1881.] 189 [Annual Meeting. 



GRADE OF TEACHERS. 



Boston Public Schools, 



Tickets distributed to Superintendent 1 



" » " Masters 31 



" " " Sub-Masters 28 



" " " Assistants 389 



Out-of-town Schools, 



Tickets distributed to Superintendents 4 



" " " Masters and Principals 81 



" " " Sub-Masters 8 



" " " Assistants 258 



Laboratories. 



The laboratory has been used by the following classes : one in 

 Zoology and Paleontology from the Mass. Inst. Technology, one 

 in Zoology from the Boston University, both of these being under 

 the charge of the Curator ; also one in Botany and one in Physiol- 

 ogy, from the Boston University, both of these last named being 

 under the charge of Mr. B. H. Van Vleck. There has been the 

 usual activity in this department, and its teaching power has been 

 slightly augmented by the addition of selected specimens and dia- 

 grams. 



The Annisquam laboratory was more useful, and its instruction 

 more highly appreciated, than had been anticipated at the date of 

 the last annual report. The falling off in attendance was much 

 less than had been expected, and we think it has probably reached 

 its lowest point. The introduction of the study of natural science 

 into the schools has taken a definite form, and there is also a re- 

 vival of these subjects in the curriculum of the Mass. Inst, of Tech- 

 nology. These two sources will furnish some students to the lab- 

 oratory next summer, and these will increase in numbers in future 

 years, if the department can be kept up to the requirements of 

 the times. 



Mr. Van Vleck, who has voluntarily attended to the laboratory 

 and the details of teaching, reports that ten pupils were pres- 

 ent, five women and five men. Four of these were teachers in 

 colleges and academies, four were special students of natural his- 

 tory, and two intended to study medicine. The average time was 



