REPORT, &c.

STATE OF NEW-YORK-SECRETARY'S OFFICE.

Albany, 8th January, 1834

TO THE LEGISLATURE.

In pursuance of the directions contained in sec. 1. art. 1, title 2, chap. 15, part 1, of the Revised Statutes, the Secretary of State, in his capacity as Superintendent of Common Schools, has the honor to submit the following

REPORT.

I. As to the Condition of the Common Schools.

The number of organized counties in the State is fifty-five, and the number of towns and wards eight hundred and twenty. The clerks of all the counties have made their returns, containing copies of the reports of the commissioners of common schools of every town and ward in the State. Abstracts of the reports of towns and wards, arranged according to the counties to which they belong, will be found in document A, accompanying this report. A summary of the preceding abstracts marked B, is also annexed, exhibiting the same matter in a condensed form.

The whole number of organized school districts in the State is nine thousand six hundred and ninety, of which nine thousand one hundred and seven have made their annual reports to the commissioners of common schools.

By reference to abstract B, it will be perceived that there were on the 31st December, 1832, five hundred and twenty-two thousand six hundred and eighteen children over five and under sixteen years of age, residing in the several school districts which have reported, and that five hundred and twelve thousand four hundred and seventy-five children were taught in the same districts during the year ending on that day. It will also be perceived that schools

have been taught in the same districts an average period of eight months out of the twelve.

During the year ending at the date of the last reports of the Trustees, ninety new districts have been formed, and two hundred and sixty-six additional districts have made their reports to the commissioners. During the year ending the 31st December, 1831, six hundred and fifty-nine of the whole number of organized school districts in the State made no reports. During the year ending the 31st Dec. 1832, the number which have not reported is five hundred and eighty-three.

There is an increase of seventeen thousand five hundred and sixteen in the number of children who have received instruction since the preceding year, while the actual increase in the whole number of children enumerated between five and sixteen years of age, is thirteen thousand seven hundred and fifty-six.

By reference to the annexed abstract marked C, of the annual returns of the common schools, it will be perceived that there was an apparent diminution in the number of children taught during the year, embraced by the report of the Superintendent for 1833, when compared with the number taught during the preceding year. This diminution, however, is to be accounted for in some degree by a pre-existing inaccuracy in the manner of making out the district reports. There are between fifteen hundred and two thousand school districts in the State, lying partly in two or more towns, and it was ascertained that in some cases the whole number of children in a double district were reported by the commissioners of common schools of all the towns of which the district formed a part. But great pains have been taken through instructions to the commissioners, to procure entire accuracy, and it is believed that the object is attained.

In the seven years commencing with 1824 and ending with 1830, the reports of the Superintendent exhibited an excess of children taught over the whole number enumerated between five and fifteen years of age, while the reports since 1830 have exhibited an excess in the whole number of children enumerated between five and sixteen years over the number taught, the enumerated class having been extended from fifteen to sixteen years. The maximum of the excess in the number taught, over the number enumerated between five and fifteen years of age, was

attained in the year 1826; and the maximum of the excess of children between five and sixteen years of age, over the number taught as exhibited in the reports since that year, was in the report of 1833. It is probable that the reports are now as nearly accurate as they can be made. The proper mode of enumerating the children residing in double districts is matter of notoriety; and the vigilance of surrounding districts, which have a pecuniary interest in keeping the reports of others within their proper limits, will generally guard against error. Inaccuracies, therefore, which may still occur in the reports of the commissioners will be slight, and may be traced to accidental circumstances not likely to affect materially the result exhibited in the reports of the Superintendent.

Although there were in 1833, in proportion to the whole number of children enumerated, thirty-three thousand seven hundred and seventy children less receiving instruction than in 1826, the number of children enumerated, as has been already observed, was augmented by the addition of another year to the age, from which the enumeration was made. According to the census of 1830, there were in the State, two hundred and thirty-three thousand six hundred and eighty-nine white children between ten and fifteen years of age, and two hundred and six thousand nine hundred and eight between fifteen and twenty. The first sum would give an average of forty-six thousand seven hundred and thirtyeight children to each year, between ten and fifteen, and the latter an averge of forty-one thousand three hundred and eighty-one to each year, between fifteen and twenty. Assuming the mean of the two last numbers as a true measure of the number of children added to the enumerated class by extending the age, from which the enumeration is made, from fifteen to sixteen years, and it will give, after excluding the cities of New-York and Albany from the estimate, about thirty-nine thousand more children under the new enumeration than under the old: but as there have been several hundred school districts, which have failed to make their annual reports, the whole number of children between five and sixteen years of age in the State is never exhibited in the reports of the towns. Thus the mere extension of the enumerated class will, of itself, account for the variation in the excess of children taught, over the whole number enumerated in one case, and the excess of the enumerated class over the children taught in the other, without impairing materially the accuracy of those reports, which

were most favorable in the 'results presented to the state of public instruction.

It has frequently been observed by the Superintendent, and to guard against misapprehension it ought, perhaps, to be repeated, that the whole number of children taught are not to be considered as having received instruction during the whole average period of eight months, for which the schools have been kept; but that they have all, during the year, attended school and received more or less instruction.

In the counties which have been long settled, and which abound in wealth as well as population, the proportion of children taught to the whole number enumerated, is usually much smaller than in other counties, which have been more recently settled, and in which population is rapidly on the increase. But this disparity, which at first glance would seem unfavorable to the state of public instruction in the former, is to be accounted for in a great degree, by the fact that those counties abound in private schools, which do not enter into the reports of the Superintendent; while in counties comparatively new, there are very few private schools, and it is by no means uncommon to find a considerable number of children receiving instruction in the common schools above the whole number between the ages of five and sixteen years. The truth of this position will be manifest from the following comparison of the number of children taught, with the whole number enumerated in the first six towns on the reports of the several counties of Allegany, Orleans and Wayne, which are comparatively new, and are rapidly increasing in population, and of Albany, Kings and Ulster, which have been long settled and are making much smaller progress. To render the comparison a fair one, the city of Albany and the principal school districts in Brooklyn, are excluded from the estimate, and to insure the accuracy of the statement, the examination is confined to the single districts alone, so that there is barely a possibility of error in the result obtained.

Upon the whole, the results presented in this report may be taken as a fair criterion of the extent of common school instruction in the State; and with the exception of cities and large villages, in which there is always to be found a considerable number of children, who, from the neglect or inability of their parents, are deprived of the benefits of instruction, it is probable, that the several sections of the State would be found, if the pupils at the academies and private schools could be ascertained and taken into the account, to participate with great equality in the advantages of education.

The following table will exhibit the differences between the number of children receiving instruction and the whole number enumerated in the districts, as given in the reports of the Superintendent, from the year 1826 to the present time. The cities of New-York and Albany, not having made returns until recently, and therefore not having been included in the table during the first years, are excluded from it entirely.

Excess of children taught

over enume

rated