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I have the honor to transmit you herewith, my Report on Elementary Educatiow in Lower Canada, and flatter myself that you will be pleased to present it to His Excellency, on the first favorable opportunity. I could have wished to be able to acquit myself sooner of the task imposed on me yearly by the School Law ; but the press of oflice business has neither permitted me to do so, nor to give my Report all the care which it required. I venture, however, to hope that iti wll have the effect of drawing the attention of the Legislature, to consider what measures should be taken to render the working of this law more easy, more certain, and more efficacious. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, The Honorable D. Dalv, Secretary of the Province, &,c. &c. &,c.. J. B. MEILLEUR. To Hia Excellency Lieutenant General The Right Honorable Charles Murray, Earl Cathcart, of Cathcart, in the County of Renfrew, K.C.B., Administrator of the Government of the Province of Canada, Commander of Her Majesty's Forces in British JVbrth America, 8fc., 8fc., Sfc, May it please Your Excellency ; L The Common School Act 8 Vict. cap. 41, rendering it obligatory on the Superintendent to submit annually to the Legislature a detailed Report on the present state of public instruc- tion in Lower Canada, I have the honor to submit to Your Excellency, the following Report, to be laid before the three Branches of Parliament, conformably to the 6th Article of the 34th Section of the said Act. It is with deep reg'et, that I have to inform Your Excellency, that the regular working of the present School Act has been in general impossible, chiefly from two causes, namely : the almost universal opposition made to the Act at the outset, and the defects of the Act itself. The fact is, that the School Law has either not worked at all, or has in most cases worked very badly, and this, notwithstanding the constant and courageous efforts made everywhere by the friends of education, anJ principally by the members of the Clergy of every creed and origin, to further its operation. In endeavouring to give an ixccour^t of the principal causes of this evil, I feel that I have to fulfil a task still more painful thi.n diiTicult; but I must not, through any misplaced weakness, hesitate to point them out to the competent authorities, so that they may be enabled to prescribe a remedy proportionate to the evil. No: I write at this moment under the deeply felt influ- ence of a double duty ; that which the Law imposes on me as a public functionary, and that, not less sacred, prescribed to me as a citizen ; for the Divine laws, as well as the laws of nature which emanate therefrom, impose imperiously on us all, the duty of contributing to the means of properly instructing the youth of our country, so as to make useful and virtuous citi- zens ; and the promjitings of weakness shall never restrain my pen. I regard it then as a two-fold duty, to point out to the Legislature the facts of which it has both the right and the desire to be cognizant, so as to place within its power the remedy of the evil, by a more facile and efficacious Legislation. But facts of so melancholy a nature as those mentioned above, require to be considered with reference to their causes, — such causes at least as are most obvious. Now these would not be sufficiently made known by merely saying that they originate, for the most pait, in tht; defects of the law itself; it is my duty also to state, that the causes which have retarded or altogether prevented the proper working o the present School Law, are in great part owing to the systematic opposition made to its execution, by certain persons whose previous conduct iu affairs of a public and common interest, as well as their social position, afforded grounds for expecting from them an altogether different conduct, in respect to a measure of vital necessity for the country. It i", however, my decided opinion that the people, now as ever, are sincerely desirous of giving instruction to their children. But they are poor, and not habituated as yet to the state of constraint and suffering to which they have been subject for several years : they believe themselves poorer than they really arc, and incapable of conforming to what the School Law exacts of them for the attainment of this object. Neither have they sullirient instruction or ex- perience in public affairs, to take upon themselves, each in his turn, ami with the necessary confidence, the local administrationof the new Laws which have just been given them, and in- timately connected together. At present, therefore, it is impossible tojuilge with sufficient ac- curacy, of the principles of action of these two Laws, nor of the nature of the means proptr for obtaining therefrom a good result: and some individuals, dispersed here and there tliioughout the country, and disposed to take advantage of these p:irticular circumstances, inevitable at the outset of every new institution given for the advantage of a new people, have perverted in ;.iany localities, the ideas of the people in this respect, have turned them aside from the ob- ject of the Law made to ensure Education to their children, and have even induced them to oppose the adoption of the means for attaining it. The School Law requires, from the Inhabitants of each Parish or Township, a small con- tribution only, either by voluntary subscription or by assessment on their real property, to be equal to the sum allowed yearly by the Legislature to aiil them in procuring for their children the instruction which they require : but the word "TAX" has unfortunately slipped into the Lav,, and has taken the place of that of "contribution". Those who had reasons, sometimes inrx- plicable enough, for opposing, seized on the word "Tax" as the signal of a general and irrepa- rable ruin, and suddenly, at their voice, the people weie seen to rise in a body in, certain Counties where the leaders of the opposition were more influential and more active, and, guided by the perfidious councils of these leaders, they allowed themselves for a moment to be dragged into the opposition. The word "Tax" proclaimed by (he heralds of the opposition, and the exaggerated enu- meration of the evils fathered upon the tax, were thus successful for a certain time, and in- creased to such a degree the prejudices already existing, and so natural among all people against anyth-ng that resembles taxation, that they became almost invincible among the Inhabitants of several Parishes and Townships, who were not as yet sufficiently well informed to give their immediate and unanimous co-operation in the execution of ihe Law, of which besides they did not sufliciently comprehend the end, or the means of attaining it. Thus, several have been known to condemn abruptly a purely philanthropic Law, made fur the sole benefit of their own children, and to reject it with disdain, without taking the trouble to know the end proposed, to comprehend its principles, or to atteniitt at least the means of carrying it into effect. Parents have been scon, pitiable puppets of the leaders ( f the oppo- sition, to concert in holes and corners miserable Petitions, and present them to the Local Autho- rities, praying them to stop the course of the Law, and to close forthwith the hand which, in its name, is ready to distribute to them in its favors. Citizens have been sten, fathers, unwor- thy of the name, some to dispute about the means through mere personal opposition, others to refuse every kind of contribution to respond to the benevolent intention of the Legislature. Some, deaf to the powerful voice of the most sacred of duties, have withdrawn from the Schools, from pure party spirit, their own children, however desirous of being instructed, even when the Local Authorities, tc procure them the inestimable advantage of Education, exacted no con- tributicn. This opposition having in many places commenced during the very Session of Parliament in which the present School Law was passed, had already made so unfavorable an impression on the minds of the people at the time of its piomulgation, that, at the particular time when the inhabitants were called by this Law to elect fit persons as School Commissioners, they, beinu; accustomed already to consider it as unjust, tyrannical and oppressive, elected only men for the most part incapable, without instruction, and without even a wish to act. In other places the elcctois did even worse ; they excluded from the Commission all educated men, whom in certain cases they exposed to many mortifications, and that in proportion to the zeal which they had shewn in the cause of public instruction, with the exception, how ever, of some, a very small number it is true, who, from motives known to themselves alone, had placed themselves at the head of the opposition. This opposition was directed against all that is most respectable and worthy in society, and especially against the members of the Clergy, who had always rendered themselves con- spicuous by their efforts, their sacrifices and their zeal for the progress of useful information \ .' -^ y 8 \ .' ^ y among their flocks. The electors could not, however, exclude them all from the Commission, because they are appointed generally as School Commissioners by the Law ilsclf. In this latter case, the electors complained of their Law, and the circumstance of the members of the Clergy being also School Commissioners, without the participation of the inhabit;mts, is per- haps one cause which has contributed as much as any other, to render them obnoxious to the