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those decided geographical distinctions,-mountaincus boundaries,which in many countries govern the trade of particular districts; and the great plain of the West between the Ohio, the Mississippi and the lakes, is easily accessible from both the Gulfs of St. Lawrence and Mexico, and also from tide water on the Hudson. The want of extensive branches penetrating rich tracts of land, as is the case East and West of the Mississippi, is in a great measure compensated for by the magnificent expansion of the St. Lawrence into the navigable lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario,-by Lake Champlain, and by those noble tributaries, the Ottawa and the Saguenay. The lakes present a coast of upwards of 5,000 miles, and the valley of the St. Lawrence proper, posseses a population of at least 4,000,900. The products of this great plain, in descending to tide water at the three points, will be governed by the respective demand at those places, the time, expense, and character of the routes. Taking Chicago as a central point in the plain, the distances from thence to New Orleans, New-York and Montreal, do not vary very much; but the time of transport, and the character of the routes are widely marked. From the returns of transport upon the Erie Canal, we find that the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, with a portion of Northwest Pennsylvania, made most of their imports and exports by lakes Erie and Ontario. In addition to these, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Iowa make importations by the Northern route, probably on account of the expense of ascending the Mississippi. By the Northern route they export all manner of agricultural produce, cotton, tobacco, domestic spirits, leather and lead, and import furniture, dry goods, crockery and hardware, fish, sugars, tea, and all kinds of groceries. The population, whose commerce is centered upon the St. Lawrence, cannot now be less than five millions of souls, whose increase in numbers, in agricultural and commercial wealth, is unprecedented in the history of the world. We fear to estimate their future progress, for natural incredulity will here reject calculations for the future,-though founded on the past, as certainly, as that the follies of youth will be repeated in every generation, not withstanding the accumulated experience of centuries; because the proportion of those who walk by faith, to those with whom "seeing is believing," is as small in the commercial as in the moral world.-pp. 86-88.

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION.-If our farmers but shake off that apathy and indifference to the control of their own and their children's destinies which has been produced by bad Colonial training-by absence of adversity-and by a distaste for strife, which may become political cowardice,-if they escape from the generous exertions of demagogues and "friends of the people," and bear aloft above all political differences and all religious dissensions, the neutral and pre-eminent question of their common prosperity-do as a people, what they would have each other do--give their own attention to their own affairs--" be sober, be vigilant," an honest, non-repudiating God-fearing people-they cannot fail to secure those blessings which have been transferred from the disobedient Jew to the believing Gentile; "their sons growing up as the young plants-their daughters as the polished corners of the temple-their garners full and plenteous with all manner of store, their flocks and herds multiplying-their oxen strong to labour-no decay, no leading into captivity, and no complaining in the streets."

Educational Entelligence.

CANADA

COMMON SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS.

School Section, Jo. 8, Port Colborne, and No. 5, Pelersburgh. -Messrs. G. W. Cok and C. W. Brewster, Teachers. By previous arrangement the schods and their patrons met at "Sugarloaf Hill." The pupils were examined in the branches usually taught; the time for examining being equally divided between the Teachers by the Chairman. At the close several suitable pieces were sung by the Scholars. Two very able addresses from experienced persons were delivered. Mr. Cook was presented with a very bautitul silk School-banner bearing the following excellent mottoes, Exelsior," and "A good Education the strength of a Nation.”. Some of the spectators came a distance of twenty miles.[Communicated by the Trustees.

School Section, No. 5, Huntington.—Mr. Geo. Mowat, Teacher. The quarterly examination was held in presence of the Trustees, eight or nine Teachers from adjoining School Sections, Township Councillors, Township Superintendent, and thirty or forty other visitors, parents of children who have attended the School. The Superintendent, Visitors, and Teachers present cordially approved of the thoroughly intellectual and comprehensive method pursued by the Teacher, as indicated by the quick, accurate, and thoughtful answering of the whole School in the common branches, and of the more advanced scholars, as well as their proficiency in Drawing, &c. The Township Superintendent addressed those present on the subject of Education. He was followed by the Rev. J. Reynolds, who spoke with great feeling on the importance of Religion and Morals in connexion with our Common Schools.-[Communicated.

