882£ .^ ^,-^.^....^ ^ - . . -^ ->.■... „^ — ^ --■■._ -.-.^-^-. ®L EDUCATIONAL STATEMENT :-<^.'.'.'Av--.?'B-^''' ' Y \t- . *'■'■■■,, -■', :'■ THE HON. AQAM CROOKS, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, On moving the ESTIMATES bor 1880, IN COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY, HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. TORONTO: C. B. ROBINSON, PARLIAMENTARY PRINTER. 1880. c±=r" — ♦- — - — — i:dI 2882 e klilf- EDUCATIONAL STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, ON MOVING THE ESTIMATES FOR 1880, IN COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY, HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. • * ft • • 'y^\:. \ TORONTO: C. B. ROBINSON, PARLIAMENTARY PRINTER. 1880. ' ■* . • • f » • • • • ' »• • . • 4 1 / • ■• • • • • "* • • • <• ■' STATEMENT THE HONOURABLE ADAM CROOKS, MINISTER OF EDUCA TION (ONTARIO), ON MOVING THE EDUCATION ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR 1880. Mr. Chairman, — In moving the appropriations for the Educa- tional Service for the year 1880, 1 desire to state that last session I gave a very full summary of the distinguishing principles of our Educational System and its cost, and also explained the different heads of expenditure, and endeavoured to justify that expendi- ture. I do not propose, therefore, to occupy now any of the ground which I went over on that occasion. In order that eyery- one, as far as possible, should understand the principles to which much of the success of our Educational System is attributable, I had those speeches printed in pamphlet form, together with a summary of the amendments which were made in the School Law in 1879. I regret that it has not been possible for me in my Annual Report to bring down the operations of the Department to a later period than a year previous to the meeting of Parliament. A large portion of that Report consists of statistical information furnished by the different school inspectors and school corpora- tions, and could not therefore be brought down to a more recent date. However, quite sufficient appears in the Report of 1878 to enable us to understand that, in the practical working out of these distinguishing principles of our system, there is much to afford grounds for satisfaction. In concluding my Report for 1878, I mention that many of the results of that year had been influenced by the amendments made to the School Law in 1877, and by the regulations which followed. But, as I state in my Report, we shall K^OfH 4 STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. require the experience of 1879, and in fact of 1880, before we can fully appreciate the extent or consequences of these amend- ments. But, in the course of the remarks which I intend to offer, it will be seen, from the particulars which I will give of the practical operations connected with my department during the year 1879, that further changes of an important character have been effected. But even if we have nothing further to rely upon than what the Report of 1878 places us in possession of, we will find sufficient to sho^' that our Educational System is still in a course of progress, and that there has been no falling off in those essential features which are destined to ensure its permanent success. When we have to deal with the financial aspect of the case, it will be seen that, while there has been a decrease in the expenditure of 1878 as compared with 1877, it has chiefly been on capital account, and that there has been no diminution in that important item, the expenditure for teachers' salaries. In the next place it will be seen that there has been a gratifying increase in the average attendance of pupils in the schools, and instead of the expense per capita being on the increase, the tide has turned the othe'' way. When I had the honour of addressing the House last session, while I pointed cut that the expense per capita of educating pupils in our Public Schools, was lower than the cost per capita which prevails, either in the best^ educational States, of the American Union, or in England or Scotland, yet at the same time I then said, what I am now prepared to emphatically repeat,, that the success of the great question of national education de- pends, not only upon the efficiency of all its appliances, but also, upon its being economical. The ratepayers of the Province have most cheerfully from time to time assumed the large burden* which, by direct taxation, are imposed upon them for the educa- tion of their children. But there is a limit, and hence it became necessary to apply those reasonable checks which I introduced in the Act of 1879. I have no reason to regret having taken that course. The result, I think, has been a more satisfactory feeling throughout the country — a feeling that the ratepayers, whose money it is, should be allowed some liberty in deciding for them- selves without the pressure of that dictation which formerly to some extent prevailed. " ' ' -'^-/-''-^r-i^X' z^' / ■ STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. 