It might be thought best to limit the assistance to the colored population, if any should be granted. By an act of the General Government the right of suffrage has been extended to them. A large proportion of them are confessedly unqualified for a judicious exercise of this power. If the colored people are the “wards of the nation,” in what way can the nation so well perform the duties of its trust as by qualifying them for citizenship? Of the two grand objects of this fund, the first, the promotion of common school education, has been thoroughly established, and the chief attention should be henceforth given to the second, the professional training of teachers. In some of the States that stand most in need of efficient normal schools, it would be impossible to provide at once the requisite funds for their establishment. Though there are very few normal schools of a high character besides our own in the States with which we are concerned, there are several of different grades of excellence, either maintained or aided by public authority. Some of the former, and all of the latter, are for colored teachers. Much good has been accomplished for the colored schools by the universities and other endowed institutions with normal departments, maintained by different Christian denominations. One association has already sent out from its numerous institutions 5,267 teachers, by whom about 100,000 pupils have been instructed. A large proportion of the graduates of all these institutions become teachers. The report by States shows the following facts: In Virginia less than half the children of the State attended the public schools last year. In the colored schools there was a loss of 3,271, compared with the year before. Over $250,000 of the school money has been diverted to other purposes; but in the future three-fourths of the appropriation are secure. In North Carolina the attendance is less than one-half. Difficulty has been found in this State to induce young men of character and talent to prepare for the business of teaching, as the pay is uncertain and but little more than the wages of a common laborer.