CIHM Microfiche Series (l\/lonographs) ICIVIH Collection de microfiches (monographies) I Canadian Instituta for Historical MIcroraproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas 1 ] Technical and Bibliographic Notts / Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfllmi le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a M possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-4tre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de f ilmage sont indiqu^ ci-dessous. □ Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur D Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagie □ Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pelliculte n Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Cz'iotiftd maps/ Cartas gtographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or Mack)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur □ Bound with other material/ Relie avec d'autres documents H Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serrie peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge intirieure n Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II la peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties lors d'une resUuration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont pas M filmies. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Q Pages damaged/ Pages endommagto □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurtes et/ou pellicultes Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dicolories, tacheties ou piquees □ Pages detached/ Pages ditachies 0Showthrough/ Transparence D n Quality of print varies/ Qualite inigale de rimpression Continuous pagination/ Pagination continue Includes Index (es)/ Comprend un (des) index Title on header taken from: / Le tItre de I'en-tCte provlent: □ Title page of issue/ Page de tItre de la llvraiion □ Caption of Issue/ Titre de depart de la D depart de la llvraison Masthead/ Generlque (perlodiques) de la llvraison / Additional commenti:/ There are seme creases in the middle of the pages. Commentaires supplementaires: This Item Is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est fllmi au taux de rMuctlon indlqui cl-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22% 26 X 30X 7 12X 1«X 20X 24 X 2IX 3:» Th« copy filmed h«r« has b««n r«produc«d thanks to tha gonarosity of: ArehivM of Orrtario Toronto L'axamplaira film* fut raproduit grica k la g4n4rosit* da: ArchivM puMiquM il« I'Ontario Toronto Tha imagas appaaring hara ara ttia bast quality possibia eonsidaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacif icationa. Las imagas suivantas ont it* raproduitas avac la plus grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da l'axamplaira filmi, at tn eonformit* avac las conditions du contrat da filmaga. Original copioa in printad papor covars ara fiimad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa* sion. or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara fiimad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- aion. and anding on tha last paga writh a printad or illuatratad impraaaion. Laa axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura an papiar aat imprimia sont filmis an eommancant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par l« darniira paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraasion ou d'illustration, soit par la sacond plat, salon la caa. Tous laa autras axamplairas originaux sont filmis ^n commandant par la pramiira paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraasion ou d'illustration at an tarminant par la darni*ra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Tha last racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol --^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"). whiehavar appliaa. Un daa symbolaa suivants spparaitra sur la darniira imaga da chaqua microficha. salon la cas: la symbols — » signifia "A SUIVRE '. la symbols Y signifia "FIN '. Maps, platas. charts, ate. may ba fiimad at diffarant reduction ratios. Thosa too lar^a to bo antiraly included in ona axpoaura ara fiimad baginning in tha uppar laft hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrama illuatrata the method: Lea cartes, pisnches. tableaux, etc., peuvent itre filmte A des taux da riducticn diffirants. Lorsqua le document est trop grand pour Atra raproduit en un soul clich*. il est filmi a partir da Tangle supirieur gauche, de gauche * droite. et de haut an bas. an prenant la nombra d'imeges nOcessaira. Las diagrammas suivants illuatrant la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I<|£,4 A THE MACDONALD FUNDS FOR MANUAL TRAINING AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF RURAL SCHOOLS EVIDENCE or JAMES W. EOBERTSOl^ COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND DAIR/INQ • BEFORE TBI SELECT ST^isrr>Tisra committee OH AGRICULTURE AND COLONIZATION 1903 PyjKTSD BY ORDER OF PARLIAMMST OTTAWA PRINTED BY S. E. DAWBON, PRINTER TO THE KINO'S MOST XXCELLENT MAJESTJ* 1904 CON-TEISTTS. PAOR. Wacdonold Funds for Manual Training and Improvement of Rural Schools. .. .5-40 The I{elation of Governments 6 Charaoteristios of the Uneducated 7 On the Moaning of Education 7 Docs Education Pay? S Agricultural Colleges to Help Kural Schools 9 Childnm in Rural District* 10 Improvements in Organization 11 Weakness of Small Sfhool Districts 12 On Public Opinion 13 Instances of Results from Education i;i What the Cf^svs "howed in Ontario and Quebec 14 Farmers' Colleges of Agriculture, Normal Schools and Rural Schools shou sthcr 15 Royal (.' - on Afanual and Practical Instruction 10 What is aininr? 20 Differcni ^ppren^ " •■> work 20 To do tninga iii the ri^' - way 22 To Supplement bocks, not to Supplant tJ:; ::; 23 Extent of the MacdonaJd Centres 24 Outlin<> of the Ilistory of Educational Sloyd or Manual Training 25 Consolidation of Schools 29 Good Tcacl>erR 29 Wholesome Children .lO Efficient Supervision ."jO Good Ruildings ^\ Neat and Beniitiful Surroundings HI Public Interest and Support ;!2 A Pioneer in Consolidi^)tion 32 Other TowD^hips ^2 School Vans ,",3 The School Work 33 Summary of Advaningi'S 3^ Extent of Con^olidntion in Unit^l Stat.s 35 The Plan for Canada 35 Copy of Tvctter and Memorandum sont to the Prpniier i>f Oiil:irii( )>• the .Mn<'- donald Institute 4] Copies of Forms of As^rements used with School Boards 4(5 Copy of Lottor and Mcmornndum sent to the Premier of New Brunswick r- a Collrpe of Agriculture f'>r TCew Brunswick 49 A Suggestive Course of Nature Study 52 Books for Reference 53 JAVE8 W. ROBERTSOH. CoMuiTTEE Room 62, House of Commons, Friday, May 1, 1903. The Select Standing Committee on Agriculture and Colonization met here this day at 10 o'clock, £.m., Mr. Douglas, Chainnnu, presiding. Prof. J. W. Robertson was present by special request of the Committee and made the following statement in regard to the work being done under the Macdonald schemes for the improvement of rural schools by means of consolidation and otherwise: — Mr. Ciiarman anh Gentlemen, — I have boon asked to come before the Committee this morning mainly to ^ive some information i',i what has been done and is being done by the funds p:oviJed by Sir William C. Macdonald, of Montreal, for the im- provement of edncat'on bearing upon agriculture. While I am still Commissioner of Agriculture, I am si ;aking this morning as a private citizen of Canada, administering private funds for the good of a great branch of the nation's interests. I have the happiness of working in the fullest harmony and co-operation with the department of educavion of every province, so I am not in any sense interfering with provincial rights or trespassing on the administration of educational matters by provincial authorities. Moreover, I have received permission from the Minister of Agriculture, acting for the Dominion Government, to carry on this work. In so far as the matter is cr>ni>ectetl with schools and education at schools, no public funds of the Dominion are used ; the funds provided by Sir William 0. Macdonald cover all the expenditures I make in that con- nection. In my capacity as Commissioner of Agriculture I have had opportunities of seeing what is being done in other countries by government authorities for the improvement of agriculture through education end I have used tnese opportunities and the infor- mation obtained from them for the benefit of all the provinces of Canada alike, /s far as we have gone at present, the funds — hich S-.r William C. Macdonald has put at my disposal have been available to and exp nded in all the provinces, from British Co- lumbia to Prince Edward Island. It might be permissible and desirable to say more than a few words before this Committee to show what a larpc bearir..? the education given in rural jchools has on the progress of agriculture and the prosperity of the Domin- ion. If I might cite one paragraph to the Committee, I would quote a very short one from the report of the Commissioners appointed by the Imperial Government to consider the improvement of schools in Ireland, and to report on the subject of manual and practical instrtiction in the primary schools under the Board of National Educa- tion in Ireland. The -eport was published in 1898. I got very much help from this report and I have used its recommendations largely; so you see I am not going nbout this business in an amateurish fashion. The Commissioners in their final report say : ' The progress of the people in wealth and mat jrial prosperity must largely depend on the education given in the primary school, and to make that education thoroughly eflficit-nt and fit for its purpose is a task, we submit, which may well be undertaken in the highest interests of the state, whatever the necessary cost may be.' Essentially the progress of the people in wealth and material prosperity depends on the quality of education in the primary schools. We in Canada enjoy very nnich prosperity and have made great progress. Much of that has arisen out of the quality of our education and of the particular application of special mjans for agricultural education in various fields and in various forms. ' ..eed only mention in passinc that the bountiful harvests, absence of serious pestiknce, and the enjoyment of peace have • /AUE8 W. ROBERTBOV further before thirc^muL S«t wh^ ""'. ^"'^"t''* °^ -^i^ulture. I need not My •hort time real nr™? ^ that while wealth might come to a nation rapidly for a prW^' ScauT^n?ll^''"^ '" '***i*'"^ "'• ''«* "*J« by side wfth U,e depends on education "^ "'''^ '"™ '">' "^ "^^ "«> P"*"^: -nd that mote intellieencfli How «„„ - ""»'" "oeriy unless they love knowlede% and pro- ordinarrSrof tfeTation unKt't: '"" "^'■"?!"*'^ -^'^"^ '» «™-« ' '- universities into the coi^mrckmentar^^chooM TTl'^ '''''"^ "^"^^ ^""^ ^^^^ administer justice pure a^d 1^^ ^ f i 1"*^ ^'''' *""» » P^P^« «»'«"'»•» ""d of theprincZof fairnLv wftt ' '""^ ^^J"^ ^"7^ "" intelligent understanding of Canada ,dth his w^lti S do L IT/Tf M!* ^''". *^"'" "*«=*' ^ '^*t "««» through me has chosen 'de^yp"? o^f tSt worT*"'? 'T'^t'''^ """"''= -""^ TeiTnlL'^da"--- --'- -'^^^Vr^^^^^^ THE RELATION OF OOVERXMENTS. ship in such a pol cv I TLt thl^ \ Ju -"i^^- ^^"'^ '^ constructive statesman- buiMing":Uh Srsilve^and 'prtJot tJ'^'ru'? r"' ''''^ T' ^*"''"*'' »' " human lives; it is work that is worth "oi^;eil Thl ." "^'"^ "" •''"t '='"*""=*^' '" of the people organized for their protectTo^n^fn;. ^''^ government is the intelli...nce foes like ignon^ce. disease andTrS^^^St wW '"'"'?,' """^ "^*""^* '"^''^^ supposed to exist for ; and a pressin"Tuty Is to take hold TtZ'^\r''rT'' "« for the benefit of the rural communities nn^„™ll--. t 7',°^'^" "* ^"''"^t'o" that concern the progress and The saS of Ihe'S Fir^t tl wl''' *""' '''j"^ with the personal power, of the ind.v.Mnnl nU;ll^ J , ' . *''" Personality. Personal power is^dded to onVZTJu" t o^ Ct •rr''- T'*'' '" "''''"'' "" '•^^• what the Almighty gave any one in natu^: 'ondo^t" TheSn";'"i "H '"Tl"^ " Then'V 'al-n it'll"?"" ""^''*^' '"'^"^^ "''^- Porhaps ntdst ^ro '" ""'^ ''^* niity^riS;! :;t^;^'::^'r ;::o;;rv^n::e::;r ^^"' ^'^^i'^^^- right of individuals to liberty and to hold property facitiTsfo i,7^f"'•■""•^V? . The for travel and trnnspnrtation of coods- ip„r;f7Ar? -, *""""""""=«*'""— and oLtainin. n fair =hnre JhZpZlt'.JZZ^LrZZ^^^^^^^ """^^ -^ ''^'"'^ in opportunity a. controlled by government ^CZ'.t VZ Z "r" T""^' "T"''""^ mon roads, tlie bridges, are fnnHamental to on , tv Tn „ ; • '^'''"■■''^■^- ♦'le com- d!..eu.sed here. I want ,-o„r attention on tie sv! iec 'f ,T"'. ""'' ''''^ ""' ^ of the child. It i. always with .