opposition, thus exposing them to the dan:;;er of losing that moral influence, which, joined to the religious inlluence they possess, is always more powerful and more effective for furthering the wefarc of society than the purely official ciiaracter given by the Civil Law. I am aware of a locality where the inhabitants of heterogeneous origin and diversity of religious faith, having elected in the month of January, 1845, five members of the Clergy to be School Commissioners, refused, on the present School Law taking eft'ect, to elect any one of them, and substituted men so utterly incapable that, eventually, they declared them to be so, and the parties themselves confirmed this declaration of their own absolute incapacity to fulfil with credit the duties of the honorable charge confided to them, by a solemn and official do- cument to that effect ; and I have reason to believe, that, in several other places, the election of School Commissioners which has taken place under the operation of the present Law, has been neither morejudicious nor more effective. In fact, not only have the elections which took place in the month of July last, confided the execution of the School Laws and of the Muuicipalities to persons having generally little capacity, and perhaps also little disposition to act, but ihc»se elections have also been conducted in a very irregulr- manner ; so that their legality is often, to say the least, very doubtful. Passive instruments in the hands of the opposilinn, the inhabitants of sovcral localities were exposed to incessant commotions and to an agitation at the moment of the election of the School Commissioners, which scarcely allowed them to observe the requisite formalities to conduct it within the rules prescribed by Law. The party spirit which at that time pre- vailed, the disorder and confusion resulting therefrom, caused these elections to be made in all possible ways. In fact, it were useless to disguise that at the very outset of its operation, the present School Law met with general opposition from the inhabitants of every origin before they could have been able either to examine or well understand the importance of its end, the excellence of its fundamental principles, or the means of its operation, easy to all where good will is not wanting. Such are the sad results which the opposition, directed by some individuals, has unhappily produced in many localities, under the specious names of public welfare and patriotism. Most strange abuse of words and things ! And here it must be observed that the preceding remarks, which I make solely in the ac quittal of a duty having reference to public instruction, have nothing special, nothing personal in them ; they relate to inhabitants of various parts of the country, of every origin, of every di- versity of creed ; and if there has been equally among them all something to regret, and even to blame, it is infinitely agreeable to me to be able to address a word of well merited praise in favor of some distinguished except'ons, who signalised themselves from the very commence- ment of the working of the Law, For the rest, in giving an account to the Legislature of the manner in which the School Law has been received and worked, I have only to relate, in one single document, what the pe- riodical journals have already said and repeated at different times, of the opposing efTorts which have been simultaneously made on both sides, in different localities, either to endeavour to make this Law work usefully, ir to have it rejected altogether by the unanimous voice of the people, and these journals huve always done so in a way calculated to be most useful to the cause. It is, therefore, just to mention here, that the press, of whatever shade or opinion, has invariaMy shewed itscdf the friend of popular education and of those wh(>, adopting the present School Law, have endeavoured to carry it into effect, were it only for expeiiment. The press always so powerful and so persuasive when it is unanimous, has, therefore, greatly contributed to effect the happy changes which have taken place, in many localities, from the month of July last, up to this day, and may justly claim great part of the honor. The present School Act, however, contains scarcely any new principles, inasmuch as they were nearly all contained in the Education Act passed on the 18th September, 1841. The principle of contribution to form a sum equal to that which is offered annually by Government, is absolutely the same. But it may be said thit under the operation of the Law of 1841, this piinciple was not put into practice. So that being revived in the present Law, it was every where considered as new by those who had to contribute. The Law of 1841, like the present Law, was bound up with the Rural Municipalities, and necessitated fur its regular working an active ami unremitting co-operation on their part. But experience soon shewed that this ciniu'ction was impracticable. These two Laws were not only new for the Country, but the inhabitants, also, had not asked for Municipalities, although excellent Institutions in themselves, and not having then taken any part in preparing the Ordi- nance which established them in Lower Canada, they opposed it chiefly on account of the source in which it had its origin. From these circumstances strong prejudices arose, which were again roused at the sight of the present School Law, associated as tha; if 1841 was, with Local Municipalities ; and these prejudices, having been revived and nourished among the people, the consequence was. that at the outset the inhabitants were disposed to reject, without examination, both these Laws which grant them the power so often demanded by them of managing their own affairs. But this palpal)le inc( nsistency, into which they thus fell by their conduct, could not be wholly at- tributed to themselves, inasmuch as the opposition had for some time the art to persuade them that, after all, these two Laws were only made to extort their money from them, wlicther they would or no. This was indeed, attacking in the most sensible part, men who for many years have suffered more or less from the failure of their crops. How grave an accusation was this to bring against two Ministries and two successive Parliaments, who adopted almost unani- mously the fundamental principles of these Laws. It is known, too, that throughout all time the inhabitants of every part of the world have had more or less repugnance to submit themselves to new Laws, the principles of which they did not understand, especially when, to put them in operation, pecuniary contributions were exacted. The fact is that the people are not yet sufficiently well informed to bo able to judge properly of the principles of the two new Laws which have just been givem them. A people who are not, in general, sufficiently enlightened to appreciate the merit of the laws made for them, are more to be pitied than blamed when they are disposed to reject them. About thirty years ago, an Educational Liiw was imposed on the people of the State of New York by the local Legislature. This law was very sii.iilar to that which has just been given to the inhabitants of Lower Canada, with this marked difTerence, that, in place of exact- ing from the contributors the half only, it exacts in effect all that is Tiecessary for the instruc- tion of their youth, the Government itself furnishing nothing fo.' this purpose. Now, we know what great interest, what enthusiastic zeal exists in the United States for all that is connected with the instruction of youth. The people of the State of New York opposed, however, at the outset, this Educational Law, because its principles were not then sufficiently understood. But the Legislature not having repealed it, the people, instructed by the universal and uniform success of experiment, became more reasonable, submitted to its requirements, co-operated in its execution, and the happy results which are still extending and progressing, (for this very Law continues to be in force,) are truly admirable. Upwards of 1?,000 Schools are under the able direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State. The Common School Law passed in 1^ II, was not made only for Lower, but also for Upper Canada, where its working was attended with much difficulty during the two years it was in operation. So that for that part of the Province as well as for this, it was necessary in order to obtain any result, to have recourse to expedients and exceptional means, although not to the same degree. This fyt made a new Law necessary for Upper Canada, and one was passed in the Session of ]'■'' Considerable modifications were made to the Law of 1S4I, which made its operation e certain. A project of Educational Law for Lower Canada was at the same time presiw _d in the Session of 1843, where it passed two readings ; its pre- mises were admitted, but the measure was prevented froiti becoming Law from the sudden Prorogation of Parliament. The principles of this project form the basis of the present Law of Lower Canada. The School Law of Upper Canada, framed in imitation of that of the State of New York, does not leave it optional to the contributors to make up by voluntary subscription, the sum re- quisite to equal that offered to them for the support of their Schools, on the same principle and in the same proportion as for the support of the Lower Canada Schools ; for the X50,000 appropriated by the Act of 1841, of which the three first clauses are continued by that of 184.5 for Lower Canada, have been divided between the two sections of the Province in pro- portion to their