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may very properly be continued. There is generally some forfeited School Money in the hands of the Superintendents, which might be disbursed at their discretion in aid of the poor and small Sections, as indeed is now the case, under the direction of the Chief Superintendent of Education.

I would respectfully submit that the provision of School Visitors be continued. The fact that all Clergymen, Magistrates and Municipal Councillors are legalized School Visitors gives them not only a right, but lays them under some obligation, to give their countenance and counsels to the Schools in their immediate vicinity, which cannot but prove advantageous to both Teachers and Schools, while it is very acceptable and gratifying to the people. This provision has been productive of good during the past three years, and its omission in the Cameron School Act is a cause of just and reasonable complaint.

The Normal School is producing a vast amount of good by improving the qualifications and raising the standard of our Teachers, and I would strongly urge that everything should be done to sustain and strengthen that important Institution. For this reason I would much prefer that the control over School Books should be vested in a Central Board of Education at Toronto, and not in County Boards of Education, as, in the latter case, there would originate a diversity and confusion which would prevent advancement and destroy efficiency.

P.S. The foregoing Letter, I have by request, read to Doctor Crouse, the Warden of this County, and he desires me to present his compliments to you, and to say that he fully coincides with the views it contains, and he, therefore, deems it unnecessary, except in this form, to reply to your Communication. W.C.

V. MR. ALEXANDER ALLAN, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, COUNTY OF WATERLOO.

Every person I have spoken to, on the subject, is decidedly in favour of the control of the School Books being lodged in the Provincial Central Board at Toronto, not only for the sake of uniformity in the system, but from the characters of the individual members of the Board, whose qualifications would be known to Members of the Administration.

(NOTE.-Mr. Allan next proceeds to criticise in detail the Cameron School Act of 1849; but, as that Act never went into operation, these criticisms were found to be of no practical avail in construct ing the new Act of 1850)

VI. MR. P. THORNTON, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, GORE DISTRICT-HIS SCHOOL ACT CRITICISMS.

I approve of the general principles of the Cameron Act of 1849, though I dislike some of its details.

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Concerning the selection of Text Books, I would decidedly prefer the choice being vested in the Central Board. It will be more efficient, and tend more to a uniformity of system.

It may, in some instances, prevent emulation in the way of improving Text Books, but that will be more than overbalanced by uniformity, which is of great consequence in a Country, where there is so much moving from place to place.

I have felt the effect of divided attention, caused by school law Legislation for the last three years. Three years of the District Superintendent's labours did more in 1844, 1845 and 1846 than could have been done in five or six years by this last Act of 1849.

The County School Superintendent would be left, as he should be, to devote his undivided attention to the advancement of education. Such Superintendents should all be practical men, and every one of them should have a Model School under his control, to which no Teacher should be appointed without his sanction. He could then say to the Teachers under his superintendence "Come and see,' instead of having to do all by precept, as hitherto.

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The effect of this want I felt practically ere I was a Superintendent, when I was President of a Society of Teachers for improving education. Give me a manageable School Circuit and the charge of a Model School in it, as here proposed, and I am ready to pledge my honour, that I shall produce more efficient Teachers without being any burden on the public funds than is produced by the present expensive Normal School system.

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Township Superintendents, as was proposed in the Act of 1849, would never work out an improved system of Education, To this the Township Councils are giving ample proof. Men are being appointed to the Office of Township Superintendent, who are much inferior to the Teachers to be superintended. Two points rule the elections,-convenience and cheapness.

No individual, or Board, should be allowed to interfere further with a School than to advise general Rules and Regulations. The internal discipline of the School is the sacred right of the Teacher. The Local Superintendents of Schools should be the only persons allowed to give Certificates of Qualifications, or a County Board, of which the County Superintendent should be a Member, and without which County Boards will be worse than useless. Without the power of certifying and annulling Certificates of Qualification no Superintendent can be fully efficient. He has no power over the Teachers, is reduced to the character of a spy, merely to report what he sees and hears. I know too well the working of the old District School Boards to place any confidence in such a mode of qualifying Teachers. They may, however, be made useful appendages to the Superintendency.

Let the Teacher's profession be raised to the rank it ought to hold, and then there will be no difficulty in the way of worthy men getting employment in it. The system, as now practised in Canada West, is really degrading the profession, and lowering, rather than raising, the standard of qualification.

When I say so, I speak advisedly, and from experience. The public funds are frittered away to entice men into the profession who have little talent and less inclination for it. They may teach, perhaps, a few months and then turn themselves to their favourite pursuit, careless of the public interest, after having been educated at the public expense.

