The public-school system embraces schools of every grade, from kindergarten to university; the number of pupils enrolled in 1887 was 53,402. The schools are celebrated for their general excellence and for several special features of reform. They made a famous exhibit in the Exposition of 1876 in Philadelphia. They set the example now so widely followed of celebrating Arbor Day and Author Day.

The Public Library is under the management of the Board of Education, and free to the people. It is in a spacious and elegant building, has 164,000 volumes and an annual circulation of about 400,000 volumes; it is under the charge of A. W. WHEPLEY. Beside this is the Mercantile and other public libraries, and some fine private libraries. The most noteworthy of the latter is that of A. T. GOSHORN, in consequence of its peculiarly honorable history. He had been director-general of the National Exposition of 1876 at Philadelphia, and refusing pecuniary compensation for his services, the citizens presented him with $10,000 in value in books of his choice, and sent on a committee to fit up a room in his resi-dence for their reception; this was done in exquisite taste. The library of Enoch I. CARSON, burned some years some, was extraordinary as the most complete Masonic collection in the world, beside a fine Shakespearian collection.

The University of Cincinnati is a municipal institution, forming part of the system of public instruction. It was founded on a bequest of Charles MC MICKEN its endowment is over $750,000; its faculty numbers fifteen professors, Hon. J. D. COX, ex-governor of Ohio, being president. Both sexes are admitted and col-lege degrees conferred. The Cincinnati Observatory, on Mount Lookout, four miles in a direct line from the city, founded by Gen. O. M. MITCHELL, belongs to the university; there is also an organic connection between the university and the medical colleges—the Miami and the Ohio—and also with the College of Dental Surgery and that of Pharmacy.

The Medical College of Ohio was established in 1819, and has ten professors; the Miami Medical College has twelve professors. The homoeopathists have an excellent institution, the Pulte College; and there is an Eclectic College, a Physico-Medical Institute and other schools. The city hospitals are large and admirably conducted; the Cincinnati Law School, founded in 1833, J. D. COX, dean, is a flourishing institution, with many pupils; the Ohio Mechanics’ Institute, the Cincinnati Technical School, the Society of Natural history with its museums and lectures, three system of kindergartens and the kitchen garden are all of a high order of efficiency.

As a centre of musical education the Queen City claims to be without a rival on the continent. The College of Music, with splendid quarters in Music Hall and the Odeon, draws students in all departments of the art, from all parts of the United States. The    famous opera festivals and May musical festivals of the city are visited annually by thousands and thousands of people.  Miss Clara BAUER’S conservatory is also widely known; there are other musical schools, especially piano schools. Beside the Art Academy, the arts of drawing and design are well taught in the public schools, in the Technical School and in many private schools, and by special teachers of art in their studios.

Lane Theological Seminary, on Walnut Hills, went into operation in 1832, under the Presidency of Lyman BEECHER, D. D., and has since graduated about 700 students. It is well endowed, and has a fine library. St. Xavier College, on Sycamore street, is the great Roman Catholic institution of the Ohio valley. The Catholics possess a powerful system of public schools in connection with their many churches, and have a monastery near the city for the training of priests.

The Jews are numerous and influential in Cincinnati, possessing several syna-gogues of striking architectural beauty. The American Israelite, the organ of liberal Judaism, is conducted by Dr. I. M. WISE, who is also President of the

Business education is a prominent feature, commercial colleges are numerous, and there are schools of type-writing, telegraphy, and all the graphic arts; among them the Cincinnati School of Phonography, which enjoys the hearty recommendation of Mr. Benn PITMAN, so favorable known for his discriminating lectures on Art  in the  Academy Cincinnati has been a centre for short-hand since 1849.  Benn PITMAN, came from England to America in 1853, and settled here to advance his brother’s system of short-hand invented in 1837.

Fry’s Carving School is one of the unique institutions of the city. It is conducted by Henry L. and Wm. H. FRY, father and son, and granddaughter Laura H. FRY.
Some of the most exquisite wood carving ever executed in the country is by them. The FRYS did a large part of the elaborate carving in Henry PROBASCO’S residence, in Clifton, and of the casement of the great organ in Music Hall. Art furniture of all kinds is made to order, and many specimens of their handiwork are to be found in various parts of the Union.

Clays for the manufacture of tiles and the finer grades of pottery are plentiful and in the vicinity of Cincinnati.  The artistic ceramic wares made here have a high reputation.  The Rookwood Pottery, founded by Mrs. Maria LONGWORTH STORER, daughter of Joseph LONGWORTH, was designed to advance artistic culture in the line of ceramics. The establishment is an admirable one, managed wholly by ladies, and its products are chiefly sold at the East and in Europe. Its decorators were mostly educated at the Cincinnati Art Academy. The wares are unique, resembling Limoges. They display unusual richness and harmony of coloring. In style of decoration they are peculiarly American, the native plants, flowers and other objects having been much used in the designs. Carving in clay is a feature in the ornamentation. A specialty of this establishment is that the color of the body is utilized as a part of the decoration.