respective populations, according to the latest Census. Thus, the inhabitants of Upper Canada are compelled to make up the sum required by Law, by an ad valorem tax on real property : the rule is absolute ; there is no alternative : the sum must be made up by the time designated, because the interests of Kducalion and the Law require it thui : and this is certainly what is most desirable for ensuring facility, uniformity, and the successful working of an Act of Elementary Education. The School ('ommissinners, elected under the authority of the Upper Canada Act, are men in a subordinate and secondary position, being under the immediate direction of a Town- ship Superintendent, a County Superintendent, and Chief Superintendent of Education (who is identical with the Provincial Secretary) which latter has also a Deputy residing among them. So that in that section of the Province the wishes of the people, their mode of perception, or the manner of action which they mij,lil prefer, are less consulted than the ends of the Law, and the means of attaining them with ct rtainiy. Thus the people opposed, or rather wished to oppose, this Law the first year, and rcc ioning on the mitigations which they hoped to be able to obtain in the last Session of Parliament, presented several Petitions to that effect ; but the Parliament, not having thought proper to take them into consideration, the Law has remained intact, and, at the present da}', works, I believe, in general well, though with some difficulty, principally arising from the too great number of Superintendents appointed to facilitate its operation. It is therefore not to be wondered at, if the people of Lower Canada, yet in the infancy of popular institutions, have opposed the two Educational Laws imposed on them since 1841. v-.-,!» It is not to be wondered at if, moved by the desire of emancipating themselves from mu:iicipal rule, thev shewed themselves disposed to reject these two Kducational Laws, both grafted on Municipal Laws. It is not to be wondered at if the opposition leaders gained over the people, terrified at seeing these Laws associated, an influence which has led iheni away into proceed- ings ^\hich appv-arances might cause to he r'^garded as in opposition lo Education itself. Neither is it to be wondered at. if, in view of these ficts, I claim, on behalf of Public Instruction in Lower Canada, a legislative measure that shall be cnerp,elic. independent, and sufllciently powerful to put an end to all opposition, and to promote with certainty the welfare of our in- teresting youth. However this be, it may be said that in general calm reason and public opinion, enlight- ened by frequent explanations, have already dealt justly with the authors of the opposition ; that the inhabitants having at length better comprehended the true ends of the Law, its utility, its importance, and the mnans of attaining its object with certainty, have set themselves to work in good earnest, have contributed to raise among themselves the sum retjuired by Law, and the success which they have obtained, under the auspices of the School Commissioners, con- stitutes at the same time the welfare of the children and the eulogy of the contributors. Thus, it may be said, that nothwithstanding the eflbrts of the opposition, notwithstanding the defects of the Law, wherever the inhabitants have been well counselled and advised and the local authorities well disposed, and so have acted with good faith, concord, harmony, and per- severance in their proceedings for the execution of tne Law and of their duty, this execution has been easy, and followed by a result most satisAictory to all ; - from which it may be rea- sonably concluded, that if the opposition had everywhere left our people to their natural good sense, free to follow without constraint or hindrance their own inclination lor the instruction of their children — free, at hast, to follow the well meant advice of thtir true friends, and in par- ticular of their Pastors, at all times so zealous for the public welfare, the working of the Law would have everywhere been immediate, uniform, and most advantageous to the rising gene- ration. Besides proofs of the favorable disposition of the people in general for the instruction of their children, have been given for a number of years back. At the time of the expiration of the Act of Elementary Education on the 1st of lilay 1836, the number of .Schools amounted to 1530. Under the operation of the Act of 1841, which expired in the month of July last, the Report for 1843 makes the number of Schools amount to 1298, those for I8'14 to 1832 (the Reports for the year 1843 including a number of Schools independent of the Commissioners or Syndics, but well recommended,) and those for that part of 184 "> elapsed before the 1st of July last, shew that 1737 Schools, under the control of the Commissiontrs or Syndics, wore in activity during this period of instruction. I have reason to'believe that, in despite of all the difficulties which have accompanied and retarded the operation of the present Act, the number of Schools which were in operation during the first part of 184.5 is very nearly the same ; for every d^y the working of the Law acquires a new extension and a new vigour. Since monies have been set apart by the Legislature (7 Vict, chapter 9,) to aid in building School-houses or in making repairs of consequence, application has been made for about 230 houses, for 200 of which i;7413 17s. 2d. has been already accorded ; and the value of these 200 houses, before the grant of this sum, was, by the award of Arbitrators, i!lG,58.5 19 3, — and I receive daily new demands. But this gratifying success is still far from being what it would have been without the eff'orts of the opposition ; there are localities where it is partial only, others where it is yet a nullity. In these latier, the inhabitants, bowed beneath the weight of an undue intluenc'e, in- cline as formerly towards the empoisoned source of prejudices, and abandon themselves to all the deceitful illusions of which they are the principal and the cause. The good counsels and the good examples given them by iheir fellow citizens and their friends, pointing out to t!icm the respect and submission which every subject, which every reasonable man owes to the Laws of the land, the duty which is imposed on him by every law to give his children that instruction of which they have need, and the happy effects resulting therefrom, — all these facts have yet failed to make them sensible of the light which they throw on the false position in which they themselves arc placed by certain individuals more desirous of a momentary command over men whose misfortune it is to be too confiding, and more ambitious of acquiring the ephemeral reputation of a day than of contributing with a good grace to the permanent welfare and hiippiiu'ss of nearly 200,001) children, eager to divide the intellectual food. There are also lociilitios where tlu; inhabitants, inditl'ercnt or apathetic, either do nothing to conform to the Law, or dirocth' to oppose it, flattering themselves that it will be rei>caled or modified, so as to require notliiti.ii: at their hands, and thus sacrifice to doubtful liopes, to improbable results, the certain and durable advantages which might be unfailingly secured to their children, by tlie faithful execution of the existing School Law. n. THE nKFECTS OP THE EnuCATIONAI, ACT. The prosent Stiliool Act contains defects, consistinf; of inconsistcncioa, obscurities in ccp« tnin clau«ef», \-c., wliicli destroy tliiit eoncatrnation whieh is always looked for, and wiiieli is 8o necessary in a Law. These discre[)aneies are so many obstueies to its successfnl workin"; and this fact slionld cause no surprisi'. i'assed hastily in a jieneral Coinmittee of the Wli()le House at the end of last Session, tof^ethcr with the Act estalilishinj; Knral Mnnici[)ali(ies, and both engrossed in the same night, being the eve of the day when i'arlianient was prorogued, it was inipossiiiie tliat these two Acts, which require, besides, more experience than it has yet been possilde to obtain, to make them perfect Acts, could be witiiout dcfci'ts. The regular woiking of the present School Act (k'pcnds in grcnt part on the co-oi)eration of the Municipal (.'lamcils, and these having freipu'Utly not thought proper to meet, even lor the object of Kducation, (although they arc by the Sdth Section required to find the pecuniarv means for the support of the Schools,) the result has iieeii that tiiis I.iiw has iK'en almost universally deprived of the mainspring which shotdd give inqadse to its whole operation. This unfortunate union of the School Act with the Act of Municipalilies took jil'ice con- trary lo all expectation, the whole tenor of the School Act shewing clearly enough that this union is the effect of an error, giving the Act a turn (piite onposed to the I'vident intention of the Legislature ; the residt is, that there exists throughout the Ii, to avoid the suit at law, which mi}.'ht have b<'en brou;(ht against them to conqx-l them to pay it, with- drtiw their children from School, or if tliey consented to pay it, it was only on the ex|>ress con- dition that it should be in place of their contribution by subscription or assessment, as the case mij!;ht be, and should ;i;o towarils m ikiii^ up the amoiuit to which they are besides required to contribute, to ecpial the sum due by the locality. It is in this maimer, that in a numlwr of places, the fundamental condition of the Law is tullilled, or rather is literally eluded, and the Schools, and the Masters who diifct them, drn;,' on languidly for want of liln'rid and sufficient means, 'i'he School Commissionei-s renuiiiied then without means, as witliout power. Thcso facts are known to every one, esj)ecially to those whose love and zeal for the instruction of youth have induced them to observe closely the march of events. 