To submit to the Council of Public

Ninthly. To submit to the Council of Public InInstruction,books struction all books or manuscripts which may be manuscripts, &c. placed in his hands with the view of obtaining the recommendation or sanction of such Council, for their introduction as text-books or library books; and to prepare and To lay before said Council, general lay before the Council of Public Instruction for its regulations, &c. consideration, such general regulations for the organization and government of Common Schools, and the management of School Libraries as he shall deem necessary and proper.

To apportion moneys granted for the establishment of school libraries.

Proviso: Condition of sharing in such apportionment.

To appoint persons to conduct

teachers' institutes, aud prepare rules and instructions for regulating their proceedings.

To account for moneys, &c.

Tenthly. To apportion whatever sum or sums of money shall be provided by the Legislature for the establishment and support of School Libraries : Provided always, that no aid shall be given towards the establishment or support of any School Library unless an equal amount be contributed and expended from local sources for the same object.

Eleventhly. To appoint proper persons to conduct County Teachers' Institutes, and to furnish such rules and instructions as he shall judge advisable in regard to the proceedings of such Institutes and the best means of promoting their objects, in elevating the profession of school teaching and increasing its usefulness.

Twelfthly. To be responsible for all moneys paid through him in behalf of the Normal and Model Schools, and to give such security for the same as shall be required by the Governor; and to prepare and transmit all correspondence which shall be directed or authorized by the Council of Public Instruction for Upper Canada.

Instruction U. C.

for

Council of Public XXXVI. And be it enacted, That the Governor shall have authority to appoint not more than nine persons (of whom the Chief Superintendent of Schools shall be one) to be a Council of Public Instruction for Upper To consist of 9 persons including Canada, who shall hold their office during pleasure, the Chief Supertendent. and shall be subject from time to time to all lawful orders and directions in the exercise of their duties, which shall, from time to time, be issued by the Governor.

First. To appoint a Chairman, and establish the times of its meetings, and the mode of its proceedings, which Chairman shall be entitled to a second or casting vote in cases of an equality of votes on any question.

To make rules for the management and government of the Normal School; to prescribe the terms of admission.

Thirdly. To make from time to time, the rules and regulations necessary for the management and government of such Normal School; to prescribe the terms and conditions on which students shall be received and instructed therein; to select the location of such school, and erect or procure and furnish the buildings therefor; to determine the number and compensation of teachers, and all others who may be employed therein; and to do all lawful things which such Council shall deem expedient to promote the objects and interests of such school.

Fourthly. To make such regulations from time to time as it shall deem expedient for the organization, government and discipline of Common Schools; the classification of Schools and Teachers, and for School Libraries throughout Upper Canada.

To erect or procure and furnish Normal School buildings

To appoint teachers, &c.

and of

To make regulations for the organization government common schools generally.

To examine and recommend books for schools, and for school libraries; Proviso:

Fifthly. To examine, and, at its discretion, recommend or disapprove of text-books for the use of schools, or books for School Libraries: Provided always that no portion of the Legislative School Grant shall be applied in aid of any school in which any book is used that has been disapproved of by the Council, and public notice given of such disapproval.

To account annually.

Sixthly. To transmit annually, through the Chief Superintendent of Schools, to the Governor, to be laid before the Legislature, a true account of the receipt and expenditure of all moneys granted for the establishment and support of the Normal School.

XI. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIOns.

£1500 per annum, granted for the Normal School:

£1000 per annum to facilitate the attendance of teachers in train

ing.

XXXIX. And be it enacted, That a sum not exceeding fifteen hundred pounds per annum shall be allowed out of the Legislative School Grant for the salaries of officers and other contingent expenses of the Normal School; and that a sum not exceeding one thousand pounds per annum be allowed out of the said grant to facilitate the attendance of Teachers in training at the Normal School, under such regulations as shall, from time to time, be adopted by the Council of Public Instruction. XL. And be it enacted, That the sum of money apportioned annually by the Chief Superintendent of Schools to each County, Township, City, Town or Village, and at least equal sum raised annually by local assessment, shall constitute the Common School Fund of such County, Township, City, Town, or Village, and shall be expended for no other purpose than that of paying the salaries

What moneys to constitute the common school

fund.