School Section, No. 4, Cobourg.-During the afternoon of the Queen's Birth day, Mr. Down, the Teacher, gave a tea party to his pupils, of whom there were over an hundred present. Amongst the visitors we noticed the Venerable the Archdeacon with the ladies of his family; the Trustees of the School; Mr. and Mrs. Eyre, &c., &c. Mr. Down is held in the highest estimation as a teacher, having a daily average of over one hundred pupils.- [Star.

Nova Scotia Common Schools.-His Excellency the LieutenantGovernor, in Council, has been pleased to appoint Jas. William Dawson, Esquire, to be a Provincial Superintendent of Education for Nova Scotia. TEACHERS' INSTITUTES IN UPPER CANADA.

Teachers' Institute at Guelph. -On the evening of Thursday last, Mr. Hind, of the Normal School, Toronto, delivered a Lecture in the Court House on Agricultural Chemistry, illustrating the subject by several interesting experiments. The subject selected by Mr. Hind as the theme for prelection was happily chosen. In an agricultural country like Canada, there can assuredly be no science of more practical importance than Agricultural Chemistry. We are glad to understand that this subject is now very generally taught in our Common Schools, and we trust it will soon become imperative on all Common School Teachers to direct the attention of their pupils to this very interesting and very valuable branch of study. On Friday, Mr. Hind met the Teachers at 9 A. M., and again at 2 P. M., when much valuable instruction was communicated relative to the mode of tuition followed in the Normal School. At the conclusion of these exercises, the thanks of the teachers present were presented to Mr. Hind. Preliminary arrangements were then made by the Teachers present, for forming a Teachers' Institute for the County.-[Herald, 11th June.

Teachers' Institute at Woodstock.—Mr. Robertson delivered his first Lecture according to notice, on the evening of Monday, the 10th June. About two hundred to three hundred persons attended, including from thirty to forty Teachers, and several of the Local Superintendents and Trustees. We observed also that the most intelligent and respectable classes both of Woodstock and the surrounding country were fully represented. Several ladies also cheered the audience with their presence. The subject was Education, and especially Popular Education. The Lecture was listened to with the most fixed attention throughout, and the Lecturer took his seat amid enthusiastic cheering, which continued for some time. On Tuesday morning the Teachers assembled in the Court House, and a Teachers' Institute was formed, the principles of which were explained by Mr. Robertson. About 40 Teachers enrolled their names. Several other gentlemen interested in the cause, entered their names also. Mr. Alexander then addressed the Teachers for a few minutes, congratulating them on their better prospects as a class, &c. Mr. Robertson then addressed them, explaining the principles of teaching the science of Geography and History. In the afternoon, after a short address by the Rev. Mr. Landor, Mr. Robertson gave a most valuable discourse on the Philosophy of Grammar. In the evening Mr. Robertson again addressed an audience of from 300 to 400, and delighted them with a highly interesting Lecture on Agricultural Chemistry; at the close of which a vote of thanks was proposed, with a few complimentary remarks to Mr. Robertson, by Mr. Vansittart and which was seconded by Mr. Alexander, and carried by acclamation; to which Mr. R. returned a brief but feeling reply. On Wednesday morn ing, the teachers again assembled in the Court House, when Mr. Robertson addressed them ;-School Organization, Government, and Discipline forming the matter of his Lecture. At the close, Mr. Christopher Goodwin, teacher in Woodstock, took up the subject of Arithmetic,-illustrating the improved method of instructing in that important science. In the afternoon Mr. Robertson closed the proceedings of the Institute, as embraced in his present visit to Woodstock by a most excellent Lecture on reading and spelling. His course has been a laborious one and must have been attended with additional difficulty in so continually addressing the public, from some degree of oppression, of voice being occasionally evident, the result probably of cold, combined with continual exertion in speaking. It

will, however, be a matter of satisfaction to him to have observed that a growing feeling of interest, was manifested on the part of the public by the constantly increasing numbers who attended his Lectures, as well throughout the day as in the evenings. Immediately after the close of the Institute the Teachers, through Mr. Goodwin, presented an address, to which Mr. Robertson replied extempore in a most happy and appropriate speech.After Mr. Robertson's withdrawal, the Teachers and other friends present organized themselves into a public meeting, by appointing Mr. Christopher Goodwin, Chairman, and Mr. James Fitzgerald, Secretary, when an address to the Chief Superintendent, thanking him and the Executive for their patriotic intention, was adopted.-[British American, June 15th.

