VH*? ^ 1^ y (ii i 4 181 150 153 1(54 75 Caledon 201 192 205 232 2()3 75 Chinj^uacousy 152 125 105 214 238 51 Brampton 128 77 105 155 124 County 1107 881 907 1094 1081 200 This classification is most satisfactory, and presents sevoal featur«»s deseiving comment, followiuj;' form The result may be best exhibited in me YEAR. Per cent, of Pupils in First Class Per cent, of Per cent, of Pui)ils m Pupils in Sec. Class Third class Per ,;ent. of Pupils in 4th class Per cent, of Pupils in Fiftli class 1888 1893 1897 42 39 37 17 16 17 21 21 21 19 20 20 1 1 5 Ontario in year 1890 38 19 21 18 4 The precentage of attendance in the lower classes has fallen in comparison with the attendance in the higher classes. (xrantin for tlie cominjj- t(ist. Tliis keei)in}i all the, facts of the pupil's kno\viedf>e in active consciousness defeats the tru(^ end and aim of education. The successive! steps, piiases, facts of kno\vled{f(!, are thereby never allowcMl to subside into that sub con- scious or latent side of iutelhH'tion which, us everyone ac(iuaint(?d with the rudinuMits of lui^ntal science knows, is ever modifyinji', transfoiin inji, and (m) ordinatin^- the facts and materials of knowledjie and the active fin-ces of the mental life. Repeated written examinations are productive of the first result, and are destructive of true mental de- \ t'lo|)ment, subjectinj;' nuMuory to excessive^ strain, aiul demiindiny the re]>roduction of facts as yet unwoven into the mental jiattern. Ileiu'e the written examination system may well be called the ils properly trained in the lower grades. The i)upils aiming- at Fifth class work are usually the bright, ambitious youth who have j)assed a most creditable examination for entrance to the High School. The range of ideas is but extended ; it is not new. The energy and ability of the pupil are the main factors in the work, and these under the direction of a tactful teacher will accomi)lish the task without denuinding much class teaching. Hut there is this to be said : Just so long as our High 8(diools are ])ennitted annually to flood the country with immature teachers of very indifferent attainments to sup])lant the teachers of proved ability and experience, the work of conducting Fifth classes in our Public Schools will be sorely menaced and retarded. True, some of the Fifth class subjects are but indifferently taught and mastered, but this is rather owing" to the teacher's ineflrtciency and to the ])ui)il's lack of pre])aration than to any question of time. The effect of the establishmeni of these classes upon the lower classes has been to stinnilate their efforts and to broaden their views of school life and the oiqxu-t unities for inq)rovement to be secured thrtmgh education. Let us by all means retain Fifth classes in our Public Schools and educate the teacher to meet the increased responsibility. Tested by the results of the Public School Leaving- Examination, the work of Fifth classes in this e(mnty has been found ordinarily <'fl1cient. In July 1807, no fewer than .'{5 candidates proved suecesi-ful. Has the attention bestowed njHHi these classes detracted from tl e s u-cess of the h)wer classes judged by similar standards ? Not by any means. At the same date 5 no fowor than l(»r» caiulidatos fioin the schools of tliis couiify proved sticccssfiil lit tli«' ciitianco (^xaminatioM, TIhmc is aiiotlicr side tn this (jiicstion nf cxti'iidiii^ tljc Public School course of study, 'i'iie forma tioM of advanced classes enibracinj'' the advanced youth of the s«M'tion, and the formation of literaiy societies in connectioi; with the schools, will do more to promote healthy social feelin;; and unanimity of social and educational etfort in each section than most observers will be disposed at th(5 outset to admit. In many sections too often diviro])er organization may be made the medium for producing social hariuony by brinj^iny toyetber all class<'s ejilisted in support of (;ommon aims and objects. Aj^ain, as compared with the classilication of i)upils of the Province sh(»wn by tin* Minister's re]>(ut for 1upils decreased by 125, and that the percentage of attendance remained about the same as in 1806 ; but it is decidedly discouraging to tind that in 1807 no fewer than 840 pupils between the ages of 8 }iTid 14 failed to attend the 100 days required by the statute governing coiui>ulsory attendance. Of these 840 no fewer than 256 behmged to Tonmto Townshi]) and 243 to Caledon Townshi]). Chiiiguacousy comes next with 180, Albion with 101, Torards anrettable tone of society in tin; genera tion to come. I ask everyone interested in the welfare of the Public Schls to assist in devisin}>' a remedy. True, there will be a disposi- tion to shrink from interferemie with tlui real or fancied riyhts of i)ar- ents and with family concerns, but the Public Sclnxd system is a state