say, that if the funds from appropriations made since 1787, had been husbanded with the same discretion that a gentleman husbands his private property, we should have $500,000,000 for this great work of public

instruction. There is not to be found in Washington, the material for giving the history of any one of these landgrants, except the mere amount; and it would require, if some of us had not already made investigations in that direction, all the force of the department, for years, to give an intelligent history of these grants.

Congress has made one other specific direction which is, that the Commissioner shall report on the condition of the schools in the District of Columbia. We are taking steps to obtain a minute statement of the condition of education there. I hope the constituents will breathe a spirit of patriotism into their representatives, to see if we cannot make the course of education there such as shall be worthy of a capital which bears the name of Washington.

There are peculiarities with regard to the population of the city, which those who have not resided there can hardly appreciate. A very large proportion of the property is owned by the government, not a dollar being taxed; and the government retains millions of property which would be subject to taxation but for certain reservations. It is therefore a duty to make an equivalent for this property. But apart from that, it should, at least, organize or provide for the organization of an efficient system of public schools.

The only way in which this department can act on the cause of education is, by collecting and diffusing information. And on that subject we are crippled. Congress has made no sufficient provision for this work. We shall endeavor to do something by, such resources as we can command; but to do the work which I have marked out for myself, will require the hearty co-operation of the educators of the country, and will necessarily require some appropriation by the government.

The mode in which I shall try to disseminate information