Teachers' Institute at Goderich.—On the evenings of the 10th and 11th inst., Mr. Hind, of the Normal School, lectured in the Hall of the Huron Hotel on the subject of Agricultural Chemistry. Mr. Hind is evidently a young man of superior native talent and of much promise. He seems acquainted with his subject, and although it is one of great extent, and involving a vast varietyof details, yet by his happy manner of illustration, the simplicity of his style, and his abandonment of the mummeries and technicalities of science, Mr. Hind, even in two lectures of ordinary length, succeeds in conveying a tolerable idea of the nature and importance of Agricultural Chemistry. We were much gratified with the interest which our towns-people, and even many from a considerable distance, manifested on the occasion. The Hall was well filled, and the utmost attention and good conduct were maintained throughout. Mr. Hind had a meeting in the Common School on Tuesday which was tolerably attended by Teachers from various parts of the United Counties, and a number of spectators. His remarks and explanations, on this occasion were confined to the best methods of teaching the more popular branches of Common School Education.-[Huron Signal, June 13th.

Teachers' Institute at London.-According to announcement, Mr. T. J. Robertson, one of the Provincial Normal School masters, delivered a Lecture last Thursday evening at the Mechanics' Institute on the subject of education. There was a very full attendance. Mr. Robertson commenced by calling their attention to some particular points, viz :-the duty which parents owed to the public-the utter uselessness of expecting that any system of education, however good, could be efficient unless it had the cordial co-operation of all parties-the necessity of parents refraining from all interference with teachers when their children had been once committed to their care-the popular error of confounding instruction with education, the absolute necessity of punctual attendance. All these considerations were urged with much force and copious illustration. He concluded by a forcible appeal to the feelings of the audience, reminding them that in aiding the cause of good education they were preparing a generation who even in their time would in all probability appear upon the stage of life as jurors, merchants, artisans, and all the other branches of which the community was composed The formation of a Teachers' Institute was commenced Friday morning at the New School House. There were present between forty and fifty Teachers, and Local Superintendents. Mr. Robertson opened the proceedings. He observed that the present were but preliminary steps; but when these Institutes were properly organized the members should look upon themselves as students' and place themselves under some degree of discipline. Persons qualified would be requested to lecture on the different branches of education or any members of their own body who felt competent to the task might deliver a lecture, while the rest would of course, for the time being, consider themselves under his tuition. Members would also see the necessity of strictly abiding by the rules when they had once enrolled themselves. The object aimed at in the Institute would be mutual improvement. Mr. R. then proceeded to give some admirable lessons on the manner of teaching infants, and the gentle bearing which it was necessary the teacher should assume, and the best method of exciting a spirit of emulation among them. He was followed by his colleague, Mr. Hind, who gave a most excellent practical lecture on Agricultural Chemistry. A small apparatus enabled Mr. Hind to give some very interesting experiments. Mr. Hind's lecture had for its principal object the purpose of showing teachers, trustees and others connected with our Common School system how necessary it was that they should become acquainted with these subjects in order that they might diffuse useful and practical knowledge among the rising generation of farmers in matters relating to their every day occupation, matters upon which the wealth and progress of this fine country so mainly depended. Mr. Hind then proceeded to describe in a most interesting manner how plants drew their constituents from the soil, and the necessity for replacing them by the use of lime in a caustic state and other measures. He then made some remarks on the diseases of vegetables generally, but particularly the rust, a species of fungus of which there were two kinds prevalent in Canada, the yellow and the red. The next subject alluded to was fallowing, which was absolutely necessary in this country, because if the land were left unploughed till spring, ro rapid was vegetation in this climate that it would be impossible

for spring grain to catch up with the growth of weeds which had laid in the ground all winter and derived assistance rather than obstruction from spring ploughing. Mr. Hind's lectures gave much satisfaction. He has certainly a most popular style.-[Canadian Free Press, 20th June.

Lecture on Education.-The Town Superintendent delivered in the Court House, on Friday evening last, a lecture on Education, replete with sound sentiments well expressed. It was numerously and respectably attended.-[Niagara Mail, 19th June.

Mr. Johnson's views on education are quite orthodox-he is for educating all to the highest attainable standard, and under his superintendence we expect to see the schools of Niagara reach the highest excellence of which they are cabable. His developments with regard to their present condition were upon the whole very satisfactory.-[Chronicle.