institution, organized and maintained to teach the duties of intel- ligent citizenslii[) and to elevate all to a true conception of their rights and duties in society. Above all, it is organized in the face of the nniveisally accepted fact that ignorance is the handmaid of vice, and too often becomes the mother of criifie. Modern civilization and gov- eriunents rest upon public opinion, ui)on intelligenci^, ujum ])oIitical and social morality, and when tlu'se, the well-springs of a nation's life, fail, desi)otism, whether of the few or the many, will come, because it will be justitied. FINANCIAL SUMMARY. MUNICIPALITY. Total Receipts Total Expenditure. IJalanc?. No. Pupils Cost ])er Pui)il To, onto Twp. Toronto Gore Albion Caledon Chinguacousy Brampton f 1(5071 01 2308 0(5 84(54 50 10055 08 10584 81 5890 51 $ 12119 87 1879 57 0584 54 8251 37 8507 07 5001 72 $ 4551 14 428 49 1879 9(5 1803 71 2077 14 234 79 1487 210 887 1 1 (58 945 589 $ 8 15 8 95 7 42 7 07 9 00 9 01 County $ 53979 97 $ 43004 74 $ 10975 23' 528(5 $ 8 14 The balances remaining in trustees' hands at the close of the year show a favorable condition tinancially. The anu)unt is about the .same as last year. The items couiprisiug the expenditiue do not vary to any extent from yoar to yoar. Oru' itoni, lio\v(n'or, I wish to refer to spcrially. It is that for maps and api)aratus. Most of the scliools an^ wtdl supplied, but a few h«'IiooIs leinain (piite unsupplied with snitahh' maps, and tlie truste«'s of some of tliesc very sehools will i»er- sist in huyinjj: mati'Hal that niMtlier the t(^aeh(M' nor th( iuspe«'tor has specially advised them to buy, aiul they do so from perscuial (consider- ations ;)f the a^^ent sellinj;' the uuiterial. Some of the schools arc not yet properly seated, and <»f late luuch carelessness has been shown in rej^ard to swee[)inH' aud eleaninji' the s<'hool rooms. No teacher should so far for^jet himself as to contract for the sweepinfi', cleaning-, makinii of tires himself. The tendeuc,v to diuiinish his authority and intluence HO current f(n' years past must be further ac(*entuated Viy his coutract- in/if to perforui menial duties. TIm^ auiount paid for ma])s and api)ara- tus was #1>44.44, a suui much in advance of that of former years; for teachers' salarits, .f.'il ,257.42 ; for rei)airs, fuel and lij^liting tires, $8(>.TS.(>r) ; for school sites and school bnildin^^s, $27()4.23. TEACHERS' SALARIES. Highest Averafj^e salary Averajje salary MUNICIPALITY. Salary Paid male teacher female tea<;her Toronto Twp. ■^ 600 00 $ 381 25 f^ 277 70 Toronto (^iore 325 00 305 00 225 00 * Albion ^ 75 00 370 00 !>80 00 (Jaledon 400 00 347 08 273 75 Chin{(uaeousy 450 00 :VM 22 320 00 lirami)ton 800 00 800 00 325 00 County $ 800 00 $ 303 75 ^ 205 00 There and in was a further y;onforiuity with rednetion in salaries for 1807 the isual experience, in the more wealthy townships. In Toronto Twp. the average salary remain- e.d about the same for female teachers, but increased for male teachers. In Chinguacousy, the reduction was $40for males, and$H> fVn- females; in Caledon, the reduction was $15 for males and $5 for females; in Albi(m, the reduction was $20 for males and $6 increase for females. There is nnich for discinu-agemeut in this to the teaching profession, bnt nnich more for the social student. Had the County of Peel been in an impoverished condition, instead of (me of the foremost counties in thrift, wealth, and industry, the reduction would ha\e been justified by the economic depn^.ssion through which the country was i)assing. Nor would it l)e just to ascribe these reductions altogether to th(» parsimony of trustees. Our schools have been subjected, for many years to the material and numerical test. To forn? a hasty and illusory opinion of the etliciency of a teacher's \ork from the results of exam- inations has b'^cn the practice ingrained into the ordinary mode of thinking on tlie part of trustees and parents by the present tr(-'nd of education, and in consequence the truer and saner tests of culture, development and character, so elusive of the grasp of the public mind, have been laid aside in the selection of teachers. The status, intlu(mce 8 aiid iiuthoiity of the tiiiiclicr have 'Inclined; and with their diiniimtion lias eoiiie into tlie balance of |^>o|ndar jud<{iiient the utilitarian estiniate of his worth. Hut aside from this, the su[)i)Iy of teachers far in excess of th(Mleni:ind has been the chief cause of the diminution of salaries; and one of the chief objects of educational and ecoiunnic policy in the ne.'ir future should be to afford a field other than that of teacliin^" for the enerj^ies of t\w. surjjlus teachers of the Province^, as well as to insist upon hiylier quidifications, peater maturity of intellect, and more genuine culture on the part of all en^j-a^ed in the Avork of education. TEACH EKS AND CEKTIFICATES. MUNK^IPALITY Tonmto Twp. Toronto Gore Albion Oaledon (/hinynacousy IJrampton County Male 8 i VI 1 40 Fennde 1st Class 10 1 10 8 1 11 10 50 2 2nd Cli iss .'