(From the report of the Committee on Supplies.)

Second.—The regulation adopted for the purpose of meeting expense of supplies for the kindergartens, in part at least, causes an assessment of one dollar per quarter to be made upon each pupil. The expense of material used by the pupils of the kindergartens is nearly double the average annual expense of pupils in the district schools for books ($2.27) and nearly three times as great as the expense for books in the first year of the primary school ($1.35).

The fee of one dollar per quarter, however, covers this expense so nearly that the kindergartens may be considered as self-supporting, except in the matter of salaries.

The present improvements in furniture by which thirty small tables, seating only two pupils each, are substituted for the three large ones, seating fifteen each, have so increased the seating capacity of the kindergartens, that to each paid teacher there is a present attendance of sixty, where formerly only forty could be well managed.* * *

Fourth.—The number of volunteer assistants at present in the several kindergartens is nearly one hundred. As their services are entirely gratuitous, and the only remuneration looked for by them is the training and preparation of themselves for the successful management of kindergartens, your committee have endeavored to pursue a liberal policy towards them, and to this end have offered to purchase in bulk the material to be used by them in their training lessons and to furnish the same to them at the sum of three dollars per half year. Your committee hope to obtain this material^† at such a reduction in price as to enable them to provide the quantity for each assistant at a cost of about eight dollars—the cost of the same at retail being fifteen dollars. The expense to the Board will be about two hundred dollars for the year—a sum really insignificant when it is considered that it is nearly all that is paid for the services of one hundred teachers. Inasmuch as the original appropriation for supplies to the kindergartens was one hundred and twenty-five dollars to each for the year, it is gratifying to be able to report that only a small part of this sum will be required.

Sixth,—* * * The returns from each kindergarten averaged for the last scholastic year over thirty dollars per quarter from each kindergarten, and at this rate the income for the next two quarters will exceed the amount expended by over three hundred dollars.