'Jlie iMJwer which was given to the School Commissioners, by the 7th and 11th Articles of the 2()th Section of the School Act, to levy on the; inhabitants the sum required by the 27th section, has been taken from them by the.SOtli antl ;t7th Sections, umh'r the authority of which it has apjMircntly devolved on the Kural Municiixdity, and the power of exacting, over and above this sum, the nmoimt of fifteen pence per month, under the authority of the Dth Arti- cle of the 20th Section, exists oidy in so far as the chihlren freracti lllllll^t n liniiiiiii<^ I lli:i i:il Will for tlicii" cliildrcii, it'ii very coiiMidcnildc piirt of flic contribution were not (livof«'u to tin; jiiiy- mnnt oftlic TowiiHliiii nnti County SiiiHTinfcndcntH. Now, it may be generally conclndid tliot of the incnnii nnd the solvency of the jmrents, they will Ik; nlwnys ombnrraRScd in their ducinioM bv e(iM.>er month an; exacted, from those parents who can J)ay it, for each child of age to attend the Schools established. It is equally notorious, that there are localities where the inhabitants are incapable even of raising a sum equal to the Government grant, notwithstanding their good will, and their un- remitting efforts to do so. There are new settlements, and localities among the older ones, where the inhabitants are unable to raise a sum equal to the (iovernment grant, without depriving themselves and their children of even the necessaries of li,e. 1 have visited some of these localities, where the peo- ple are in a state of privation and sulfering truly afHicting. 1 know one of these localities, in the District of Quebec, where there arc not less than 200 families, and in which, since the com- incncement of last winter, children have been put on rations, so as to prolong for them a mis- erable existence. This sad state of things occurs in its worst form, when there is a failure of the potatoe crops, which lm\ e more frequently, and more completely failed in the Lower, than in the Upper Districts of this portion of the I'rovince. 10 The children in these unfortunate parts have, from their very poverty, still more need of instruction than tliose of the lotalitiea wiiure the inhabitants are comparatively more fortunate. The Law, )io\vevcr, is obli;,'atory on all, and the 'iovernment ^^rant uu..-it be equalled, or they must be deprived of this feei)le annual support. The facts which I have just adduced, call for an exception in the conditions of the Law, in favour of the indiff' nt localities where the contribu- tions, being equalled by Government, out of the sum thus accruing to them, might enable the School Commissioners to keep up one good School at least. I think therefore that the Super- intendent should be authorized by Law, to adopt this mode of action, so often as the School Conunissioners should transmit to his office an additional certilicatc to this effect, on the part of the leading men of the locality. The principle of exception, however, wliich I claim in favour of the Indigent localities is al- ready admitted by Law. The 'iTth Section exacts that to be entitled to a share of the grant, a School should be frequented each day by at hiast tilYcen childr'm, excepting in case of an epidemic malady. Ihis, then, is an exception in one case, because the Law conceives the im- possibility of conforming to the rule, luid it appears to mo that in any other case where there might be an equal impossibility to conform to the rule, from the extreme poverty of the inha- bitants, the Law should pennit in their favour the same exception. 7"- The fact is, that the (iovernment Grant, as offered to each locality as part of the ge- neral School Fund, is in all ca.ses insutHcient, and that, seeing the state of difficulty and po- verty in which the greater part of the inhabitants arc found, the interests of Public Instruction require, that the general grant be augmented by some thousands of pounds. I cannot, then, press too warndy on ihe legislative authorities, the adoption of an amendmont so important as that, which would authorize the offering this augmentation to the people of the country. This increase of the grant could not be better employed than in favour of the Model Schools, the Masters of which shoidd have a tixed salary, and one which would secure for the direction of these Schools, well-informed and devoted Teachers. l>y means of the valuable services of these men, able pupils, such as might be vainly sought in other Schools, would be constantly formed, for agriculture and every branch of industry. If, in the coarse of the year, my jjositioi' makes it incumbent on me to follow, and cause to be .^trictly followed, the exigencies of the School Law, I should be happy to have at least the opportunity of being the iulvocate of the poor man, with the constituted authorities, and the solicitor ot whatever he may require f ''c instruction of his family; and I venture to flatter myself, that sooner or lali'r, my feeble vo-ce will be favorably listened to. 8"' Li any case, the Grant of Government vhatever it be, should be made every six months in favour of the localities where the iidiabl'mts may have fulfilled the conditions of the, liaw, and given proof of the same to this office by the Keport of the School Commissioners, and of the Treasurer-Secretary to that effect. The necessities of the Teachers call imjieriously for this measure, especially in view of the moderate sum which is promised them for their ser- vices. I solicit it, then, in a special manner on their behalf, after the expiration of the present . vear. 9° The circumstance of the School Law being only temporarj', has given the opposition a.i additional argtunent, very powerful and even very jilausible for resisting tlic praiseworthy efforts everywhere made by the friends of Public Instruction, to put it into o|)eratiou and ob- tain from it good results. This circumstance, which the experience of the past has proved to us, 'o be always very detrimental to the instruction of tlie peoi)le, has served as a basis for a ti usand diffc-ent specidations in the hands of the opposition ; to hinder and paralyse all that uiiudt Ijo said or done in support of the Law, and in favour of putting it into operation. — The opj >sition told the r.cople, that the law is in truth only a proi)osition to be by them adopted, or rejected Dccr^rdin'g as tlicy might think tit: that the Law, proposed as it is, is arbitrary, ty- vi^nnical, unJMP.. ^^jnvssive, absurd and imjtracticalile, and tluit the most certain means of be- in, . nurciiV.ieci ii. from or of obtaining a mitigatiuu of its conditions, was to oppose its workiii.;^ an^. v raos* [Axt':. a!ul , . ... s lUi ■■'e>\u';'. ' ^' :'• ' "iTth Section ot the Law, to equal tliat which is oti'ered yearly for the Mun]«.ii c* tr.f ■■), lio is )inder the control of the ScIkk)! ('(jnmiissioiiers. Men of standing in fsocietv, :» : -r hixu known to hold jjubliely, at the Church doui\s, tiiis specious langnage to the assembled inhabitants, and to turn them asiile, as far as laj- in their jHnver, from being, as they have always heretofore been docile, to the charitable and patriotic voice of their pastors, and of the other friends of their triie welfare. On tlie other hand, the friends of Education are con- tinually in divad of seeing the fruit of their lal)oursan(l of their sacrifices, annihilated by the expiration of tlie Law, a,s has already unfortunately ha])i)ened in IH'.W, M'hen l,5;i0 SchiX)ls, then in full opei-ation, were for the most part closed and many School Houses fell into ruin for want of means. It is, tliei>jfbix', iXtrenu'ly inqwrtarit to make the existing Act ixjrmanent. 10"- In many hicalities, the S;hool (lommissioners are making great eflbrts for the erec- tion of School llo\ises, and generally with distinguished success, A much greater number, however, would have been built, if the spirit of opposition, (prevalent in certain places,) Jiad not hindei-cd the School Commissioners from acquii'ing lands for serving as sites. In - . it r.ltogether. This reasoning was at first snlhciijntly j)lausible for the !)e(iuired a nev force by the refusal of many Mnnicii)al Councils to levy the \ ^ • r- 11 some cases the inhabitants refused to give or to sell property for this object, antl the interests of instruction have considerably suffered thereby. It would be necessary, therefore, to autho- rize the School Commissioners to take possession of the lands Avhich they might renuire from time to time, for the erection of School Houses, paying for them according to the award of Arbitrators, similarly to Avhat is practised in our towns for other purposes. 