{id Tliird 18 1 .'l. 8 1 12 11 10 45 52 The number of female teachers has increased slijihtly, as has also the number of teachers holding second class certificates. In fact, second class teachers can now be secured at the salaries paid formerly to third class teachers. The effect of this increase of second class teachers will be to drive the third class teachers to the outlyinj^- coun- ties and districts ; but this tenden'-y will be to some degrc^e counter- a(;ted by tlie too often pernicious practice on the part of trustees of saerificinji: the true interests of schools to the urj>ent claims of resident ai)])licants for the ])osition of teacher. Trustees are too nej^lif^ent of eiupiiry into the actual qualifications of teachers. We have three classes of schools for the professional training of teachers — the Model Schools, the Xormal Schools and the Xorimil Colleges, for third, second and first class teachers respectively, and only a certificate based ui)on utteiidiuice at one of these schools gives authority to teach. The rrimary, Juni(>r Leaving and Senior Leaving certificates give the lioldcrs no such autlu)rity. Yet 1 find in numerous reports sent to me that third class teachers holding Junior Leaving certificates rejuesent themselves as second class teachers. If they, with a full knowlehenonu-niil world, the princi])les of the science of education, the rules and maxims of pedagogic art, language, the in- ceiitives that stimulate to study and toright conduet, all aiv the tools with which the teacher works. Th.' object of his art is to rouse and stinnilate the intellectual and moral nature and energies of childhood, to enlarge the childs' mental cajtacity by furnishing the mind with the knowledge it can assimuilate as etssential to its growth, to develop its hitiMit ])owers, to assist the child in forming com-eptions, in delim'ng their form, and amplifying the. content, to train the cliild to self- determination and self control, mu\ to mould the character in accord ance with tlu' liighest ideals of liie. Xow let my reader mark care- fully the lirst set of tools, the knowledge of the subjects of instruction. What will he say when he is told that the teacher under our present system of training teachers is sui)posed to be given a complete know- ledge of this set of tools, the subjects of instruction in their higher ]>liases and develoi)eiiu'nts, without any reference whatevtr to their objects or to the art in which he is to use them ? He would say that .>tich a procedure is absurd. Yet, this is exactly what is done to-da.v in our system of training teachers. To the high schools is committed the task of i>roviding for teachers an adequate knov.ledge of the sub- jects of instriu'tion without any reference to the objects for which they are to be used, and to the Model and Xormal schools is left the .appli <'ation of the tool iu the practice of the ^rt of teaching. The imper- fection of the training in the flrst, consequent u])on its lack of aim, ju'events the cflEective intelligent application of the tools in the second. This system of professicmal ^training is born of the conception that the knowledge of the subjects of instruction is an end in itself instead of a means towards the development of intellect, the cultivation of the understanding, and the acquisition of culture. What would be said of a Me5dduce instances of my meaning, and illustrations by the dozen as to the truth of this statement ; but lack of space forbids any further en- largement u])on this tojnc. SUBJECTS OP raSTltnCTION— IS^o. Pupils in Each Subject. 1 a »-. i^ « ft. ■d h u u S3 ex MUNICIPALITY, a '■5 a 1 c Q. t o '5 a a o 2^ •0 n 00 i 08 a a ta a p. IS M i 9 U >> u IS a o IS > a 43 o 'S Pm 1 3 •c 146R 1487 R 14<2G !»51 643 789 37S 618 471 1025 54 < 51 O 51 lained by the teacher to Public School pupils. And ■svell they may, when we reflect ujjon the view taken of these subjects by the average public school teacher. To teach each one of these sub- jects thorougldy and without reference to kindred subjects seems to be the crowning mistake of most teachers. They seem to forget that these subjects are at best but tools in some measure, or materials for working in while aiming at mental development. The real question for the teaclicr is, however : — Wliat tools or materials shall he bring together in use for the compassing of ea(th phase of educational devel- opment ? In other wordvS, how shall he correlate these subjects, and unify the objects to be attainiMi by the use of each ! The world's leading educators have conui to recognize five well-known departments of knowledge, some phase of each of which must at every stage of the