5 I will now explain the practical working of our system in the year 1878, and it will be seen that large amounts of money have been cheerfully raised by the ratepayers ; that the general attendance of pupils has been satisfactory ; and that economy has also characterized it. I will illustrate this by some comparisons with the experience of other communities. It will be seen from the Report that our school population is large, as compared with the general population of the Province. Every child between the ages of five and twenty-one has the right of attending our schools free. While the school population between the ages of five and sixteen amounted in the year 1878 to 492,360, the num- ber within such ages attending the Public Schools was 467,433, while the number between the ages of five and twenty-one, who so attended, was 489,015. The result is an average -attendance of 224,588, or, in other words, a larger percentage than the records of the Department have previously shown, viz., 45y^^ per cent., and being a larger percentage than prevails in England, Scotland, or any State of the American Union, except perhaps Massachu- setts. In connection with this large average attendance it cannot be said that the children are being over-educated, as we sometimes hear advanced ; but this comes from those who are still unable to appreciate any system of general education. The objection is removed when I point ont that in 1878 only three-eighths of one per cent, of the children in our Public Schools are found in the sixth class, while eighty-one per cent, aie to be found in the first, second and third classes, fifteen per cent, in the fourth class, and four per cent, in the fifth. These figures show that our edu- cational expenditures are chiefly employed in the endeavour to . achieve the education of each child up to, and barely over, the line of " the three R's." You will also find that the number attendinsr the High Schools, for secondary education, constitutes only 2^ per cent, of the whole school population, or 10,574 pupils in 104 High Schools. Another fact to be bonie in mind is that in this Pro- vince the school population is in the proportion of 2d^ per cent. , to the whole population, while in England it is fourteen per cent., and in Scotland thirteen per cent, of the population. In considering the practical results of our system, in comparing the average attendance in proportion to the whole population in this .6 STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. Province, it is 13.6 per cent.; in England, according to the last Report, 1878-9, it is 9.7 per cent.; and in Scotland, 10.5 per cent. At least two-thirds of the means of support arc provided in On- tario by direct taxation. The Report for 1878 shows, that of the total expenditure for that year, the amount for current maintenance was no less than S2,465,- 953, and a gratifying feature is that more than two millions of the expenditure was for teachers' salaries. The report for 1878 shews that the cost per capita in that year was less than in 1877, and there is good reason for 1879 showing a further decrease. In 1877, including the expenditure on capital account, each pupil cost S6.29 ; and, if the capital expenditure is excluded, the cost was S5.29. In 1878 the cost per capita, including capital expenditure,, was $5.91, and, excluding capital expenditure S5.06, showing a reduction, in the former of thirty-eight cents, and in the latter of twenty-three cents per pupil. At page 22 of his Report for 1877 Commissioner Eaton states the cost per capita of pupils- enrolled to be as follows : — In Massachusetts... $14 62 " Michigan 10 80 " Ohio 10 70 " Illinois 10 63 In Indiana $8 23 " Vermont.. 7 30 " Maine 7 15 While ample means may be afforded for securing every child a good education, and whether this support comes from State con- tribi^sions, or mainly by direct taxation, the grand result would be imperfectly accomplished unless the teachers themselves are reasonably competent. How to procure efficient teachers is the problem which each State of the American Union is still trying to solve. It was so in England when they began a comprehensive system of elementary education. In the United States Normal Schools have been established, and in England these are found under the name of Training Colleges. In this respect I think I can show that we have made not only satisfactory, but remark- able progress. Having regard to the results as they appear at the end of 1879, I may s?i,y with confidence that we have nearly solved this problem of obtaining competent teachers The facts I can give show that we are now quite in advance of any State of the Union in this respect. While the necessity of professional STATEMENT OF THE HON. y^DAM CROOKS. ' 7 training for teachers has been recognized for thirty years, and the Provincial Normal School was established in 1843, yet notwith- standing its success, the Normal School at Toronto was unable to supply more than a very small number of the teachers required in the schools. In 1876, only eight first class certificates and twenty- seven second class were grantod to students of the Normal Schools at Toronto and Ottawa, while in the same year no less than 1,668 teachers obtained third class certificates, after an examina- tion which could be no test of competency, even for temporary employment The schools were being filled with these inferior teachers, who were entering the profession at the rate of 1,500 a year, while in 1876 the two Normal Schools only contributed thirty-five properly trained teachers. Our chief difficulty arose from the want of professional train- ing. My first experience of the Normal School at Toronto in 1876 showed rooms crowded to their fullest capacity, but I found that the larger number of students admitted were deficient, even in elementary education. And when I ascertained how much the Province paid for each student who obtained his certifi- cate in the Normal School, it became necessary to look carefully into the question, the more especially as there was a demand throughout the Province for more Normal Schools. It became apparent that, in this Province as well as in Massachusetts and others of the United States, the Normal Schools were mainly occupied with general subjects of education to the exclusion of professional instruction, and that there had been a departure from their original design. In considering the question