CRITICISM ON THE PROVINCIAL NORMAL SCHOOL, AS MANAGED.

I would now turn to the principal object of this Communication, namely to make some observations with regard to the Normal School.

I think that all who wish to see an improved system of juvenile training will agree that a Normal School is necessary. But it is to my mind equally clear, that the one we have is on a false basis, and the course at present followed must fail in producing the desired effect. The plan is impolitic, inasmuch as it induces improper persons to enter the profession by hiring them to take education for a business for which they have no inclination farther than to get a piece of bread.* It is unjust to the Country in general, and to Teachers, in particular, inasmuch as the public money is laid out for the purpose of boarding and educating persons, many of whom care not for the young, and who will leave the profession just as soon as they can procure employment more congenial to their feelings. But, it is particularly unjust to Teachers, as it fritters away the public funds on which many of them depend chiefly for any little ready money they get for their support, and it forces them indirectly to pay for boarding and educating persons to supplant themselves, not so much on account of their higher qualifications, as having a higher name and more patronage. As I stated to you before, make the Teacher's profession worthy of educated men, and there will be no difficulty in procuring educated men for the profession, any more than for the other learned professions.

The present Normal School course must fail in procuring the desired effects, so long as the persons under training for Teachers are allowed, or rather forced, to skim over as many subjects in one Session, as, for any practical purpose, would rationally take two or three years: and, besides, it is hurtful to the persons themselves through life. Being overpushed they become so far disgusted with the Books they have gone over, so that they cannot again enter heartily on the examination of the subjects they contain, except it be in the pursuit of some favourite hobby,-some of the Normal School Students have confessed this to me. But what is probably still more detrimental, it trains them to be content with superficial views of the most important subjects

It is generally more easy to find faults than to suggest remedies. How is the matter to be amended? The answer to this question will depend upon what the Normal School is to do. Is it both to educate and train Teachers, or merely to train to the science and art of teaching? As at present constituted, it has been shown that it is inadequate for both, and it is already too expensive for such a new Country. If it is merely to train teachers for their profession, the expense may be lessened and yet be made efficient for the end in view, and this agrees with the views of our most enlightened practical Teachers. I may add that it coincides with my own in the present standing of the Country. Taking this view of it, all that would be necessary would be a Professor of the Science and Art of Teaching and of School Economy.

It would be the business of the Professor to lecture on the Science and Art of Teaching,-go with his Students to the Model School, supervise their practical operations, and criticize them on his return to the lecture room.

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The Model School should be one of the Common Schools in the City, suitably fitted up and so conducted as to render it in reality a Model. It would receive its share of the public funds, and, if judiciously located, would nearly, or altogether, support itself. Then the only expense of the Training School would be the Professor's salary, which would be regulated according to circumstances. would be at liberty during some months every year for the purpose of visiting County Model Schools, and for collecting and distributing general information regarding the working of the Schcol System, etcetera.

VII. THE REVEREND JOHN CLIMIE, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, TOWNSHIP OF Darlington.-CRITICISM.

In regard to the proposed Bill of this year, on the Common Schools, now before the House of Parliament, I beg to submit to you a few thoughts of mine on said Bill. It is generally believed by leading men of all shades of politics, that Doctor Ryerson has had a great deal to do with the getting up of this Bill, consequently my remarks on it will not be felt by you to be personal.

(NOTE. Here follows a series of anticipated verbal criticisms on details of the School Bill of 1850) I have just returned from visiting the Schools in this Township of Darlington, and have been repeatedly informed that the Trustees and Schools had not been visited for six years before I paid them a visit. So completely ignorant were the former Township Superintendents of the state of the Schools, that I could not find any document, or report, that contained any information regarding the whereabouts of the Schools, I had, therefore, to find out where the Schoolhouses were in the best way I could. 1 found a great deal of carelessness manifested about the Schools by the Trustees, and heard many complaints from the Teachers, and I feel satisfied that, without Township Superintendents, who

*Mr. Thornton here refers to the arrangement, by which Students of the Normal School received one dollar a week, towards paying the expenses of their board and lodging.

shall visit four times a year, and visit faithfully, little good will be effected by any other kind of oversight. And as for "School Visitors," (as the Bill before the House now provides), they are worse than nothing (sic), as this provision blinds people, who have not an opportunity of seeing how it works in the Country. I have not heard a single individual speak who is opposed to the Township Superintendents. Many are opposed to all other kinds of Superintendents.