School Section No. 12, Williamsburg.—Mr. P. Jordon, Teacher. I felt highly gratified with the proficiency the pupils evinced. It was also gratifying to the parents to see with what promptitude and facility the pupils answered abstruse and critical questions. I would mention two pupils, Alexander Bell and George Casselman, who were conspicuous in demonstrating propositions in Euclid; also, solving questions in Mensuration and Algebra, in connection with Arithmetic, Book-keeping, Grammar, Geography, and a theoretical knowledge of the Rudiments of Astronomy. The school was also visited by the Rev. John Dickey and others of distinction.-[Communicated to Prescott Telegraph.

UNITED STATES.

Educating Indians.-By an Act recently passed, the State of New-York has appropriated the annual sum of $1,000, for the education of ten Indian youths, for three years, in the Normal School, the next term of which commences on the 13th of May.

Female Medical College.-The Legislature of Pennsylvania has chartered a College for the Medical education of Females, to be located in Philadelphia. The act of incorporation confers on the Institution the same privileges enjoyed by any other medical school in that State.

Education among the Cherokees.-These people support twentyone Free Public Schools from their own funds, and with a view of raising the standard of Education among them, they have just completed two commodious brick buildings to be used as High Schools, one for each Sex. -[N. Y. Journal of Education.

Connecticut Normal School.-A Normal School was opened on the 16th instant, at New Britain, Ct., the people of the village having sub scribed $12,000 in aid of the Institution.-[Ibid.

Literary and Scientific Entelligence.

The new Poet Laureate and his Office.-It is said that Alfred Tennyson will be elevated to the Laureateship if the office be continued. The Poet Laureate was formerly called the King's versifer, and may be traced as far back as 1251, at which period his stipend vas one hundred shillings per annum : it is now £100 a-year. In the History of English Poetry, Mr. Warton says, "In the reign of Edward IV., he first mention is made of the more dignified appellation of Laureate, which was originally bestowed on John Kay." Mr. Warton is also of opinion that the title arose from the degrees taken at the University of Oxford, on which occasion a wreath of laurel was presented to the new graduate, who was styled Poeta Laurcatus.

The Library and Visits to the British Muscun.—The library of the British Museum contains 450,000 volumes, and it has been calculated by an officer of the Institution that, if they were all required to be placed on one shelf, that shelf would be at least twelve mies in length! The number of visits made to the Reading-rooms of the British Museum for purposes of study and research, in 1810, was 1,950-i 1849, it was 70,371.

Pension to Mr. Waghorn.-The Queen has granted a pension of £25 to the widow of Lieut. Waghorn the eminent xpress traveller and pioneer of the Overland route to India.

Foreign Scientific Prizes.-The Royal Geogaphical Society of England has awarded their yearly gold medal to Col. 'remont of the Amer. ican army, pioneer of the overland route to California, that gentleman having furnished the world with the greatest amount of Geographical knowledge during the past year. The King of Denmark has also presented a gold medal to Mr. J. R. Hind of the London Oboratory for the discovery

of the comet of February 6, 1847, which was visible at noonday, shortly before perihelion. The motto or inscription is, Non frustra signorum obitus speculamur et ortus." Mr. Hind has also received from the Academy of Sciences at Paris a prize on the Lalande foundation, for the discovery of Iris and Flora in the year 1847.

Royal Commission to Inquire into the State and Revenues of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.-The Heads of Houses, in both Universities, have objected in the strongest possible manner against the proposed Royal Commission as illegal and unconstitutional, and not designed to promote the objects contemplated.

Printing Statistics of the London "Times."-From a paper on Printing Machines, read by Mr. E. Cowper, at the Institution of Civil Engineers, it appears that on the 6th of May, 1850, the Times and Supplement contained 72 columns, or 17,500 lines, made up of upwards of a million pieces of type, of which matter about two-fifths were written, composed, and corrected after seven o'clock in the evening. The Supplement was sent to press at 7.50 p.m., the first form of the paper 4.15 a.m., and the second form at 4.45 a.m.; on this occasion, 7,000 were published before 6.15 a.m., 21,000 papers before 7.30 a.m., and 34,000 before 8.45 a.m., or in about four hours. The greatest number of copies ever printed in one day was 54,000, and the greatest quantity of printing in one day's publication was on the 1st of March, 1848, when the paper used weighed 7 tons, the weight usually required being 4 tons; the surface to be printed every night, including the Supplement, was 30 acres; the weight of the fount of type in constant use was 7 tons, and 110 compositors and 25 pressmen were constantly employed.