anew, we for- tunately possessed the very means which would enable the Normal Schools to devote themselves strictly to professional work, and, to cease educating students generally in subjects which were being better taught in the 104 High Schools of the Province. These now supply most convenient opportunities for higher edu- cation, to every one who wishes to become a teacher, or for any other career in life. When enabled to pass the teachers' examina- tion in literary and scientific subjects, professional training can be gained by candidates for third class certificates in the County Model Schools, which are now an essential part of our training system, and appear to be amenable to the law of supply and demand 8 STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. for school teachers, for no scarcity has been produced. We had a superabundance of temporary teachers, but now from the County Model Schools we got, in the year 1879, 885 fully trained teachers, while 1,207 satisfactorily passed the professional examination, only 78 having been rejected for want of teaching aptitude. Of this number, 409 came from the High Schools, after having there passed the intermediate examination. This system is also justi- fied by the smallness of the cost, tho annual cost per capita to the Province being $3.08, and about double that sura when the County contribution is included. These results are obtained by utilizing the Public Schools for professional training, and the High Schools for enabling the candidate to pass a satisfrxtory examination in the diflferent subjects of a general literary and scientific educa- tion. In fact in tlie County Model Schools more professional training is received by each t-upil in one session than was formerly given in the Normal School at Toronto in two years. The result in 1879 will be even more satisfactory than in 1878, because in the second session of 1879 the maximum of fifty stu- dents in each of the three sessions in each Normal School course has been increased to one hundred, as it has been found that, by strictly confining the work to professional subjects, this number can be efficiently trained. Without these improvements, it would have been difficult to have justified this large expenditure by any equivalent results. But in two years the number obtaining cer- tificates has increased, with a consequent reduced cost ^^er capita to the Province, and which will be further decreased in 1879, while we should see in the results of this year, a further large decrease. While in 1876 the cost per capita of the students attending the Ottawa school was $168, it was reduced in 1878 to $62.50. The following statement will show the number admitted to the Normal schools during the last four years, and the number who passed and the cost per capita as well as the progressive economy which has been effected in the cost of professionally training those who obtain second class certificates. - '•U'')'^: ■.;> ■■■'.'.-;.„; f ,:- . _'. -'■ ■.•' ..^t .,■'■■:"' ■ . ^'»■ ► .1 . h- fmxl STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. TORONTO NORMAL SCHOOL. • 1 1 11 Certificates granted. Total expenditure. Average cost of Stu- dents who obtained certificates. i YEAR. First class. Second class. Year. P J 1876-77 1877-78 1878-79 1879-80. 177 139 248 6 7 12 26 74 168 1876 1877 1878 1879 9 cts. 13,567 00 13,927 00 10,555 00 10,452 00 $ cts. 424 00 175 00 58 50 $ cts 79 00 100 60 42 50 OTTAWA NORMAL SCHOOL. 1876-77. 1877-78. 1878-79. 1879-80. 80 87 183 2 1 1 29 109 1876 1877 1878 1879 13,576 00 14,082 00 11,373 00 11,210 00 4,525 55 470 00 104 00 168 00 176 00 62 50 These statements show that we now possess the requisite ma- chinery for giving satisfactory training to teachers of all classes, and that it will be unnecessary to propose any further increase of expenditure for this purpose. Owing to the liberality of the Legislature in now paying the travelling expenses of all teachers to the Normal Schools at Toronto and Ottawa, it is no longer any hardship that a third class teacher should be required in order to obtain a second class certificate, to attend a Normal School session of three months, and so acquire further professional training. One of his rewards will be the prospect of a larger salary on obtaining the higher certificate, which many teachers now receive on account of this normal school training. The serious question is how to supply the demands of our public schools year by year. About 6,400 teachers are annually required in order that about 5,000 public schools may be kept open. On page 143 of the Education Report for 1878, there will be found a tabular statement, from 1871 to 1878 inclusive, of the number of candidates, for the dif- 10 s ' STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROQKS. ferent classes of certificates, and the number awarded. It will be seen that the number of third class teachers is very large. So that there is no difficulty in meeting the natural waste in the material which occurs in the teaching profession every where. In England and Scotland the percentage of waste is put down at six per cent, per annum. In the United States the waste in the teaching material is very great, the average length of a teacher's school life being not more than five years. In the United States female teachers constitute the larger proportion of teachers. In England there are no less than twenty-four training colleges for female teachers. But whatever may be the advantages of females as teachers, there is the disadvantage of a short school life, which,, with them, can only be said to be temporary, and not entered upon with the intention of being a life-long occupation. There is another problem which we have partially solved. In