Whatever you do, I would suggest that you give the Township Councils power to appoint Township Superintendents, if they see fit to do so, leaving to the County Municipal Councils the power to appoint one, or more, over all the Townships whose Councils may have neglected to do so.

I cannot help thinking Doctor Ryerson is opposed to Township Superintendents for the following

reasons:

1. He wishes to have all the power he can have over the Schools, without local interference. 2. He knows that Clergymen generally are appointed to the office, and that Methodist Ministers cannot act as Local Superintendents, on account of their itinerating arrangements*

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In Cities and Towns, perhaps, some Clergymen may visit Schools. Doctor Ryerson may write as he pleases about the visits of Clergymen, and tell us how many visits the Schools of the Province enjoyed, under the old Act of 1846, from them+ But how many of these Clergymen mounted their horses, and scoured the Townships, and sat and examined for two or three hours, in each of the Schools in the Township to which they had the honour of ministering in holy things. I have already told you that the most of the Schools in this Township have not been visited by anyone lawfully appointed for six years before the present one

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Finally, in a few words, I may say that my opposition to a great part of the present Bill now before the House, is caused by my attachment to principles that we have long laboured to establish in this Province. The difference between centralizing power, and power extended to the people, constitutes the difference between my views of what a School Bill should be, and what this one is. In other words, we want local "Responsible Government" in Schools. Let the Township Councils be the Executive of the School Law, as far as local matters are concerned. Let us have local control in all matters, except what is necessary to give to the County Municipal Councils, and everything will work well. The Chief," (if there is still to be one,) should not be allowed to interfere with local matters at all, except for securing Annual Reports for the Provincial Government, that so they may have a full account of every matter in which they are interested, as Stewards for the Province. For, if care is not taken to secure local independence, as far as is consistent with united Provincial effort, there will be more trouble in the Country hereafter than ever yet has been about any School Bill since Canada legislated on the subject. You must know that a great many of your warmest friends feel sore at Doctor Ryerson's connection with the Common Schools, and if this Bill passes as it now stands, they will be apt to suspect that he has power over the Government.+

VIII. THE REVEREND JAMES BAIRD, EX TOWNSHIP SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS IN THE NEWCASTLE DISTRICT.-VIEWS OF EXPERIENCED PERSONS.

I have availed myself of every opportunity of ascertaining the opinion of intelligent School Trustees, Teachers and persons interested in the educational improvement of the Province. All with whom I have conversed, with one exception, disapprove of the repealing, by the Cameron Act of 1849, of those Sections of the late School Act of 1846, which provided for the appointment of Town and City Boards of School Trustees. They think that the business of the several Schools in a Town, or City, can be managed more efficiently, and with less trouble, by a General Board than by the separate corporations of Trustees in the several School divisions of a Čity, or Town.

With regard to the County Boards for the examination and licensing of School Teachers, I have been particular in my enquiries. They are generally approved of. They have expressed the most qualified approval of all the provisions in reference to the examining of Teachers, and the giving and annulling of Certificates of Qualification, as it would be beneficial, if the Boards act properly, in raising the standard of qualification for teaching. It must be admitted that, under the Act of 1846, some persons disqualified, and many very poorly qualified, obtained Certificates from School Visitors and even from Superintendents. It is not such a delicate matter for a Board of seven persons to refuse a Certificate, as for an individual to do so. Some, however, have expressed a fear lest the selection of Text Books by the local Boards should interfere with the uniform operation of the Normal School. I presume it is admitted that, however well a Teacher understands the branches of education which he professes to teach, he teaches more efficiently and comfortably from the Text Books which he himself has studied. I am certain it would be better for all parties were there a uniformity in reference to good Text Books throughout the Province.

Under the late Act of 1846, Superintendents of Schools were considered to have a discretionary power to make grants to poor Sections, over and above their legal apportionment. The District Council allowed me the power to make grants to such Sections, to the amount of Five pounds (£5,) each, out of the balance of School moneys in my hand.

* An opposite opinion to this is given by the Reverend William McCullough, a Methodist Minister, in his Letter on page 70.

+ This information is given in full on page 285 of the Eighth Volume of this Documentary History. The influence of these visits is referred to on page 278 of the same Volume.

In this connection, it will be interesting to read what the Honourable Francis Hincks said in the House of Assembly in July, 1850, on the then "Relations of the Government to Doctor Ryerson," as given on page 14 of this Volume.