1 1" One circumstance Avhich has greatly contributed to i>revent the School Act from working usefully, is that the Commissioners, being elected with the formalities required by law, have the right of remaining in power, even when they do not act, and when reckoning on the inditfercmce or tlic; apathy of the inhabitants, they are themselves opjwsed to the Law, as in many localities has been made apparent. The 4!)th section of the Act, which imposes a certain penalty on School Commissioners refusing or neglecting to execute the duties of the honorable charge confided to them, is of no effect in localities where the inhabitants are indifferent, apathetic, or reluctant, since they have the power of electing whomsoever they please, to be School Commissioners, and thus of eluding the 1-aw. For these • oasons, and others, the power given the Governor under the authority of the 1 1th Section, siiould be, in my opinion, applicable also to the above mentioned circumstances or cases, otherwise it is possible that the Law may be eluded in some places, and the poor children may continue to be the unhappy victims of the inactivity of the local authorities. The possibility of one sole locality falling into this condition, would be sufficient to necessitate a similar enactment in the School Law. 12"- The right of exacting from the Seigniors, the fortieth part of the sum required by the I^aw, has been also the cause of great difficulty in the working of the School Act, and has even stopped it altogether, when in other respects matters seemed favorable. The Seigniors in many places have refused to pay this fortieth part, or have opposed the right of assessing tiieir mills, and in case of persistanc on the part of the local authorities to exercise this right, some Seigniors, profiting by che ambiguity of the Law, with reference to the power of levying the sum required by ass'jPSiuent on immovable property, have opposed cverj'thing, and everything there is in suspense. I have, however, the satisfaction of being able to observe here, to the praise of some Seig- niors, friends of Education, that not only have they most willingly submitted to all the requi- sitions of the School Law, but also, that they have courageously taken the lead, and borne an active part in all the proceedings of the local authorities, aiding them by their contributions and tlieir advice, for the proper working of the Law; and the results of their efforts have been as beneficial to the public welfaiv, as honorable to themselves. How desirable it weix', that every- where, after the example of these worthy Seigniors, those in an elevated position should thus unite the weight of their fortune, their wealth and their influence, to the otiier means proper for securing the usefid ojieration of the Education Act. However this be, it is certain that the re(iuisition of the one- fortieth aforesaid, from the Seignioi-s, independently of their share of contribution, in proportion to the value of their real property, will always excite itmonstrances, and perhaps also much confusion ia the well- work- ing of the School Act. Hesides, the more easy the means of making up the required sum, the more prompt, regular and certain, will be this working of the School Act, in itself so desira- ble. — 1 believe, then, that, to simjilify the proceedings, and silence every kind of claim, it would be more advantageous to Public Instruction, to repeal entirely that part of the Law which ex- acts from the Seigniors one-fortieth of the sum required by tlie 27th Section, indei^en- tlently of their contributions under general provisions of the School Act. \i\"- J Jut there is another procedure, which, in certain places, has also excited many claims and much discontent ; that is, the assessment on projierties consecrated o :*^ligious iniqioscs, and even to education. Whenever I have been consulted on tiiis subject, 1 have thought it my duty to advise the local authorities to exempt thesi! properties from the general assessment; those of the first kind should br> considered sacred, and those of tlie second, as destined and at present enqiloyed daily for the jiuriioses of education. 1 Iwlieve, then, that for these reasons, and many concomitant ones, the Legislature should excTupt these kinds of real jii-operty from the otherwise gen<.'ral action of the School Laws. W'ithout this exemption there may result profanations in the first case, and in the second, a discouragement which would operate to the detriment, of Ivlucation. 14" Two circumstances in particular, which were inevitable at the outset of the operation of the present School Act, have contributed, as nuich as any tiling else, to embarrass, to retaixl, even to prevent its well-working: — one is the universally too great number of School Connnia- sioners elected or named undei- tiie authority of the Law, and the other is the paucity of well instructed and devoted men among them. I iiave always been of opinion tliat a literary qualification for School Commissioners is necessary for the well-working of an Act of Kleinentary Education, and that the too grent numlier of Commissioners serves rather to embarrass than to facilitate its progress, and the experience of this year has gre'atly contributed to confirm me in this opinion, which I have formed after observations made, through a number of years, on this subject. 12 Under the operation of tlic Educationnl Acts passed, at various times, in the Lower Canada I'ai'liainciit, the nmnber of Scliool Conimissioncvs lias never exceeded five, and, in the last of tiiese Acts, whicli e.\i)ired on the first of ^lay, IS.'KJ, it had been reduced to three only. Now it is universiilly known, that there was then more harmony and more uniformity in the local execution of the School Acts. These Laws, it is true, did not ejcact any literary quali- fication for the School Commissioners, iuid this defect soon made itself felt. IJut, by limitinn; the number of the School Commissioners to three, ov at most to iWo, the choice was generally made to fall on fit and proper persons, whose administration was not embarrassed by the blind intervention of iiica]ialile persons. The great eiiibarni.ssment of which the toogreatnumber of School Conmiissioners without instruction has lnvn the ciaise, has often degenerated into insurmountable obstacles in the local administration of the Schools under their control, and has contributed not a little to dis- gust tlie members ol tlie cle,gy who fi)und themselves associated, by the Law, with such men. Some members of the clergy have found tliemsehes, by the force of circumstances, in a eontinuiil dilenmui, that it is to .siy, eitlier conij)elled to resign their charge as School Com- missioners, witliout liiiving liy the law the right of doing so, or to rei'use to take part in l)roceediiigs which might comin-omise tliem, and thus to expose themselves, in cither case, to the penalty imposed by tlie 4L)th ccfion. I'nder the authority of an enactment of the law, (which is found in the last part of the loth Section, in place of lieing where it ought naturally to be, in the Tith,) the Cure or the resident ^linister of the most numerous religi(Mis denoniination, is of right a Sciiool Commis- sioner. This enactment of the Law has excit d many apjieals, jiartly from the people who, in certain cases, complained of being disfranchised b\- the imposition of men who M-cre made School Commissioners without their concurrence, and partly from the members of the clergy themselves, who, under certain disagreeable circumstances, complained that the liaw imposes on them, Avithout their consent, a charge, the duties of which are difiicult, sometimes even impossible to fulfil usefully, and which tliey must nevertheless fiilfil fiiithfully, under pain of the fine which ma}' be imposed on them at the instance of any contributor to the local School Fund. 1 believe, tiiat if, from regard to the interests of Public Instruction, the Legislature thinks fit better to insure, by a particular enactnu'iit of the Law, the iiiii>ortant services of devoted and worthy men among the members of the Clergy, without their previous consent to co-operate and put it in operation, they should have ihe right of resigning their charge, without on that account exposing themselves to any penalty, unless they have been elected with, and at the same time as the other School Coinini^sioners. 15"- TIr! 2nd Section of tiie School Act gives to the minority of the inhabitants of each locality professing a ditferent religious creed from that oftiie majority, the right of separating therefrom and of electing Trnstec.'s to take the diretrtion of the l)issentient Schools. IJut the exercise of this riglit does not do|)ri\e tliein of that of voting at the election of the School Commissioners for the same locality, and the Dis'^iMitients ha\iiig, in certain cases, tliought fit to avail themselves thereof, serious iiieoinenieiiccs have thus .i-.'i.ieii. It lias ha])peiied also, that the Sciiool Commissioners, having been elected Trustees of Disser.tifiit Schools, have con- tinued to occupy their ])lace among the other Sciiool Commissioners, which is not certainly in accoixlance with tlie motives wliich tlie Law imputes to tliem in separating I'rom the majority, nor with the principles Mhieh siK)ul(l (lir( ( t their action towards an opposite end. 1 think therefore, that it is most important that the liei'i iiibefore cited Section should be amended, so that the Dissentients should not have the j)ower of voting at the election of School Commis- sioners, nor be themselves School Coniinissioners f(jr the same localit}', and that the scat of a School Commis>iuner become disseiitii-'ut should be /j'.^o fncfn vacated. In the same wav, the inhabitants of the majority should nut ^"ofe at the election of the School 'J'rustees, nor have the jjowerof being themselves Trustees of Dissentient Schools. Some I)issentients having furnished to the local School l-'uiid, by assessment on their real propertv, a larger sum than that \\hieh would have fallen due to them according to the num- ber oi' their i)opulatiun, under the ])i'ovisions of tin.' Section above cited, com[>lain of this re- sult, v.hich tliey consitler as an exacticjii. Altlioiigh the princijile of the Law is tooblige the more fortunate inhabitants to contribute to the niciiiis oi' giving instruction to the children of those who arc less fortunate, because Education is not merely a jier.sonal good, but also, a good comniun to all, it being considered that it should nujre or less profit all members of societv; still, to silence all claims of this iciiid on the part of the Dissentient, it is tobe considered whe- ther, in the e\eiit of the iiartieular case to \\liieli 1 allude, the minority should have by law the right of claiming the entire amount of their contribution, with a part of the grant made for the support (jf the Scliools of the locality, acc(jrding to the number of its jiopulation com- pared with that of the inhabitants of the majority, and n'lC rcrya. 