NEW-HAMrSHIRE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.    543

The foregoing table reveals some curious facts for moralists to
ponder, who are continually advocating that the world is growing
more wicked instead of better.

At the commencement of the war in 1861, there were 119 con-
victs within the walls of the prison, and 42 commitments, the larg-
est number in one year up to that date. In 1865, at the close of
the war, there were but 70 in prison and only nine commitments
for the year. The next year (1866) the number of convicts had
increased to 111, and the commitments were 60, being 14 more
than ever were committed to prison in a single year. The largest
number ever in the prison at a single time was 135, in 1868; and
the same year 46 were committed. Since the latter date the num-
ber has been gradually diminishing, and in 1873 there were hut
88, with our cities constantly increasing in population.

One of two things is evident; either our laws are executed with
less rigor and the county work-houses absorb the small criminals ;
or the mass of the people are growing better as the world grows
wiser.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

Board of Instruction.—Horatio 0. Ladd, A. M., Principal;
j    Abbie H. Holton, Preceptress: Carrie E. Hall, William E. Wal-

!    :    ker, Assistants.

Board of Trustees.—George T. Day, President, Dover; Hi-
f    j    ram Oreutt, A. M., Secretary, West Lebanon;    Hon. Ezekiel A.

;    i    Straw, Governor, Manchester; David G. Beede, Superintendent,

Sandwich, with thirteen others.

C. M. Whittier, Treasurer, Plymouth.

|    Terms begin February 25, and September 11, 1874.

||    Expenses.—Board, $ 3 to $ 4 per week. Tuition, $ 8    to $ 10

|    per term.

Number of Graduates—Fall Term, 1871,    6; Spring Term,

1871, 9; Fall Term, 1872, 28 ; Spring Term, 1873, 32; Fall Term,
1873, 26.

,    Establishment and Purposes of the School.—This    Institu-

j    tion was established by act of the Legislature, in June, A. D., 1870,

to obtain a better training of teachers for    the common schools of

the State; was located at Plymouth, and its first term of eight weeks
I j    was held there during the spring of 1871,    under the management

*;    of Amos Hadley, A. M.