Conditions of its apportionment.

of qualified Teachers of Common Schools: Provided always, that no County, City, Town or Village shall be entitled to a share of the Legislative School Grant without raising by assessment, a sum at least equal (clear of all charges for collection) to the share of the said School Grant apportioned to it and provided also, that should the Municipal Corporation of any County, City, Town or Village, raise in any one year a less sum than that apportioned to it out of the Legislative School Grant, the Chief Superintendent of Schools shall deduct a sum equal to the deficiency, from the apportionment to such County, City, Town or Village in the following year.

Certain sums to be expended for the establishment of school libraries &c., under certain regulations.

XLI. And be it enacted, That it may and shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, to authorize the expenditure annually, out of the share of the Legislative School Grant coming to Upper Canada, of a sum not exceeding three thousand pounds, for the establishment and support of School Libraries, under such regulations as are provided for by this Act; of a sum not exceeding twenty-five pounds in any County or Riding for the encouragement of a Teachers' Institute, under the regulations hereinbefore provided; and of a sum not exceeding two hundred pounds in any one year to procure plans and publications for the improvement of School Architecture and practical Science in connexion with the Common Schools Provided always, that the amount heretofore apportioned in aid of Common Schools to the several Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages in Upper Canada, shall not be lessened by the appropriation of such sums, but they shall be taken out of any additional amount awarded to Upper Canada, out of the said Grant, in consideration of the increase of its population in proportion to that of the whole Province.

Proviso: the amount heretofore apportioned in aid of

common schools not to be lessened.

Protection of the common school fund against loss.

XLIII. And be it enacted, That if any part of the Common School Fund shall be embezzled or lost through the dishonesty or faithlessness of any party to whom it shall have been entrusted, and proper security against such loss shall not have been taken, the person or persons whose duty it was to have exacted such security, shall be responsible for the sum or sums thus embezzled or lost, and the same may be recovered from them by Civil Suit in any Court of Law having jurisdiction to the amount claimed, by the party or parties enti

Proviso.

tled to receive such sum or sums, or at the suit of the Crown. Provided always, That if any Secretary-treasurer appointed by the School Trustees of any school division, or any person having been such Secretary-treasurer, and having in his possession any books, papers, chattels, or moneys, which shall have come into his possession, as such Secretary-treasurer, shall wrongfully withhold or refuse to deliver up, or to account for and pay over the same or any part thereo? to such person, and in such manner as he may have been lawfully directed by any majority of the School Trustees for such School division then in office, such withholding or refusal shall be a misdemeanor; and upon the application of the majority of such Trustees, supported by affidavit of such wrongful withholding or refusal made by them before some justice of the Peace to the Judge of the County Court, such Judge shall thereupon make an order that such Secretary-treasurer or person having been such, do appear before such Judge at a time and place to be appointed in such order, which shall, by a Bailiff of any Division Court, be personally served on the party complained against, or left with a grown up person at his residence, and at the time and place so appointed, the Judge being satisfied that such service has been made, shall in a summary manner and whether the the party complained of do or do not appear, hear the complaint; and if he shall be of opinion that the complaint is well founded, he shall order the party complained of to deliver up, account for and pay over the books papers chattels or moneys as aforesaid by a certain day, to

be named by the Judge in such order, together with reasonable costs incurred in making such application, as the Judge may tax, and in the event of a noncompliance with the terms specified in the said order or any or either of them, then to order the said party to be forthwith arrested by the Sheriff of any County in which such party shall be found, and be by him committed to the Common Gaol of his County, there to remain without bail or mainprize until such Judge shall be satisfied that such party has delivered up, accounted for or paid over the books, papers, chattels, or moneys in question in the manner directed by the majority of the Trustees as aforesaid, upon proof of his having done which, such Judge shall make an order for his discharge, and he shall be discharged accordingly; provided always, that no proceeding under this proviso shall be construed to impair or affect any other remedy which the said Trustees may have against such Secretary-treasurer, or person having been such, or his sureties.

XLV. And be it enacted, That no part of the salaries of the Chief or Local Superintendents of Schools, nor of any other persons employed, or expenses incurred, in the execution of this Act, shall be paid out of the Common School Fund, which shall, wholly and without diminution, be expended in the payment of Teachers' salaries as hereinbefore provided.