Change of Names.-Formerly a custom prevailed with learned men to change their names. They christened themselves with Latin and Greek. Desiderius Erasmus was a name formed out of his family name Gerard, which in Dutch signifies amiable, or GAR all, and A ERD nature. He first changed it to a Latin word of much the same signification, Desiderius, which he refined into the Greek Erasmus, by which names he is now known. The celebrated Reuchlin, which in German signifies smoke, considered it more dignified to smoke in Greek, by the name of Capnio. One of the most amiable of the Reformers was originally named Hertz Swartz (black earth,) which he elegantly turned into the Greek name of Melancthon.

Beginning of the Year in Various Nations.-The Chaldeans' and Egyptians' year was dated from the autumnal equinox. The ecclesiastical year of the Jews began in the spring; but in civil affairs they retain the epoch of the Egyptian year. The ancient Chinese reckoned from the new moon nearest the middle of Aquarius. The year of Romulus commenced in March, and that of Numa in January. The Turks and Arabs date their year from the 16th of July. Dremschild, or Gemschild, king of Persia, observed, on the day of his public entry into Persepolis, that the sun entered its Aries; and in commemoration of this fortunate event, he ordained the beginning of the year to be removed from the autumnal to the vernal equinox. The Brachmun begin their year with the new moon in April. The Mexicans begin in February, when the leaves begin to grow green. Their year consists of eighteen months, having twenty days in each; the last five are spent in mirth, and no business is suffered to be done, nor even any service in the temples. The Abyssinians have five idle days at the end of their year, which commences on the 26th of August. The American Indians reckon from the first appearance of the moon at the vernal equinox. The Mohammedans begin their year the minute in which the sun enters Aries. The Venetians, Florentines, and the Pisans in Italy, began the year at the vernal equinox. The French year, during the reign of the Merovingian race, began on the day on which the troops were reviewed, which was the first of March. Under the Carlovingians, it began on Christmas-day, and under the Capetians, on Easterday. The ecclesiastical begins on the first Sunday in Advent. Charles the IX. appointed, in 1564, that for the future the civil year should commence on the 1st of January. The Julian Calendar, which was so called from Julius Cæsar, and is the old account of the year, was reformed by Pope Gregory in 1582, which plan was suggested by Lewis Lilio, a Calabrian Astronomer. The Dutch, and the Protestants in Germany, introduced the new style in 700. The ancient clergy reckoned from the 25th of March; and the method was observed in Britain until the introduction of the new style, A. D.1752; after which our year commenced on the 1st of January.

Singular and Curious Facts in Natural History.—The greyhound runs by eye-sight only, and this we observe as a fact. The carrierpigeon flies his two hundred and fifty miles homeward, by eye-sight, viz. : from point to point of objects which he has marked; but this is only our conjecture. The fierce dragor-fly, with twelve thousand lenses in his eyes, darts from angle to angle with the rapidity of a flashing sword, and as rapid

ly darts back-not turning in the air, but with a clash reversing the action of the wings-the only known creature that possesses this faculty. His sight, then both forwards and backwards, must be proportionately rapid with his wings, and instantaneously calculating the distance of objects, or he would dash himself to pieces. But in what confirmation of his eyes does this consist? No one can answer. A cloud of ten thousand gnats dance up and down in the sun, the minutest interval between them, yet no one knocks another on the grass, or breaks a head or a wing, long and delicate as these are. Suddenly, amidst your admiration of this matchless dance, a peculiarly high shouldered, vicious gnat, with long, pale, pendant nose, darts out of the rising and falling cloud, and settling on your cheek inserts a poisonous sting. What possesses the little wretch to do this? Did he smell your blood in the mazy dance? No one knows. A fourhorse coach comes suddenly upon a flock of geese on a narrow road, and drives straight through the middle of them. A goose was never yet fairly run over; nor a duck. They are under the very wheels and hoofs, and yet, somehow, they contrive to flop and waddle safely off. Habitually stupid, heavy and indolent, they are nevertheless equal to any emergency. Why does the lonely woodpecker, when he descends his tree, and goes to drink, stop several times on his way-listen and look round-before he takes his draught? No one knows. How is it that the species of ant which is taken in battle by other ants to be made slaves, should be the black, or negro ant; No one knows. A large species of the starfish (Ludia fragilissima) possesses the power of breaking itself into fragments, under the influence of terror, rage or despair. "As it does not generally break up." says Professor Forbes, "before it is raised above the surface of the sea, cautiously and anxiously I sunk my bucket, and proceeded in the most gentle manner to introduce Ludia to the purer element. Whether the cold air was too much for him, or the sight of the bucket too terrific, I know not; but in a moment he proceeded to dissolve his corporation, and at every mesh of the drege his fragments were seen escaping. In despair I grasped at the largest, and brough up the extremity of an arm with its terminating eye, the spineous eyelid of which opened and closed, with something of a wink of derision." With this exquisite specimen of natural history wonders, for which naturalists can only vouch that "such is the fact," and admit that they know no more. You see that young crab blowing bubbles on the sea-shore !-such is the infancy of science. He waits patiently for the rising tide, when all these gobules of air shall be fused in a great discovery.

