salaries of agents alone, on the basis of former years, being $142,000 per annum. The question whether the abolition of all the pension agencies and the payment of all the pensions from Washington is practicable, and what measures should be adopted to that end, is now the subject of earnest consideration; but any change in that direction would require additional legislation, as the law contemplates the paying of pensions through agencies, and the number now established could not well be reduced without a radical change of the existing system.
EDUCATION.
The Commissioner reports that during the year twenty-one thousand
written or printed communications have been received from its American
correspondents; an equal number of letters have been sent, as
well as about eleven thousand bound volumes and seventeen hundred
pamphlets.
Efforts have been made to gather and classify the educational statistics of the entire country and to perfect the office-lists of institutions of learning, libraries, and scientific and educational associations; of these, nearly nine thousand furnish statistics and documents to the office for its reports and special publications.
Among the works in progress of preparation are historical reviews of collegiate instruction, of normal instruction, of industrial art education, and of graded school systems in the United States.
The demand for information in regard to education in foreign countries was greatly stimulated by the Centennial; and in response thereto the bureau has in course of preparation circulars and special reports relating to foreign national systems, such as the success of the efforts adopted for public instruction in Great Britain under the educational act of 1870; the progress of industrial and technical education in Germany, France, and Belgium, including trade schools, (weaving, cooking, nursing, &c.,) school for agriculture, forestry, commerce, &c.
The amount apportioned for printing and binding for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877, having been exhausted in the issue of the report on public libraries, no other publication could be attempted. Since July 1, five circulars or reports have been issued, as follows:
1. The International Conference on Education, held at Philadelphia in connection with the International Exhibition.
2. Manual of the Common Native Trees of the Northern United States, (for the use of teachers.)
3. Circular of Information No. 1, 1877. Education in China.
4. Circular of Information No. 2, 1877. Education in Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Würtemberg, Portugal, &c.
5. Contributions to the History of Medical Education in the United States, 1776-1876.
