WILLIAM MILler BeardshEAR was born at Dayton, Ohio, November 7, 1850; spent his boyhood on the farm; entered the army of the Cumberland at 14 years of age; was educated in the public schools of Ohio; took B. A. and M. A. degrees, Otterbein University, Ohio; took two years post graduate work at Yale University; had the degree of LL. D.; was President of Western College, Toledo, Iowa, '81-'89, at that time was one of the youngest college presidents in the United States; Superintendent of City Schools, Des Moines, Iowa, '89-'91; President of the Iowa State Teachers' Association, 1894; served a term on the executive committee of the Iowa State Teachers' Association; was director of the N. E. A. from Iowa for a number of years; was President, one year, of the Department of Manual Industry and Training, National Educational Association; President of the Iowa State Improved Stock Breeders' Association, 1899; member of the United States Indian Commission, 1897-1902; was juror on Educational Awards at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, 1901; President National Educational Association, 1901-'02; President Iowa State College, Ames, 1891-1902. Died August 5, 1902-Ames, Iowa. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. STATE OF IOWA, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, DES MOINES. To His Excellency, ALBERT B. CUMMINS, Governor of the State · of Iowa: SIR, - I have the honor to submit herewith, as required by law, the biennial report of the department of public instruction for the period ending September 30, 1903. RICHARD C. BARRETT, Superintendent of Public Instruction. EXPLANATORY NOTE:-Subdivision four of section 122 of the Code requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to lay before the Governor his biennial report on or before the first day of November in the odd numbered years. Section 123 defines the biennial fiscal term as ending on the 30th day of June in each odd numbered year. Before the revision of the Code in 1897 it was provided, ''that the period to be covered by the report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Adjutant General shall extend to the 30th day of September inclusive," though biennial periods of other officers, commisions, etc., cover the fiscal term ending June 30th of the odd numbered years. In the former reports of this office since 1897 the statistics for the period ending September 30th have been given. Why the change was made, in period to be covered by the report, by the general assembly, is not apparent, unless it was to make uniform the fiscal period for all offices. To close the report of this office on June 30th, as required by the present law, would be to exclude all the statistical information regarding the schools of the state for the preceding school year. It is thought inadvisable to do this, though the inclusion of the statistics which are not received before the first Tuesday in October, and often not until November 15th, may delay the completion of the report. |