The bulletin of Atlanta University, 1892 no. 35

              Atlanta University, Atlanta, Ga., Has   600  students   in  College,  Normal College preparatory, Grammar, and Primary de apartments, under 29 officers and teachers. Trains teachers and leaders of their race from among the sons and daughters of the Freedmen of the South. Gives industrial training in wood-work, iron-work, mechanical drawing, printing, farming, cooking, sewing, dressmaking, millinery, and laundry-work. Has sent out 225 graduates from College and Normal courses nearly all of whom, together with hundreds of past under-graduates, are engaged in teaching and other useful work in Georgia and surrounding states. Owns four large brick buildings, on sixty acres of land, one mile from the centre of Atlanta, Ga., library of 7000 vols., apparatus and other equipment — all valued at not less than a quarter of a million dollars. Having no endowment (except about -$27,000, mostly for special objects), the Institution requires at least $20,000 a year in donations from its friends to continue the work now in hand, and a fund of about $500,000 to put that work on a permanent basis. Annual scholarships of $40 each are asked for to provide for the tuition of one stu~ dent for one year. Subscriptions of $100 and upwards are solicited for general current expenses. Legacies for endowment or for current ex-jpenses are greatly desired. Remittances of donations or inquiries for further information may be addressed to Pres. Horace Bumstead, D. D. Atlanta,  Ga. FEBRUARY WEATHER REPORT. The mean barometer, reduced to sea level, was 30.174; the highest, 30.560 on the 17th; the lowest, 29.787 on the 11th. The mean temperature was 47.8 ; the highest 65 on the 5th ; the lowest, 26 on the 13th. The greatest daily range was 29 degrees on the 13th ; the least daily range was 6 degrees on the 28th. The total precipitation for the month was 3.44 inches, and there were 11 days on which rain fell. There were 14 cloudless days, 7 partly cloudy, and 12 cloudy days. The prevailing direction of the wind was from the East. TO A FRIEND. Many sad hearts may you lighten, And turn sorrow oft to bliss : Many dark lives may you brighten, If you'll make your motto this,   . Ever lend a helping hand. James W. Johnson. Class of 1894. THE   GEORGIA   PUBLIC   SCHOOL    SYSTEM AS SEEN  BY ATLANTA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. Among other exercises at Atlanta University is a bi-weekly class rhetorical exercise in which original compositions are written. The time allowed for the writing is three-quarters of an hour. At a recent exercise in one of the classes the subject was given out (without previous notice) : How can the Public School System of Georgia be improved ? We present below some of the compositions written within the time indicated in fulfillment of the assigned task. They are all written by young men who have taught school during the summer and the results of their experience afford interesting information upon an important topic. HOW    CAN    THE    PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM   OF   GEORGIA   BE   IMPROVED ? (Composition No. 1.) This subject has been discussed by the educators, as well as the legislators, of Georgia for some time, and it seems that no marked improvement has been made yet. The present system of the public schools of Georgia needs many improvements, and if I were Commissioner Plenopotentiary of its affairs, I would resort to the following measures to improve it. 1.  By having more competent teachers than there are now in the state. To have these, the state should establish and support a good Normal school, that is, tutoring by specialists in pedagogics. 2.  By having more and better equipped school houses, Bach county should be compelled to build and equip two school houses, one for colored and one for white children, in every school district in its bounds. 3.  By having state uniformity of text-books, and supplying each  boy and girl with the. necessary books, so that there will be no excuse for poor people' s not sending their children to school. 4.  By appropriating more money for school funds and paying the teachers a good, liberal salary, that the services of the best and most talented teachers may be secured. 5.   By lengthening the school term, that each boy and girl may have a longer time to devote to books than an average of three months during the year. The above are the special points that need looking after. I do not mean, however, that they are the only things that are in order for the improvement of the Public Schools in Georgia. In addition  to the above, there should be some definite time, say the first of every month, for teachers to get their pay and not compel them to wait and give such unreasonable discount in order to get some money as soon as they have finished teaching.    This "average attendence" business should be done away with and the teacher should get a definite salary, and if he has more pupils than he can teach the state or county should pay the assistant teachers.                   ______ (Composition No. 2.) We have a very poor system of public schools in this state I must say, and there can be many improvements which will add much material good both to the teacher and pupil. We have one hundred and thirty-seven counties and there is a commissioner for each one of these counties subjected directly to the State school commissioner, who at present is Hon. S. D. Bradwell. These commissioners have the supervision of each respective county, and this is the first defect, and one of the greatest defects, in the system. Because whatever may affect the principal member of an organization, association, or body of a state, affects the whole state, Now, as I say, these commissioners have complete control of the county, and as a general thing they are men following other occupations upon which they are dependent for an existence, and since the compensation which they receive does not induce them to give much time to this work, there is a constant neglect of the duty for their most important work, and we can not charge them for this neglect, because it is the duty of each man to provide for his family. I mean to say by this that the commissioners, as a general thing, have no interest in the schools whatever more than to contract with the teacher and to receive his report when brought in. It is their duty to visit the schools and give lectures to both teacher and pupils, to give information to the former as to the manner of instruction and show him, by example, what is expected of him. In my whole life as a teacher I have known only two commissioners who have done this, yet I have taught in one place more than two years, and I have been in the field seven.