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labor of the different benevolent associations, which are supposed all to desire a common end but have no mutual understanding. For example in this city four distinct associations have in the aggregate 40 teachers. The city is districted, each association has its own district and all the schools are graded. By this means it is safe to say that one third more children are in school than would be if the associations had no boundaries to their fields, and the increased good accomplished is beyond computation. In the school year 1864-5 the same system was in operation in Norfolk, and as a result there was full work for 30 teachers. The same system would have been in operation in Norfolk the present year, but for the preference which it was understood your association had, to have it publicly understood that "the Bureau had nothing to do with its schools." This was the attitude of Mr. Willing and still is very positively the position of the superintendent of your associations schools in this city.
I have no doubt but a different policy (which seems to be implied in your application) would be serviceable to the educational interests of the