This most useful institution is a true pedagogical laboratory, and serves most completely the following purposes:

1. To exhibit specimens of school furniture and educational material, both native and foreign, for the benefit of the educational authorities, the professors, and the manufacturers of this class of objects.

2. To display educational material to every person who wishes to study it, especially to teachers who visit the establishment accompanied by their respective pupils; for this purpose there is provided a hall for reading and work.

3. To hold periodical conferences, essentially experimental, for the purpose of making known new methods of education, to popularize pedagogical theories which may indicate a progress in school work, and to present new specimens of educational material uniting the required didactic and hygienic conditions to improve on those in use. In general terms, the Pedagogical Museum and Library of Montevideo omits no effort and loses no opportunity to contribute by all means within its power to the improvement of the primary school.

4. To give information to all who inquire respecting the price and conditions of sale of material displayed by manufacturers, authors, editors, and booksellers who have donated their articles to the institution; for which purpose the givers should send with the articles the necessary particulars for the information of those interested.

5. To hold meetings and temporary expositions at which teachers, authors, and editors of didactic books and methods of teaching can assemble with their works; also physicians and hygienists, engineers, architects, and constructors of models and plans of school edifices, and industrial inventors of apparatus, collections, and models of furniture and movables for schools.

6. To hold meetings and temporary expositions at which the schools of the country may assemble with their work on subjects determined beforehand by the director of the museum; the best exhibits, according to the decision of a jury designated for the purpose, to be rewarded by a diploma in the name of the respective school and preserved for exhibition in the museum.

7. To deliver the material of its duplicate collections to the Government of the Republic whenever it may be invited to take part in expositions, native or foreign, and the minister or the director-general of public instruction may believe that the cooperation of the museum may be opportune, and to take charge of the cataloguing and installation and to arrange the general plan of the section containing the exhibit.

8. To place at the disposal of every person who may ask for it any book in the library for use in the reading room of the establishment during the regular hours. The works in the section for circulation are the only ones which the teachers and the scholars of the normal and public schools are allowed to take to their homes, by giving a special guaranty for the return of the books without damage other than ordinary wear and for their use with the care befitting useful objects.

9. To publish trimonthly a review entitled Annals of the Pedagogical Museum of Montevideo, with illustrations appropriate to the subjects of which it treats, which shall include conferences and lectures given in the building of the institution; biographies, productions, and autographs of educationists and persons who have contributed to the progress of education; models, plans, and views of school edifices; monographs respecting school furniture and material; bibliographies of pedagogical and didactic works, etc.

10. To contribute actively to the improvement of the school, from a hygienic point of view, demonstrating by means of models constructed in the workshop of the museum types of school seats and desks, lighting and ventilation of the class rooms, the superficies and cubic space of the same with regard to the maximum of scholars which they can reasonably accommodate, arrangement of the general plan of the school, and other questions of not less importance for the health of

teachers and scholars, as well as those which refer to the window shades, slates, paper, books, ink, maps, wall charts, etc.

With respect to the masses of the people who do not occupy themselves especially with educational matters, the pedagogical museum will contribute to popularize among all social classes the importance of popular education, demonstrating in objective shape the extent of the studies and work carried on in Uruguay and abroad by the scholastic authorities, guardians of instruction, specialists, and teachers. In all that appertains to its own progress the pedagogical museum will lose no opportunity to enter into correspondence with institutions of similar character, with foreign scholastic authorities, with the most renowned pedagogists, with manufacturing specialists of scholastic articles, and with educational periodicals, either directly by letter or by means of its corresponding members, who in the discharge of their functions shall endeavor to inform the director of everything relating to primary and special education that may transpire in the country where they reside, sending to him works relating to materials, descriptions, monographs, reports, memorials, etc. The works remitted which contain any novelty of interest shall be read in the public conference hall and inserted in Los Anales.

For authors, editors, and manufacturers of school furniture and educational material in general the pedagogical museum is a permanent exposition in which is exhibited to the public gratuitously every object sent, accompanied by the corresponding catalogue label, on which is displayed the name and address of the person or commercial firm sending it.

The edifice of the Pedagogic Museum and Library is situated in the Plaza Libertad, one of the most central sites in the city of Montevideo. It forms a part of one of the largest public buildings and has large halls and ample galleries for the exhibition and preservation of the various articles. In the same building have been installed the offices of the national weather service.

The staff of the pedagogical museum comprises the director, chief clerk, one assistant, an official in charge of the workshops, and a porter.

It is open from 11 a. m. to 4.30 p. m. on every working day.

BRAZIL.

Brazil, officially known as "the Republic of the United States of Brazil," is the largest country of South America and occupies about two-fifths of the continent. It is divided into 20 States and a federal district, which was formerly known as the municipal district of Rio de Janeiro, the capital.