Curiosities of Science-Geological Changes of our own Time.Lyell, Darwin, and others, have lately collected and powerfully applied a curious class of facts, to show the slow and continuous upheaving or depression of large tracts of land, in different parts of the world, in effect of subterranean changes going on underneath. The phenomenon belongs to our own time, as well as to the anterior ages in the history of the globe. In Sweden, for instance, a line traverses the southern part of that kingdom from the Baltic to the Cattegat, to the north of which, even as far as the North Cape of Europe, there is evidence, scarcely disputable in kind, that the land is gradually rising at the average of nearly four feet in a century; while to the south of this axial line, there are similar proofs of a slow subsidence of surface in relation to the adjacent seas. This, and various other examples of what maby e termed secular changes of elevation, particularly in South America, amidst the great coral foundations of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, have led the eminent geologists just named to regard such slow progressive changes as the probable cause of many or most of those great aspects of the earth's surface, which by others have been attributed to paroxysmal actions of subterranean forces, sudden and violent in kind.

Extraordinary Discovery of the Art of Forming Diamonds. -The Paris correspondent of the Atlas makes the following interesting remarks which announce a triumph of chemical genius as much without parallel as is the diamond itself peerless :-"The scientific world has been in a state of commotion during the whole week in consequence of the publication of the discovery of the long sought for secret of the fusion and crystallization of carbon. The Sorbonne has been crowded for the last few days to behold the result of this discovery in the shape of a tolerably-sized diamond of great lustre, which M. Desprezt, the happy discoverer, submits to the examination of every chemist or savant who chooses to visit him. He declares that so long ago as last autumn he had succeeded in producing the diamond, but in such minute particles as to be visible only through the microscope, and, fearful of raising irony and suspicion, he had kept the secret until, by dint of repeated experiments and great labor, he had completed the one he now offers to public view. Four solar lenses of immense power, aided by the tremendous galvanic pile of the Sorbonne, have been the means of producing the result now before us. M. Desprezt holds himself ready to display the experiment whenever it may be required The diamond produced is one of the quality known in the east as the black diamond, one single specimen of which was sold by Prince Rostoff to the late Duke of York for the enormous sum of twelve thousand pounds."

Editorial Notices, & c.

141

HOLBROOK'S

[graphic]

NOTICE TO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, LOCAL SUPERIN

TENDENTS AND TEACHERS.

The notification of the apportionment of the Legislative School Grant for the current year, will be made the very week the Common School Bill, now pending before the Legislature, becomes law; and the payment of that apportionment to the Treasurers of the several Counties, Cities, and Towns, may be expected by the first of August, as in past years. The current year's apportionment of the School Grant cannot be made until the School Bill before the Legislature becomes law, without carrying embarrassment and confusion throughout every part of our School system. This is the reason why the apportionment has not been notified months since. We regret the unexpected delays which have prevented the School Bill from passing the Legislature until the present time. We hope to be able, in the course of a short time, to notify the apportionment to the Local Municipal and School authorities, and furnish the requisite suggestions for giving it effect, and for entering upon a more auspicious career for the improvement and efficiency of Common Schools.

CORRESPONDENCE ON THE COMMON SCHOOL LAW OF UPPER CANADA.