^ a;VarnvrneJ^ n^ilT'^ "T""- l^' "'""'■'■^ nnurishmcnt, by e^u.ation. It nc^ds it on t£ ^T^Si roTr^e ;b'"'"^'"^"*' where mon most do congregate. ■ ' "''^'^ *"''"• »" «tic9, I have spoken of personal power bein? gained bv education Thnf t. mcnted in the ca^e of any inf'" ual bv tb.>^..>„t!li '^.^''"'^Jt'on. That may be aug- that sense the great resmi^ ,Ka tie ht' T Snad^r •*V"'^ °*'r ^°''^«- ^" national power, which is the aggregate of tb' Swcr of ^br'"^'-^ "f '^'^^^ «'« .e. the .uality and effectWss^f that vLrZ^^^^^j;^^^^^^^ MACBOVALD FUVDS rOR BDVOOTIO f the quality and ability o£ leaders. No nation has ever attained greatness in any direc- tion that had not its own leaders. Every pecnle will follow leaders bom into sympathy with their aspirations and trained into abilit to meet the new conditions of every new advancement. Let our leaders for t; new r nditions in agriculture, for the new needs in education, be trained in our own ■' alegc of agriculture, properly fitted into sy:>tein8 which include the rural schools, and t^.,, will mightily help the rural communities. CUABACTERISTICS Of THE UNEDUCATED. Will you join me for a moment in cou-iiering the chaructoristics of the entirely uneducated person < That is, not the man who cannot speak sooil Knglish, beciui.se many men who are highly educated do not siKrak it at all. Uy tlie uneducatcl person 1 mean the person who is ignorant, ♦he person who is helpless, the person '.vho is »f rgnorano- into enlightenment, out of helplessness into personal ability, out of selfishness into public spirit, there is so much substantial gain. I th.'nk the schools shou' ' concern tin....- v-cs witli help- ing the child to tliink cle&rly, to observe clep-ly, to invco. ^'ate careful > understand fully, and to manage economically. Why should a child in school be )rived of tlio privikge of studying nature when he lives by natural process4 s ami ti.o whole human race is sustained by them? Before schools were invents tl.at, v,.;, the way by which the race made progress. The school came in to supplement ^'le unorganized study of nature and manual training; but by and by it ' : " near dcp '.'g the child of what was really essential to him, by absorbing the w > of his tin- with formal studies from books. Manual trai- 'ng is an essential par^ ot good elementary education. Wlio are the masters of the eartu to-day? Who Ijconmo the first masters of the earth? Put man on the same level with the wild beast with the longer tooth and stronger claw, and man is soon nowhere; but let him take a club, a weapon, a tool, and he is master. With fire in the one hand and a weapon or tool in the other, the mastery is asserted and maintained. Man became the tool user ; then the user of instruir-'nts ; ami tho masters of the globe to-day are those who can best use weapons, tools, machines and irstruments. For what is the modern struggle for markets — for the ' open door V Is it not to give security of employment to the myriads of workmen who use tools and run machines? Of course the commerce which has grown from ability with tools, machines, and instrumerts, in factories, on farms, and in shops of all sorts, is not the best thing we have even in this period of great trade expansion. Far from it; so let us see that the ability for work and the capacity for happiness are alik conserve 2g that; such a man would proclaim himself a fool in any practical undertnk.n, The most thnt people of any generation cnn do is to improve a little on what tho.r for. fatheTleft them. We have made progress along several lines. Cannot those hues 1 broadened and lengthened; can new ones be joined to them while st, 11 getting fu Lrvte from what has boon found useful in the past? There is need for more know X among peopk who farm, in regard to managing the natural force, in accordan< wUh Te laws that govern all plant life and that govern all animal growth. Let me make an explanatory parenthesis here. There is a real difference bet«-ef knowkd^ and ability. There is a wide difference bct^vc-cn .n,l phy.,.. and pr.ietio ♦i W Evcrv man who understands soil physics can manage land and crops belt- San [f he dW^iot understand the principles. Knowledge will help evcrr man to great VACDONALD FUNDS FOR EDUCATION 1 I ability, but it does not in itself constitute or confer business ability. A man may know all about the composition of a soil and still be a poor farmer. Therefore, some one may say, ' Throw knowledge to the winds.' Not so. Every man does better in so far as he knows more and knows better ; but a man may know much and not be able to apply it. There is a difference between scientific knowledge and the business application of it. Huxley once said he could not grow as big turnips as Hodge, but he could tell Hodge what would enable him to grow still bigger turnips and to make more money. The agents who become instruments of progress in farming and other affairs arc Men, Knowledge and Wealth. With the efficiency of these as factors, and with the effectual use of them as means, education has nearly everything to do. The use of faculties trained to the widest range of enjoyment, is what makes for the richest experiences in life. Education itself is a series of experiences leading up to personal intelligence, ability and unselfishness. It is not a remembrance of names, although sometimes memorized knowledge of a second-hand sort has been counted its object. It is a series of experiences from the doing of things, whereby ability is gained to enjoy things and to enjoy life. In every sense education does pay. It is the one thing that enriches the life of individuals and nations. As nations have ideas and ideals, so they live and lead, and thus pre they powerful. What is China, with her six hundred millions of people? and she i.as had bookishness and examinations for centu- ries. On the other hand, Germany is training the hands as well as the heads of her boys. Her schools and universities are progressive, and the country is making great headway, not only in the arts and sciences, but in all that gives power to dominate in human affairs. Let us rather follow the modem German methods, and not bo led any further in the Chinese way of doing things in our common schools. Education always stands for some sort of power — power to see, power to know, to understand, to do, and therefore power to be. If we are now on similar lines of thinking regardii ^ education, we arc ready to consider in what further respects our agriculture may be developed by the application of education, such as is to be promoted ' y the Macdonald Rural Schools Fund. China has more men and women than we, other peoples have more knowledge and greater learning than we enjoy, many countries have much larger wealth than we possess, but I do not know of any land in which these factors are more active towards progress than in Canada, any land in which men and women are using knowledge and wealth with more effect, with more success in helping on the weal of the nation. ACBICLLTlnAL COLLEGES TO HELP RURAL SCHOOLS. Any system of education which aims at or proposes to help the people who work on farms must be a system that will help the elementary rural schools; because those are the schools where the future men and women on the farms will pet their formal education, during my life time anyway. I listen with interest to many speeches, and I hear men say, * Why can we not have such education for the farmers as the doctors get; why can we not have a farmer's college?' Let us examine that propositien with regard to its meaning. A doctor does special work for the community. Ho is not an ordinary member of the community; but is doing work that concerns the permanence, the vitality, the security of life in the community. A few men only ore allowed to have charge of that branch of work, and then only when they arc properly prepared for it. Otherwise they would bungle things and we would have a calamity. A doctor needs special preparation for special work; and ho can gain it only by dovotintr liim- self for n long period after having roceivfil a college training. The farmer nonU special training for his special work, but where can he get hi The few men who arc to le doctors have to be spared from other occupations until they are twenty-two or twenty-four yours of ape. They have to be spared for scliools, colleges, hospitals, as otherwise they could not get the sort of education they require. But can the ordinnrv farm boy be spared from the farm until he is twenty-two or twenty-four years of age? If he could be spared, and I hope in course of time a larger numlier of them iKF^BS' U) . JAME8 ROBBRTSOV may be spared, it would be of some advantage to hin. But let us look at the oth side. In Canada there are about one hundred and forty thousand young men in tl rural districts of suitable age to go to college; that is, between the ages of sixtet and twenty. If all these boys were to get the same chance, we would need coUeg capable of training over a hundred thousand boys. The fine agricultural college Guelph, in the province of Ontario, seldom, if ever, had more than a hundred I)oys the first year classes. If we undertook to provide a similar education for all the bo; of that age from all the farms in Canada, we would need several hundred colleges big as the one at Guelph. In this country of ours a certain number of young men a preparing to be doctors, and there are institutions enough that offer them all suital courses of instruction. Every man who wants to be a doctor and has the natur ability, good health and perseverance, can gut the education that will fit him become one. Now, ^ere are in this country, of a similar ag> with students medicine, not fewer than a hundred thousand young men who are preparing to 1 farmers, and if they are all to get the same chance and training enjoyed by the st dents at the Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph, we would need hundreds i colleges to do the work. That is entirely impracticable; and in my opinion undesi able and unnecessary. The ordinary boy on the farm should have, as far as he a get it, the education that will fit him to become a good farmer. If he cannot have chance of college life, if we cannot take him to college, we must take the knowled) and uplift of the college to him at and in the school to which he does go. CHILDREN IK RURAL DISTRICTS. From the census of 1901 I estimate that there arc, in round figures, 746,000 chil ren from five to fourteen years of age, in the rural districts, and 450,000 children ( the some ages in incorporated villages, towns and cities. Multitudes of children i Canada have not the opportunities of a good education. That applies particularly ■ perhaps one-third of the 746,000 children who live in the rural districts. Education leaders have been taken up with the education of children in the stro: ;, rich cor munities. Courses in elementary and advanced schools in towns and cities are bein adjusted to meet the commercial and industrial needs of children for the ofiSce, tl store, the workshop and the professions. Courses in rural schools have not be< adapted to the needs of the children in rural districts. Little attempt has been made change or improve the course of st\idy or the methods of training at country school and thousands of rural schools in Canada furnish their pupils with an exceeding poor preparation for the duties of life. The educational leaders have been concerned with the improvement of the schoo in towns and cities in strong, rich communities, and with adjusting them to the nec( of the urban population; but hardly any one has turned the power of a strong ii telleet and used voice or pen to the improvement of rural schools, which are now le efficient for the needs of the time than they were 2.1 years ago. The neglect of tl rural schools has not been from the want of weolth, because Canada is increasing : wealth perhaps faster than any other country with a rural population. The fault h: been the want of appreciation of the renl worth and value of erc now loss gleet of the icnmsinK in he fault hns in tlip oom- uls of inox- girls to the 't under tlio but without iirnl parts — vilizntinn to OOO children tnd growing I do not discuss in Ure meantime the 344,000 young people between the ages of fifteen and ninteen years, living in the rural districts, who might receive systematio educational help after they have left attending school every day. Continuation claasea on several evenings of tke week, or opportunities for short courses during the winter months, when their labour is not necessary on the farms, would be a great boon to them and a fine investment for the country. Considered only in the light of the value of the labour of these young people, the cost of continuation classes in the evenirgs.