nual teachers' institute. Large and enthusiastic institutes were held at Moscow and Lewiston during August last, and were productive of much good. Many teachers and educational patrons were in attendance from the adjoining State of Washington. Several other counties will hold intitutes during the autumn and early winter.

The necessity for these educational meetings or reunions is so apparent that it has been suggested to me that a teachers' convention should be held somewhere in Idaho. The suggestion was so pertinent to the situation that I have about decided to hold a teachers' convention for Northern Idaho at Coeur d'Alene City, on the shores of the beautiful lake Coeur d'Alene, some time next summer. There is no more beautiful resort any where in the Northwest, and with liberal railroad rates there is no reason why a convention should not be well attended, not only by teachers, but by the public generally. Several eminent gentlemen have already signified their willingness to deliver lectures during the session, and to assist in making the convention a success. A similar convention for Southern Idaho will be held also next summer at some resort yet to be selected.

UNIVERSITY.

An act was passed by the legislature of Idaho January 30, 1889, providing for the establishment of "The University of Idaho," and locating it at Moscow, Latah County. The government of the university is vested in a board of regents, consisting of nine members, of which Hon. Willis Sweet is president and D. H. B. Blake secretary.

The object of this university is to provide the means of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the various branches of learning connected with scientific, industrial, and professional pursuits, and to this end it shall consist of the following colleges or departments: College of arts, college of letters, and the professional or other colleges or departments as may from time to time be added thereto or connected therewith. The sum of $15,000 was appropriated out of the Territorial treasury to commence operations.

Α

Several meetings of the board of regents have been held, and they are awake to the requirements and responsibilities of the undertaking entrusted to their care. beautiful site, consisting of twenty acres, has been selected and purchased. This site is situated about 1 mile from the town of Moscow, a beautiful and growing little city, on the slope of a hill facing the town, beyond which can be seen the broad and fertile valley of the Potlatch and the towering peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains. Two avenues will be constructed from the city to the university, thus affording easy access. Upon that fertile land vegetation makes rapid growth, and ere long the college campus will be embowered with leafy branches. Active operations will soon be commenced for the establishment of an educational institution which will be not only the pride of Moscow but of the whole of Idaho.

SCHOOL LANDS.

Under section 1946 of the Revised Statutes of the United States sections 16 and 36 in each township are reserved for the purpose of being applied to the public schools in Idaho. This makes 1,240 acres in each township. These lands are not available now, but are reserved until the Territory shall be admitted to statehood. Some of the lands are very valuable, being contiguous to large and prosperous settlements. They bespeak an exceedingly bright future for the public-school system of Idaho. The following table of surveyed lands and school lands in Idaho Territory is compiled from the latest official records of the General Land Office and other sources, and is as near absolutely correct as ean be made at the present time. Estimation has not been made use of, and fractional townships were not computed except where it could be done correctly; hence the totals will be considerably smaller, if anything, than the actual number. The sectionized townships generally lie in fertile districts, thus making those school lands very valuable. The remaining townships, not sectionized, comprise timber, mineral, and grazing lands, and lands not now subject to irrigation, but all of which we hope will soon be under the beneficent influence of water, which will make them extremely fertile. The table, however, shows only a small portion of the total number of acres in Idaho, as very little of the Territory has been surveyed.

ships.

Table of public lands in Idaho showing total number of acres in townships now laid off, and also the number of acres of public lands and also school lands in sectionized town

NOTE.-There are included in the above 1,175,040 acres of land now situated in Indian reservations, but which we hope will ere long be added to the list of marketable lands. The total number of acres of public land includes school, university, and all other grants. School lands are set apart in another .column.

SUMMARY.

Total number of acres of school lands (under section 1946) in all townships.
Total number of acres of school lands in townships sectionized....

970, 240 632, 320

This leaves a balance of 337,920 acres in townships now laid off, but not se tionized.

UNIVERSITY LANDS.

Under the act of Congress approved February 18, 1881, entitled "An act to grant lands to Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Idaho, and Wyoming for university purposes," this Territory is entitled to 72 sections, or 46,080 acres.

The first selecting agent under this act was Hon. James L. Onderdonk, who designated a number of sections, which were accordingly withdrawn. Hon. Silas W. Moody, his successor, resigned the position February 2, 1889, after designating nearly all of the lands remaining, and I was appointed February 28, 1889.

