108 HAND-BOOK OF WASHINGTON. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The schools of Washington are quite numer ous. Of free public schools there are four, with quite a large retinue of primary schools-, which are carried on at the annual expense of about ei5,ooo. Select schools and seminaries for the education of both sexes also exist in different parts of the City, Several of them of a high and established character. Public attention has been strongly directed to these institutions, and perhaps in no other city are there to be found superior advan tages of education, which are annually on the increase. There arc also several excellent board ing schools in Washington and Georgetown. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE. The Institution was founded in 1810, and has for its object the promotion of science in all de partments. It holds its meetings and has its headquarters at the Patent Office, and the Presi dent is Peter Force, Esq. It has a miscellaneous library of nearly 4000 volumes, pamphlets, maps, and charts, with a few interesting manuscripts, and in the cabinet are many medals and coins.