Punishment of persons disturb

XLVI. And be it enacted, that any person who shall wilfully disturb, interrupt, or disquiet the pro- ing meetings, &c. ceedings of any school meeting authorized to be hold hy this act or any school established and conducted under its authority, shall for each offence, forfeit for Common School purposes, to the School Section, City, Town or Village, within the limits of which such offence shall have been committed, a sum not exceeding five pounds, and may be prosecuted before any Justice of the Peace, by any person whatever, and convicted on the oath of one credible witness other than the prosecutor, and if convicted, the said penalty shall, if not forthwith paid, be levied with costs by distress and sale of goods and chattels of the offender, under a warrant of such Justice, and paid over by him to the School Treasurer of such Section, City, Town or Village; or the said offender shall be liable to be indicted and punished for the same as a misdemeanor.

Temporary pro

visions for hold

ing the first elec

tions in cities and towns.

XLVII. And be it enacted, That the first election of Trustees in all the Cities and Towns of Upper Canada, as provided for in the twenty-second section of this Act, shall commence at ten of the clock in the forenoon of the first Tuesday in September, one thousand eight hundred and fifty, and that the places of election in the several Wards of each City or Town, together with the name of the Returning Officer for each such Ward, shall be duly notified, by causing notices to be put up in at least three public places in each such Ward, and not less than six days before such election, by the Mayor of each City and Town respectively: Provided always, that the School Trustees then elected in each City and Town, shall be subject to all the obligations which have been contracted by the present School Trustees of such City or Town; and shall be invested with all the powers conferred by this Act on School Trustees of Cities and Towns for the fulfilment of such obligations, and for the performance of all other duties imposed by this Act.

2. The parties thus authorized to act as Visitors, have it in their power to exert an immense influence in elevating the character and promoting the efficiency of the schools, by identifying themselves with them, by visiting them, encouraging the pupils, aiding and counseling Teachers, and impressing upon parents their interests and duties in the education of their offspring. In visiting schools, however, Visitors should, in no instance, speak disparagingly of the instructions or management of the Teacher in the presence of the pupils; but if they think it necessary to give any advice to the Teacher, they should do it privately. They are also desired to communicate to the local or Chief Superintendent any thing which they shall think important to the interests of any school visited by them. The law recommends Visitors, "especially to attend the Quarterly Examinations of the Schools." It is hoped that all Visitors will feel it both a duty and a privilege to aid, on such occasions, by their presence and influence. While it is competent to a Visitor to engage in any exercises which shall not be objected to by the authorities of the school, it is expected that no Visitor will introduce, on any such occasion, any thing calculated to wound or give offence to the feelings of any class of his fellow Christians.

3. The local Superintendents are School Visitors, by virtue of their office, and their comprehensive duties, as such, are stated with sufficient minuteness in the 3rd clause of the 31st section of the School Act. While each local Superintendent makes the careful inquiries and examinations required by law, and gives privately to the Teacher and Trustees such advice as he may deem expedieut, and such counsel and encouragement to the Pupils, as circumstances may suggest, he will exhibit a courteous and conciliatory conduct towards all persons with whom he is to communicate, and pursue such a line of conduct as will tend to uphold the just influence and authority, both of Trustees and Teachers.

4. Too strong a recommendation cannot be given to the establishment of Circulating Libraries in the various Townships, and School Sections. A Township Association, with an auxiliary in each School Section, might, by means of a comparatively small sum, supply popular and useful reading for the young people of a whole Township. It is submitted to the serious attention of all School Visitors, as well as Trustees, and other friends of the diffusion of useful knowledge.

SECTION 5. Constitution and Government of Schools in respect to Religious and Moral Instruction.

As Christianity is the basis of our whole system of Elementary Education, that principle should pervade it throughout. Where it cannot be carried out in mixed Schools to the satisfaction of both Roman Catholica and Protestants, the law provides for the establishment of separate Schools. And the Common School Act, fourteenth section, securing individual rights as well as recognizing Christianity, provides, That in any Model of Common School established under this Act, no child shall be required to read or study in or from any religious book, or to join in any exercise of devotion or religion, which shall be objected to by his or her parents or guardians: Provided always, that within this limitation, pupils shall be allowed to receive such religious instruction as their parents or guardians shall desire, according to the general regulations which shall be provided according to law."

In the section of the Act thus quoted, the principle of religious instruction in the schools is recognized, the restriction within which it is to be given is stated, and the exclusive right of each parent and guardian on the subject is secured, without any interposition from Trustees, Superintendents, or the Government itself.

