counties having less than seventy thousand and not less than sixty thousand, two thousand three hundred, etc., the salary varying according to the population of the county.

Page 72. The Board of Supervisors of any county having a population of not less than twenty thousand inhabitants, may, by a majority of all its members elect, authorize the Judge of Probate to appoint a Probate Register. The salary of this officer is fixed by

statute.

Page 77. In each ward, the Supervisor and an Alderman constitute the Board of Inspectors.

Page 86. Partners are taxed jointly.

Page 86. Household furniture, provisions, and fuel, not exceeding in value five hundred dollars; all wearing apparel, the library, family pictures, school books, and one sewing machine owned by each individual or family; the working tools of any mechanic, not exceeding in value one hundred dollars; farm implements and machinery or personal property of any farmer to the amount of two hundred dollars, are exempted from taxation.

Page 96. The Superintendent of Public Instruction. may appoint, whenever he deems it advisable, a board of visitors to any incorporated institution of learning.

Page 98. Persons offering themselves as teachers must have attained the age of seventeen years.

Page 99. The regular public examinations occur on the last Thursday of March and the first Thursday of August.

Page 99.

Certificates of the third grade are divided into two classes, A and B. Certificates of class A are granted only to persons who have taught successfully and continuously for at least three years next preceding the examination in primary departments of graded schools, and the certificates of this class entitle the holder to teach in primary departments of graded schools only. Certificates of class B license the holder to teach in any school of the county in which it shall be granted, for one year; but no more than three certificates of this class can be granted to the same person.

Page 109. The University receives a sixth of a mill tax on all the taxable property of the State.

Page 121, 126. The Public School, Schools for Deaf and for the Blind, Industrial School for Boys, Industrial Home for Girls, State House of Correction and Reformatory, State Prison, State House of Correction and Branch of the State Prison, and Asylum for Dangerous and Criminal Insane, are each under the control and management of a separate board, consisting of three members, appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for six years. The members of these boards receive no compensation for their time and services, but are paid their traveling expenses. The governor, by virtue of his

office, is a member of the Boards of Control of the State Prison, of the State House of Correction and Reformatory, and of the State House of Correction and Branch of the State Prison.

Page 126. The name of Reform School is changed to Industrial School for Boys.

Page 132. The last Legislature has made provision for two additional State institutions, Michigan Home for the Feeble Minded and Epileptic, and Asylum for the Insane in the Upper Peninsula.

Page 136. The name of State troops is changed to Michigan National Guard.

Page 138. Next to the Commander-in-Chief, the Brigadier General is the highest military officer in the State.

Page 139. The State Military Board consists of the Adjutant General, Inspector General, and Quarter master General.

Page 141. One Major is appointed for each battalion of four companies.

Page 142. Commissioned officers are elected for three years. Provision has been made by the Legislature for the enrollment and maintenance of a State naval militia.

W. J. COCKER.

The design of this book is to meet the want, for some time felt in our public schools, of a text-book on the governinent of our own State. There is a growing demand for accurate elementary instruction on the nature of our State Government, and the duties of our public officers. The attempt to group together the officers of different States and define their powers, is unsatisfactory, for the reason that States differ greatly in the number of officers, and in the nature of their duties. In text-books which thus treat of State Governments in general, many of our State, county, and township officers are omitted, and duties are assigned to some of our public officers which do not belong to them, although such duties are performed by similar officers in other States. Accurate knowledge concerning the functions of our own officers demands a text-book that deals exclusively with the peculiarities of our own State Government.

The aim of the book is to present, in as concise and clear a manner as possible, the political system of the State, indicate the functions of the departments of our State Government, describe the duties and powers of the various executive, legislative, and judicial officers, and give some of the leading features of our educational, charitable, and reformatory institutions. Only the more important duties of officers are described, so that the minds of pupils may not be confused with numerous details, and yet ample means are afforded for obtaining a clear and discriminating knowledge of the powers of these officers.

The book is designed not only for schools, but also for general use. There is a lamentable amount of ignorance, even among educated men, as to the workings of our political system. It is absolutely indispensible in a republic that every one should understand the functions of the government and the obligations of citizenship, so as to discharge intelligently the duties of an elector.

The author is under great obligation to His Excellency, Gov.Chas.M.Croswell, for valuable information, and for numerous State documents; and to Hon. C. A. Gower, Superintendent of Public Instruction, for valuable notes and suggestions. He is also indebted to various authorities for suggestions and subject matter.

ADRIAN, Mich., Dec. 26, 1879.

W. J. COCKER.