10" The L'oth Section of the Education Act gives iir;iliedly to the School Commission- ers of each locality the [lower of seleitiiig the books iiiteiid<'d for the use of the Schools under their control. But the manner in which the boily (jf Commissioners 1 . often comjiosed, does not give the parents u sufiicient guarantee that the books will be well selected, especially as / 13 regnrds monility and religion. It is, however, extremely importnnt, in the selection of the books, not only to exercise care and prudence, but also, to have sueli learning and information onthis point ns not to incur the danger of being Konietimes grossly dec(.'ived. Now the ^lem- bers of the ("lergy possess, from th' ir station, the information nc(;essary for this purpose. It is, then, very dcsu-able that, as concerns religion and morals, the Clergy of each religious de- nomination should have by law the exclusive right of making, for the use of their Schools, the selection of the books which are specially connected with religion and morals. I cannot, there- fore, be too ui'gent in reconunending the I.egislature to add to the present School Law this enactment, which eminently concerns "ach religious denomination, and the public morals. 17"- The Fourth Article of the 2Uth Section of the School Act, concludes by giving the School Connni.ssioners a power, which is certainly too arbitrary as respects the Teachers, that of " removing theni at their pleasure," a power, the use of which is thus indiscreetly entrust- ed in the hands of Commissioners without information, and sometimeseven under the intluenco of the party spirit which has ])resi(U'd at their I'llection, has been the cause of much trouble, discouragement, and alarm among well ({ualiiied Teachers, who feel all the importance and saerediiess of the mission with which they are charged. They shoidd, without doubt, be sub- ject to the control of the local authority: but this authority should itself be subjected to rules which would prevent its becoming arbitrary and imjust towards a class of men whose services are so valuable. The enacMnents of the Law should, on the contrary, tend to elevate them in the public opinion, and to place them in that distinguished position which they should occupy among their fellow men and in good society; otherwise, they cannot make, on the intellect and the heart of their scholars, otlier than a feeble impression. Kespectable and trustwortiiy Teachers arc not generally, as yet, either sufficiently numer- ous, or sufliciently permanent, solely because they do not, in the course of their teaching meet with sufficient consideration or means of existence befitting their station. It is probable, how- ever, that ))y means of a Legislation more liberal in itself, and more consonant with what is needed in this resy)ect, moral and well-informed young people, would willingly consecrate themselves to Tuition, and that every day would thus sec an increase of the number of good Teachers, who would give proofs of their /cal, devotion and steadiness, whenever they might find encouragement. I believe, then, that to jircvent any arbitrary conduct towards the Teach- ers, it is necessary to enact that the School Commissioners shall not have the power of dis- missing them, except on account of incapacity, negligence, insubordination, or immorality, established by an inipiiry before the l)ody of the assembled Commissioners. IH"' The means of i-aising the Teachers in the ])ublic opinion, is to establish for their qualification, Boards of Examiners, similar to those which exist elsewhere, and especially in New Urunswick. This is also tlie means of giving to teaching the character and perma- nence of a ])rofession, of a fixed station, offering its Members a guarantee of the considera- tions and resources which they require. This guarantee, by encouraging the Teachers to re- main each at his jxjst, woidd assure their activity, their steadiness, and their devotion to the task imposed on them. This guarantee of fitting considerations, and resources in teaching, would also serve as a powerful attraction for our well-informed youth, who, on leaving our Colleges and our public Schools, seek to find, exclusive of profession, already too crowded, some kind of employment analogous to their education, their taste, and their vocation. It cannot be concealed, that without this guarantee, teaching will never be either sufficiently im- portant, or sufliciently useful. Hut having already spoken siifticiently at lengt'- in my Report of 1812, (page S, itscij.,) of the Boards of llxaminers, Iwill confine myself to bringing under the notice of tiic Lfgislature, the maimer in which, in my opinion, these Hoards should be compos- ed and established, with their powers and privileges. The lioanU of I'.xaminors might be named, as the School Commissioners are, under the authority of the eleventh Secti(i;i of the existing Law; they might be composed of fourteen active ^lemhers, and in accordniiee with tlie principles of the fort}'-lirst Section, that is to say, seven Komau Catiiolics and seven Protestants, forming two distinct and separate Boards, each with the same jjrivileges, the same powers, and the same duties, to fulfil separatelv ; five forming a (juoniui with the Cliairman, who, in case of an equal di\isiun of votes, should liave a casting vote. These IJoards might be established in the Cities of Montreal iind Quebec, only, where considei'ing the facility of cointnnnication which there is at present with those Cities, they would amply sutlic(> all exigencies, at least for the present. The duties of the Hoards of Ivxaininers would be : — 1". To meet once in every three months, on tiie requisition of oik^ or more Candidates for teaching given to the Secretarv at least fifteen days beforehand : — 2". To admit to examination those Candidates only, who shall eacli be pro\ ided M'itli a Certificate of age, and of moral character, signed by the cure or minister of his religious faith, and by at least three School Commissioners of 'the locality, where he may have resided for the last six months : — .'5'*. To return the said Certificate to the bearer, after having taken an authentic copy of it, to bo entered in the Kegister of Delibera- tions, in case the examination terminates favorablv : — 4". To deliver Diplomas or Certificates of capacity for teaching to each successful Candi(late, signed by the Chairman and Secretary, mentioning distinctly the particulir kind of Tuition to which the Candiu/ite devotes himself, 14 mentioning also, that the Cortilicates of moral cliaructur and of nge, required by liiu', have been exhibited to the Board, and inentioiiing besides the names whieli they bear, i.nd that a copy thereof has been taken by tli:,' Secretary or his sid)stitute : — T)". To deliver in like man- ner to each siieeessful Candidate, a Diploma or Ccrtilieate of ((ualifieation for teaching, for the sum of five shillings, payable to the Secretary, or to his Deputy, for all otHce costs and fees : — 6". To keep a faitiiful list of Candiilates admitted to teach ; — 7". To give, after each meeting, infonnation of the admissions thereat, to the Supi'riiitendeiit, within hftcen days of their date: — 8". To divide the licensed 'i'eacliei's into thive classes, — that is to say; those of the luluca- cational Establishments, termctl Acadeinies; those of Model Schools; and those of Schotils j)urely Elementary: — 'J". To ilesignate in the ("crtilicate of admission, and in the h'cgisti'r, the num- ber of Teachers admitted, to teach by numbers, as also the class to which they belong: — 10°. To exact, during the I'.xamlnation, proof of the following (jualifications, — That is to sa)'; for the Teachers of Academies, all the br.inchi's of a Classical Education, bei'ause they are destined to prej)are Scholars for the same ; lur the 'i'eacliers of Model Schools, qualifications sutKcient to enable them to teach Avith success, reading, writing, graimnar, the analysis of the parts of speech, arithmetic in all its branches, book-kee|)ing, geography, the use of the glebes, linear drawing, the elements of mensuration, comjKJsition, especially as applied to the I'"pistolary Art. For the Teachers of JClementary Schools, all that is re(|uii'ed to enable them to teach witli success, reading, writing, thv elements of grannnar, and of geograi)hy, antl arithmetic, at least as far as the liule of Three, inclusive. The existence and operation of the Hoard of Examiners would .serve as a means of intro- ducing respectable Teachers, who doubtless, would not fail to avail themselves of it. since those among then\ v. ho h;i\e the spirit of their calling and can appreciate the importance of their station, ai'C already making such praisewortiiy efforts to make themselves useful and to raise Teaching in the public estimation, by forming themselves into Associations, which pro- mise to be of great advantage, both to society, and to themselves. The operation of the ISoards of I-]xaminers, would also ser\c' as a ]>rotection for efficient Teachers, against that troop of incapabks, who, up to the i)resent time, have incir il)ered EIc- meiitiuy Tuition, to the great detrinieiit of instruction. Ihit to the end that the oj)eration of the lioards of I'lxamincrs may obtain these so desira- ble results, it would be necessary that, after a certain luunber of years, the School Commis- sioners should no longer be at liberty to employ, as Teachers, men who are unprovided with Certificates of qualilication and good moral character, as above mentioned. 