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report will indicate themselves. I only call attention to a few things of immediate practical consequence.

SUGGESTIONS.

It is respectfully suggested that Industrial and Normal Schools should be encouraged. All the pupils under our instruction would gladly learn to work, if they could have proper training, and many of the advanced scholars are very desirous of becoming professional teachers.—Hundreds of such could at once obtain paying schools, especially in the rural districts.

2. Reform schools at a number of central points are called for.—While the great majority now at study will become far more virtuous by being educated, a small portion, as is always true, will by increased knowledge become increasingly vicious. These need the rigid, though humane, discipline of this kind of school. By its influence such children often develop the highest talent, and at length become the most useful of men. If, however, they are permitted to break away, as they soon will, from our ordinary schools, they are sure to be the pests of society, a marked disgrace to their color, and an ever present scandal on our attempts to educate the race.

4. The time has come when writing, and perhaps drawing, both of which these children have an aptness for, should be introduced into the schools. For this purpose, many of the buildings now in use need appropriate desks, and application to this Bureau for such furniture will doubtless soon be made. We think an appropriation for this purpose would be a wise expenditure.

5. We would especially call attention to the necessity of having uniformity in the blanks of each Superintendent, on which the quarterly reports are made. It is impossible to give well systematized information without this.—Also, punctuality in sending up these returns should be insisted on. We shall then have no occasion for apology for want of promptness in our general report.

FINANCES.

The freedmen are steadily improving in their industrial habits, and in the proper use of what they earn.

In some part they still suffer from frauds, easily practiced upon remaining ignorance, especially in the payment of their wages. It is feared that their part of the crop in the coming harvest, where they work on shares, will in many cases be withheld. Numbers, as is known, have

already have been turned off for trifling offences, in anticipation of such payment. Much care will therefore be needed by officers of the Bureau that all contracts shall be fairly and honorably kept.

Frauds on soldiers also still continue, a fact to which the attention of their commanding officers should be called.

There are, of late, considerable numbers both of laborers and discharged soldiers, who are settling themselves in homes of their men, many of these already paid for, and a still larger number are saving their money for a similar purpose in the future.

THE SAVINGS AND TRUST COMPANY FOR FREEDMEN have now nineteen Agencies or Branches, in thirteen of the States and District of Columbia:

The aggregate of their deposits to July being $616,802 54
Payments (money drawn by depositors) 384,795 48
Amt. remaining on deposit, 232,007 06

A dividend of 5 per cent. on sums deposited for the last six months has just been declared.
[[right margin]] pr. an. [[/right margin]]

All of which respectfully submitted.
J. W. ALVORD,
Inspector of Schools and Finances.

Corrections.—On page 11 report for January, four lines from bottom, for $5,000 should read "$50,000."

On page 17, report for January, four lines from bottom, insert "it" after attempting.

On page 19, report for January, in middle of page, between the words perceive and schools insert "that their."

On page 20, twenty-one from top insert "can" after they.