- and of short courses during the winters, would be made up tenfold to the cosununity by their increased ability. More than all that, a new interest in life at home, a wider outlook with contentment, and the development of ambitions and aspirations to be useful, would be priceless assets to the good. With all our getting and our growing, it behooves us to give the children of the country the best possible start in life towards making the most of themselves in the various walks of life amongst ourselves. It should be possible for every child born in Canada in this century to get a thoroughly good elementary education. If our civiliza^on should confer that upon them as their birthright, it would be in every sense a blessing, greater by far than any inheritance of natural or developed resources belonging to the nation. The appalling waste of child-time in thousands of our rural schools is little less than a crime against humanity. IHrROVEMENTS IN OnOAMZATION. The public schools of Canada have played a great part in raising the general level of intelligence to a comparatively high plane. In our appreciation of that, wo should not be led to conclude that they are doing all they could do, or all they should do, for the children in rural districts at the present time. The school systems and schools of the towns and cities of the Dominion, are utiquestionably excellent as compared with those of other countries. The opportunities for education in rural districts in Can- ada are not more meagre than they are in some other parts of the world, but they are not worthy of Canadians at this time in their history and prosperity. All schools to be vital with the people have to be continually adjusted and adapted to the new needs of new conditions of society. People want commercial courses now in the cities, they want typewriting courses, and shorthand courses and technical education everywhere. The word " technical " has a catchy quality, and unless discerning wisdom control it, it too, like the word " classical,'" may cover a multitude of shams. The schools in rural parts require to be adjusted to the needs of the rural people, so that these schools will have a boaring on the life interests, on the opportunities and occupations of the localities, and not be separated in subject matter and outlook from the home life and from the occupations whereby the parents earn their living. From the course of study and the subject matter in many schools in rural districts to-diiy, you would not suppose that the fathers of the children you see in ti.em had any concern with or connection with soil, or crops, or animah. It may bo taken as n principle on which wo are proceeding in the maintenance and development of systems of education in Canada, that all the resources of *he country, as far as they are required, should be made available for the education of the children. Public education is now recognized ns one of the functions of the state or nation. The property of the state — that is, of all the people nf the nation — ns a last resort, must be available for educating the youth of the state, as it would bo, in the last resort, for the defence of the liberties of the state. Education in itself is the greatest defence and means of defence. Expenditures for the maintenance of publie schools in Canada are met by tho provincial authorities, county authorities, township authorities and rat'-payers of individual school districts or sections. The proportion borne by these diffi nt bodies varies in the different provin-r'es. As n nil-?, t!io finnncial assistance from the central authority, either county or provincial, should bo paid as an encouragement, and in propoition to what the people of the locality do for themselves as far as they are able. u JAUES W. ROBERTSOW WEAKNESS or SMALL SCHOOL DISTMCT8. 1 lar^^mh for T '''^Z --'*°' /i««°urage or prevent local enterprise or liberdTty. adequate and iffi.Sn."°'^°^.^ organization for taxing and for administration, the less schooTSs^rifw th *^,^ educational results. The smaller the unit. Puch as poor rear thi 11 , -'"f" P°P"l«tio-,, the less is the number of school days in the a. p^i^'^j t^i^;s.rsrc? s: mts'tSts t^: fhlof ♦T'"'*"*'"'' ^"'.'"''P^' ^°' «=*»»<»°y «°<1 for efficiency. For scX so as to be h id^i,^' Ourmosttif ,•' ':?"^" ^" ^^'"^"'^ -d /speci^yT'economy o? anreSion isthrL r^"V'l5'^"°''.^'"°*^ extravagance in Can..]a. without to scffind'do not «n'^^°v 1 *" 'i" ^ "°'"'°*"' '^^'^^'- ^^« •^'^''•^^'^'^ eome effectS anf .n^fl^^^r'^^-^^'i '^''^ ^^^^ «^^ ''»*» *!»*» ^^^it of doing nothing ettectively, and so you find them inefficient when they are grown up because of lie itVl^S^TZ^Hy T' "'^'^7; ^" '""^ "''""'^ and'::hich b^omes a menat o^c mistress ^ndrrS^^r^r T^' ^"''" l^ °' ^ ''''"^'^'» ''^ » ""le school under helpful companionship and encouragement that come from t^eTesence of kr!!r many provinces, in most provinces, one-third onlv of thetJZ^Z^J^C T\ ^'^ man and change him every six months The J,o-j ...^..i i ""uer a neras- that were done. We pay s^ litUeT^^'^to cl^rneSy^u'caU:^ Tl.::Zl ft'ol '' l.tt le importance in rural districts, that only a man whot Sng to be a lawyer or ^ doctor or a dentist or a clergyman, becomes a teacher there for a hrW n-./T'- j to get a little money to help him to enter his profUiS^ This class S,'" 7^"" proporl.on of the male teachers in rural schools- and for th,. rtT^.h! '"^ teaching for two or three years only. ' *^^ ^est we have young women The aim, in even the least advanced of the localities in Canai1« uh^,.iA k * u the schools opcnnotlassthanl80dayscyc^y^rr«nrnS,oSluSnd^ , ''^ rura district., not Ws than 230 days inthe'year. E^n tLS, Ifch ttm Icnchcrs might scorn a long period, is only 230 ont of 365 davs in thm, xr . i us work at least 280 days in the year. If'thc tcachei and chUdr^n carot^tfnd the strain. It is time to inquire whether much of the work is not of a Ung sor „; in a wrong direction, ir.ng the children by requiring a passive and recepdve att'ti^dc for too much of the day, and wearing out the teacher by the wasteful repression ON PUB-..IC OPINION. I know that public opinion must give its sanction, its approval to anv nn>.l,„ movement to innke it thoroughly effective ; and I know al^o that The/actor in naS ife called "public op.nion." itself requires to be educated. Every nation „ Ju= 1 .1 born into sympathy with its history and aspirations, and traiS Srabi^y to m7n' ■jMm^cpf'iii&i UACDOyALD FVSDS FOR EDVCATION 13 age Its affairs in any new environment. The farmers should take an active part in this movement, and help to adjust the public schools to «ie requirements of their children.- There is now an awakened interest in plans for their improvement and Bome remedy for their unsatisfactory stat. is one of the r' »ng neer" of the time The new education shoujd meet the present-day needs ol o people, who are amid new conditions in society and industry, brought about largely by increased control of forces of nature for utility and pleasure. The changes that have come and arc com- ing have made the outlook for the well educated farmer, his wife and children, st.. better and have made the prospects and condition of the ignorant farmer deplornblc. Many sorts of service to the community are involved in honorable and intelligent citizenship. One of the most valuable, although not highly valued of those is the service of the public school teaches. The fruits of their labours-<>ducat.on~leading to intelUgence. personal abilitv and unselfish motuo-should be made available to the lowliest in the land, according to their capacity. A properly organized system of education should ensure that the lowly and the poor also receive help, guidance, en- couragement and leadership from those nobly endowed and rich m intellect. The gifts of wealthy men, the wisdom of mature minds, and the energy and en- thusiasm of young workers, are being organized into the movomcnt for t^e unprovc- ment of education in elementary schools in Canada. The pu b ic w. derive the bene- fit; the public will approve; the public will follow; the public will suport Public opinion is being educated. INSTANCES OF RKSLLTS FBOM EDUCATION. I i.°ed not give you instan(e8 of the results in material progress from education of the sovt I have spoken of; ^ gave some of these before the Committee when 1 was here on a former occasion. • '^.tili I might repeat one or two instances briefly. In the matter of the production and exportation of butter, Canada was gjing^ far behind. In 1894 we sent out 32,000 packages from Montreal during ihe period of navigation. Then was begun a campaign of education and organization, to inform the people on the deiails of manufacture and on cold storage, the value of keeping butter cold, and of keeping the railway cars cold, and of keeping the chambers cold on the ships. It was a campaign cf e-lucation, organization and illustration. It was so effective that last year the exports of bnttcr from Montreal had risen to 639,000 packages. I will also mention the work on Prince Edward Island by organizing and educa- tion in dairving which was commenced in 1892. In the year 1892, with the assistance of money given by the Dominion Government, I started one co-operative cheese factory at New Perth, in Prince Edward Island. The machinery was loaned by the Governm^ut. We sent an instructor to organize the business and t- airanp-n the locality into routes for the convenience of those supplying milk. W, ran the factory as a Government dairy station. In the autumn of 1892 I took the liberty of export- ing to London $3,600 worth o' cheese manufactured at that station, id I can rconll the remonstr-iccs of some of the people against risking their cheese in -ny steamer. I got fault-finding 'ettera asking me why I dier .oi.t more than it was worth, i felt easy on ( o subject. The cheese got to England, and was sold the.e for the top market price. Some of it indo'^d sold for sixpence per cwt. more. I angled for that sixpence and got it Then, when the Island people knew that they had got sixpence per cwt. more for their chec«e than was >nid for any other Canadian cheese sold that day in Lon factories in rrnice Edward Island, with ai: output worth $8,448; when the census of 1901 was taken there were 47 cheese and butter factories, with an output valued at $566,824. There is the result of organization and education. There has been no increase in the number of 14 JAMBS W. ROBERTaoy acres 01 land, and there haa been but little increase in the number of cows kept The change has been in the intelligent labour applied to the conditions. The people now run their own factories, and have ropaid to the Government every dollar that was lent to them. I don't say that you could do this with dairying in all parts of Canada, but It can be done anywhere where the locality is adapted for it. TV re is no part of agriculture that is not susceptible to the same kind of improvement. WHAT THE CENSUS SHOWED IN ONTAiUO AND QUEBEC. Take another instaiice on a larger scale. The province of Ontario is noted lor the products of its cheese factories and creameries. It has made great advancement in quality and in quantity as between the two census periods 1891 and 1901. It in- creased the value of its output of butter and cheese from factories by over seven nulhons of doUars in ten years; that is to say, the value of the output in 1901 was $7,136,965 more than the value of the output in 1891. The province of Quebec had not advanced so far in co-operative dairying; but a beginning had been made in or- ganizing Its cheese factories and creameries into syndicati <«. The syndicate was a group of cheese factories or butter factories employing the services of