England the cost of training male teachers is about £55 sterling a year, and, as two years of residence at the training college is required, the cost of each male teacher is about £110, while that, of female teachers is £80. Referring ti) the last Report of Com- missioner Eaton, of the Bureau of Education for the United States, we find that the Normal Schools in different States are not confined to strict professional work, but are much occupied with the general subjects of education. While some Normal Schools are State Institutions, others receive from the State Governments contributions at a fixed annual sum towards their support. There are therefore difficulties in making an accurate comparison, but to compare the cost only of some of the State Normal Schools, I find in Massachusetts, the following: at Framingham $75 per capita, at 'Salem $44.23, at Westfield $76.50; and in New York, at Buffalo $64, and at Geneseo $58. The cost per capita in 1878-9 at Toronto and Ottawa was $42.50 and $62.50 respectively. It is also to be noticed that the waste is proportionately much less in the case of teachers who obtain permanent certificates, than in the holders of third-class or temporary certificates. The table I have referred to shows that, while from 1871 to 187& 148 students obtained first class certificates, the number now teaching is 210, and while during the same period 1,853 in num- ber obtained second class certificates, 1,409 were teaching in 1878, STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CRO(>KS. . ' 11 I must now call attention to that essential part of our Educa- tional System — the secondary schools. The High Schools and Collegiate Institutes are the successors of the old County Gram- mar Schools, which did good work in higher education ; but since the amendments of the law, in 1876, the High Schools have shown more satisfactory results. In 1876 the number of pupils in the High Schools was 8,541 ; in 1878, 10,574. Our regulation* endeavour to keep the Public Schools within the elementary line, and special subjects are now less and less taught therein. Hence, a large measure of vitality has been given -to the High Schools in the last two years, but more especially from the permanency of the means they can rely upon for their support. Now that the County Councils raise an equivalent to the amount of the appor- tionment from the Provincial Grant, and the locality in which the High School is situate is required to meet at least an equal amount, as well as any further demands for its maintenance, the permanency of each High School for useful work is well secured. The regulations, which pre^scribed two half-yearly intermediate examinations in the High Schools, were found to exort too much |)ressure on both pupils and masters, and this experience justified the confining of the intermediate examinations to one in the year, after 1878. High School boards have asked by their peti- tions to the Lieutenant-Governor, for an increase in the Provincial Grant, and it is proposed now to restorr the sum of S4,000, which was withdrawn in 1879, when one of the intermediate examina- tions was discontinued. With one such examination in the year the eflBciency of the High Schools can be well maintained. It is, however, urged that the High Schools are doing Normal School work, but this is not correct now, for Normal School training proper is not done in the High Schools. The curriculum is so flexible in. its arrangement that each High School can fulfil its true position in our system of affording secondary or higher education to every pupil, whether in preparing for the entrance examinations to any of the Universities, the Law Society, or the College of Physicians and Surgeons, as also, in fact, providing any pupil, boy or girl, with an advanced education. The primary object of the intermediate examination is to test the literary and scientific attainments of the High School pupils before entering the Upper School, and it 12 STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. can be equally applied for the like object in the case of candi- dates for second as well as third class certificates, as to their literary and scientific qualifications, but it is not in the least any substitute for the professional training of teachers, which can •only be supplied by the Normal and County Model Schools. It has been found that so much has been accomplished bj"^ the intermediate examinations as the non- professional test, of the educational qualifications of candidates foi third class certifi- cates as well as foi second, that such examinations can be made general, and applic ble to all candidates for third class certifi- cates, whether Higii School pupils or not. It is, therefore, pro- posed to relieve the County Board of Examiners of this part of their functions after July, 1880, and thus diminish their expense to County Councils. The. County Boards will, however, continue their important duty of conducting the professional examination of the teachers-in-training in the County Model Schools. I now desire to bring the subject of the Educational De- pository to your notice. Referring to the estimates of the year, and to those of 1879, it will be seen that the amount which I am recommending for the supply of stock is much .smaller. I have always intimated my intention of finally dealing with this question ; but in this, as in all other matters, I liave been pursuing a conservative course. Having made an inde- pendent examination in 1876 into the financial operations of theDe- pository, in 1877 1 obtained by confidential inquiries further infor- mation as to the alleged educational advantages of the system, and the utility of the Depository in the public interest. I was pre- pared to accept that in the earlier stages of our school experience, And of the condition of the Province, such a branch might be both necessary and useful. My investigation in 1877 justified the following conclusions : — 1. That the library system has been practically abandoned. 