Under instructions of the General Land Office, these lands were selected, as far as possible, in entire sections. Many sections are very valuable, some of which, located in Latah County, I have been informed, are now worth $40 per acre. At $10 per acre, the minimum price, they would bring in a revenue of $460,800, which princely sum would endow the "University of Idaho" as very few young educational institutions are endowed, and enable it to offer to our youth the advantages of every profession. These lands are not available while Idaho remains under a Territorial form of government, but become the property of the new State when admitted.

The following is a list of the selections made up to the present time:

There yet remain to be selected 1,906.25 acres, and also the equivalent of selections canceled by order of the General Land Office. These selections will be made within the next two months.

CONCLUSION.

This report has been extended beyond my original intention, for the reason that I have endeavored to answer in this way the many inquiries that are continually made of all Territorial departments concerning educational matters.

To all who wish to settle in Idaho I can say, unhesitatingly, that we can offer as good educational advantages as can be found in any young community, and which are continually improving under the good care of our citizens and the patronage of the General Government. With Statehood, the educational future in Idaho will be a glorious one.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHARLES C. STEVENSON, Superintendent of Public Instruction for Idaho Territory.

His Excellency GEORGE L. SHOUP,

Governor of Idaho.

BOISÉ CITY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

This school is under the able management of Prof. J. W. Daniels, and is in a flourishing condition. The building is one of the finest structures in the Territory. The building and grounds cover a full square.

REPORT.

SIR: Consonant with your wishes, as expressed to me by the board of directors of this district, I have the honor to submit the following report of the condition of the schools under my supervision:

The pupils of this city all assemble in one central school building. The latter is of four stories, including basement, ornate in the character of both material and workmanship, and of capacity for sixteen large rooms, twelve of which are furnished and occupied for school purposes. The building is conceded to be one of the finest in the West, and, with its furnishings and apparatus, cost nearly $100,000.

In the school district there are nearly 800 youths between the ages of five and twenty-one years. Of these, between 600 and 700 attend school more or less during the school year.

The series of schools consist of thirteen different grades, viz: Three primaries, three intermediate, three grammar, and four high-school grades, viz, juniors, middle class, senior middle, and seniors. The latter spend four years in the high school, at the end of which time they are graduated, and receive the usual testimony in the form of a diploma.

The schools are presided over by eleven teachers-a principal and ten associates. The directors aim to employ only experienced instructors, preference always being given to graduates of colleges and normal schools. The present corps of instructors and their daily work in the school-room will compare favorably with that of similar schools throughout the country.

The discipline in the schools is kind but firm-all movements of ingress and egress being semi-martial in character, accompanied by a drum played by one of the pupils. The sexes occupy different play-grounds on opposite sides of the school building, but recite together in the different branches of study in all the grades.

The teachers are held to a strict accountability for discipline in their rooms, their own conduct in the presence of pupils, and prompt attendance to duty.

No tardiness is allowed under any circumstances; a warning and a final bell is rung, at the end of which every pupil must be in his or her seat. Teachers are required to report themselves to the principal, if they are tardy at their posts of duty, and are required to be at their rooms twenty minutes prior to opening schools. The following are the branches pursued in our schools, including every grade: Orthography, language, music, drawing, calisthenics, numbers, geography, reading, arithmetic (mental and written), grammar, Constitution of the United States, spelling (phonetic as well as alphabetic), history United States, physiology and hygiene, general history, natural philosophy, book-keeping, algebra (elementary and Bourdon), geometry (plane, solid, spherical), trigonometry, civil government, English literature, political economy, geology, chemistry, botany, astronomy, natural history, rhetoric, moral philosophy, composition, recitation and declamation, as well as music, and reading.

It was intended originally to fit pupils for college in the classics as well as in the English and scientific courses, but the Latin and Greek have been thrown out of the course of study.

The following will exhibit the cost of maintaining the school for one school year, for which exhibit I am indebted to Hon. Charles Himrod, past clerk of board of direct

ors.

In conclusion of this hastily written report I have the honor to inclose for your inspection specimen examination papers in various branches in the high school, and to cordially and urgently invite your excellency to visit the departments and personally inspect the system and methods pursued and results obtained in the schools under my supervision.

Your obedient servant,

To His Excellency GEORGE L. SHOUP,

Governor of Idaho.

J. W. DANIELS,
Principal Schools.

Hon. C. C. Stevenson, Territorial superintendent, gives a very complete notice of this district in his annual report. The foregoing report, however, contains valuable information not contained in the superintendent's.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT, SEPTEMBER 1, 1888, TO SEPTEMBER 1, 1889.