a travelling instructor. In 1892 I had the pleasure and honour of helping to start a dairy school for the province of Quebec. I was director of that school for some years, and the Depart- ment of Agriculture at Ottawa authorized me, as Commissioner, to turn in $3,000 a year of federal money to help the dairy school at St. Hyacinthe. Of course, I am not a constitutional lawyer. I was not supposed to know, and I confess I do not yet know, that the constitution of the Dominwn reserves all questions and matters of in- dustrial or technical education to ^he legislatures of the several provinces. I was not wdl informed with regard to that par 'cular part of the constitution, and I confess I did not care very much. The constitution of a country, like the constitution of a man may be for the weal of the country; and the weal of the country need never be sub- ordinated for the sake of literal compliance with the phrases of its written constitu- tion. ' The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.' So $3,000 a year of fodcrnl money went to the province of Quebec to promote dairyinp and' agri- culture by mcnns of education. Wo did not call it education. That might have been an unconscious slap at the constitution. We began by givinj? short courses in dairy- ing. Some of the wiseacres said it was foolish to think of impartinjf any education worthy of the nnmp in a two weeks' course. However, wo made it a rub that only students should be admitted who had worked for one year in a cheese factory or buttor factory. We had neither the time nor the money to devote to those floating atoms who in an indefinite way. wanted n pollepe education for dairyinp. So no one oouM p^t the course at St. Hyacinthe unless he had previously had one ycnr of prnetical ex- perience. These wore the very people we wnnted to help. These were tlipy who needed help. Then, the provincial authorities went further in orpnnizinp the factories in syndicates. No one was allowed to become o syndicate instructor unless he had taken the course; or courses, of instruction at the St. Hyacinthe Dnirv School Dur- ing the first year (Ig92-1SM) 214 students took the course. The next year 208 stu- dents took the course. The third year 328 students took the course; and so on Let us come baok now for a moment to the eensus period, and sw what the census »a.rs about the procr of co-operative dairyinp in the province of Quebec durinp th"t period. I have saL' ' the province of Ontario did very well in the census period in the development of ;^ cheese and butter business. The value- of the output of tbo eheeso and buttor fnotorios in Ontario in 1901. wns $7.13(5.005 more than it was ton years before. T am rofprriuar nov to the prowth and not to the total output Tn Ouo bee the .>,.l|.ut was $t)..'54:^,.171 trorn than it was ten ^oars brfore. The Quebec peoplo were said to be bnohward, but tl-.o made this advance because of the instruction pivon in dniryn^-by means of education and organization. I could multiply su-h oases nil over the Dominion. "y^a I I !■ MiGDOSAUtmVDS FOK KOVVATtOV » I could put my fingers on the places and the mean^-by means of organization and eduit^n as aS to farming in the provinces. I believe t»^t ""'''" ;^«?'" J^J he Muallv effective 'oPg the whdte range of agriculture, from the cultivation of the ^ilT^'e Sing and' hipping of the prc^ucts. For t»>aV--{^»f„«^^^^^^^^^ rrnirx"^a!t^rp:S3tirV^^^^^^^ stlflv Xatifnal. Every mea, s employed has been Used to stimulate, to rndtu* to leld the^ple to think and to do. Lots of men used to maKe fun of my speeches. I suppose they do so still more to-day. The CnAraMAN.— We are always very much pleased with them. A. Sometimes they say^jm^^^^^^^^^ ^\ ^tfng ^^tTa?- inXsthTght t my S ' I wflltll^ these people think-think definitely with a purpose towards exp^sion by work and lif^if I can.' That is a fine aim and use of Question, to develop the ability to think clearly then to know and tnon to manage Shy doing something. Trace out the development of cold storage oy the woTof ""Department and it ha« been alonj these lines. These are the lines we hope to follow in this movement for the improvement of rural schools. FARMERS' INSTITUTES, C01.LE0ES OF AGRICULTURE, NORMAL SCHOOLS AND RURAL SCHOOU, SHOULD WORK TOCETHER. I want to hive our rural school systems oi^anized £0 that thay will be correlated with the other e.tiscing institutions bearing on the eaucation of rura communities^ The oianLtion of farmers institutes for tbj grown people iving in tne country should be correlated to the rural schools for the young people living m the country. Thrthose two will have the same purpos-, adapted, however, to the eak and the members of ti government t£ hev''''V^^ ' was assured by the prS ikely have an agrieultufal Si i£ fiS ^iri. " """"f^T J" ^"* P'ovince.- SiIL-ifnX^e^-^^^^^^^^ ^si-hici^FtH^="^^^^^ tion. and no permanentTmproveln in^5' '^?'' V*''^^ concerned, except by educa- solidation of'S.e n.r.' Xo S T^-^^rr^ rnl'nV'.VTl^?""'^' except by oon- ture needs better schools, and better rural ^wf^,^^ ^f""?** ^^^^"'^^ ^ri<^^ There are obstacles and difficuuTes in St Kb Ta^, t""'"^^ ^^ consolidation, any hindrances that loom up in the wav L 1 Al" ^ ^?'"'"^ '^ greater than Fund we have planned to gfve object li;o,S^ TT" "^ *^!, ^^'•^""ald Rural School, that to help to bring about i^ Canadl Xt I hav'eTnT f]'-" "*.'^™' ^^°''''' '^^- f"^« *»•« ^ntry one more desirable to Hve in and our""2 " °'^'' "°"^' "•'- **» tented and happy, by progress in education hl'^ our people more prosperous, con- in good-wiU and w-o^raK "^^'=*»"''»-»'y P'oeress in ability, in intelligence and House of Commoxs, Room 34, Mb. Chairman axd Gentlemfv t o~ * what is being done by the MacdonaldW^TorthTrm^^^^^^^ *^- '""^-^ o" m rural schools. To make the informatlrflirrSST T hon^r.^T' "^^^^l^^^ of the Committee will permit me after a hrint IL . .^ *•""* ^^^ members some additions to my evidence in wHtLn or prfntl^^'rm '"* " ^""^ "^^'^"^-^ «"«> to the-irp-lm^rorr^^^^^^^^^ Has been paid of training the childrens' bodies that ?hey may S ablet VT' '^"'J'-' °° *^« ""« way of manual and industrial labour,_in Safnine the lit ^/"f f.®"'"*'^ '"^ t^e Of training their minds through their bodies children's bodies for the sake BOYAL COMMISSION OS THE SUBJECT ins how far, ,nd in ,b,t fom,, nuiu.1 „S ^-mI^'^ . ^ * ''™ *» li'lsnniii. i« u» .duel..., ^..„ ., u.,' jx irs 'CIS ofNitat UACDOVALD FV^DS TOR EDVCATWS IT 4 tion in Ireland. The foUowing are extracts from the fourth and final report submitted on25th June, 1898:— . . 'In carrying out the task imposed upon us by Your Excellency a Commission of January 25, 1897, we have had ninety-three meetings, of which fifty-seven were sittings for the receiving of evidence. Wo have taken the evidence of 186 persons whom we considered qualified to give information on the matters submitted to us, and we June visited 119 schools, in most of which we have had an opportunity of seeing manua and practical instruction actually given.' •With a view to ascertaining the existing facts with regard to manual and 1'"^- schools in foreign countries. For our information regarding schools in the Ln, od sSes we are Mebted to the very complete and exhaustive reports issued by the Sed States Bureau of Education. We have also had the benefit of the experience S one of our colleagues. Professor Eitzgerald; who took the occasion of a v.si to America, in the autumn of last year, to see some of the primary schools in that country.' ' RESULT OF INQUIRY. ' After careful consideration of the evidence laid before us, and of the facts Mi we have seen for ourselves, wc now proceed to report, in accordance with your Ex- cellency's Commission, how far, and in what form, manual and practical mstructio.i should be included in the system of primary education carried out by the Nat.ona Education Board in Ireland. We may at once express our strong conviction tha manual and practical instruction ought to be introduced, as r as possible, into all "hools where it does not at present exist, and that in those ^f- -j^^^h^'-e it does exist, it ought to be largely developed and extended. We are satisfied that such a chang,. will not involve any detriment to the literary education of the pupils, while Uwd contribute large' ro develop their faculties, to quicken their intelligence, and to fit them better for their work in life.' ' REASONS. « The considerations by which we have been led to the general conclusions above Kct out will be fully discussed in the second part of this report, under the several heads of manual and practical instruction. But we think it will be for your Ex- cellency's convenience, that the general summary of our conclusions should be here followed by a general summary of the grounds on which they are based. 'REASON'S MAINLY EDUCATIONAL. '1 First then, there are reasons founded on educational principles. The present Rvstem' which consists largely in the study of books, is one-sided in its character: and it leaves some of the most useful faculties of the mind absolutely untrained. W o think it important that children should be taught not merely to take in knowledge from books, but to observe with intelligence the material world around them: that they should be- trained in habits of correct reasoning on the facts observed; and trint they should oven at school, acquire some skill in the use of hand and eye to execute the conceptions of the brain'. Such a training we regnrd as valuable to all. but cspccinlly valuable to those Note.— The Commissioners visited schools in Ireland, England, Scotland, Sweden and Denmark. M— 2 m iAMSa W. ROBBKTBOn 'beASONS FHOIC EXPERIENCE. and on ^heinti^t\fi^l^^''tl T?"'*u"^ *^°* «^»«J« >« England, Scotland. already introduced and t«tS Tho iliJ* '"*''' * f^**"" ««• ^« '^commend ha^ S wlutely unanimous and. aT^thiS entS^ ''^ ^ •''' '^'^'^ °» ^^is point is a^ over again, that the introduct^^of mSl'^"?"'"^"-. ^« '^'^^ »'««'' toW. over and ZL thl K^f * "'^'^^ "^« generally briXe; Ini"""* S*""'' '"**'««' '« ^^^ool 1^!!? ^ ^*"^' attendance is improved- fhl K-U '^ """^ pleasant As a con»o- vanced age; and much time is g^S fS'th» '^'°'''° '* '^''°''' *« "* ™<"^ ad- Jncrea^ mter.st in their work. "*^ "' or^inized play, and partly by the"r '* ^*"^ "^^"E" •'0« TECHNICAL EDUCATION. de^X^^f n'o litTe ^^J^rtXZ 1^ ^-^-1 character, which seems to us ^ growing st«>n^er eveiy day. for Se i,.'^ I- "*" *'"«"»hout this country, and U -Jucat.on. It is thoughTthafa S.<5 ' t^^f,:;: °? »,^"«™1 system of Lhntn character tb^? inoave^tl tX^irutr:: ^T/'^ «^-atl"n i^^' o o^siljT/^T;; boys trained in the national ^ZSitZ^'^J°'*'''^''''''^^^^'>^ion. ThecTeve^ ' coNci-rsioN. 'In presenting this report to Yonr Pro«li»r. eon.,... A. „.«.., „ ,„„,, a U.JSS i:*-/.4^^^J-- .5»o,.