2. That the prize system is only partially adopted or approved of, and there is no special educational necessity therefor. 3. That the text books supplied are chiefly for Normal and Model Schools, which can be procured without the necessity of a J)epository. STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. !# 4. That the supply of maps and apparatus should be encour- aged, but that the stock should be obtained under different and better arrangements; that the stock-in-trade is quite too large for the business transactions, and, therefore, unnecessarily depreci- ated; that the maximum stock should not exceed at any one time more than $20,000, which, if the business of the Depository was at all active, should result in transactions of at least $100,- 000. ' ., I have since been obliged to come to the further conclusion that maps, apparatus, and other school appliances can be better supplied by the general trade with more satisfaction, and as cheaply to the schools, and certainly with a great saving of Pro- vincial funds. The financial report in 1876 of Mr. James Brown shewed that the stock then on hand amounted to $79,000. But in order to bring the question before the House at this session, I undertook further investigations, which shewed me that not only were the transactions very small in proportion to the capital- used, but that there was a great depreciation in the value of the stock. I also find that the existence of the Depository entailed a large expenditure of public money without corresponding benefit, and that the results which it was intended to accomplish, could now be much better secured through the ordinary channels of trade. I feel it is therefore time for me to adopt the policy of closing up this branch of the Education Department at the earliest period in which the stock can be disposed of without unreasonable loss. The following statement will show the value of the stock in the Depository, and the extent of its operations : — EDUCATIONAL DEPOSITORY. 1 Jan., 1876. — Net value of stock on hand at cost valuation, per Special Report of James Brown $79,609 41 s Value of books, maps, &c., despatched from the Depository V \" ' during the year 1875 62,169 00 31 Dec. ,1879.— Stock on hand at cost valuation 63,339 64 Stock placed at its marketable value, $44,913.56, would stand thus : ^/- '/ J 1. Library and prize books $17,035 76 Less transfer to library 4,000 00 $13,035 76 14. STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS. «■ ' • 2. Textbooks $4,145 41 3. Apparatus, globes, &c $13,072 12 4. Maps and charts 10,660 27 823,732 39 , • Less transfer to Museum 3,880 61 ' 19,851 78 37,032 95 Less amount sold in December 6,000 CO Total value in available stock at Ist Jan., 1880 $31,032 95 Operations in 1879 show the following : Paid for stock of 1878 $4,457 00 Paid booksellers 4, 134 00 Paid for stock in 1879 13,944 00 $22,535 GO Amount of goods sold in 1879 $38,435 62 " profits as shown by statement from books 7,330 30 Decrease in stock during 1879 (on cost valuation) 16,771 22 A portion of the stock could not be sold at all, and a portion belongs to the educational library. It is important to maintain a good educational library, and the opportunity for establishing a very complete one is now presented from the valuable material which has been accumulated, not in educational works only, but in those also which possess historic interest to Canadians. I pro- pose also to devote the Museum to its proper function, of being educational, and to relieve it of many articles, some of which will find their appropriate place in the College of Agriculture. The operations of the Depository have become smaller since I asked last year for less public money for stock. The amount spent in 1879 for stock was $22,535, and sales $38,535, thus reducing it by $16,771. It is unnecessary to restock the Depository, for the schools in general understand that they can be well supplied through the ordinary trade, and any reason for its existence in the former in- fancy of our schools, cannot now be successfully urged. I propose to ask for this year a sum to fill up with when abso- lutely necessary, and to continue till the first of July next, the bonus of 33^ on purchases from the Depository and publishers. STATEMENT OF THE HON. ADAM CROOKS, 15 The estimates before the Committee do not contain any special matters requiring further explanations from me. I wish, however, that it should be clearly understood that in the change from the Chief Superintendent to a responsible Minister in control of the Education Department, no unnecessary increase in the expenditure has resulted. Of the large amount of nearly half a million dollars which is asked for in the estimates of 1880, more than five-sixths is in relief of the ratepayers of the Province, freeing them of that amount of money which they would otherwise have to raise themselves. It will be seen that the chief increase since 1871 has been in the grant to Public and Separate Schools, which is owing to the additions of $20,000 made in each of the years 1872, 1873 and 1874, on the recommendation of the Chief Superintendent ; but while it is desirable to continue this assistance to the schools, when the subject of educational expenditure is discussed, every one should understand that at least five-sixths of the total expen- diture is incurred in lightening the burdens of the people them- selves. ••.•■♦.• •••.•••• '•.•*'', , V ••^"•••c .. •. • • • • •«• • • ••«.••