The Common School being a day, and not a boarding school, rules arising from domestic relations and duties are not required; and as the pupils are under the care of their parents and guardians on Sabbaths, no regulations are called for in respect to their attendance at public worship. In regard to the nature and extent of the daily religious exercises of the School, and the special religious instruction given to pupils, the COUNCIL OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION FOR UPPER CANADA makes the following Regulations and Recommendations :

1. The public religious exercises of each school shall be a matter of mutual voluntary arrangement between the Trustees and Teacher; and it shall be a matter of mutual voluntary arrangement between the Teacher and the parent or guardian of each pupil, as to whether he shall hear such pupil recite from the Scriptures, or Catechism, or other summary of religious doctrine and duty of the persuasion of such parent or guardian. Such recitations, however, are not to interfere with the regular exercises of the school.

2. But the principles of religion and morality should be inculcated upon all the pupils of the school. What the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland state as existing in schools under their charge, should characterize the instruction given in each school in Upper Canada. The Commissioners state that "in the National Schools the importance of religion is constantly impressed upon the minds of children, through the works calculated to promote good principles and fill the heart with love for religion, but which are so compiled as not to clash with the doctrines of any particular class of Christians." In each school the Teacher should exert his best endeavours, both by example and precep!, to impress upon the minds of all children and youth committed to his care and instruction, the principles of piety, justice, and a sacred regard to truth, love to their country, humanity and universal benevolence, sobriety, industry, frugality, chastity, moderation and temperance, and those other virtues which are the ornament of society and on which a free constitution of government is founded; and it is the duty of each Teacher to endeavour to lead his pupils, as their ages and capacities will admit, into a clear understanding of the tendency of the above mentioned virtues. in order to preserve and perfect

His Excellency the GOVERNOR GENERAL has been pleased to sanction the JOURNAL OF EDUCATION as the medium of official notices and communications from the Education Office, Toronto, to all Municipal Councils, Local Superintendents, Trustees, and other persons concerned in the administration of the Common School Law. The next number (which will appear in the course of a week) will contain the official correspondence on this subject; as also the apportionment of the Legislative School Grant, for the present year, to all the Counties, Cities, Townships and Towns in Upper Canada-Official Circulars from the Chief Superintendent of Schools to Wardens of Counties, and Mayors of Cities and Towns, to County Clerks, to Local Superintendents, to School Trustees, and to School Teachers, on the objects and administration of the new School Act.

It is therefore suggested to those County, City, Township, and Town Municipal Councils that have not yet ordered copies of the Journal of Education, for the use of their members, whether it would not be convenient, and contribute to the educational objects which they are anxious to promote, to do so. The same suggestion is made to those Local Superintendents who have not yet availed themselves of this mediutn of information in the performance of their duties.

The 15th clause of the 12th Section of the new Act makes it the duty of each Corporation of Trustees to procure annually, for the benefit of the School Section, some periodical devoted to education. As a convenience and inducement to Trustees and Teachers subscribing for the Journal of Education, we propose that each Teacher subscribing for it shall have the privilege of advertising in its columns for a School, and each Trustee Corporation subscribing for it shall have the like privilege of advertising for a Teacher. In every such notice, the salary offered to the Teacher, should be stated. This will afford peculiar facilities for Trustees to procure good Teachers, and for Teachers to procure good Schools. No such notice will be inserted from non-subscribers for less than twe shillings and six pence for each notice.

We would again remind all parties concerned, that the Journal of Education is edited gratuitously; that every six pence received for it from any source whatever, is placed to the credit of what is termed the "Journal of Education Fund" that if the sums received are not sufficient to defray the mechanical expenses of publication, (as has hitherto been the case) the Chief Superintendent of Schools pays the balance out of his own pocket; and that whenever the sums received shall be more than sufficient to pay the ordinary mechanical expenses of publication, the overplus will be expended in procuring various illustrative engravings and otherwise adding to the value and usefulness of the Journal.

Under all these circumstances, we venture to hope for a large increase in the circulation of the Journal of Education—using every means in our power to make it a safe expositor of the law, the Trustee's manual, the Teacher's friend, a select miscellany, and general educational intelligencer.

N. B. A copy of this and the ensuing number of the Journal of Education will be sent to each of the Municipal Councils in Upper Canada, and each local Superintendent whose address is known at this office; also a sufficient number to the Clerk of each County to supply (through the local Superintendents or otherwise) a copy, to each of the Trustee Corporations in the several townships of their respective Counties.