^, MACDOJtALD FDNDft FOR EDOCATIOH 19 I it seems to us seriously deficient Insisting too much, as it does, on the study of books, it leares the faculty of observation and other i&portant faculties comparatively un- cultivated; and it neglects almost entirely that training of the hand and eye which would be so useful to the children in their after life, and which is now regarded both in England and on the continent of Europe, as an element of great importance in primary education. ' The development of manual and practical instruction, on the linM wa have pointed out, will remedy these defects, and will not, we are satisfied, inflict any injury on the literary education which is now given. It will not disturb what is good in tho present system, but only supply what is wanting. It will quicken the intelligence of the children, brighten the tone of school life, and make school-work generally mor-- interesting and attractive. With the system of national education modified as j propose, the children will be taught not by means of books only, but als*. hy the more simple and effective agency of things; and they will be b^^tter prepared for thoir work in life, which, for the great bulk of them, must consist mainly of manual occupations. ' It is hardly necessary to say that the changes we have recommended cannot be carried out without a considerable expenditure of money. But we feel confident that the state, which so largely maintains and controls the system of national education in Ireland will not hesitate to provide the necessary funds for improving that system, within reasonable limits. The progress of the people in wealth and material pros- perity must largely depend on the education given in the primary schools; and to make that -iducation thoroughly efficient and fit for its purpose is a task, we submit, which may well be undertaken, in the highest interests of the state, whatever the necessary cost may be.' I have quoted freely from that report. I am greatly indebted to it.. I consider it peerless even i ■ ong parliamentary blue-books for the thoroughness of its information. At that tim'-;, 1898-99, in fact before tfiat. Sir William C. Macdonalil had been most anxious to help to improve rural schools in Canada ; and he camo to me for some help in the way of plan-making and administration. I said that in my judgment tho first thing to do was to give object lessons of manual training in the elementary schools of cities and towns so as to educate public opinion in favour of better methods of education in places where newspapers were published and to which the country peoplo looked for guidance. He rather demurred, saying the city and town schools were al- ready too good in comparison with the country schools and tended to draw people in from the country to the towns in order to get education for their children. After- wards when he saw it would be a means of helping the ruTal swhools, be said, ' All right, we will carry on the manual training in some town sahools.' The man in the rural district imitates the man who lives in town. The man who lives in town has the best chance of being a leader; and the man in tV cou''*'- would not be willing to take a lower grade of education for his boy than a to* man. It was important to get the leaders from the cities to recognize imprc oy means of practical educa- tion. That was the reason for the Macdonald M.. a Training Fund and its work. Manual training was the first step in this plan. The rural school was not an after- thought; It did not come out of the manual training movement. The manual training movement was a step towards the otb?r end — that of improving the ri-.l schools. Hitherto the wealth and wisdom of the c^vntry have been given to town sciiuols. The little rural school has been left without help. We began in a rather modest way. I had no intention of making the scheme as large as the Macdonald Manual Training movement has since become. The first plan was to start one good centre in connection with tho public elementary schools in Ottawa in order to crivo an object less.in here, as being tho capital of the T)ominion, where many influential public men come and would be able to see it. We luipod to start one at Brockville, Ont., also, and one at some place to be selected in the maritime provinces. M— 2J D^oaff^ r"""« *i« assent of X^f^^ ^°' thc.nsolvcf. '"' "'*' "^'^ education, twined and prope^r.i*^- ''' ^^ ^^an^.^l Si^rt^t"^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ aciiers have been It i« not what is kn """' " "''''''' ™^'^-^-^-«' 18 an essential part The s.sten. is somef """" """ ""™^ --• Swedish won? fnl^ j™'"°^« °aj]ed En-I.-sh SU , »M.on Witt , ^h^,,. ™J • '~» for „„„, C„?°l ,^ "",**«I> » . m,^^„. *■ Of time required MlCDOyALD FVNDB FOR EDlCATIOlf ipm ion— that ment if it is rovide better eaii help to ■ to obsen-e; ' education : lerstandiiip, them. We ' of school • ^- That is •al Schoo,. «utify the ' a chancf; education, r with the substance facdonnld rs and to te wi]li„„ ujpments oroughl.v hat time S al the iro.N.S., was also hat Was ' abih'fy t'e beon lag al- ' their •ntries Jcee?s listers ciples train f the '{ the part rent lith ley- on- re- roff to make any particular object. Manual training ia really a scriea of cxcrcisca so ar- ran([ed as to h 'e educational results. How is manual training brought about J By v.-orking at a bench; making simple things in clay or cardboard or wood. It is a training in accuracy, in ability to con- trol self and environment, in expression of thought, ia deeds and in substances rather than in language. A floor area of about six hundred square feet is enough to accommodate twenty pupils and one bench for each. A room 2'4 x 30 feet would be amply large; and would provide also for the instructor's bench and for a groi.p of pupils to watch what he was loing. Ten classes of twenty pupiU each, or two hundred in all, could bo passed through such a room in the week. The benches are of convenient height and size, and ^ach one is fitted with a rack for the holding of tools, an ! also with tools. Some of them are also fitted with a simple device for the holding of the drawings, so that the work with the tools may proceed with the drawing, in full view all the time. General class instruction with the aid of a blackboard, is given uy some teachers in a fifteen minutes' talk, before the particular work of the half-day begins ; and instruction is given also to each of the pupils individually as the work at thv^ benches proceeds. Children come from their ordinary subjects and studies, fo- one half -day every week and go to tha manual training room and have one half -day's training there in making drawings and in making things in wood. They do that in the ^mentary schools in Canada for three years, and during tlie three years they make . jout thirty objects or models. That training gives the children ability in several ways of which I shall spcai in a minute, which the book studies do not give them as fully. I take these two sample things — a wedge and a spoon — to illustrate this. A boy will get a piece of wood antl will be shown a wedge like that (producing small wedge made in manual training class). Then he will get a lesson on how to make a drawing of the wedge, that way, and that way and that way (pointing tc he three faces of the wedge). He is taught also Iiow to measure, to measure the wedge or other model, to measure for his draw- ing and then to measure accurately on the wood as he makes his own model. He is taught what to do next, in sequence to make the wood take the shape ox the wedge. To do th^^ he must think clearly, because the order of his action depends upon his thought. If he does not think clearly, he will cut the wood in the wroi.g place and have to begiu again at the beginning. That is very different from accepting the marking of an error in blue pencil. He is taught to think clearly towards an end believed by him to be useful. That is a great gain. I used to think and reason on the problems of Euclid, but never knew what end I was striving for. Manual train- ing helps to cr.refulness, to accuracy, and to self-reliance. You can never juggle with facts or substances here. You cannot commit a sophistry in wood. Mr. A. H. I>ako, Dirt-ctor of Manual Training for the Province of Ontario under the Macdonald Fund, says : ' The first lesson necessarily consists of an explanation of the rule and its divi- sions, whether metric or English, practice in drawing lines of given length, first with- out the rule and afterwards with, and the drawing also of simple elementa figures to give dimensions. After this the boys are taught by an examination of the model itself and the instructions of the teacher to prepare a simple working drawing. Line by line the model is drawn upon the blackboard, the boys pointing out as the work proceeds the actual line of the model represented by the line on the board, so that when the drawing is finished the boys have a clear mental picture of the object they are re- quired first to draw and then to make. No mere copying of drawings is allowed, and to prevent this and also to test the efficiency of the instruction, the drawing is erased and the dimensions of the various parts given, and from these and an examination of iho model itsflf the boys are expected to produce a drawing, fully dimensioned, from which the model can be made. At other times they are allowed to measure the model for themselves and make their drawings from their own measurements. 'In addition to the mrdels comprising the different eonr.sos, suitable object les- •0.- are given on the growi defects and character of the different timbers used and JA-UnS W. BOBEBTSOn a the construction of the tools employed and in ^^^^^Zlt 's^Zttn\X has an actual specimen of wood, or the actual tool in his hand, so may exercise his own observation and judgment. consists of a series of ' At present the bench work is ahnost ^-l^-^f ';'J^'trk1ndTwo^d, principles models most carefully graduated, in order of diftculty as ^J'"^ "^ ;^ ^ f„i,y pf construction and complexity of tool operations ^^YiiTif! ri-st to full size, an^l! dimensioned drawing previously prepared by the ^ f J^^^^^^j „^ f,,,^ the com- fater on to a scale. Accuracy of form and "-^^^^^^^^.J^s jtsa^^ with any- mencement, and it is surprising to find ^^owfeoon a lad becomes ds ^^^^^.^^^ bench and a complete set of bench tools, placed »« a rack at »*« back .^h ^ r(,om are arranged the tools not so f'«=>^;--",^^''i7/'^;,:^^':^o^^^^^^^^ swoops down his bench aiid r^ a-d™i^^iS 2;^^:X'£^^ trb:f:fVprovin.. that may be brought by the beys. „l„ov« nrranced with difficulties An educational manual training course »« "^^^f ""S When a boy has '^^'"'"^^" TO DO THINGS IN THE BIOHT WAY. The boy learning to read or wHte ^oes not^et that^^^^^^^^^^^ TnT^r:; the consciousness of progress, by ««*'"«/^^„ J f 'J^^.^f^ , ,eh 1 way as to do the us would know how to make that spoon, to tackle the task in «"^^ ''J^^y ,;. piece off, he wi 1 saw t^'.^P «=« o , ^^^^^ ,^ drawing on you .ec.^to work ^o-^J^J^^^^ ^^*;^S aTd follow^ line« of the drawings on the paper, then l,e makc^n d awing n wo^. and^^^^ ^^^^^^ .^ ^ beautiful obieot. It wa. wood with .. ^;,"'"? Ottawa out of an oblong piece of wood like that I have ^ade in one^ ° Y, l^Tt^ato" ?h advanta^ which training into habits of carefulness rnfet'lf' he boy w^fn careful to mL his first drawing right and then do his eawtg in the riS way, and in the right plac. ho could not ond up with the fine curves of that spoon. . , Q. Th» machine .id h™, ' "j™""' ,, „,„„ ;, „„ ,„„,;,„ ,„),„ i„ ,!» pU». ,*.• J'™i°^ri*r.U. jr."ri"o . n». m<.,el,v K...«in8 th.t it is .bout MACDONALD FUNDS FOR EDUCATION IS «rcise book, he brings his own judgment into play. It develops the habit of self- reliance. The teacher shows the boy how to do things, but nobody but the boy himself makes his model. If the teacher shows the boy how to use a saw, he does so on another piece of wood; the boy does all the actual cutting on his own materiaL That traiu^ him to self-reliance, to depending on himself; that is a great gain. TO SUPPLEMENT BOOKS, NOT TO SUPPLANT THEM. Let me show you, if I may, for a moment how this supplcmenta the ordinary book Btudies; it does not enable the teachers to do away with them. The book studies as a rule have rather magnified the value of knowledge: the knowledge of facts, of names and rules; that is what a book almost always does. That is not the case under this system. The boy acquires a knowledge of things which arc real to him; first by what is called sensuous knowledge, that is, knowledge he gets through his own senses; seidng. feeling, smelling, hearing and ' hefting.' When a boy is doing anything he is getting impressions through his senses. Secondly, he gains experimental knowledge by meet- ing obstacles and overcoming them. Moreover he adds to his logical knowledge; he reasons out that if he docs a certain act or series of acts they will produce a certain result. This is far better than training the boy to a second-hand knowledge of facts which he gets from some other person's statements in a book. May I for a moment show the characteristic differences between this and ordinary school work, and how this supplements that What are the differnnces most noticeable? The teachers in both are the prime factors; then what? What are the most noticeable things in the old schools? Books and examinations. Is not that so? What was most highly esteemed— most requisite' in the ordinary examination? A knowledge of facts and names and rules and forms. Many a student says: 'If that does not help me in the examination, I have no time to waste on it' But such a man will find his error bye-and-bye, when he is face to face with the obstacles of real life, which do not yield to anything but intelligence, ability and unselfishness. Books are good things, blessed things ; the store house of the great thoughts, of the great achievements, of the great intellects among men. I would not whisper a disparaging word of books. But when you get p. good book, a book to your liking, what is your attitude, whether you are young, middle-aged or old? An attitude of passive receptivcncss. That is particularly the effect of the book on the mind of the young. Here are the bench, the tools, and the materials. They stand for the active and constructive. A boy who puts in part of his school time at these gets more good out of books in his passive and receptive periods. The bench is not in con- flict with the book, but is the complement of the book; and both help the boy better than either would alone. Examination papers arc the detestation of teachers, and tiiey aro not welcomed by the pupils. If a young man when he leaves school knows hardly any standard except the verdict of his superiora, ho is ill fitted to meet life's diffi- ctiitios for himself. It is good to accept the judgment of our superiors, and it is better to hnve the boy competent to pass his own verdict and sny, ' That is the best I can do;' or, if it is not. ' I will go and do it bettor.' That is what the bench and tools and models demand annd it. ' ' ^ ''""'^ ''^^ '^^''«' f-^ai^ls thcm«lv« wni';',,;;; Jru/^r^a^d^L^dl^t l^^^^^^^^^ government has t.k.n over the .