14 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



the full series, and also to the meteorological correspondents of the 

 Institution. 



For the purpose of collecting materials for the preparation of a 

 report on the present condition of school architecture, a letter was 

 addressed to the officers of public instruction in our principal cities, 

 requesting the use of the architectura illustrations of their most 

 approved school-houses. This request was readily complied with, 

 and a considerable number of wood cuts had been received, when 

 Congress organized the Department of Education, to which it was 

 thought proper to transfer them, with the understanding that they 

 should be used in the report to be published under the direction 

 of the Commissioner. The thanks of the Institution are due to 

 Messrs. Philbrick, of Boston; Shippen, of Philadelphia; Van Bok- 

 kelen, of Baltimore; Swett, of San Francisco; Pickard, of Chicago; 

 Randall, of New York; Brooks, of Springfield, Illinois; and Hart, of 

 Trenton, New Jersey, for the promptness of their compliance with 

 our request, as well as for the illustrations actually furnished. 



The report for the }^ear 1866, with the appendix, was printed by 

 order of Congress, and the usual number of ten thousand extra 

 copies struck off for distribution, 4,000 by the Institution and 

 6,000 by the members of the Senate and House of Representatives. 

 It is believed that few, if any, of the government documents are 

 more in demand by the public than this report, and it has become 

 impossible to supply all who make application for it. Unless a 

 larger number be ordered by Congress, the distribution must in 

 future be more strictly conformable to the rules which have been 

 adopted, viz: 



1st. To colleges, libraries and societies' publishing transactions. 



2d. To contributors to the library, museum or meteorological de- 

 partment of the Institution. 



3d. To persons engaged in teaching or in special research, and 

 to collaborators of the Institution. 



The changes in the population of the country are so rapid that we 

 cannot be guided by a permanent list. As a general rule, the dis- 

 tribution can only be made to those who make special application 

 for each volume, excepting donors to the museum and meteorological 

 observers. 



The volume for 1866 contains, in addition to the report of the 

 Secretary, giving an account of the operations, expenditures and 

 condition of the Institution for the year, and the proceedings of the 

 Board of Regents to February 22, 1867, the following articles: 



A sketch of the services of the late Hon. W. W. Seaton, in con- 



