..Secretary.

Executive Committee-S. C. Carr, one year; W. H. Doane, two years; W. Churchill, three years.

Other members of executvie committee-H. C. Putnam, Eau Claire; J. H. Stout, Menomonie; H. O. Kruschke, Auroraville.

This association was formed in 1894. Its membership consists of the officers of the various fairs held in Wisconsin. Its object is the improvement of management of fairs. An annual convention is held each year and the proceedings of the same are published. In 1897 the convention was held in Madison and in 1898 will be held in the same city. In 1894 and 1895 the annual conventions were held in Milwaukee.

WISCONSIN TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

OFFICERS FOR 1897.

President-W. J. Brier, River Falls.

Secretary-G. L. Bowman, Superior.

Treasurer-J. F. Sims, Onalaska.

Vice-Presidents-R. H. Halsey, Oshkosh; H. A. Simonds, Stevens Point; Matilda E. Reul Baraboo.

Members of the Executive Committee-R. B. Dudgeon, Madison; Margaret Hosford, Whitewater; D. D. Mayne, Janesville; County Superintendent David Throne, Rock county; C. D. Kipp, Elkhorn.

This association was organized in 1853, and incorporated by legislative enactment in 1855. Its purpose is the mutual improvement of its members and the promotion of popu1r education throughout the state.

Since its organization this association has held forty-two annual, and since 1867, twenty-four semi-annual sessions. The annual sessions were held in July at a place determined upon by a committee of the association, and the executive sessions in December, at the state capital.

In 1889 the plan of holding two sessions was abandoned, and the time of the regular sessions was changed to December. The object of this change was to encourage the formation of section meetings. This change has resulted in the organization of four auxiliary State Teachers' Associations-a Southeastern, a Southwestern, a Northeastern and Northwestern, which associations now hold annual meetings in their respective sections of the state.

The State University, the normal schools, and the various colleges of the state, are largely represented in the work of the association by the members of their faculties. A considerable number of city and county superintendents, as well as high school and graded school teachers, are actively identified with it.

The membership fees are one dollar per annum for gentlemen, and fifty cents for ladies. Though entirely non-partisan, the association has exercised much influence in shaping state legislation upon educational matters. Its deliberations consist mainly in the discussion of practical questions relating to school organization and management and methods of instruction. Some of the papers read before the association are published in the Wisconsin Journal of Education, which is the joint organ of, the association and of the state department of public instruction. The Journal was originally edited under the direction of the association by a committee and editor directed to perform that duty. Subsequently it was published and edited by the state superintendent and his assistant. In the year 1885 the ownership of the Journal was transferred to the association, and it was placed under the editorial and business management of Dr. J. W. Stearns, professor of philosophy and pedagogy in the State University. In 1891 the Midland School Journal, published in Madison, was combined with the Wisconsin Journal of Education, which is now controlled and edited by J. W. Stearns and A. O. Wright. By the state law "each school district clerk and each town clerk or secretary of a town board of directors, may subscribe annually for one copy of the Wisconsin Journal of Education to be paid for by the district or town respectively, out of the school money."

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Chapter 314, laws of 1895, provided for the establishment of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission, whose duty it is " to give advice and counsel to all free libraries in the state, and to all communities which may propose to establish them, as to the best means of establishing and administering such libraries, the selection of books, cataloguing, and other details of library management. The commission may also send its members to aid in organizing new libraries or in improving those already established." The Commission consists of five members, three ex-officio and two appointed by the governor. The ex-officio members are: President Charles K. Adams, of the State University, State Superintendent John Q. Emery, and Secretary Reuben G. Thwaites, of the State Historical Society; the members appointed are: Miss Lutie E. Stearns, of the Milwaukee Public Library, and Frank A. Hutchins, of Baraboo. Mr. Hutchins is chairman, and Miss Stearns, secretary.

The commission is not only willing but anxious to promote the free public library interests of Wisconsin, and will welcome opportunities to give personal counsel and aid. It also invites information and suggestions from all friends of such libraries. The commission especially requests the active coöperation of the teachers of the state, to the end that a close alliance may be formed by which the public libraries and the public schools may work unitedly in the general cause of education. The commission is at present actively engaged in fostering free traveling libraries. By the generosity of State Senator J. H. Stout, thirty such libraries are now in circulation in Dunn county; a similar number in Wood county have been placed in the field by J. D. Witter, of Grand Rapids; and associations at Ashland, Eau Claire, and other centers, are organizing similar movements under the direction of the commission.

Following is a list of the free circulating libraries in the state. In addition to those, Wisconsin has other library facilities: the great reference library belonging to the state, but managed by the State Historical Society, at Madison (185,000 volumes) the largest historical collection west of the Alleghanies, 30,000 volumes in the state law library; 31, 433 volumes in association libraries; 226, 534 volumes in the libraries of the several universities, colleges, and academies; 314,870 volumes in school-district and township libraries; 11,997 volumes in the several state and charitable and penal institutions; and 1,050 volumes in the free traveling libraries. Altogether, 1,055,529 volumes are available for consultation, in public or sem-public collections. The first biennial report of the commission, recently issued, gives detailed statistics, and a resumé of the library conditions and prospects in Wisconsin.