pui)ils' progress be made the basis of study, and organize into a symmetrical whole through the psychological phases of Feeling, Thought and Will. The basal ju^nciple is that all knowh^dgv liysics as the initial stei) in that department. Hence, arithmetic as numbering and measuring, drawing as representation, language in defining, alge- bra as dealing with its abstractions, geometry as governing its forms, ;,a'0^rai)liy on its /nailiciiiatical s'dc-, iiinst all be. l)itMij»lit toff^ctlicr inUt one, {^Tcat wlioh' rccoiviny its reprt'iseiitation tlinm^ii lanj-ua^c ami its rii)i)li<'ati(»n in the (ieuiamls of life. II, Hioloyy, the ]»li<>noiiu'na of litV, ('iHiniK'nciii;^- with tin-! phmt and tlie animal, ana including botany, agii<'nltine, j;co}iva[)hy as dealing with the growth of material, food^ (!]otiiiiig, races, trjide, <'onimer(!0, transiKntation, physical geogvai)hy of known localities, and natnral i)heno«iena. Ill, Art, including liter siture, dealing more innnediately wirh reading, sj»elling, writing, draw- ing on its aesthetic side, fixing tln^ forms of conventional language, stor ing th(^ mind with artistic images and forms of language, music and composition, ordering these as a whole essential to the acquisition of tlie accummulated treasures of learning in the life of the race. IV, Grammar, the study of the form of man's thought, the technical study of language and the classification of its chief phenomena, tlie study which stands at the threshold of all the mental sciences, andtiie one most diflicult to teach, ih, in consequence, postjioned, except in its most elementary forms, to a later stage of the pui)irs inogross. V, Ilis- tory, looking toward sociology and political institutions, is, in its (nci]>ient stage, represented by lessons drawn from the ethics of the family, the relation of the pni)il to the educational authorities, and the civic life and government of the community, and is to be viewed as the: ultimate key to the i)roper understanding of the laws of progiess, and of the course and scv-net of civilization. Now, the claim that society has to make upon the :eacher is that he shall be able at each stage of the pupils life to bring him in touch with, and to the mastery over, some toi)ic in each of these five departments of knowledge, so that the pui)il's i)rogres8 shall be, a harmonious development. Certain subjects, such as reading, writing, s})elling, drawing, language and composition, become an essential ywut of all other subjects in whi(^li they fiiui a rationale. The teacher must, therefore, thoroughly understand what is of ])riinary and of secondary importance, and tlie true place of each subject in a course of study in any institution deserving the name of school. Without this understanding of the co-ordination and unification of the subjects of in»truction, there must be much waste of effort and misdirected energy. Yet, one of the chief weaknesses in our schools for the training of teachers is their neglect of school organization and their inability to assist the teacher in framing a Course of Study. Now, a few^ words in reference to th^ prevalent methods of teaching- all these ,subje(rts. I am glad to be able to say that, thnmgh repeated references to the question, many teachers arc beginning to see the true relation and interdejiendence of the subjects of instruction, and are beginning to be able to maj) tlie existiuj? conditions, I may l«ore state t>ie cliicf «l)stac'lps to present progress ia the Public Schools. First and fore- most is the teacher's iii>5>erfect equipnieuit, totjilly in(^onuuensurate with tlie demands of modern life, and to our advanced staj^e of social, indus- trial, and political develoi)enient. Immediately second conu s the fact of irrt;j;idar attendance. The a\eraj»e i)r(H'entafte of attendance of Ontario, (including outlyinjf districts) for the year 1890 was 51 ])er cent of the number of pninls enrolled. It sjjeaks but 11 tie for the edu<'ational spirit of the County of Peel, so centrally situated and ])ossessin<»' so many advantajjes in the way of stH;urinj>' a better class of teachers, that the averasje pereentajje of attendance is 52 per cent for lSi)7. Another obstacle is the social condition, and the toue of society of nuiny school scictions. The life of the school but rarely rises above the level of the life of the couuiumity in which it is situated. Too many sections are divided by social, sectarian, and partizan consider ations, the tension of which shared by the younger members of the comiinuiity, becomes in the school a force which the teacher is too often l)owerless toi'esist. Not until the i)riuei pies and examples of tolera- tion, forbearance, and charity, exhibited in the higfher strata of society, become infiltrated down to and throuj^h the masses of the people, will this evil cease to exist. Still