COMMON SCHOOLS. The Puritan settlers of New England built the school-house by the side of the church even before they had provided permanent homes for them selves. Their first schools (in which Latin was taught) were, however, free in part only, and to those who had contributed to found them. The free public school was of New England origin. A Massachusetts law of 1643 required that every township con taining 50 families should. have a school for all the children ; the tuition to be paid either by their parents or by general provision. In Hartford, Conn., in 1642, a school was instituted and funds for it provided from the public treasury; and in the following year a vote was passed that "the town shall pay for the schooling of the poor and for all deficiencies." New Hampshire and Vermont, in like manner, provided for schools in every hamlet that could furnish employment and support to a teacher. Even amidst the almost constant conflicts with the Indians and French in which the colonies were involved, C. S. were steadily maintained. In 1670, one fourth of the annual revenue of the colony of Connecticut was spent for the support of the common schools. In 1795, the state of Connecticut devoted the money obtained by the sale of her western reserve lands, amounting at the time to $1,.P00,000, to the support of .ber conimon schools. Mass achusetts made a similar use of a part of her lands in Maine. Within the last 60 years the system of C. S. has been extended through the northern and north-western states, and the course of instruction has been greatly enlarged. As each state has control of its own schools, there is great variety in the details of their management. The following leading principles are the same in all: 1. A system of graded schools embracing pri mary, grammar, and high schools. 2. State superintendents who determine by exam
inations the qualifications of the teachers and watch over the efficiency of the instruc tion given. 3. Uniformity of text-books. 4. Public examinations. 5. School libra ries and illustrative apparatus. 6. Improved construction and furnishing of school houses. 7. Access to the school for all children of suitable age. 8. Normal schools for the training of teachers. Some of the states have funds to aid them iu supporting their schools. In the western states these funds are generally large, arising from the sale of lands granted by the general government, and, in some instances, also by the state. Such grants by the United States for school purposes amount to 68,000,000 of acres, valued at more than $60,000.000. In many of the states the attendance of chil dren, within specified ages, and for at least a part of the year, is compelled by law. Before the civil war there was no general and well-ordered system of C. S. in the south ern states. But in their new state constitutions they have made provision for them, and are now pressing forward the work. In 1S67, a national bureau of education was established by congress for the purpose of collecting statistics and diffusing informa tion on the whole subject, so as to aid the people of the United States in the adoption and support of the best school systems, and to advance in other ways the cause of edu cation through the land. In the year 1878, so far as reported, the school population of the states and territories was 14,617,000; the public elementary schools had 9,213,000 pupils enrolled, 262,000 teachers, and an income of $92,683,000. See EDUCATION, ante.