The boundaries of the Republic, particularly on the northwestern frontier, are somewhat uncertain, but the area, according to the last official figures, is given as 3,209,878 square miles, or nearly as large as the United States, including Alaska. The vast extent of its territory is well indicated by the fact that one of the States, Amazonas, has three times the area of France. It is situated in both the torrid and temperate zones, with large plateaus rising to a considerable elevation above the sea level, extensive districts of which are covered with dense forests, some but little explored and in the far interior never trodden by white men. Its great system of rivers, fed by innumerable streams, its wonderful wealth and variety of vegetable and mineral products, and its marvelous fertility and variety of climate indicate unmistakably the grand future which lies before this great country.

Its population is estimated at a little more than 14,000,000, of whom about onefifth are of negro blood, and about 250,000 of German origin. There are also colonies of Italians and other Europeans, but the bulk of the population is Portuguese, and theirs is the language of the country.

It was in the year 1500 that the first Portuguese vessel cast its anchor in Brazilian waters and Pedro Alvarez Cabral took possession of the land in the name of the

King of Portugal, but it was not till 1531 that the first serious effort was made by the Portuguese to colonize the country. The French, Spaniards, and Dutch made many efforts during the following two centuries to obtain a foothold, but were never permanently successful, and it remained a dependency of the Crown of Portugal.

In 1807 King John of Portugal fled before the advancing armies of Napoleon and took refuge in Brazil with his family and court and remained there until 1821, when he was recalled to Portugal, leaving behind him his eldest son, Dom Pedro, as regent; but in 1822 the independence of the country was proclaimed, with Dom Pedro as constitutional emperor, who in 1831 abdicated in favor of his son, Pedro, then in the sixth year of his age. His majority was declared in 1840 and he commenced his reign, which continued until 1889, when he was deposed and the present Republic established.

Brazil was the last slaveholding country in America, and it was not until 1871 that a gradual-emancipation law was passed. The final extinction of slavery was due to an irresistible popular movement; probably 200,000 slaves were freed by private means, and two States, then called provinces, Maranhão and Ceará, emancipated their slaves before the abolishment of slavery was declared, on May 13, 1888, by an almost unanimous vote of Parliament, and the nation made a grand forward movement in the cause of humanity and liberty.

Brazil has been fortunate in escaping in great measure from the desolating internal strife and periodical revolutions so frequent in some other South and Central American countries during the periods intervening between their casting off European domination and the establishment of firm independent governments. This immunity it owes in great measure to the wise and patriotic rule of the late Emperor, whose reign, particularly during its later years, was one of peaceful progress and development and growth of liberal opinions and republican ideas, paving the way for the bloodless revolution which effected the extinction of monarchy on the continents of America.

During the colonial period of three centuries Brazil made little progress in literature or education and had little intercourse with the outside world except through Portugal. There were few schools except the Jesuit colleges and hardly any libraries or books. Wealthy young men went to Portugal to study law, medicine, and divinity, but the masses of the people had few facilities for acquiring knowledge.

The sojourn of the Portuguese court at Rio de Janeiro, 1807-1821, was marked by some increase of literary activity, and when the King returned to Portugal in the latter year he left a priceless legacy to the country-his historical library, which became the nucleus of the great public library at Rio de Janeiro.

The proclamation of independence in 1822 brought with it an awakening of aspirations for an enlarged intellectual life. Previous to that time elementary education had been largely controlled by the Jesuits and the clergy. By a decree issued in October, 1823, any citizen was authorized to establish a primary school without obtaining special license or authority, and soon after the Lancasterian system was introduced. In 1827 a law was passed authorizing the establishment of public primary schools in all the cities, towns, and most populous places in the country. The conditions, however, were such that little real progress was made in educational matters until 1854, when a thorough reorganization of the school system was effected. From that time under the Empire good progress was made in the promotion of education, literature, and science, and the good work has been continued even more vigorously by the Republic.

By the provisions of the constitution Congress is given authority to promote in the country the development of literature, arts, and sciences, and the sole power to create institutions of higher instruction and secondary or high school education throughout the Republic and primary schools in the federal district.

The constitution also provides that the instruction given in public institutions shall be secular, and that all laws not declaredly revoked shall remain in force. Among these laws is one which provides that primary instruction shall be gratuitous and at the charge of the various States and municipalities.

In some of the States primary education is compulsory, and in even the most distant from the capital and the least populous it has had a fair start, and will advance as means of communication with older centers of civilization are increased. It is true that Brazil possesses in her marvelous system of rivers great means of developing her natural resources and carrying into a vast extent of territory the civilizing influences of education and enlightenment; but much depends also upon the extension of railroad construction as a factor in the solution of the problem of civilizing and educating the large numbers of barbarous and semibarbarous people in the vast solitudes of its most distant regions.

Brazil has also to solve another problem, similar to that by which we have been confronted in the United States-that of educating and preparing for intelligent citizenship a large negro population only recently redeemed from slavery.

The educational condition of Brazil varies between two extremes, from the highest intellectual culture in the great cities to the lowest conditions of illiteracy and savagery in the remote districts of the Republic. While there exists a great mass of illiterate people, those who are educated are good exponents of its benefits. In the higher schools and institutions much attention is given to instruction in modern languages, and it is rare to meet with an educated Brazilian who does not speak French and has not at least a fair knowledge of English.