A Return has just been laid before the House of Assembly and printed, in answer to an Address from that branch of the Legislature to His Excellency, requesting "copies of all correspondence which have taken place between any member of the Government and the Chief Superintendent of Education, on the subject of the School Law of Upper Canada, and Education generally, of an official character." The Return contains thirteen principal documents, and ten in the Appendices-23 in all-and includes the correspondence which has taken place on the subject of the School Law, &c., from March, 1846 to April, 1850. The Return extends to 59 printed folio pages. Two or three of the principal documents refer to the School Bill introduced into the House of Assembly last year, by the Hon. MALCOLM CAMERON. The remainder are devoted to the exposition of the general principles of our School system, and of the original drafts of the School Act, 9th Vict., ch. 20, and 10th and 11th Vict., ch. 19, and of the Draft of Bills to amend the School Law of Upper Canada, and to adapt it to our new Municipal Institutions.

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II. School Libraries-their Social Tendencies, III. SELECTIONS.. 1. Children should be taught to express clearly what they learn. 2. Teacher's Self-heed essential to success. 3. Thorough Teaching. 4. Every thing should be taught with Accuracy. 5. The Moral Element in Education,

IV., Prospects of a State determined by the Education of its Youth V. Early Hours and Official Customs of the French Ministers of State Various Miscellaneous Items,

PAGE.

81

82-83

83

84

8

VI. MISCELLANEOUS. 1. The Great First Cause (Poetry). 2. The Daisy. 3. Respect due from the Young to the Old. 4. Fictitious Reading. 5. Free Schools in the State of N. Y. 6. Teachers' Institutes. 7. Importance of Teaching Children to Observe. 8. Education and Teaching the First concern of Society. 9. Starting in the World,.... 86-87 VII. EDITORIAL.. 1. Public School Libraries in U. C. 2. Grammar Schools in U. C. (New Bill). 3. Educational Measures before Parliament. 4. Mr. Thos. C. Keefer's Prize Essay, on the "Canals of Canada,".

88-93

VIII. EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. 1. Canada. 2. British and Foreign. 3. United States,

IX. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE,

93-94 94-95

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PP aratus,

FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES.

THIS celebrated APPARATUS (several thousand sets of which are now in use in the Schools of the United States) has received the highest encomiums from every distinguished Educator to whom it has been shown, and is now presented for the consideration of the Friends and Patrons of Education in this Province. It has already received the approbation of several of the most prominent Patrons of Schools of the City of Toronto. Among others, we publish the following from that well known friend of Common School Education, the Hon. J. ELMSLEY :

"The School Apparatus of Mr. HOLBROOK, a complete set of which has been procured for City School, No. 8, closely resembles that used in the National Schools in Ireland, and has been there found of singular efficacy in imparting Astronomical, Geometrical, Mathematical, and Mechanical knowledge to the children taught in those Schools, who are always delighted when the Teacher proposes a lecture on any of those subjects. The set is composed of the following articles:

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"One of the Trustees of Common Schools.
"J. TAAFE, Teacher,
"City School, No. 8, Toronto.

"TORONTO, June, 1850."
GEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS,

AS FOLLOWS:

25 Elementary Specimens, in a neat case, with a lock and key, £0 7 6 30 Elementary Specimens,

50 Elementary Specimens,

do.

do.

do.

do.

50 Elementary Specimens, put up in Book form, (two neatly bound vols.,) for School or Parlour,

ALSO,

A Brass Orrery, propelled by Electro-Magnetism,

0 10 0 0 15 0

£1 a

150

12 10 0 500

A Brass Tellurian, [the same as the one represented above,]

The APPARATUS, &c., may be seen at the Education Office, Toronto: and sets, or parts of sets, may be obtained at the usually low prices referred to by the Hon. Capt. ELMSLEY, by application to Mr. HODGINS.

D. HOLBROOK.

N.B. Reading and Arithmetic Tablet Lessons; Natural History and other Prints: Maps; National Books; Johnstons Agricultural Chemistry, and other School Requisites, may also be obtained upon application to Mr. HODGINS, Education Office, Toronto.

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

I Back Numbers supplied to all new subscribers.

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IX. Duties of Chief Superintendent of Schools
X. Constitution and Duties of Council of Public Instruction 36 to 38
XI. Miscellaneous Provisions

'Preamble.

ed: Proviso.

39 to 48 [24th July, 1850.]

