advanced by some instructor, are utterly impracticable. We have too many theories and not enough practical work.

The object of the institute in this county is to help our teachers, and especially the teachers in our rural districts, to teach better schools. The State of Iowa has good graded schools, but owing to our cumbersome district township system, and some other causes, the rural schools of Iowa are not as efficient as they should be.

SCHOOL HOUSES.

This county is well provided with good and substantial school houses, but they have few conveniences and are poorly arranged as a rule. They are well lighted, but many of them have no blinds or shutters, so that the light can be modified or partially excluded. There is no doubt that the eyesight of many pupils are injured in this way. They are generally heated by a large stove, placed near the center of the room, whereby the heat is very unevenly distributed over the room. In the majority of our school buildings in the country there is no mode of ventilation, except by raising and lowering the windows. There is a lack of blackboards in the buildings, and the seats are too large for the pupils. Many schools have but little apparatus and few reference books.

GROUNDS.

The grounds are being improved within the last year. Trees have been set out, and there seems to be a general effort made to beautify the grounds. The out-houses are in a shameful condition in many respects. The grounds are poorly fenced, as it is impossible to keep any kind of a fence, except one of barbed wire, which is prohibited by law. There is a general feeling among school directors that the law should be repealed. It is impossible to keep out heavy cattle with any other kind of a fence.

SCHOOLS.

A large majority of the schools are in session nine months in a year. Teachers' salaries range from $25 to $45 per month. The branches taught. generally are those in which an applicant is required to be examined for a certificate. Very little attention is paid to drawing and vocal music. Penmanship is taught daily. The law in regard to the teaching of the evil effects of stimulants and narcotics is being generally complied with as far as possible.

GENERAL REMARKS AND SUGGESTIONS.

We need a law prohibiting a school officer from employing a relative to teach his school without the consent of the board of directors or the patrons of the school.

The free text-book plan would benefit our schools very much.

A law requiring the teacher to file her certificate with the secretary before

beginning school would be a great help to both the county superintendent and secretaries, and would prevent any one from commencing a school without a certificate.

Anything that would awaken the people to the fact that a teacher must know more than the branches to be taught to be a teacher would be beneficial. We have too many who attempt to teach without having read an educational paper or an educational book.

POWESHIEK COUNTY.

BY S. W. HEATH.

The educational interest in Poweshiek county is on the advance. The general impression of the people is that more work and better results have been accomplished during the year just passed than any preceding year. We could not ask for a more hearty co-operation than we have received from officers, teachers and patrons. We have called special attention in our visits to those subjects of the most practical importance to the pupil in every-day life. We carried with us a set of Yaggy's Anatomical Charts, from which we gave a talk, showing the effects of stimulants; also a set of crayon sketches showing the effects of tobacco by representing characters ruined by its use; a set of maps showing the geography from the schoolroom to the State. With these charts we stirred up quite an interest.

The normal institute of 1886 enrolled 229; the largest enrollment ever made in the county. It was considered one of the most successful sessions ever held in the county. The State course of study was followed with a few modifications. Book-keeping was substituted for algebra, and vocal music was added to the course. Thirty-five teachers completed the course and received diplomas.

The school-houses are of the common style. Heated by a stove near the center of the room and ventilated by lowering the windows. The light is usually admitted only at the sides, there being no windows at the ends. There are four high school buildings in the county, all built on modern plans, with all the latest improvements. Iowa College, located at Grinnell, comprises four large buildings recently built and equipped with all modern improvements, thus making one of the best colleges in the State. A number of new houses will be built in the county this year, and several remodeled.

The length of term last year was 7.2 months; per cent of teachers, males, 23; average wages, $42.76; per cent of teachers, females, 77; average wages, $30.10. The common branches have been given special attention, and in addition

to those drills have been required and given on the following subjects: Manners, narcotics, diacritics, music, drawing, local geography, local history, civil government, objects and letter writing.

There has been a reasonable compliance with the law regarding stimulants and narcotics.

The greatest need in our rural schools is plenty of good blackboard and a supply of apparatus. Efforts will be put forth the coming year to work up the supplies.

A plan of school exhibit has been introduced into the schools which has proven a success. It consists of cards, postal card size, on which the pupil may draw a map of any division from the district to the State, or any kind of school work may be placed on these cards.

RINGGOLD COUNTY.