Every effort is being made by the Government to encourage the education of the masses of the people, and while many of the schools in the rural districts, far from the larger towns, are below the standard of those in the capital and other cities, the curriculum in use in the primary schools of the federal district presents a fair idea of the excellent standard established.

The primary schools are divided into first and second grade schools. To the first grade pupils are admitted from 7 to 13 years of age, and to the second grade from 13 to 15 years of age for male children. There are also separate schools for girls, who are admitted to the first grade at the age of 8 years.

The course of study in the first grade consists of reading, writing, Portuguese language; counting and calculating; arithmetic as far as the rule of three; the metric system as an introduction to the study of geometry, elements of geography and history, especially of Brazil; introductory lessons in physical science and natural history; moral and civic instruction; drawing: elements of music; gymnastics and military exercises; manual training for boys, and needlework for girls; practical ideas on surveying. This plan of education is divided into three courses: Elementary, for scholars from 7 to 9 years of age; intermediate, for those from 9 to 10; and higher, for those from 10 to 13.

In the second-grade schools the plan is similarly divided into three courses. It embraces penmanship; Portuguese; elements of French; higher arithmetic; elementary algebra; geometry and trigonometry; geography and history, particularly of Brazil; elements of physical sciences and natural history as applied to industries, agriculture, and hygiene; ideas of national law and political economy; drawing, ornamental, mechanical, and topographical; music; gymnastics and military exercises; manual training for boys, and needlework for girls. A diploma from the primary schools forms a certificate for entry into the secondary or normal schools. The latest statistics obtainable give the number of public primary schools in the Republic as 7,017 and the number of pupils receiving instruction as about 300,000. There are also several hundred private schools. These statistics are not, however, very reliable, as public education in Brazil is largely under the control of the States, and there is no central bureau which collects and records educational

statistics. Statistics collected from the various States, and published in 1895, are as follows:

Amazonas: Population, 250,000. Public schools-male, 57; female, 37; mixed, 12; total, 108. Secondary education, 1 (the Lyceo). This State has also the Institute Amazonas, an orphan asylum and school, a public library, and a botanical

museum.

Pará: Population, 700,000. Public schools-male, 349; female, 180; mixed, 54; total, 583; also, a normal college and a manual training school.

Maranhão: Population, 480,000. Public schools-male, 108; female, 59; total, 167. A lyceum for secondary education, a school for trades, and manual training. Piauhy: Population, 300,000. Has 59 public schools, a normal school, and a public library.

Ceará: Population, 800,000. Public schools-male, 130; female, 90; mixed, 46; total, 266. A lyceum for secondary education, a normal school with a primary school attached for practice. There are also a theological seminary and several religious and private colleges and schools, a military school, and a public library. Rio Grande do Norte: Population, 300.000. Has 135 public schools, a normal school, an institute for secondary education, and 14 private schools.

Parahiba: Population, 380,000. Has 83 public schools, a lyceum for secondary education, and various educational institutions assisted by the State, and several private schools.

Pernambuco: Population, 1,000,000. Has 495 public schools, a college of law, a college of arts, an institute for secondary education, a normal school, also 6 primary schools in the arsenals and barracks, a public library with 19,000 volumes and an archælogic and geographic institute.

Alagoas: Population, 500,000. Public schools-male, 69; female, 64; mixed, 24; total, 157. A lyceum for secondary education, with 4 professors of languages and 5 of sciences; a normal school founded in 1864, 7 private colleges, school of arts and trades.

Sergipe: Population, 180,000. Public schools-male, 54; female, 56; mixed, 70; total, 180. An institute for secondary education, a normal school, 7 private colleges, and 30 mixed private schools.

Bahia: Population, 1,500,000. Has 642 public schools; a lyceum for secondary education; a college of medicine; a free law school; school of arts and trades, with day and night schools; an academy of fine arts; 2 seminaries, 1 of sciences and 1 preparatory; several normal schools, and many private colleges; a public library in the capital, with 20,000 volumes, and many others in the State; an institute of history and geography, and an agricultural college.

Espirito Santo: Population, 90,000. Has 90 public schools, an institute for secondary education, and a college.

Rio de Janeiro: Population, 1,053,817. Has 627 public schools, a lyceum at Santos for secondary education, a normal school, and many private colleges.

Federal district: Population, 900,000. Has medical college, polytechnic school, military and naval schools, superior college of war, 2 colleges of law for higher education, 2 national institutions for secondary education, military preparatory school, normal school, and many private colleges, school of arts and trades, national institute of music, national school of fine arts, institute Benjamin Constant for higher education, national museum, historical institute, and several libraries.

São Paulo: Population, 2,000,000. Has 749 public schools, faculty of law, medicine and polytechnic school for higher education, many colleges for secondary education, a normal school, school of trades and mechanics, and a theological seminary and several religious schools.

Paraná: Population, 200,000. Public schools-male, 69; female, 39; mixed, 59; total, 167. Fifty-eight assisted private schools, 4 municipal schools, and 20 private schools, an institution for secondary education, a normal school, and a school of arts and trades.