DELAWARE COUNTY. 239 development of our admirable common school system. Its history since that period, is vitally connected with that of the State, and it remains for us but to add, that under the control of a liberal and enlightened legislature, the system has realized the most magnificent results. In 1827, at the opening of the session. Gov. Clinton, in his annual message, called the attention of the legislature to the expediency of providing small and suitable collections of books and maps,^' to be attached to the common schools. No definite action was taken upon the subject at the time, but sub- sequently, April 13, 1835, an act was introduced authorizing the taxable inhabitants of the several school districts to impose a tax not exceeding twenty dollars the first year, and ten dollars for each subsequent year, for the purchase of a district library, consisting of such books as they shall in their district meetings direct.'^ In 1838, Grov. Marcy recommend that a portion of the revenue of the United States' deposit fund be devoted to the purchase of District Libraries, in such of the several school districts of the State, as should raise by taxation an equal amount for that object.'^ And the legislature, in accord- ance with the suggestion of the Gov., passed an act appropriat- ing 155,000 from the annual revenue of the United States' de- posit fund, to be expended by the trustees in the purchase of suitable books for a district library.'^ The number of school districts in the county in 1840, was two hundred and eighty-four, viz., Tompkins 18, Sidney 11, Masonville 11, Delhi 17, Davenport 15, Hancock 8, Franklin 25, Kortright 17, Meredith 14, Bovina 13, Andes 17, Col- chester 16, Hamden 13, Harpersfield 20, Middletown 20, Walton 17, Stamford 14, Roxbury 18. The total number of scholars attending these schools, as reported in the census returns for that year, was 10,651. During the ten succeeding years up to 1850, the number of school districts had increased to 302, with a total number of students 12,597, showing an
