ns living in country districts.
The fool is induced to come to the city, where he is introduced to a
woman who is perhaps a prostitute, or a servant girl, or one who is
willing to marry any man who will support her. She readily enters into
the arrangement proposed by the broker, and marries the silly fellow, who
goes back to his rural home with her, thinking he has married a lady.

LVI. EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

I. THE FREE SCHOOLS.

The provision made by the city and the people of New York for the
education of the young is in keeping with their metropolitan character.
The public and private schools are numerous, and are well supported.

The first in importance are the Public or Free Schools, which are
acknowledged to be the best in the Union. The Free School system is
under the control of a Board of Education, whose offices are located in a
handsome brown stone building at the northwest corner of Grand and Elm
streets. The Board consists of twelve Commissioners, who have the
general supervision of the schools, the disbursement of the moneys
appropriated for the cause of education, the purchase of sites and the
erection of new buildings, the purchase and distribution of books,
stationery, fuel, lights, and all supplies needed by the schools. There
are also five Trustees for each ward, or 110 in all, who were, until
recently, chosen by the people. Besides these, are twenty-one Inspectors
of Schools, who were, until recently, appointed by the Mayor and
confirmed by the people. The charter of 1870, however, changed the whole
system, and gave to the Mayor the power of appointing all the officers
named above, taking the control of the school system entirely out of the
hands of the people. It is needless to add this was the work of the
Ring, and was done to secure to them additional power and plunder.

[Picture: A NEW YORK FREE SCHOOL.]

There are about one hundred buildings in the city used by the public
schools. About eighty-five of these are owned by the city; the others
are rented. The property under the charge of the Board of Education is
valued at more than $10,000,000. The annual expenditure for the support
of the schools averages $3,000,000. In 1869 it was $3,136,136. Of this
sum, $1,759,634, represented teachers' salaries; $41,908, was for the
support of the colored schools; and $164,717, was for the purchase of
school apparatus, maps, globes, blackboards, books, et