WHEREAS it is expedient to make provision for

the better establishment and maintenance of Common Schools in the several Villages, Towns, Cities, Townships and Counties of Upper Canada: Be it therefore enacted, by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, constituted and assembled by virtue of and under the authority of an Act passed in the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and intituled, An Act to re-unite the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, and for the Government Two Acts repeal of Canada. And it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that the Act of the Parliament of this Province, passed in the seventh year of Her Majesty's reign, intituled "An Act for the better Establishment and Maintenance of Common Schools in Upper Canada," and also the Aet passed in the twelfth year of Her Majesty's reign, ch. 83, and intituled "An Act for the better Establishment and Maintenance of Public Schools in Upper Canada, and for repealing the present School Act," shall be, and the same are hereby repealed: Provided always, nevertheless, firstly, that no Act or part of an Act repealed by either of the Acts hereby repealed, shall be revived by the passing of this Act: And provided also, secondly, that the repeal of the said Acts shall not extend or be construed to extend to any act done, any penalty ineurred, or any proceeding had under the said Acts, or either of them:

All school diviAnd provided also, thirdly, that all School Sections stons, elections, or other School divisions, together with all elections appointments, Contracts, &C., and appointments to office, all agreements, contracts, confirmed. assessments, and rate-bills, made under the authority of the said Acts, or of any preceding Act, and not annulled by the said Acts or by this Act, or by any of them, shall be valid and in full force and binding upon all parties concerned, as if made under the authority of this Act, and shall so continue until altered, modified, or superseded, according to the provisions of this Act: And provided also, fourthly, that nothing herein contained shall affect the liability of any District, County, City, Town, or Township Superintendent of Common Schools, to the Municipal Corporation to which he would otherwise be responsible for the same, for any moneys received by him under any of the said Acts; but the liabilities of every such

No. 7.

Superintendent for such moneys shall be and remain as if this Act had not been passed: And provided also, fifthly, that nothing in the said Act secondly above recited, contained, shall extend, or be construed to extend, to have repealed any Act of the Parliament of this Province, whereby provision was made for the appropriation of money from the consolidated revenue fund of this Province, for or towards the establishment and maintenance of Common Schools in this Province, or in any part thereof.

Annual School meetings to

be

held throughout U. C.. on

the

L. ELECTION AND DUTIES OF SCHOOL TRUstees. II. And be it enacted, That the annual meetings for the elections of School Trustees, as hereinafter provided by this Act, shall be held in all the Villages, second Wednes Towns, Cities, and Townships of Upper Canada, on the second Wednesday in January, in each year, commencing at the hour of Ten of the clock in the

day in January at 10 o'clock, A. M.

forenoon.

One Trustee in each School 8-c

at each annual School meeting.

III. And be it enacted, That in all School divisions (except in Cities, Towns, and Incorporated tion to be elected Villages) which have been established according to law, and which have been called "School Sections," and in which there shall be three Trustees in office at the time this Act shall come into force, one Trustee shall be elected to office at each ensuing annual school meeting, in place of the one who shall have been three years in office: Provided always, that the same individual, if willing, may be reelected And provided also, that no School Trustee shall be re-elected, except by his own consent, during the four years next after his going out of office.

Proviso: Same individual may

be re-elected, but not without his Consent for four

years.

Mode of calling the first School meeting in a new School' section.

IV. And be it enacted, That whenever any school section shall be formed in any Township, as provided in the eighteenth section of this Act, the Clerk of the Township shall communicate to the person appointed to call the first school meeting for the election of Trustees, the description and number of such school section; and such person shall, within twenty days thereafter, prepare a notice in writing, describing such section, and appointing a time and place for the first school section meeting, and shall cause copies of such notice to be posted in at least three public places in such school section, at least six days before the time of holding such meeting.

Mode of proceeding at the first meeting in a new School section.

Election of Chairman and Secretary.

Duty of the Secretary.

Chairman.

V. And be it enacted, That at every such first school section meeting, the majority of the freeholders or householders of such school section present, shall elect one of their own number to preside over the proceedings of such meeting, and shall also appoint a Secretary, whose duty it shall be to record all the proceedings of such meeting; and the Chairman of such meeting shall decide all questions of Day of the order, subject to an appeal to the meeting, and shall give the casting vote in case of an equality of votes, and shall have no vote except as Chairman, and shall take the votes in such manner as shall be desired by the majority of the electors present, and shall, at the request of any two electors, grant a poll for A poll to be recording the names of the voters by the Secretary: and it shall be the duty of the electors present at such meeting, or a majority of them, to elect from the freeholders or householders in such section, three Trustees, who shall respectively continue in office as follows:

granted at the request of any Two electors.

Three Trustees to be elected.

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