Toronto: Printed and Published by THOMAS H. BENTLEY, at 5s per annum, and may be obtained from ANSON GREEN, HUGH SCOBIE, and A. H. ARMOUR & Co., Toronto; R. D. WADSWORTH, General Agent for Canada: J. McCoy, Montreal; and D. M. DEWRY, Arcade Hall, Rochester, N. V.

Back Numbers supplied to all new subscribers.

All Communications to be addressed to Mr. HODGINS, Education Office, Toronto.

VOL. III.

To the Wardens of Counties and Unions of Counties in Upper
Canada, on the Duties of County Municipal Councils under the
new Common School Act, 13th and 14th Vict. Chapter 48.
EDUCATION OFFICE,
Toronto, July 31st, 1850,

SIR,
I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, a copy of the
new Common School Act for Upper Canada, which, having passed
the Legislative Council and Assembly, received the Royal sanction
and came into force on the 24th instant; and I desire to direct the
attention of the Council over which you have been chosen to pre-
side, to the duties which will devolve upon it under the provisions
of this Act.

Though the Act is new, the provisions of it are mere renewals of the provisions of the general School Act of 1846 and the City and Town School Act of 1847-combined into one Act, with a new and more simple arrangement, and such additional provisions as experience has suggested, and the progress of the schools and the new system of Municipal Councils seem to require. The duties of the County Councils under the new School Act are substantially the same as were those of the District Councils under the School Act of 1846, with this exception, that the County Council is relieved from the task of forming and altering school-sections, and of considering applications and levying assessments for the erection and repairs of school-houses.

Under our present system of Municipal Councils, a two-fold provision has been made to enable the people, through their local representatives, to meet together and manage their local affairs : The one is by the meeting of the representatives of the several Townships collectively in County Councils; the other is by the meeting of the several representatives of a Township in such Township separately. It is the several Townships that act in the one case as well as in the other; but in the one case they act collectively, and in the other separately. Of course some diversity of opinion may naturally exist as to the precise parts of a school system which can be best managed by the Townships in their collective or separate representative capacity. After large consultation and much consideration, it has been decided that the Townships separately can best arrange the boundaries of school-sections and do what may be deemed expedient in providing school sites, and for erecting and repairing school houses and imposing other schoolsection assessments; but that the Townships can best consult collectively in regard to the selection of proper School Superintendents, and can best arrange for the more uniform, certain and punctual providing and payment of the local assessment moiety of the School Fund.

It will be seen by the first section of the new School Act, that all lawful proceedings and obligations of every description which have taken place under former school acts are confirmed until fulfilled or modified according to the provisions of this Act. The du

No. 8.

ties of the County Council are specified in the several clauses of the 27th section of the Act.

1. The first and immediate duty of the County Council will be to cause to be levied upon the several Townships represented in the Council a sum or sums at least equal (clear of all charges of col-' lection) to the sum or sums of money apportioned to them for the current year out of the Legislative School grant. That apportionment I have notified to the Clerk of your Council, as required by the 35th section of the Act. If any of the Township Councils in your County have anticipated the apportionment of the Legislative grant, and have levied a sum or sums for the payment of the salaries of teachers equal to the amount of the législative grant apportioned to such municipalities therein, then it will be unnecessary, in such cases, for the County Council to impose any further assessment. But in every case the County Council must see that the local assessment part of the School Fund is available to Teachers before the end of the second half-year-the Legislative grant part of it being payable at the end of the first half-year. In the neighbouring state of NewYork, this order of proceeding is reversed. The County assessment part of the School Fund must be imposed and collected and attested to the State Superintendent, before the State part of the Fund apportioned to any County can be paid. In my circular addressed to Wardens of Districts, and dated January 16th, 1848,* I called the attention of Municipal Councils to the great injustice to Teachers, and injury to the efficiency of the school system, arising from the non-payment of the local assessment part of the School Fund at the end of the year. Several Councils provided forthwith for the future punctual payment of the amount of the local school assessment prescribed by law, on or before the fourteenth day of December of each year. What several Councils se promptly and advantageously did in the cases referred to, the new School Act requires to be done in every case.

