than one-tenth of the present number; and that these cities contained only 864,509 inhabitants, or little more than one-thirteenth of the pres ent urban population. Such has been the growth of our cities. But this growth appears even more remarkable when viewed in relation to the growth of the whole population. Fifty years ago the urban population was about one-sixteenth of the entire population; now, as already stated, it is not less than one to four, the ratio having increased fully fourfold.

The application of science to productive industry and the use of steam as a motor have made this astonishing growth of urban population pos sible. By the continued operation of these agencies, the proportion of city population will no doubt be still more largely increased in the future. This enormous increase of cities is likely to continue indefinitely. Science cannot predict its limits.

Statistics are not available to exhibit with completeness the growth and actual development of the provisions and results of the public school systems of our cities; but the full and comprehensive statistics of city systems published in the reports of the United States Commis sioner of Education, as furnished voluntarily by school officials, afford sufficient data for a tolerably accurate estimate of the colossal propor tions of this educational agency. This statistical exhibit comprises 263 cities and towns containing a population of 7,500 and upwards, of which the total number is 310.

The total annual expenditure for school purposes in 259 of these cities (the number reporting this item) amounted in 1882 to the sum of $27,891,427.

The total legal school population in the 239 cities that reported this item amounted to 2,859,287, the actual school population (that is, the number of children of the usual age of school attendance, estimated to be 23 per cent. of the total population, the basis of estimation adopted by the Commissioner) being 2,079,188.

The estimated real value of property used for school purposes in the 240 cities reporting this item amounted to $94,294,153.

The total enrolment in 263 cities amounted to 1,821,773.

The average daily attendance in 253 cities, the number reporting this item, was 1,204,763.

Moreover, in estimating the importance of our city systems of schools, it is necessary to remember that the influence of cities in determining the general welfare is out of all proportion beyond the numbers of their population. They are the centres of wealth, culture, science, business enterprise, and social and political influence. The role of cities is, no doubt, to become in the future far more important, relatively, than it is now. Hence, it is in our cities that all the power of education is needed.1 The future of our cities will be largely what education makes

1C'est dans le gouvernement républicain que l'on a besoin de toute la puissance de l'éducation.- MONTESQUIEU.

it and the future of our country will be largely what the cities make it. What but education is to settle the question how far self government is to be practicable in our populous cities? And in this connection it must not be forgotten that the schooling of the vast majority of the youthful portion of our urban population is afforded by the city systems of public instruction.

STATISTICAL SUMMARY OF THE NUMBER AND POPULATION OF CITIES. Table showing the number of towns and cities containing a population of 4,000, 7,500, 8,000 and upwards, respectively, in each of the States and Territories.

4,000 7,500 8,000

4,000 7,500 8,000 States and Territories. and up- and up- and up- States and Territories. and up-and up-and upwards. wards. wards.

wards. wards. wards.

Alphabetical list of cities and towns of the United States containing a population of 7,500 and upwards, divided into five classes, according to population. [Cities of the first class: Population, 200,000 and upwards.]

Alphabetical list of cities and towns of the United States containing a population of 7,500 and upwards, divided into five classes, according to population-Continued.

[Cities of the third class: Population, 50,000 to 100,000.]

Alphabetical list of cities and towns of the United States containing a population of 7,500 and upwards, divided into five classes, according to population-Continued.

[Cities of the fifth class: Population, 7,500 to 25,000-Continued.]

ADMINISTRATION.

The schools of cities are controlled and managed by local boards, variously designated in different sections of the country as school committees, school visitors, school directors, school trustees, school commissioners, and school boards. These boards differ not only in name, but they differ very considerably in respect to number, mode of election, tenure of office, powers, and duties, but for the most part they directly represent the opinions and will of the people themselves in reference to the maintenance and condition of their schools. The American school system is largely founded on the idea of local competency in the management of educational affairs; hence the most important factor in the success of city systems is found in the character of the school boards; and there is no one problem connected with the economy of these systems so important and so difficult of solution as that of securing competent school boards. In Prussia they say, "As is the teacher, so is the school;" in Holland they say, "As your inspection is, so is your school;" with us it would be more fundamentally true to say, "As is your school board, so are your schools." Nobody denies that the men chosen to serve on a city school board ought to be the foremost citizens in respect to intelligence, integrity of character, public spirit, sound judgment, and social standing. In practice it has been found extremely difficult to reach this standard. The school boards are probably few and far between among whose members there are not some persons unqualified for a trust of such importance. This office is not unfrequently used by young politicians and old politicians of the inferior order as a steppingstone to coveted political places. In too many instances it is sought for by patientless doctors and clientless lawyers as a means of profes sional advertising. It is too often traded off by politicians, for assistance in running the political machine, to incompetent persons, who are grati fied by the local notoriety which it affords. And yet, on the whole, great credit must be accorded to our city school boards; the great and undisputed success of the city systems, generally speaking, is the measure of their merit. The worthy and the competent have far outnumbered the unworthy and incompetent. The roll of every school board bears the names of members who deserve the lasting gratitude of their fellow citizens for their faithful, self sacrificing, judicious, and persevering labors in behalf of the public school interest.

The city boards of education differ very considerably in respect to the number of members of which they are composed, this number ranging between the extremes of three and fifty and, in many instances, being not at all proportioned to the population of the city to which it belongs. The Boston board, previously to its reorganization in 1876, was carried up, in consequence of the annexation of adjacent municipalities, to the unwieldy number of 116. Pittsburgh, with a population of about oneninth of that of New York, has a board more than 50 per cent. larger;