The appointment of Township Superintendents is generally approved of, if suitable persons be appointed. I, for one, though I have lost my office by the new arrangement, approve of it, in preference to one person superintending a large Municipal District. It was impossible that one person could examine One Hundred and Eighty Schools,* dotted over a surface of Eighteen Hundred square miles, make himself familiar with the state and circumstances of the Schools, settle disputes, pay out the money, and answer the communications as he ought. There are some, however, who think that the duty would be more efficiently discharged by County Superintendents, where the Counties are small, or by two County Superintendents, where the Counties are large; as Township Superintendents cannot afford to devote that time to the Schools which a County Superintendent can, who is wholly supported by the emolument of his office. Some complain that there is no check to the Teachers' giving a false report of the number of children and days they have attended School, as a principle for the apportioning of the School Money to the several Sections ;† and some complain that whilst it is required of the Teachers that they be morally and educationally qualified, no such conditions are required of the Superintendents of the Schools. These statements are the result of impartial enquiry and honest conviction apart from all political bias.

IX. CAPTAIN BENJAMIN HAYTER, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NEWCASTLE DISTRICT. SCHOOL BOOK CONTROL QUESTION.

I beg to state briefly my view of the working of the late School Act of 1846.

Some differences of opinion naturally existed in the early part of 1847, growing out of the change in the School law; but I can positively affirm that general satisfaction has existed ever since in relation thereto throughout the length and breadth of the Newcastle District, but, with few exceptions in regard to particular clauses which require amendment, and which, as I understand were to have been recommended to the Legislature; but not one of the required amendments suggested and submitted by District Superintendents to the Chief Superintendent in the Annual Report, appears to have been embodied in the new Cameron Act of 1849.

Had the necessary reforms, which the School Act of 1846 required, been submitted to the Legislature by the Officer presumed to be most competent, from his high official character and extensive experience in educational affairs, the difficulty of adapting these reforms would, there can be no doubt, easily have been cleared away by the wisdom of the Legislature.

I beg respectfully to observe that in my opinion, a discussion "whether the control over School Books," and so forth, "should be vested in County Boards of Education, or in the Central one in Toronto," as an open question, would be, as it seems to me, an extraordinary discussion, firmly believing, as I do, that ninety-nine out of every hundred persons would decide for a uniformity of School Books selected by a Central Board, as the best system of all for the speedy development of the Schools, and the teaching of the young; and who so proper, as the Provincial Board of Education, having to do with the Normal School; which Establishment is an honour and a blessing to Upper Canada.

In all the Schools which have introduced a uniformity of Text Books, great satisfaction has been expressed.

X. MR. ELIAS BURNHAM, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE COUNTY OF PETERBOROUGH-COUNTY BOARDS' CONTROL OF SCHOOL BOOKS.

As to the Control of the County Boards of Education, or the Central Board at Toronto, over School Text Books, I have to state, that since the receipt of your Circular, I have shewn it to many persons and asked their opinions upon it; and I am bound to say, that, so far as I have been able to discern, the prevailing force of feeling, is in favour of a distribution of the power over School Books-I think it right, however, to state, that a frequent change in the principal machinery of the School Law, is not calculated to produce benefit, for I find on all sides, a desire, that the system now established, should be allowed to continue as long as possible, without great changes in the Law.

XI. MR. WILLIAM HUTTON, COUNTY OF VICTORIA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.-CENTRAL BOARD'S CONTROL OF SCHOOL BOOKS. SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE SCHOOL BILL OF 1850.

I am in receipt of your Circular, with regard to the Malcolm Cameron, Common School Act of last Session, 1849. All the intelligent Teachers and Trustees, with whom I have conversed, on the subject, are of opinion, that that Act much requires to be reconsidered.

With regard to the question, whether the control over School Text Books should be vested in County Central Boards, or in a Provincial Central Board, they seem to agree, that it should be vested in the latter Central Board alone. And for the very important reason, that, unless there be uniformity in the School Books, as well as in system, the Teachers, (who are constantly moving from place to place,) cannot be so efficient, as they might find a variety of Text Books, with which they are unacquainted, in every new County into which they might remove. It adds greatly to the facility and efficiency of *The Law of 1850 limits the number of Schools under one Superintendent to One Hundred.

The Forty-third Section of the Common School Act of 1850, (page 48) amply provides every protection possible for the School Fund, and for the punishment of dishonesty and faithlessness on the part of those who make the official returns, on which the School apportionment is based.

teaching, when the Teacher is thoroughly acquainted with the Text Books in use. The very excellence, of the Irish National School Books, shows the value of concentrating the knowledge of a few choice men for their compilation; and why not carry the principal out for their diffusion?