'I'liis would be the means of producing everywhere sacrifices and eiibrts on the part of Teachers, to conform themselves to the Law in tliis resj)ect, tor the purpose of passing or preparing to pass the Examination, and on the part of Schopl Commissioners to procure Teachers furnished with Diplomas, in preference to others, or to devise means for procuring Teachers of this kind, at least by the time required by Law. The mere existence of these Boards would be a powerful means of creating and maintaining enudation everywiiei-e. But not to exclude innnediateh-, from the post which tluy occu])y, old Teachers incapa- ble of passing or even of preparing to pass an Ivxamination, or to restrain those Teachers who arc yet }oung, and who may by their api>lication to study, qualify themselves for jiassing a good Examination, — or to expose the School Conunissioners to a defect of Teacliers for the Elementary Schools, it is important to postjione the period at which these latter will be requir- ed, to employ only those Teachers who are admitted by the ISoards to a date somewhat distant, say 185(), the Boards continuing their operation in other respects from the present time to that period. And further, iiot to humiliate needlessly those who must already of mcessity jKxs.sess all the requisite ({ualilications for instruction, nor to subject candidates of tlu' li'niale sex to an undue rigoui-, I wi;nlil pre. pose that, evei-y priest; minister, ecclesiastic, or jiei'son foi'nung part of a teaching religious body, shoidd \i<\ li\- the iiict itself, exenqit from undergoing an i'lxam- ination, as well as all persons of the iiiuale sex (even when they ilo not belong to a teaching I'cligious liody): th.ese latter being subjected only to tiie examination of the School Commis- sionners of tlie I'arish or Township where tluy are to teach. In all cast?, it must be most (iistinetly understood, tiait on the arrival of the period when the School C('mmis.-.ioTiers shall be confined to the 'J'eachers admitted by the Board of ICxamin- ers, they shall be bound only to the class, iiiid never to the indi\ilicatcd tiie means of operation, and this fact, joined to a thousand others resulting therefrom, makes tiie two Acts incomi)atible. it is, then, very important to emancipate at oii;^e, the School .Act from the Act erecting Municipalities, for it is certain tliat tliey will never beable to work well together. Tiie o[)eration of the Municipal Act is generally subject to (oo niuny p ilitieal considerations, to too many conflicting interests ; and the School Act, to have a certain result, slionld be alisolutely inde- pendent of »\\ infiuenc(! of this kind. I have always, for these reasons, been of opinion, that the union of these two Acts is incoinpatible with the well working of the School Act, and a second and very sad experience, has impressed upon nie a conviction, which is doubtless shared by many others, 'f here is not an amendnient on Avhicli, as concerns public instruction, I believe it my duty to insist with more firmness, than that by which the School Act shall be rendered independent of every other Law. The I'.ducational Acts, the operation of which is so regular and so ett'ective in the I'nited States, are absolutely independent of all other Laws. 20". There are Parishes in which villages lia\'e been erected as separate and distinct Muni- cipalities for Municipal ])urposes, and in this case, it has hajipened that inhabitants of Village Municipalities, availing theniselv's of the second Section of the School Act. have, in the middle of the Scholastic }ear, claimed the power of electing Scliool t'ominissioners for them, and of acting in(lei)enpointing School Commissioners to act in place of th(jse wlio, having been elected, shall not act. 12"- To exempt the seigniors from paying the "iOth of the sum required by the Law to equal the grant of the (iovernment. I.")"- 'I'll exempt from assessment, the real property consecrated to religious purposes or to IMiicatioii. 14"- To give t(j the Members of the Clergy, who are Commissioners of right by the law, the power of resigning their charge, when they have not been elected by the peo[)le. W'- Not termit the ScIkioI ('ommissinners to dismiss 'I'cachers, exce])t for incapacity, negligence, insuboi'diiiation. misi'onduct or iniiiioridity, ascertained alter eiKpiiiy. 18" To establisli Jioanls of Lxamiiiers for the admission of 'J'eaeliers to tlie right of act- ing as such. lit"- To separate the School Act from the .Act regulating the I'ural Municipalities. 20"- Not to ])crinit the iniiabitaiits of the \'iilage .Municipalities to have School Commis- sioners separate and distinct from those of the Parish or Township. K'iiig Sciiool ('(iiiiniissioiuTs, for (lie S'hools of the inhaliitants inr to tlie latter tiie riglit of voting at the (.'lection of the School li 17 in. Tlicro lire also viiriuiis iiintttTs Imviii;,' reference to Public Instruction, Avhicli. though in nppeanince of a less [ircssin;; nature, arc not less important, and do not the less require tlie intervention of the l.cjfislature ; tiiese are: 1" Tiie County Aeadeniies; L'"- The Xonnal Schools: H" A Deaf and I^unib School: 4"' The uniformity of tiie books in use in th'.' Schools: 5"' Teaehinfj the elementary principles of Ilorticultun! and Agrictdture in the principal Schools of the ("ountry: <)"' A Journal of JMucation. — Tiiesc! diffciH'iit subjects merit each a particuhir consideration and develo[)nient, whicii I cannot tniction of the Tt'achers might b(> employed in pro- curing for them, the works of some of the authors who*iia\c written on in»tructioii, and espe- cially on mutual instruction. This maimer of prepai'ing Teachers, and of perfecting those who arc already initiated in teaching, would perhaps be [ireferable to tlie Normal Schools, and that for many reasons: !"■ Because it vould be less expensive: 2" I'ecause it would offer means of instruction to u greater number of individuals: ;>" IJecause it would create and keep up more emulation in pri- mary instruction: 4"' Because it would ward off the inconveniences which might result from 18 the rc'liftious instruction of the scliolars in the Normal Schools. For, by this manner of self- instruction, each would be at lilx'rty to attend the lulucutional Establishment or Establishments of his religious creed. The offer, however, of contributing thus to the instruction of the Teachers might still be made even if Normal Seliools were establi-ihed for the same object; but in casethe l^cgislature might think lit to establisli tiiem, it is my lunnble opinion, that, for tlie satisfaction of tiic scho- lars, as well asof their i)arent8 and the public, the Normal Schools should each be divided into two distinct and separate branches, one exclusively for Protestants and the other for Komau Catholics. .')" A Deaf and Dumb School has already existed in the coiuitry, and has been disconti- nued for want of means, for pupils Avere never wanting. It obtained, however, a success whicli, were there no other considerations, would ot itself, be a powerful motive to continue its oi)eration, even if the number of tliat class of Rid)jects, for whom it was intended, were not sutHcient to induce the Leijislature, in its benevolence, to provide ctfective means for givinjf instruction to ibis interestmg portion of our fellow subjects. One Bchool of tliis kind might in this respect satisfy the wants of liie deaf and dumb of all parts of tlie Province, and it would be easy to procure among us Teachers wlio have gone through their probation in this mode of teaching, both in Englisli and French, in a very honorable and satisfactory manner. I have frequently visited witii a lively interest, when I was Member of Parliament, the School of these skilful Teachers at (Quebec, and examined their pupils in divers branches of praeticiil instruction and on the principles of Christian morality, and I have always been ex- ceedingly well satisfiedwitii the ingenious mode of instruction of these Masters and of the progress of their scholars. These facts are so many motives, supplying what perhaps was wanting in the others, to induce the liCgislature to re-establish, on a looting for the benefit of the deaf and dumb of the whole Province, a Sciiool which tiie Legislature of the former Province of Lower Canada Jiad so well conunenced, and I believe it my duty to draw its attention to this sub- ject. ■1" Nothing can be more advantageous to the progress of children than uniformity of teaeliing in Schools, and nothing can more eft'ectively further this instruction, than uniformity in tlie books in use in the Sciiools; nor is tiiere anything more desirable than uniformity in the School books. Nothing, however, is more common than to see books of all kinds on the same subject in our Schools, and it cannot be disguised timt this circumstance produces much delay in Sciiools, and great expense for the jiarents, not only because tiiese latter are thus obli- ged to procure more frequently for the'i children, books which are soon thrown aside to make room for others on the same subject, but