that when this special cause shall cease to operate there will be an upward tendency from the present maximum of depression. It remains, however, clear beyond dispute that the average rate of salaries, particularly of salaries paid to Male Teachers, is so low as to be discouraging. When remuneration in a given profession descends to a certain point, long continuance in that profession may be a sign of incompetency rather than a proof of merit. I trust it may never be so in regard to the Teaching profession of Nova Scotia. The people, especially the people of our more populous and wealthy localities, will surely discern the irreparable loss involved in the draining off to the educational service of other countries of the men best fitted to adorn that of their own. Under existing circumstances, I venture to express an earnest hope that by some means the Government and Legislature may be enabled to maintain the grants to Teachers without reduction, or without reduction in the aggregate should it be thought desirable to adopt a slightly altered scale of distribution among the various classes. Undoubtedly, in not a few places the sectional assessment is disproportionately small. The people could, and should, do more than they do, and would have no just cause of complaint were they compelled to pay a larger proportion of the Teacher's salary. We must, however, deal with the question as a Provincial one, and I am prepared to affirm that, as a rule, the Schools of the Province would be exposed to considerable peril by the reduction referred to a peril none the less imminent and real even though the reduction should be found an absolute necessity. As bearing on the support of the Schools, I would respectfully recommend the propriety of considering whether the basis of the apportionment of the County Fund might not be altered so as to secure to the Trustees of each Section, in the first place, a certain sum for each Teacher employed, and leave the remainder for distribution according to the present system based on attendance. Now, the benefits reaped from this Fund by our most sparsely peopled Sections are almost nominal, and the Poor-Section privilege is, as far as the Trustees are concerned, a mockery. Everything is in favor of centres of population. The system I suggest would, without doing injustice to any, invigorate the weaker Schools and seriously reduce the strength of a temptation which, from evidence presented, I fear even some reputable Sections have not been able to resist. In conclusion, I would direct attention to the urgent demand for the publication of a new manual of School Law and Regulations. The edition of 1874 is out of print. The Act relating to Public Instruction as published therein and in the Revised Statutes has been amended at each of the last five sessions of the Legislature. These amendments, though published in the Statutes, and in the Journal of Education, from year to year, are so scattered as not to be readily available, while of some of the precise scope and purpose are not clear. I should suppose that an authorized consolidation of the Educational Statutes. would naturally precede this publication. I am, your Honor's obedient Servant, DAVID ALLISON, Superintendent of Education. |