If the choice of School Books were left to County Boards, Scotchmen would probably be for Chambers' Educational Course, Canadians and Americans, for Cobb's, Morse's and Onley's publications, and so on; but the value of uniformity is too great to risque the choice to any but to competent chosen men who can judge without national, or early educational, prejudices. And that, the present, excellent Provincial Board of Education has done; so that we have ample proof on the subject.

I think the Cameron School Act could be greatly simplified. It will be quite sufficient to allow Trustees to exempt indigent persons, of the Sections, from paying Rate Bills, if they think proper as the Sixth Section provides a reserve fund for poor schools.

The Township Superintendent should be dispensed with. The materials for good Superintendents of Townships are not yet in the Country. The pupils now, in very many of the Schools, are better educated than the men who would be chosen as Township Superintendents of Schools, they ought to wait ten years before they introduce such local Officers. County Superintendents might be appointed by the County Councils at twenty shillings for each School Section, if the Superintendents visit the Schools twice a year and lecture in them; but the County Councils ought to be obliged to pay that sum per School, or they will not be able to get competent men as County Superintendents.

I think the County Superintendent ought to be ex-officio one of the Trustees of the Grammar Schools, as the more he sees of all the Schools, as the dove-tail into each other, the more he can compare and adapt the one to the other, I would not control the line of study in Grammar Schools, as the Teachers of these Schools must adapt their course to the requirements of University Students,—most of his classical pupils being destined for the University.

The old Act of 1846 is infinitely superior to this one of 1849, and was becoming well understood and very popular, where the County Superintendent was zealous and efficient; it required very few amendments.

XII. MR. THOMAS DONNELLY, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, DISTRICT OF PRINCE EDWARD.

I have deemed it my duty, in accordance with your request, to take pains to obtain "the views of the most intelligent Common School Teachers and Trustees regarding the Act of 1849."

All whom I have consulted agree, that, taken as a whole, the new Act is an improvement, though there are some things which require amendment.

The duties of Trustees should be lessened and simplified, there is a general complaint on this head.

As the Councils, under the Act of 1849, and not the Township Superintendent, are to make the apportionment of money to the Schools, the latter is not to examine, or grant Certificates of Qualification to, Teachers, since he has, under that Act, no authority to enforce any of his recommendations. As little, therefore, remain, for him to do but to examine Schools and deliver his Lectures, I would recommend the abolition of the office, as there are comparatively few Townships in which are to be found men capable of delivering Lectures, which might be likely to be productive of much good, and, at the same time, who might be able and willing to do it.

While, in some of our Common Schools, (by way of contrast,) Algebra, Geometry and the Classics have been taught, the infant has learned to lisp his A. B. C. in the Grammar School; a very general feeling has obtained throughout the Province, that these latter Institutions have not answered the end proposed in their foundation, an objection that would be removed by making them the stepping stones from the Common, or "Superior," School to the College, or University.

With regard to the principal question of your Circular-in reference to Text Books,—I desire to say that all, with whom I have conversed on the subject, with one exception, have declared in favour of vesting the control over School Books in a Central, or Provincial, in preference to a County, Board. Yet I am free to confess my own views are in favour of the latter, as it would ensure uniformity enough, and School Books of a standard character would not be confined to one County, but would necessarily obtain that circulation to which their merit entitled them*. It is paying but a poor compliment to the Normal School, to suppose that its graduates can use but one set of Books, without having their usefulness impairedt. This Institution, calculated, as it is, to do so much good in raising the standard of Common School Education among our rural population, will have another difficulty to contend with, more likely to clog its efficiency than a diversity Text Books: I mean the desire for "cheap Teachers", which is so prevalent at present, and which, if it continue, cannot fail to bring down the rate of remuneration so low as to drive from the business all who are fit for anything else This is well worthy of the attention of those who may be called upon to legislate on the subject of Common Schools ; and, any plan that could be formed, in any way, to counteract its spread, would be a benefit to community.

*The question of Text Books for the Schools is fully discussed in Chapter XIII, pages 273-289 of the Sixth Volume of this Documentary History, the Evils of a great variety of Text Books are pointed out by Doctor Ryerson in his Primary Report of 1846, pages 203-205 of the same Volume. In regard to the anti-British characteristics of United States School Books, see pages 283-285 of the same Sixth Volume.

As these Students, before entering the Normal School, had been accustomed to use a great variety of Text Books, in their Schools, it must be supposed, on the contrary, to what is here stated, that they had been accustomed, and were still able, to use more than "one set of such Books."

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