„Vf .•„ Scotu and New Brunswiok; J^l jf f, , J5::,rr ^'••"ff 'ms boon done n "^C It g"*."'°- Winnipeg will cnrrv on h^ ".iT tZ '" ^/^'T"''" ""'' '^ ^^"^ '>«". -Jo no .t Re^m.. Calgary. Vancouver and v/ctZ'' The IS th'arK'"?''""«' ""'••"-•' '- "* """* ''«s been started under t& tlACDONALD FVyDS FOR EDVCATJON % • the ilacdonald Fund will be carried on by the provincial and muuicipal authorities. In Nova Scotia manual training has been taken up in 14 other schools without assist- ance from the Macdonald Fund except that we have trained the teachers for them. It has been started in many other places in Ontario; and teachers have been trained for these also by the Macdonald Fund. This is an outline of the beginning of the mover-lent; and as you see, it has had already very great growth. By Mi: Rosa (Ontario) : Q. How long is it since the movement was inaugurated ? A. Three vl ars ago I gave an address in Ottawa, in November, 1899 ; that was the first public announcement of the plan. Perhaps it will please and serve the Coiiiinittte if I put in an extract from that address, showing the progress of this movement in Sweden, Germany and some other parts. OCTLIXE OF THE HISTORY OF EDUCATIONAL SLOYD OR MANUAL TRAINING. Only the barest reference can be made here to the history of Educational Sloyd. In fact I am not sufficiently acquainted with it to make more than mention of a few matters. Perhaps the movement has" had its widest extension and best application in the elementary schools of Sweden. The following are quotations from ' The Theory of Educational Sloyd,' published by George Philip and Son, London: — ' The Sloyd movement in Sweden had begun in the la'.; xties and early seventies. It was first of economical rather than educational significau^-e, i.e., it was a movement for home industries, which, it was soon seen, must begin in the school if it was to have any lasting effect. Sloyd schools were started in different neighbourlioods by private individuals, some of them close at hand in the Ian or county of Alfsbt)rg, where Cuunt Sparre, the chief of the county, had formed a Sloyd Union. Struck ' " the new move- ment, Herr Abrahamson, in February, 1872, opened a work-school for boys at Naas, and two years later a similar one for girls, with his nephew, Mr. Salomon, for director.' 'In 1874, Herr Salomon becam-i inspector of Sloyd schools for the middle dis- trict of Alfsborg Ian, a post which he held for several years.' ' lo meet the demand for Sloyd teachers, Messrs. Abrahamson and Salomon, in 1874, opened a training department in connection with their school, this being the first attempt of the kind.' ' The question now began to be looked upon from an educational rather than an economical point of view.' ' One thing was already quite clear. The teacher only could make Sloyd educa- tionally useful, and so he strove henceforth to make the Sloyd School and the Folk School one. From 1878, therefore, he began to take ordinary teachers from his own Ian in 5-or-C-weck holiday courses iu Sloyd, whilst still continuing the work of tlio Seminary on the same plan which he had begun ft. ir years before. But in 18S2 oninc a thorough change. The twelve-month courses ceased, and the short course " were i'xtoiidod, first to all Sweden, and then to teachers from abroad.' ' At the same time, too, all other forms of Sloyd were dropped in favour of the one that was found the most useful educationally, viz, Wood Sloyd. The coiiwutra- tion of attention upon this one allowed of a dovelopiiiout of it for educational pur- poses which it can scarcely be said to have received elsewhere. A\u] then .^aii lie na doubt, too. that it is this concentration which has been a powerful help in -curiiig the introduction of Sloyd into the 1,900 elementary schools in which it is now *im uht in Sweden.' ' Niiiis is a pood Sloyd school, and much besides. It is the meeting place of lead- ing teachers of all degrees and all nationalities, for common work, and for the inter- change of ideas. Professors, inspectors, .secondary and elementary teachers, women iis well as men, there meet on common ground as comrades. It fulfils more thnii nny other institution that could easily be named, the ideal we arc aiming at in England in "-i"« co-operation and financial supptroJ-t^rDTpart'mrot; ,^ ^ation""^ ''°-^^- -•''' *^' In the irn,tet' the materials. In the public elementary schools we do not train the children in regard to the value of materials, but in regard to the value of accuracy, carefulness, selt- rjliance and the charactc . developed by these means. TEe following extract is from a statement by Archbishop Walsh of Ireland, on the subject of Manual Training : — " These objects are of no commercial value, at least they are not valued for tlit-ir own sakes. So far as intrinsic value goes they might be destroyed as soon as tlu-y are made. Kb has b xn well said in one of the best expositions of the systt •^lioy arc, in this respect, like the pages of the copy-book that the child fills in when learning to write. It is not the objects themselves, but the making of them that is lookrtl to. It is the work of m.iB IS one important feature I would like to mention that we have f'nmd in our school. It ha J almost entirely elitninatLHl truancy. Kvery boy i.s there every time. You canni.t stop him from that. A. That is one of the many things that are advantageous. For instance, ti.e attendance at the manual training classes in Ottawa is much highor than the averntje in other school classes. The boys are never absent from this if thoy can help it ; the interest of the work appeals to the boy himself. By Mr. F.rh : Q. Is the instruction to the class collectively, or to each boy ? A. The teaching partakes of both. Sometimes class instruction is given ; iK?rhapa a plane is taken apart or a saw is examined .-^nd cxplninp.H to thorn. This is class in- struction ; and tlien each boy gets instruction at his bench, ua the particular work ho JAMES W. ROBERTSOV IS doing. He need not J-ecp pace with the others; he makes as rapid progress as he le capable of making. The class instruction is in regard to the tools and woods and from the blackboard in drawings. The rest is individual instruction at the benches. One great gain in this is that the boy does not waste time. If you go into a manual training room you will find all of the boys constantly at work. If the committee would care to come down to the large centre at the corner of Elgin and Maria streets to-day you would find a class there and I am sure you would be interested. Bp Mr. Wilson : Q. How large ore the classes ? A. Twenty to one tcaclior ; a double centre holds 40, and then there are two .«„v,..c., ,u lue ruoiij. ±ue Doys are so interested in the work that strangers may come in with one brief glance of observation. The boys go on with their work. The train- ing of a boy in using his own time is an exceedingly beneficial feature. As I have already said, in the common country schools one of the great wastes is the waste of child-time, from one teacher being unable to keep all the children occupied. I think *u'fj '*',,™°**^ lamentable phase of our whole system, but in the manual training the sult8. Reports pay tliat the most incorrigible boys after three ;oars' work have been 80 cured of their bad tempers by being taught to control their bodies, that thesr have been reformed by this more than anything that has been tried before. ' We took for Canada the Swedish Sloyd modified by the Russian and English methods. Some of our original teachers had been trained in Sweden as well as in England. Q. Wliy is it that Sweden is so far in advance of other countries in these matters? A._ I do not know except that as far as I know in every country that is ahead in education you can trace the advance to the action of one or two men. One or two men did something and the others fell in. That is why Sir William C. Macdonald has devoted a great deal of money to education, believing that when it is once started of this more excellent sort, the regularly constituted educational authorities will carry it on. If it is pood it will spread. What is always required is a man,— a number of men from time to time, ahead of their time ; and through them the nation goes ahead. By Mr. Thomson (Grey) : Q. Those who cbme here from Sweden are very superior in engineering, surveying or any other work of '''at class. Dy Mr. Wright : Q. I would like the professor to emphasize what he said about the incorrigible boys. The most incorrigible boy we Lad in the Renfrew school became our best boy in manual training. A. That has been found in many of the schools. There is an abundance of man- ual energy in the able bodied boy which must hnd expression through doimr things ; and if he ie trained to do useful things in a systematic way. hia energy finds a natural outlet and he becomes an able boy. It also satisfies the boy. UACDOXALD FVyDS FOR EDUCATIoy » The great progress that Denmark has made in dairj-ing is ^^y l^Kf^^J"* %^^ «cellent Sol system there. The butter make, we had at the Experimental Farm S ^1891 was a Dane and he had the benefit of this manual trammg m h.s school Ta^s He mf.de drawings and then worked them out in a way whereby he obtained a Sa.p of thTn^TS. It was the mental and other training that he had tl .u B^ve h m the Ky to takf up a problem and work it 6ut to a logical, practical, useful conclusion. B Mr. Thomson (Grey) : , , . i Q. There is no other reason for the excellence of the Danes than this technical or educational n^ining^J^ anything else counts for so much in thur progress in recent years. hi, itr. Ross (Ont.) : ,.,,,. Q It i<5 the necessities of the country. I suppose, that make it desirable to have this manual training; or arc they a superior class of people? A. They are a good, sturdy, intelligent people, who have had far-sccing, capab.o ^'"''^These teachers we brought out from Europe, mostly from England-we picked out the best men we could find-thesc teachers told me after ueing nere two years, tliat they thought the Canadian boys in their classes showed more aptness, quickness aud intelligence, than any children they had ever had before in their classes. Th.at is the testimony of these teachers. Our schools have been too bookish; there has been too much of the passive and of the repressive in them, and too little of the active and the constructive. . ■, ■l ■, ■ u w, „ How to apply these principles of education to our rural schools is a much more difficult problem than to apply them to a city school where they have graded classes. Q. There are also graded schools in incorporated villages! A. In towns, bat not many Ik the country parts. Q There are also graded sclwols in incorporated villages? a! There are a great many rural public schools in Canada that are not graded. Q. Those are the purely rural schools that arc ungraded, I guess ! A. Yes. The next part of the plan we have in contcmiiliition is to give object lessons in important rural schools on similar lines to those followed in the object lessons in city school" To make this clear to the Committee I think I cannot do better than put in part of an article I prepared recently on the improvement of rural schools by means of consolidation. CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS. Some of the essentials for good rural schools are : (1) Good teachers with expe- rience- (2) wholesome children; (3) eificient supervision; (4) good buildings; (5) neat and beautiful suro-mdings ; (6) active public interest and adequate support. If we cannot arrange at once to bring into existence all the desirable conditions for good schools, we should strive to create as many of those conditions as we can in as many places as we can. There is no witchery or fairy charm in the word or fact of coneolidation to put away nil the present weakness and ills of small rural sc-ho,.ls. However, consolidation will bring opportunities and means for improvement within peach of the teachers, the people and the children. Ever increasing benefits may be found by using those to the fullest extent. GOOD TEACHERB. Teaching is a gr-^at art. It is the art of living, the .irt of living and labourins to as to lead young lives out into desire and ability to live usefully, and, therefore, JAME8 W. R0BBRT809 'I am come that ye might have life and happily. The greatest of all teachers said, nave it more abundantly.' imnler^^Vl '^^"^"/^[^ the teacher should be an example of neatness, good We of the^o^r^^' •"'^ "^""'^."