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PVintnorQnihip

Sdences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

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SCHEIIIE, &C.

The CommisBioners of Schools for the City of Ha-
lifax in lulfilling the duties of their Cooiniission, soon
after their apDoTntment, instituted a mintite enquiry
too he present condition of Education in Hahfax ;
and regret to state that in point, both of quantity and
quality; they found matters in many respects defici-

^'it is generally admitted, that in every well-condi-
tioned community, there ought to be, at le"?'- ""^ '»
every six of the population, receivmg education. On
theLntinent of' Europe, in «hose countries where
due attention is paid by the state t° .'h^ ;^,7«J* f„^";j
cation, this is the average proportion of Children at
Ichoo . On the Continent of America, for example,
fn the States of Maiiie, New Hainpsh.re, New York,
Massachusetts, Vermont, Ohio, New Jersey, the num-
ber of childre.^ at School is much larger-averaging
one, in every four. Now, in Halifax, even on a mo-
de te computation, there cannot be more than 2,600
at School ; which, on the supposition, that the who e
tflm^ amounts to 26,000, g'V'^^.^^bout one m
every ten, leaving 2000, or nearly a half of the child

eTCble of --iving i"«tru«f-"' -'h-'/jft;
tion • and these, generally speaking of that class in

he community, foT which it is the bounden duty and
InteresTof the state to care, and to provide with a
good and sound education.

With some creditable exceptions, the Commission-
ers found the general style and character of the edu-
cation given, of an inferior description, and not at ah
equal to the advanced spirit of the age. There is
little or nothing in the shape of a general system, or
of a uniformity of mode pursued, and thus the child-
ren in going from one school to another, and in ''d-
vancing from a lower to a higher grade of instruction,
are exposed to manifold disadvantages. Even the
best qualified Teachers, in the present state of affairs,
are, in a great measure, unable to do any thing like jus-
tice to their professional attainments, from the gene-
ral irregularity of the attendance of the children, from
the great dissimilarity and deficiency of books, from
the want of suitable school-room accommodation,
and above all, from one Teacher being oftentimes
necessitated to carry on the various branches of edi-
cation, in some instances, ranging from the ele-
mentary to the higher departments in Classics and

Mathematics. .11.

The Commissioners having ascerlained the present
state of matters, and, having to the best of their abili-
ty apportioned the sum of Money placed at their dis-
posal by the Legislature, have since had their atten-
tion mainly directed to the consideration of a remedy
for meeting existing wants and imperfections, and
have unaniLi Jusly agreed to recommend to their fellow
citizens, the following outline of a plan, which they
believe, if fully and fairly worked, would be produc-
tive of great good in the whole matter of education.

1st. That a uniform system be adopted, with a
thorough public supervisipn.

2nd. That a Normal Institution be established for
the training of well qualified Teachers.

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3rd. That provision be made for a more competent
and regular remuneration of the Teachers, and

4th. That for ihc carrying out of these measures a
general Assessment of the rateable inhabitants be re-
sorted to.

For the accomplishment of this plan, it is proposed,
that there shall be 12 District Schools, that is, two
schools for each City Ward, the one, of a Primary,
and the other of a more advanced character, with 4
Teachers for each School, 3 Male and 1 Female, that
there shall be a Teacher for Drawing, and another
for Music— who shall divide their instructions equal-
ly amongst all the Schools of the city ;— and that one
of these District Schools in the most central situation
shall serve all the purposes of a Normal institution.
Supposing that there is an average attendance of 300
children at each of these Schools, there would thus be
provision made by the State for the education of 3,-
600 children, leaving about 1000 for private adventure
schools. These schools, it is further proposed, shall
be under the entire management of a City Board of
Education, chosen by the rate-payers in each Ward.
This Board shall act as Trustees, and have the full
control and regulation of their affairs ; electing and
dismissing School-masters, under certain conditions,
choosing their own paid Secretary, &c. &c. This
Secretary shall also discharge the duties of Superin-
tendent of Education for the City of Halifax, and, un-
der the direction of the Board, transmit periodical re-
ports to the Government.

In the event of the above plan being carried into
full operation, which it could not be, from the very na-
ture of the case, for several years, the expenses in
round numbers would be nearly as follows ; —

HBI

1. Salary of ToaohprK, X5000

2. Interest, Insurance, &c. lor Eight New Hchools,

(four of the present riihlic Schools being

conyorted into District Schools ^ • - 400

3. Contingencies, - - . . . . 900

4. Normal School, (additional,) ... goo

5. Teachers of Music and Drawing, ... SOO

6. School Books, 800

Total, £6,400

However large this sum may appear, it is not near-
ly equal to the amount which the present defective
mode costs. There are at present in Halifax about
Seventy Teachers, and Sixty Schools, and the in-
come of the former, and the rent of the latter, tooe-
ther with books, &c. can scarcely be less than £6Q0O.
Thus, with the present number of children in atten-
dance, there will be a saving of £400, and when
to this is added the education of 1000 more out of
the 2000 children at present receiving no educa-
ation, calculating at the same rate, there will be
a saving of not less than £2400. But the pecuniary
saving is only one of the benefits to be derived from
this general plan. There are others far more valu-
able. These are such as the following : a fair pro-
portion of the population receiving a first rate educa-
tion, a uniformity of system, a proper status assigned
to Teachers, due scope given to the professional qua-
lifications of Teac «ers, in being provided with all the
necessary materials, such as school accommodation,
furniture, books, &c., the vast comfort and advantage
to Teachers, from the certainty that their salaries will
be regularly paid, the general results on the social and
moral well being of the community at large, &c. &c.

But, as already stated, this scheme even under
the most favourable circumstances, cannot be fully
carried out for a few years, and therefore, the Com-
missioners would propose and recommend that during

the first two or three years, the Assessment shall not
exceed the sum of £3,000, which sum shall he de-
voted to the establilhment of Six Primary Schools in
the different Wards of the City, one of whichf shall
be erected into a Normal Institution, as soon as means
are available for the purpose, it being understood, that,
in the event of the Legislatu-e, continuing the grant
of £700, to the City of Halifax, out of the Public
Treasury, the Assessment shall be thus far reduced.

In the course of 4 or 5 years the advanced schools
might be commenced in the more central localities,
which would in all probability add another £1000 to
the Assessment ; and so on, gradually, till the whole
plan is put into operation. By this graduated scale,
the burden would fall lightly at first on the ratepayers;
the advantages become more and more apparent, as
the scheme advanced towards completion, and the
Board of Education would have time afforded for pro-
curing the most efficient Teachers, either from their
own Normal Institution or elsewhere.

As to the particular mode of levying the assessment,
the Commissioners would leave this matter entirely
in the hands of the Municipal Authorities; acting
under the sanction of the Legislature. They would
however, beg to suggest, that the money thus raised
be granted entirely for secular education, subject to
such regulations concerning religious matters, as shall
be deemed essential by the City Board for harmo-
nizing a sound system, and obtaining the acquies-
cence of the various Christian denominations in the
community.

The Commissioners at a mooting held on the 7th
instant, having unanimously agreed to the foregoing
proposal, — resolved, to recommend the same to their
fellow citizens ; and, with this view to transmit a

jg ;£;^'fta.v^gi^J"j-g3:!" -

Copy to the City Authorities, earne^y soliciting ^eir
approbation and support ; and rh'At no time be lost
to petition the Legislature, that ilio Civii^ Authorities
be empowered to levy an Asaessment in the bvent oC
a majority of the rateable inhabitants approving of the
scheme.

Signed on behalf of the Comai»i3ioners.

ROBEliT WILLIS, D.D., QaAiRtiAK.

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