All the State Superintendents have been cheerful in their
co-operation with the General Agent, and zealous in their
labors to build up in their respective States the Public
Schools. It would be ungrateful and unjust not to make
mention of the aid often given him by the Bureau of Edu-
cation at Washington. General Eaton, beyond a technical
discharge of office-work, delights also to advance the gene-
ral cause by his abundant information, wide experience,
personal counsel, and eloquent voice.
The year has been marked by the usual assemblages of
educators. The discussions are taking a wider scope,
and embracing problems connected with education which
show the increasing importance of the subject. Consider-
ing that education has been a necessity since the origin
of man, and that it underlies all human development, it
is strange that it has not maJe more rational progress.
It would seem that in so manv centuries it oiij^ht to have
assumed generally accepted systems and methods. The
euvlless nuxilncations to which mind, in its accomplish-
ments, prv^vcsses. and functions, is subject, as growing out
of civilisation, rel'^ion. and environments, mav account in
part for the unsatisfactory resi:Its which have been attained.
It cannot be quostiorevi that in much of what is called
education the resi:I:s are saJ'v drs'orororti^nate to rromises,
expectatiors, and exvcn.'iture. It is^ therefore, a favorable
synu^tom that ni^ra and women of lanje ejcperience, culture.
1883] OF THE PEABODY EDUCATION FUND. 1 25

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and ability are giving much time and thought to the dis-
cussion of principles that are of the essence of education
as an art, a science, and a philosophy.