^ '"'*"*^" ^^""J« >'^« >" ^^^^ ""d towa.:ds the investlatln?™^;'" """f ""^" ' ""^ ^''""''^ ''°<"' ^'^ ^^"«'"« *»«* observing. Td r^wer sun^ftl r " ""<^«'«t«»d.ng real things are forms of mental activity New U^h^ * J r""^ remembering of words, names, forms and rules. EconomT would L-l"'"'^ '""^ "^/^-ture Study, Manual Training and Domestic f^™ uT7 . made easily possible at consolidated rural schools. The teachers would find great satisfaction and delight in them. As it is the pan of the public to ^:iLZ"Z7 'l" "^r'T "^ *^ '^^"*^'-' '' '« "-« PartSrS tte duty and me puDiic at large and the teacher in particular, the paths of duty hannineq.. nr„i progress are in the same direction and run within the same bounds '^' "^^ ^ teachers „'f^'n^'°" of schools would provide for perhaps fewer teachers, but better teachers of more experience. At the present time there are comparatively few if any prize places m the teaching profession in rural schools. The coveted ,^L are inX' towns and ci les ; they draw the teachers of approved ability fromTheCal districts wnor-ESOME children. theJir.L'""'? *'^'°^°*' T^^\ '"]" *'•'' '*'^''" ^^"^ '""'^^ ^'"- a eood education. Among these are a large enough attendance to form classes of children of about equal age and advancement in studies. The gathering of the children into a school where ?heycouW wn^W^"^ graded and. to a large extent, classified according to stage of advancemen? Tdvanc^o? T" '7^1^%'^^' \"J- I" that respect the town and city schools are n advance of the rural schools at the present time in..^l centralization or consolidation, a large number of children could be brought ehSren "^ °"«/:"?"''- .-^^'""^ '='"^ '^""''^ ^ ^-'"^J- Properly grt^ anTfhe children classified from time to time as advancement was made. Such classes nerb± 'T "^'^^ l" ^^ *"" '' ^'' ^''^ ^"' '^'^^^ ^<^'^^^^ anoth;r. on the whole perhaps, quite as much as any grown teacher does. In other words the ^timllT^^ to many of the individual pupi s through the passinir on bv nnnJl.. ♦„ X ■ i 7 of.the help they have derived direct ffom tLTeX^^'l't^s'ltonly^'t le t^S some nLT " \'^''- . ^?^ ''^'^^' '" ^'""'^ ^'^-^' -^-P'^t^ to i tfe¥ow chM some part or soi.e phase of a lesson. By gathering the children from five or s"! ^ral lir t 7 T "T-^f ^'"''"^u '^^"°'' '^' **««^'"« P°-- of the children of the locality for other children in the locality would be utilized Fieh n.mil fn , oi lear^much from his fellow pupils. As the bright, quickies .S n'pT othe«are helped to see ; as they reveal their methods of study, other ehildrk W ChTdre^ also learn from classes to which they do not belong, as well as from children in the groups of their ow.: degree of advancen-snt. cnuoren in the EFFICIENT SUPERVISIOrf. Supervision of rural schools by school boards, inspectors and denartmenta «/ education must be intelligent sympathetic and skilful, co'operatinTw.trtreTache™ to bring the schools into touch with the bn„,e, and with the nccupations of the peoSr Those who have the power of governing and responsibility of guiding must needs 1^ in cloM touch With the hvcs of the people whose children are being educated and S VACDOVALD FWDB FOR SDVCATIOJI » sympathy with the life which the children themselves will follow when they come to mature years. It is mc.t promising and hopeful that the public school inspcctow aro leaders and guides in education, rather than official valuators of other teachers work. It becomes necessary that members of school boards should have a clearer apprecia- tion of the qualities essential to a good teacher ; and of the fact that the best teacher becomes still better by at least two years of experience. School boards, for the sake of saving a few dollars in salary, cannot afford to have the children practiswl upon all the time by young teachers who are gaining experience at the cost of child-time and of the opportunities which to those particular children never come again. The indifference, ignorance and selfishness of some parents come V>ctwcen their children and the chance of a good education. The united power and influeuoo of departmente of education, inspectors, school boards and teachers, must be exerted more energetically and patiently in behalf of those little ones. GOOD BUILDINGS. The rural sehoolhouse is rarel: . thing of beauty ; it is sometimes a place of dis- comforts and a hindrance to the natural development of robust bndfcs and to the growth of mental vigor and activity. Many a school still lacks suitable desks with comfortable seats. In matters of heating, lighting and ventilation, the lonely little school has beer, left untouched by the improvements which have made town schools models for promoting comfort and health. Everybody admits the high educational value of a well-constructed, well-arranged, well-equipped schoolroom, with windows and floors shiningly clean, and walls decorated with pictures. ' Day by day beautiful, comfortable and clean surroundings will have their ethical influence upon his develop- ment until he comes to abhor anything that is not beautiful, well ordered and clean. NEAT AND BEAUTIFUL SLRROUNDINOS. Plea.-^ant and woU-arranged surroundings are silent, potent educational forces The child naturally tries to put himself into harmony with what surrounds him. That effort often unconscious to himself, is part of his. education. What a charge that sentence brings against the untidy, uncomfortable, unlovely interiors and ex eriors ot many schoolhouscs in rural districts, an.l against tho.r fenceless, uncnrod-for and hardly decent surroundings ! _ . rr. . .• There are over 100,000 school gardens in use in European countries. lhe«e beauti- fy the school grounds and are used for educational purposes as woU. ., , , Wl-y should not the sehoolhouse and school premises be the most beautiful and attractive place in the locality ? If the children are to spond between six and seven hours a day there, should it not be made a place to be proud of, and known to them as worthy cif all praise ? , , , . j i- „„ Would it not be a good thing if the bare, neglected, depressing and sometimes hardly decent surroundings of the sehoolhouse were improved into gardens. cxprMsing the refined taste and skill of the people of the locality, under the management of their teacher « If unsightly and repellent premises are not in themselves degrading, they have a tond<'ncv to dull the taste and the judgment of young perrons as to what should be e-toonied. It is of groat benefit in early life to have one's si'rr.)undinRS of such a sort a- to inculcate and develop a love of flowers, of pictures, and of good books. The school should l>e a place for supplying those conditions in such a way as to help on the harmonious development of the child's character. The rural school, as every other school, should be so conducted as to bring aboui the formation oi desirable habits. Arpmig those are regularity, punctuality, obedience, industry and self-control. Children who observed beautiful things, nicely arranged inside the school and outside the school, would also be more likely to observe graceful 32 JAME8 W. ROBERTBOTH speech, good manners and unflagging truthfulnese, and to become respectful and reverent towards the beautiful and the good. PUBLIC INTEHEST /XD SUPPORT. It is not to be expected that simple consolidation of schools will create, at once, all the desirable conditions which have bein reforred to. If the cestrahzing plan enables communities and school authorities to do better for education than they can do at one- room schools, it is so far a helpful one. In IWa I visited consolidated rural schools in Iowa and Ohio ; and after personal examinatio'n and inquiry, am convinced that many valuable advantages can be fe'i.inod through the system of consolidation as it micht be applied in Canada. , . •„:*„ As far as could be learned at the places visited, there was almost entire unanimity of opinion among the ratepayers respecting the marked succes. and «"P«"°'^';- vantages of consolidation. While the scheme was brought into effect under vigorous discussion and considerable opposition, the adverse criticism has been disarmed^ tno results of experience. With few exceptions ' the kickers,' as they are designated locay were ratepayers without children, or persons who feared ^"'^e'ieprcc.at.on in the value of their own property, or. worse still, some increase in the ^■«'^"%°;, ^^^P^^Pf^*^ nearest to the centralized school. Experience has proven the former of these two fears to be groundless. A PIONEER !.-< CONSOLIDATIOX. Six years ago Gustavus township, in Ohio, became the pioneer in that part of the United States in the consolidation of rural schools. There were nine school dis- rfcts^n the township, and as many small schools. Then the districts were united into one and a «3ntral school was erected at a cost of $3,000. It is a frame building Safning four large, well-lighted class-rooms, a small r^itxition room and cloak Tooms Instead ofnine teachers in little isolated schools, there are now a principal ItT alar^of $65 per month, and four assistant teachers at $-^2 or i^30 per month in the united school. \'ine nice-looking vans are used to convey the children from an^l to thSr homes. These wagons, or school vans, have comfortable seats running Icngth- wi^of uTvehicle, waterproof canvas covers and ^P-g gearings Before consolda^ 1\Z the average attendance at the schools in that township was 125. On the . .> ot ™vvtu U wa?143 out of an enrolment of 162. The year before consolidation h. c^st of ma n7enance of the nine schools of the township was $2,900. Four years after- vfrds the cost of the centralized schools, including the conveying of the children, wa. i^Slle bei^ an increase in the expenditure by the township on Us school ystem of ^56 Hoover the average attendance at the central school was so much greater ?h«n at thrsingle district schools, that the cost of education was decreased $1.59 per ;^pil on fhe^erage attendance. Moreover, three year.s of high school -J^ - cnrr.ed on n lie consolidated school, and the total cost of that is included in the $3,loC.. OTHER TOWNSHIPS. T>,P neonle in five adjoining townships have also consolidated their schools. Those The people in nve 8°->"'"i"» ^l „„iected for special scrutiny as presenting of Gustavus Kinsman a^^^^^^^^ ele^^e^d^^^ P^, j^,„^,^,, ,„,.„,hip. have typical P^°f.f.°;,'J„Vtwo years At Kinsman the enrolment of pupii. was 140. and "^M^Zi van« tre enga"' ; at Gustavus 162 pupils were on the roll.and nhu- eight school xans ''■''^\'''^f^^...'-,, „tteiacd school, and ten v.ins were in service. vans were used ; at J»J"^*"lVrainv and the roads as bad as three inches of snow Although the -^^l;^' r^r^e Aild.