another impediuumt to the free course of learning and to sound scholarshii) is the character of the text-books «Mni)loyed. To this subject I wish to make more extended references, ^lost of our text books, with the exception of the Public School arithmetic, are atteujpts to combine a teacher's manual and i)upils workinj>" Iwok of definitions, ])rinciples and examples for jnactice or solution. This results from the knowledjfe nonf;h educated to teach uj) to all the principles and defini tions laid dowji. There is another side to this question. Economy or no economy, the system of auifoi'm text-books, prohibitinj; the use of any but autiiorized books, has worked incalculable mischief to the cause of education in OnvsiTio. Under this system each teacher is ('omjielled to master the particular nonu'iiclature, rules, definitions, and priiicijiles of each book, and once havin}>- acquired this so-called kn()w]<'dse of the subject, he settles down to the work of teachiuji without any further thoujiht of investi^atin;,^ the subject, and contin ues tied to the forms of his book until the matter of his instruction becomes as dry as thirteenth century i)archm(nit. Thc^ investiga- tions and imi)rovements so constantly goinjj on in the Avorld of know- ledge outside are never sought for when the teadu^r known that examiners demand the tixed terminology of the authorized text- books. He ceases to read or to wish to read, the well-si)rings of instruction become choked, and the stream of knowledge is sluggish and distasteful, while his pupils cease to be satisfied with gnawing the dry bones of knowledge. Here are some of the opinicms of eminent educators. Hon. B. G. Northrup, ex-Secretary of the (Nmnectieut State Board of Education, says: — "The lessons of exi)erience are ilecisive upon this point. The states whi(;h have tried this sovereign HMuedy of enforced uniformity have fouinl it worse than the disease. Whenever such a law has been fairly trieti. it has soon been repealed." Ex-State Sunt. Henry liabb, of Hlinois, says: — " It has been fn^quent- Iv tried in other states, and uniformly failed, whether the books have been manufactured, purchased or selected by state authority." The verdict of Superintendents in Minnesota is as follows : — " The books are inferior in manner of presenting subjects, and in general make-up. The state books are shams in matter and make. There is no real saving to the i>eo])le." The author of this collection of o])inions goes on to speak as follows: — "' This idea of uniformity bars all jHogress. Text books i)rodueed nnder su(!h a system are so poor that they prevent mental develojiment. They stimulate teachers to violate law and get around the persc^ribed text-books." This is going on at this very hour in every county in Ontario. For the i)reparation of home work, teachers place in the hands of pupils at home, less(m helps in history, literatiue, geograj)hy and grannnar. The law" cannot reach them there. This i)raetice on the j)art of our teachers is virtually a vote of non- conti(len(^e in the authorized text-books. Our authorized text-books are inadequate in these days of examination test^, and the teachers, being unable of themselves to sn]>])ly the defect, have rr their demand that their cliihlren ])enot lonipelled to take iij) (Irammar, History, (Icof^raphy, etc. Ajj^ain, our Headers have Ion;; siii(;e ceasiHl to meet tlie reipiirements of the schoids. In tlie advan(!ed Keaders tlie literary selections never were considered ^vell ;>radermit of a scientitic treatment of their contents. Since the introduction of Nature Studies, and tlie i)rocess of teaciiin;»' lan;>ua;j^«^ tiirou^fli a kno\vled;>e of facts and objects, the First Readers have ceased to be of anyi)articnlar A ahu' or use, and are bein;; rapidly sii]K^rseded by the Blac'.-board ; Avhile the introduction of Nature Studies with suitable readin^ifs will complete their total exclusion. In fact, the inevitable advance of ped- Ji;i();>ic art has completely discounted the ])resent textbooks, and must lu'cessitate tlieir speedy withdrawal from authorization. No school buildings were erected durinj? the year. I have not urgently insisted ujum the plain demands of the Act and llegulations iu res])ect of school houses and equijunents, mainly on account of the .severe tinancial crisis throngli wliich the c*ountry was passing ; but now tliat conunercial and agricultural i)rosperity has returned, the re j) Lesson XXXIl I. Tbe Skylark ; (h) Death of Little Nell; (i) A Psalm of Life ; (j) Tbe Herofs of the Long Sault ; (k) Tbe Honest Man ; (1) Yarrow UnviRitPd ; (m) Tbe Exile of Erio ; (o) Ye Mariners of Eagknd; (o) The Cbangliau ; (p) Tlie Capture ot Quebuc ; (q) The Song of the P*^irt; (r) A Forced Recruit at Solferino." High School Entrance 1899: -(a) Tom Brown ; (b) Pictures of Memory; (c) Tbe Barefoot Boy ; (