uho because the children, retarded in their studies by these frequent changes of books, are under the necessity of attending School for a nmch longer time to acquire the same amount of information. From these considerations, it is easy to coin])rehend that a slight contribution made by the inhabitants of the locality to place the School Commissioners in a cond 'ion to procure unifoiin books for the children of all Schools under their control, would Ijc ii leaiisboth more regular and more economical. It would also be an easy means of jirocuriiiL', hy slow degrees, for tile children of the poor as well as of the rich, the books whicli they re([iiire : tliis would be a very great advantage, for it may be said, that children are often in want of books in Schools, either because the parents neglect to procure tlicm, or because tiiey have not the means of so doing. The Educational Law passed in 1841, contained an admirable enactment in this particular: it authorised the local authorities to levy each year on the inhabitants the sum of £10 for the purchase of books. It would be desirable that this very enactment should be intnjduced into the present Education Act. It would be, perhaps, the means of placing the .School Commission- ers ill a condition to commence, with this small fund. Parish Lihcaries, the want of which is ever\ where so sensibly felt. Thi'in; Libraries would be a means of instruction both economical, commodious, certain, and powerful, under tiie direction of the School Commissioners, and much more so under the direction of the local Clergy ; and, therefore, I have made it my duty on the present occasion, to recommend their establishment. j" Agriculture is everywhere considered as the principal source of existence of a civi- lized people, because Agricultural products supply each day their immediate wants, and serve to keep up the Commerce whicli brings them, in exchange, articles of necessity, of taste, and of convenience. Our climate and soil, are peculiarly favorable to Agriculture ; but AtIcuI- tural knowledge is here yet in its infiiney. It is, tiien, of the first iin])ortaiice, in a country like ours, essentially Agricultural, to inculcate its principles in the rising generation, and this might easily be done by means of our Model .S.'lioois, our Academies, and our Colleges. With this view, there might be introduced, into these Educational l-lstablishments a small treatise on Horticulture and Agi'iculture, in the form of a Catechism, for example. TIk; venerable and hiniented M. Perrault, in liis Treatise on Agriculture, recommends tiiat a farm should be at- tached, for each County at least, to a Model School, where Agriculture might be theoretically and practically taught to the scholars. After his plan, arranged with much judgment, the students would themselves perform all the farm-work, besides instructing themselves in the 19 ■lHTII il other branches of Eleinentury Instruction. It is to be regretti-d that his truly patriotic x'u'wn have not as yet been carried out. I have, for a length of time, made it my duty to recommend the Teachers to teach th«' elementary principles of Agriculture, and to practise Horticulture at least, by means of a gar- den cultivated under their auspices by their students : but, unfortunately, everything is want- ing to them for tliis so dcsiraulc course of instruction ; Land, in the first place, is wanting, and also, a small treatise on this subject, condensed so as to be suited to the comprehension of children. 6" The want of a Journal of I'Mucation has been for a long time felt in the country. In fact, a .Journal of tiiis kind wo\dd be of great utility to Public Instruction, by serving as a particular organ through which the Suiicrinteiidcnt might communicate witii the School Com- missioners and the Teachers. The nature of the duties of these two imi^rtant classes of men devoted to the education of youth, demands it. They would lind it an easy means of instruct- ing themselves daily on matters of a general nature, which might be thus addressed to theni through the instrumentality of the press. It would be the means of avoiding much corres- pondence, much trouble, and considerable e.\ix.'nse for postage of letters. The School Law, or an abstract of the School Law, and the explanations wliieli some of its clauses might require, tiie circulars connected therewith, notices and brief forms, general instructions either to the School Conunissioners, oi- to the \'isitors, or to the Teachers, or to those having to contribute to the local Schoo' Fund, a list of .school books recoirnnended, ex- tracts from the best authors avIio have written on tlie different modes of instruction, disserta- tions on the different branches of practical and moral instruction, proceedings of Associations of Teachers, such proceedings of School Commissioners as might be generally interesting, a list of the Teachers admitted, from time to time to practise teaching, by the Hoards of Exa- miners, the j)roceedings of these Boards, the account of tlie Public Kxaminations of the Schools, the cfemands for situations by Teachers, and those for Teachers by Scliool Commis- sioners, observations which enlightened friends of Education might think proper to make on the operation of tiie School Act, a review or criticpie of works having reference to Public Instruction, which might be published or imported into the country, the whole either in Eng- lish or French as the case might be, and without any jwlitical or religious consideration : — such arc the various subjects which might be introduced into a riournal of Education. A Journal of this kind might be published once a month, and the number of copies might be sufHcient to enable one of them to be sent to the School Commissioners of each Purish or Township, and another for the use of the Teachers of the Schools under their control, without their being subjected to any expense or outlay. A similar Journal is published in several of the United States, and that of the State of New York might serve as a model of the kind. It is the vehicle of communication between the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is the ostensible Editor, and those who arc called to take part in the execution of the School Law, and it is tlms a direct and certain means of intercourse, as advantageous as it is easy. The peculiar interest which a Journal of Education would everywhere excite for the in- struction of youth, the more easy means which it would give of procuring for the latter so great a blessing, the great advantages infallibly accruing to those in a condition to make use of it ; in a word, the progress and perfecting of the art of instruction, which it would so power- fully advance, by enabling each to act with regularity, certainty, and uniformity, all these things, I say, are so many strong considerations which may induce the Legislature to make » snjall grant for this purpose. IV. I believe it my duty to lay before the Legislature, Statistical Returns, showing the num- ber of Schools wiiicli were in operation in 1844, and during the first six months of 1845, respectively, the number of children wlio attended them, the amount of monies paid to the Teachers by the i)arents of the children, and the amount allowed in favour of the Schools out of the public fund, so that the present condition of education in this country may be seen at a glance. Tliese tables, wliich are subjoined, are but a summary of what has been paid in each of the twenty-four Municipal Districts created in 1840, between which I was required, in accordance with the School Act 4 and 5 Vict., chap. 18, to divide that part of the £50,000 accruin;? to Lower Canada. The whole nevertlieless humbly submitted. (Signed,) J. B. MEILLEUR, S.E. Education Ofkick, MotUreal, 15 ,)(jL'l i;u7 .')(<)!) ;!()(( 1 1020 loot) .•(.•.1)1 2."..)() .■t()(iS 702 lOtil s.^nti 2:.js S, li.M.l Total, I (il ();)() I (Hi r,:\ 11 lOH II.-. 1.-. 70 .-.1 110 HI 111 IIH 90 .■(I ;!:) (iS lis •)!) in (i2 IHII .. i 21 AlllKIHIl |)lMit l>i (III TrmlnrH liv till' litluiltilnt)t«. 2,.-.7<) I,1U 2.VI l,.-!;t!) ;i;)f) l.,i:iH 1 ,0(i,) 2.2H(i 2.1.-..1 1, 701 .■;ho •4.7(m 2.o;ii (it!) (i!)l 2,;i.>i 1,210 :!,2H7 i,i.-.r. 072 OH;t i,2;!7 1.001 £37,278 10 10 ;i 17 f> I 17 10 :) 2 19 1 9 3 1.) 6 11 19 1 1 .1 1 >J. ■H 9 Hi 10 ')l n 3 .\llKlUllt uIIi.vmmI |lic Fund. MUNICirAL DISTUICTS. Beaiili.nrnoij, Bortliier, Bonaventiirc Chaudiiro, Dorchester, Gnspe Kamouraska LeinMer, Missi^qniii, Montreal, Nicolet, Portneiif, Quebee, Kiciielieii, Rimouski, Saguenay, Sherbrouke St. Ilyaeilitlie,... St. Joliii's, St. Tlii)ina> Sydenliani Terrelidnne, Three-Kivi rs, ... Two Mountaina,, 6 u4 3907 1H(I7 377 2.-.I.J 4.Jl 2012 •s.\r,r, 401 1 2.';o;i 322.) 1177 .■-ISO 2991 1209 1219 .■;907 2117 .'■) lOH .WIS .■;(i7 11. 12 2!()S 2(i30 SrJHM U. 1 i ? 1- 3 ^ 1 i HI 2 -.2 *) 12 *.. 90 o 82 1 1 • 13 • •• GO • • ■ r,n 2 119 73 • • • 100 1 41 • .. ll.-i 1 S2 1 39 *■• 37 ... 13(i ... 01 o 141 2 93 22 32 54 ■ • . 81 ... 1722 i.'i Amount pniil tn the Tciu'lu-rs I»y tlio IiilialntanU. X S. 1,470 17 018 8 172 6 071 1 cm 16 167 9 729 1 Ol.i o 977 18 800 17 9.51 17 3.S2 U 1,92.5 16 1,072 3 346 6 44.5 2 9S.5 11 .568 14 1,828 6 748 19 217 19 3H3 00 t 11 809 1 8,1.51 12 8| 5 1 10.L M 4 4 4 8 7i 10' 3 4i 9' it 4 h;, 9'j 8J 3" Aiiiniint nllnweil to ■uoh DiHtrict nut of iliu I'ubliu Fund. £ 778 490 101 .528 .50 4 1.50 .508 ,513 484 719 720 309 1,0.52 82J 282 29.5 471 436 1,334 603 122 324 472 611 0,>| £12.713 1 16 11 15 17 15 18 11 2 8 12 9 II II I 13 1 (> 9 5 11 1 16 II (i 5 10,i 2 lof 1 1 'l 8 5 4i 101 io| 9^ 11 3 c Monlreuh — I'linted bv LovLi.i, & UllisoN. mmmmtfmj n '.^ r-