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one hundred and seventeen (117); No. of teachers one hundred and twenty seven (127); No. of scholars fifty-four hundred and sixty-four (5464), showing a decrease of eleven hundred and one (1101) (as compared with) report for May.

Five new schools are reported this month at the following places, viz: Nanjemoy, Budd's Ferry and Pisgah, Charles County; Milestown and White Pine St. Mary's Co. Md.

Fourteen (14) teachers report an average attendance of 90 per cent. and over.  Twelve hundred and forty (1240) pupils are reported as belonging to Temperance societies.

Nearly all the schools have closed with the month and most of them with public examinations.  In the cities of Washington and Georgetown the examinations have continued through nearly the entire month.  Generally four schools were examined in a day.  There has been a marked [[strikethrough]] change [[/strikethrough]] advance in the schools during the past year over the previous years.  The new school houses and furniture have been very useful.  The appearance of the children is better.  Four hundred and seventy-four (474) of the children were especially commended at the close of the term for neatness.  The schools have been more perfectly graded:  the like studies have been pursued in all schools of a like grade.  There has been more system in all the management of the schools.  There was a large attendance of the parents and friends at the examinations, and the scholars and teachers generally acquitted themselves well.  The recitations in geography were especially good.  Map drawing has been introduced very successfully.  Generally the arithmetic classes were good.  Much attention has been given to the sounds of the letters, which the scholars learn and give very readily.  Some fine specimens of writing were exhibited:  248 pupils were commended for improvement in writing.  Declamations and compositions in the higher departments were very good.  The reading in many of the schools, did not show proportionate attention with the other branches, though we are glad to report that in some schools it was very excellent.  Four hundred and [[strikethrough]] seventy-six (476) [[/strikethrough]] seventeen (417) scholars were commended for very fine progress in their studies during the term.  Four hundred and ninety-six (496) pupils have not been absent or tardy during the term without necessary cause.  Three hundred and eighty-nine (389) have been exemplary in conduct.  Certificates of merit have been given each month to those who during the month had been 

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exemplary in conduct, regular in attendance and very credible in scholarship.  Seven hundred and fifty-three (753) of these certificates have been given out, showing that this number of scholars have been deserving of this notice one month each.

There was a spelling match for a prize of a gold medal, offered by [[underlined]] W. Ballantyne [[/underlined]] Esq. at the close of the examinations; thirty-four scholars participated.  The spelling was by writing.  Fifty very difficult words were pronounced.  Miss [[underlined]] Sarah Jackson [[/underlined]] of Mrs. [[underlined]] Ricks' [[/underlined]] school won the prize, missing only two words. 

The teachers have labored hard, indeed too hard, so that four of them, at the close of the term were very sick, three of them so that they could not examine their schools, and one, Miss [[underlined]] Mary Hawes [[/underlined]], is yet very low with typhoid fever.  

Educational meetings were held at the close of the examinations, one in Georgetown, and two in Washington, where there were class recitations, declamations, speeches, singing &c. in the presence of a large number of parents and friends.  Such meetings accomplish much good.

The examination and exhibition of the Howard University preparatory school was held during the closing week of the month, in the evening, commencing at 5 o'clock and closing about 11'o clock.  All available space in the rooms was occupied by interested spectators, among whom were Dr. [[underlined]] Sunderland [[/underlined]] Senator [[underlined]] Pomeroy [[/underlined]], Genl. [[underlined]] Whittelesy [[/underlined]] and other well known gentlemen.  The pupils showed careful and exact instruction and a very thorough knowledge of the branches pursued, among which were Geography, Arithmetic, Grammar, Latin &c.  Some of the declamations and compositions were very fine.

I have made a tour through St. Mary's Co. Md. in company with Capt. [[underlined]] A.A. Lawrence [[/underlined]], and through Ann Arundel and Calvert Counties with Maj [[underlined]] W.L. VanDerlip [[/underlined]].  Ten (10) school houses have been built with our assistance in St. Marys Co. and another house will soon be completed; only one of these houses is plastered.  All the houses have been built by colored carpenters.  Had we been obliged to rely on white carpenters, hardly one school-house would be completed in the lower counties of Maryland today.  The people had not the money to pay white workmen.  These colored mechanics were willing to do the work and trust for their pay.  In many places they have not received all of their pay yet, and will not for months to come.  Still the colored people have given liberally, considering their circumstances, for the building of these houses and carrying