BY T. E. DUBOIS.

The educational work in Ringgold county is in a prosperous condition.

NORMAL INSTITUTES.

Organized in 1873. The object is to arouse the people in each district in the county-get them interested in the schools. The boys and girls who attend normal institutes from the country schools, become the best workers in the district schools. Normal expenses of the teacher should be paid by the school districts.

SCHOOL-HOUSES.

Are all frame buildings except the Mt. Ayr High School. They are fairly lighted and heated. Ventilation fair. The most of the school-houses are well seated and comfortable.

GROUNDS.

Are in good condition. Out-houses poor. Fences in poor condition. Only about one-half of the districts take any pride in their school-houses.

SCHOOLS.

Length of term, six to nine months. Teachers' salaries, $20 to $40 per month. All branches taught that the law requires, and in addition, also, algebra, rhetoric, Latin, geometry, botany, natural history.

The people take more pride in their schools than ever before.

SAC COUNTY.

BY CLARENCE MESSER.

Our normal institute at present is organized into three divisions. Owing to frequent changes and scarcity of teachers, we have not been able to carry out successfully a four-years' graded work, but hope to accomplish that in the future.

We give our teachers class-drill, not lectures, requiring the teachers to make regular recitations from the outlined work, paying especial attention to methods of presenting topics to classes, as well as general school management.

Our school-houses are in fair condition. As to ventilation, most teachers are compelled to resort to lowering windows. The school houses are usually warmed by coal stoves. The seats are comfortable, but we lack a sufficient quantity of blackboard room in many of our rural schools.

The general condition of school grounds and out-houses is good. Only a small percentage of the grounds are fenced. Trees have generally been set in the yards, but owing to a lack of moisture for the past year many have died.

Our rural schools have an average of 7.5 months of school during the year, paying the teachers from $20 to $35 per month.

The law with reference to hygienic physiology has, with few exceptions, received prompt and cheerful compliance. Most of our pupils from the third reader grade up, are using text-books, and the lower grades receive oral instruction.

SHELBY COUNTY.

BY C. F. SWIFT.

Shelby county has one hundred and sixty-three schools. The educational interests here are certainly much more thoroughly awakened every year.

School-houses are generally in a fair condition, and patrons of schools are taking steps to see that they are properly supplied with maps, globes, charts, black-boards, erasers, etc The average number of months taught during the year in this county is eight months and a fraction.

The work of teachers and pupils is better and more practical this year than formerly. I regard the condition of education in this county as being on a good basis. Schools of our county are making good progress. Attendance is better, and the course of instruction is becoming broader and more practical, consequently parents are taking more interest in the culture of their children, and more boys and girls read, write and cipher to-day than formerly, for the reason that the progress in the schools has been to meet the demand and encourage students and teachers to take a more active interest in their work.

TEACHERS' NORMAL INSTITUTE.

We have adopted the course of study for the institute of Shelby county that was prepared by the State Board of Education, with such changes as we deemed necessary to suit the wants of the teachers of our county. The institute is divided into four grades. During the institute of 1886 the State course of study was pursued, and seven teachers completed it and received the institute diplomas.

“As is the normal institute so is the county school," is a trite saying. We are trying in every way to make our institute a training school, where the young men and women of our county who do not have the means to attend a normal school may receive such instruction as will best fit them to train the minds of our boys and girls for future usefulness.

Our methods are various, and our teachers are presenting and using such methods as are practical and best calculated to awaken interest, and cause good and useful results. Assignment of lessons from text-books, proper classification of students, uniformity of text-books on the various subjects taught, are thoroughly discussed, and only such conclusions adopted as are practical and will meet the wants and needs of the schools.

The general features of the institute consist of drills and methods, and the how to teach and present the different subjects. The special features of the institute will be the kindergarten work. The prominent feature of too many of our institutes is to prepare the teachers for the final examination at the close. I think this tendency to make of the institute a mere academic school is an evil that should be resisted and overcome. We must have teachers' institutes in fact as well as in name, doing the legitimate work of teachers; conventions assembled to discuss how to impart instruction in the elementary branches, and how to organize and govern schools. I think the important and distinctive work of the institute is to give not more knowledge of the subject-matter of the common school studies, but more knowledge of the principles of teaching; more knowledge of the established methods of instruction; more skill in class work; and more tact in school management; and more liberal views of education.