2. The securing, and mode of paying, the local School Fund is another subject which will engage the attention of the County Council. The new School Act contemplates but one financial officer and his subordinates in each county. If the payment of the School moneys in each. District by one financial officer (in the person of the District Superintendent of Schools) has, during the last few years, been attended with no inconvenience equal to the advantages of it, of course no greater inconvenience will be experienced by confining the payment of such moneys to the County Treasurer. But if the County Council deem it expedient, it can appoint any number of sub-Treasurers, even to the Treasurer of each Township as a sub-Treasurer, duly providing for uniformity of responsibility and obligation in the method and punctuality of payments of school-moneys. Under this system, local Superintendents will be under no temptation, at any time, from considerations of personal convenience, to withhold or delay the payment of school moneys; they will be relieved from keeping financial accounts, and from giving sureties as heretofore. The mode of accounting for the expenditure of school-moneys will be extremely simple and complete. No receipts need be given or taken. The order of the Trustees in behalf of a legally qualified Teacher will be the Local Superintendent's authority in each instance, for his cheque upon the County-Treasurer or Sub-Treasurer; and the Local Superintendent's cheque will in each instance be such Treasurer or Sub

* See Appendix to the Provinsial School Report for 1847, page 21.

The

Treasurer's receipt for the school-money paid out by him. duty of the County Auditors will be plain and easy; and the school moneys will be best secured against every kind of misappropriation.

3. The next most important duty which the new School-Act devolves upon the County Council, is the annual appointment of Local Superintendents of Schools. I believe that it is generally agreed that it is not expedient or desirable to have both County and Township Superintendents; but as to which class of these local school officers should be provided, there is considerable diversity of opinion-some preferring a County Superintendent, others desiring Township Superintendents. The new School Act 1 aves the decision of this question to the choice of the Local Representatives of the people assembled in County Councils-each Council having authority so appoint a School Superintendent for each Township, or for two, three or four Townships, or for a County, provided it does not contain more than one hundred Schools. In some municipalities, where the duties of the office have been very imperfectly discharged, doubts are entertained by many persons as to the utility of the office at all; but this is not the case where the office is filled with ability,diligence and skill; and School Countries are unanimous in their judgment and practice as to the vast importance of an efficient local inspection and supervision of schools.*

The new School Act, by fixing the minimum of the allowance of & Local Superintendent, has relieved the Municipal Council of what bas often proved an embarrassing and thankless duty. During the last session of the New-York State Legislature, a Bill was introduced, on the recommendation of the State Superintendent of Schools and the Report of a Select Committee, providing for the abolition of the office of Town Superintendents and the appointment of a School Superintendent for each Legislative Assembly District-analogous to an electoral riding with us. The salary of each Superintendent was fixed at $500 per annum. There are 128 Assembly Districts and 11,000 Schools in the State--giving an average of about 86 schools to each Superintendent, who was required to visit each school twice a year, with a remuneration of nearly six dollars per school. With us, under the new School Act, the Local Superintendent is required to visit each school under his charge at least once in each quarter, and to deliver a public educational lecture in each section once a year, besides various other duties prescribed by law; and the minfmum of his remuneration is fixed at one pound per school-a less sum than is given to Local Superintendents by most of the Township Councils from which I have heard the present year. Persons who offer their services at a very low figure in order to get an office, generally do little that is of any value after they get the office, and then justify their inefficiency by the plea that they do more than they are paid for. It is of very little importance to the people at large whether a Local Superintendent receives a few shillings more or less per school; but it is of the greatest importance to them and their children, whether an able supervision be provided for their schools. Under the provisions of the new School Act, new and feeble Townships can be provided with an efficient School Superintendence, and aided, if not altogether relieved, in regard to its remuneration.f

* The following remarks, from a late New-York School Report, deserves the deep attention of all Municipal Councils, School Trustees and other friends of popular education:

"The success of schools is based upon two things which are closely connected and mutually dependent on each other; viz. the pre-eminent moral and intellectual qualifications of teachers, and the active and vigilant supervision of inspectors to render the methods of teaching more and more perfect. If either of these be wanting, the whole fabric receives a shock from which it is unable to recover. The great and important object is to have good schools. To have none is a great disadvantage; but to have bad schools in which error is taught and learned, is a great misfortune. A superintend ng power is the main spring of all schools. A moment's reflection will satisfy any one that the whole must hinge upon it. If the education of the people be seriously taken up, we may rest assured that the whole vigor and life of that education will depend upon the system by which it is to be regulated. If it be weak and insecure, the schools will make no advance; they may, by some transient circumstances, have a momentary success, but there will be no security that they do not speedily fall back into a deplorable state of langour. If, however, these schools are placed under a vigorous and active government, the spirit of that government will be communicated to every part of the machine, and will impart to it life and motion."

The School Act imposing upon a local Superintendent not only miscellaneous duties which require judgment and knowledge of men and things, but a visitorial examination of each School once a quarter, (which, if conducted as the law expressly enjoins, cannot be performed in more than two Schools a-day,) and a lecture on education in each School Section once a year, and the examination of Teachers for the Schools, the County Council should spare no pains to search out and appoint men as local Superintendents who will command public attention as lecturers, who understand the true principles of school organization and the improved modes of school teaching, who will do justice to the great interests entrusted to them by their examinations of teachers, their visitations of schools, and their patriotic exertions to diffuse sound education and knowlege as widely as possible. I doubt not each County Council will respond to the spirit of the New-York State Superintendent of Schools, when he says, "It is fervently hoped that in every election hereafter to be made of a Local Superintendent, the most competent individual, without reference to sect or party, will be selected. On such a subject, where the good of their children is at stake, men should dismiss their narrow prejudices, and tear in sander the shackles of party. They should consult only the greatest good of the greatest number of the rising generation. They should direct their preferences to those only who are the ardent friends of youthful progress to those only, the smoke of whose incense offered in this holy cause, daily ascends to heaven; whose lips have been touched with a burning coal from the altar."

And as the selection to the office of Local Superintendent of Schools should be made upon the sole ground of personal qualification and character, and irrespective of party considerations, so should the duties of the office be performed in the same spirit, During the recent discussions in the Legislative Assembly on the School Bill, it was averred on all sides that the office of Chief Superintendent of Schools was and should be non-political-that whatever might have been the political opinions of the incumbent, or of his mode of advocating them, previously to his appointment to office, that, as in the case of a judge, he should take no part in party political questions during his continuance in office. On this principle I have sacredly acted since my appointment to office, as was admitted in gratifying terms by all parties in the discussion referred to; and I think the same principle should be insisted upon by each County Council in respect to each local Superintendent of

Baldwin's Municipal Council Bill, then before the Legislature. The following are the reasons I assigned for this provision :

"The Twenty-third Section confers upon Township Superintendents, within the limits of their respective jurisdictions, the powers of District Superintendents, with two vitally important provisos :-The one fixing the minimum of the allowance to Township Superintendents, [at one pound per School the other prescribing additional duties of the highest importance to the progress of Common Schools [namely, that the Superintendent should visit each School once a quarter, and deliver a lecture on Education in each Section, once a year.] Without these provisos, I think the system of Township Superintendents will prove a failure, as it has done in the State of NewYork; with these provisos, I think it will add very greatly to the efficiency of our Common School System. In the Municipal Corporations Bill,' I perceive the minimum of allowance to certain officers is prescribed by law; and I think such a provision absolutely essential to the efficiency of the office of Township Superintendent. The inefficiency of the late office of Township Superintendent was, I am persuaded, chiefly owing to the absence of the provisos which 1 here propose. In some instances, persons offered to perform the duties of Township Superintendent gratuitously, and such offers were invariably accepted; but that gratuitous zeal soon subsided; and as gratuitous service is irresponsible service, those who performed it considered themselves entitled to gratitude for the little that they did, rather than liable to blame for the much that they did not. Besides, when there were rival candidates for the office, the lowest bidder almost always received the largest suffrage; but when once in office, he would proportion his work to his compensation. Such was the tendency and practical effects of the system: although there were many honourable exceptions. And a still worse effect of that system was, the appointment, under such circumstances, of many incompetent persons. The first proviso which I propose, will remove all competition for the office upon pecuniary grounds; and while the compensation will be such as to secure the services of competent persons, the duties enjoined by the second proviso can hardly be discharged, or even attempted by incompetent persons. The second proviso will prevent the Councils from appointing persons who are not competent to prepare and deliver lectures; and persons who are competent to do that will be most likely to be qualified to inspect and superintend the Schools-their qualifications for which will be necessarily increased by their obligations to prepare public lectures on such subjects. The second prociso will p.oduce, per annum, 12,000 school visits of Superintendents, instead of 3,000, as at present, besides, 3,000 public school lectures,-one in each School Section in Upper Canada. The vast amount of good which will result from such an arrangement, can scarcely be estimated."-"Correspondence on the subject of the School Law for Upper Canada," lately laid before, and printed by order of, the Legislative Assembly, page 32.