^^^^^^ out of the vans at Kinsman S :i£ Ty^cS.' ;fn^ d'^fe^. kittle bo^ys and girls of six y«irs came three MACDOVALD FVXD8 FOR EDVCATWN » nud four miles in comfort. The teachers said they came regularly in all ^J^^a^crs. Under the small district system in the township of Kinsman, two years before, the uirolmeut at the schools was 110 ; under the consolidated system it has risen to 14<., without t . y appreciable difference in the total enumeration of children m iho town- Thip The high percentage of young cLildren (6 to 8 years) and the large proportion of older pupils (from 15 to 20 years) were eloquent of the gains in education during the first two and the later years of school life in a rural district, SCHOOL VANS. The contracts for conveying the children to and from the schools are given to responsible persons. These are under bond to provide comfortable co^^;red wagons and o comply with the regulations of the school authorities. The ans hold from 15 up to overreach. The longest route traversed was about s.x m.les The vans arrive at ?he school at from ten to twenty minutes before nine o'clock the hour at which tl.e forenoon session begins. The afternoon session closes at half-past three o'clock. At Johnston school where the closing exercises were observed, the children were in the vans starting fc their homes in less than five minutes afterwards At Kinsman theeightvansareengaged at an average cost of $2.07 per sc-hool day at Gustavus, the nine vans at an average of $1.25; and at Johnston the ten vans at an average of $1.27. The price of the vans was from $100 to $135 each. All the vans observed were drawn by two horses each. The drivers who were conversed with sai. tShad not known of any injury to any child. They said the regulations requ.rc.l them to wait for the children at any house for a period not exceeding two minutes, that as a matter of fact, it was rarely necessary to wait .ne nunute. and that a ca.e wher- the children missed the van or were left from being late was very uncommon. The average attendance at the schools confirmed all that. THE SCHOOL WORK. Mr R H Cowley, Inspector of Schools for the county of Carleton, Ontario. accompanied me; and through the courtesy of the principals of the three schools wo were enabled to obtain some information not hitherto recorded That included, among other matters, the free expression of the opinions of the pupils themselves on the re- lative merits of the old and the new. Mr. Cowley sumniec - . these points as follows : ' hout five per cent of the pupils preferred walking ... xhe old school rather than riding in a van to the new school. Almost without exception these were pnpils who now have four to six miles of a drive in place of a former walk of one nnlo or los.. At the same time these pupils expressed a decided preference for the work of the consolu atcd so) - \ The evidence of both pupils and teachers goes to show that rid- ine in "the va is alike comfortable and free from injury to even the younfrost children The increased enrolment of pupils and the very high porc(Tita>re of repuhir- itv in attendance struck the visitors as remarkable. For the past thrc.^ months the dailv average attendance at the Kinsman school, which is in that respect typical, was 91 ^r cent of the number of pupils enrolled. More striking in this connection is tlie fact that the pereentnpe of regular attendance among the youngest pupils— those of five, six and seven yenrs-was as high as th..t of any other class 'The three lowest ..rades overtake the work ordinarily covered by the public schools in Ontario The higr.o^t grade goes as far as our continuation class, Grade A, hem- competent to accomplish about three years of high-school work.' The largo classes and larg'-r schools seemed to meet the social needs of the ohilchc ii better than the small isolated schools. The older hoys and girls, m'.'wu into \«'i""-' men and women, had opportunities for going on with a high-school education without going away from home. There was said to be, and there appeared to be, a great dc- M— 3 St JAMB8 W. ROBKSTSOiW ■ velopment of a spirit of co-operation and of mutual good-will and 'nfo<*»h,p from the wider and closer acquaintance of the children of the locality, and from the new interests created and recogniwd as being common to all and for the common good. 8UMMABY or ADVANTAQES The carrying out of the plan for the consolidation of rural schools and the free transportation of pupils affords many advantages. (1) It ensures the engagement and retention of some teachers of higher qualifica- tions and longer experience in rural schools. (2> It createi conditions for a proper classification of pupils and for such a grad- ing of the schools as permits the pupils to be placed where they can work to the best advantage for their own improvement. (3) It permits the time-table to be so arranged that teachers can give each class and every pupil in the class more direct help and supervision. (4) It makes it practicable for rural schools to enrich their course for all pupils, by nature study, manual training and household science, as well as by better music ; and for advanced pupils, by instruction in agriculture, horticulture and allied sub- jects. (5) It provides the beneficial influences of fairly large classes of pupils of about equal advancement (a) by more companionship; (b) by friendly nvalnos to cxwl; (c) by children le-.-ning from each other and (d) co-operating under careful dis- cipline; and (e) by -ass enthusiasms. (6) It results ir. the attendance of a larger number of the children in the locality, particularly of those under the age of eight years and of those over fifteen years. (7) It brings about a more regular attendance of pupils of all grades of advance- ment; and encourages punctuality and promptness. The school van calls at a stated lour; instead of th&t being a cause of trouble in families it has been found a decided 'joon. (8) It guards to a greater extent the health and welfare of the children. Trans- portation in covered vans protects them against wet feet, wet clothing and consequent sickness. (Ol It makes it convenient for boys and girls in rural districts to obtain n high school education without leaving home. That keeps boys and girls suited for life in rural localities in those localities. (10) It leads to the erection of better school buildings and more satisfactory equipment in all the requisites of a good school. (11) It stimulates the interest of the parents and the public in the schools, and brings to the people of a township an institution in which all can have an equal in- terest and a worthy pride. (12) It establishes greater sympathy between the homes and the schools, enlarges the influence of the school, identifies it with the best efforts and aspirations of the people, and leads to the formation of reading circles and clubs for mutual improvement, (13) It may lead to an improvement of the public roads in the country parts. (14) It would facilitate the rural free delivery of the mail By Mr. Stephens: Q. They do away with the little schools! A. Altogether. MACOOWALD raVDB FOB MDVCATtOM By Mr. Boat (Ontario): 1 Sol^tThas cost less per average of daily attendance. . Tl- /-ts in ro^H to the township of Gustarus. Ohio, ore that formerly they had "me htt^ sdiools an Sese cost $2.^ a year. After consolidation they ^--^^ '^J""^ t^tetnce Wa floated debentures to pay for it in ten years. The annual cost for n.aintenanco was $3,156, or $256 a year more than that of the little schoolfc Q. And there were 37 more pupils in attendancel A. Yes. By Mr. Bohinson (Elgin) : Q. Does that include the ccat of conveyance* A. Yes. By Mr. Thomson (Grey): Q. And they will have a better class of teachers who will be better paid! Q. They say that the great diffi.n.lty now in rmall rural schools is that teachers ■re too vounK for the teaching of children. ,-, . , u i „„;,,» A There they have a good man at the head of each consolidated school, paying him $60 to $70 a month, and three women assistants, instead of nine t«f ''"s m the ri"al schools. The cost was from $1.25 to $2.07 a day on the average, for each van. for conveying the children. By Mr. Boss (Ontario): Q. Were these covered conveyances? A. Yes. Some are being built in Ottawa to-day. EXTENT OF COWOLIDATION IN UNITED STATES. The system of consolidation of rural schools has been introduced to a greater or 1«« extent into seventeen states. The object appears to hava been to secure a moro ^k' and larger attendance of the children, and in some cases to reduce the cost of Sat on. So far as reported upon, the cost under consolidation wi h the free con- T^^ceoi the childi^n has been less than formerly (under the old system of one-room Si sections) in 70 per cent of the cases considered, the same in 18 per cent, and Sre in 12 per cent Wherever consolidation has been adopted, the people have not r™ back to the old isolated section plan. The boys and girls in rural districts re- ceive a high-school education without going from home. On one occasion I paid a visit to the great library of Congress at Washington. It cost a fabulous sum to build. Umles one think of the description of the New Jerusalem with its wealth of co our its superb massivcness, its beauty and grandeur; but in my opinion the consolidated schools I saw in rural parts of Ohio and Iowa were a greater tribute «nd credit ;o S enlightenment and advancement and high civilization of the people of the IJ-.uu. Stated Than the splendor and magnificence of the home of books at the Capitol. Through the consolidated schools the children are being led .nto_p.aths of intell.genco. .bilitr and usefulness. Nothing paves the way to those acquirements like making smooth the path of little feet to come dry to school, and to come willingly every day. THE PLAN FOR CANADA. We in Canada want something better than mere consolidation. Wc want nv.i simply consolidation. In.^ r .,.oli,htion. whero conditions arc sult^ible for it. asa means towards an improved time table and a course of study and methods of study sufficient M— 3i ^ JAUE8 W. BOBEBTSOlf ,., p.... a., .ecd. Ihi. i. ,1.. Si. W™7,>S.*"'1r^K Sntir'ate Bj/ Mr. Wright: school boards will manage thein. By Mr. Hughes (Victoria): Q You have made arrangements with the provincial authorU.es! for three years the -hoo^^ -^'''S'c"" ^^ thanT"^^^^^^^^^^ The school Fund, for what the consolidated scl 00^^^^^^^ expenditure; and the sections and other ^^^horities conmbute «actly ^^^^ „,anagement of the Macdonald Fund meets the rest. .Ihe ^cnooi re ^ ^ ^^^ ^^^ ^s '"^"^ ^'T^ri:oit::Z S:vin^rto hU'^hKLt lesson and experiment in to enable the people of these n\e P™^'"^ " contained in the letter and memo- shall add them as an append.%. necessary that it should not be conducted To begin and ca^ "^^ifS^Uh 1 e^yca^fonal authorities in the provinces in an amateurish way. 1 <=<"'f "^.'Tri, ^_, teachers for the rural schools in each and got the names of one ^J J^V^^^ ^.^V^rS^^^^^^ of the Normal School, a province. For New Brunswick^ I^^^^ ^^.^^^^^^ ^^^^^^j^, ;,, former country teacher, a"d anotnw tea ^^^^^^ provinces. I made school garden of !>»« ^'^^ . ^ °^^^"f,/"' ^j ^^"hem to the University of Chicago, a class of theee teachers from Canada. ""J^!""**7"or Coulter and Professor Jack- ^here they had a nature -'fl'''^^^''^^:J:^:;ZX^Y.ori lesson, on horti- man. Then they were sent to .^/"^VsSl^ference to rural sohook. Then culture, a^'if f «• "^;^^^* itch:«' CoTe^ in Section with Columbia Uni- they were sent to New York, ^ ieacners ^ themselves effective as school versity, to receive «P««^ ,!'«'""'« ^^^.^ ^"enrreirback at the OnUrio Agricultural teachers in this newer education. ^ hesemen are ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ fetr ^^^^^:^ - rbe^^l^t^mmer and it is e^t^ that ^'^^Q"Ht';oTe7e'°irlnSrate of the length of the route , You say it is si. '""TS is sUrt ''S'^Stltcs; in some c^ in Canada the route will be five miles long. <.^..,^ „,,♦ what the comparative cost would b« supposing you had ?a JrejrXoStt iT 'is nttrcsenj comp.r«l with th- cost to the town- ship Jo""! » ^j „„t ^,t nmch more than maintaining the schools now if the VdltS S^^irpirldi only the same sort of educaUon; the extra cost will come Tin ;tSJiSTraln'rg and .^u.V by the ne.- and at first uiore expensive mctho,!. .f ln«rtr.inl^8. nature study and houMOiold «=ience. -tifvfiz t It -i^fy I ' UACLO'LiLD FTjyOS ^ORBDVCATION « t' By Mr. McEwan: ^^ „_ • : Q. Did I understand you to say that the eost of conveying the childrer .as »1.27 ^' Tit cost $1.27 for the day. for each van. at Johnston. Ohio. There were eight or nine vans. By Mr. Bolinson (Elgin): Q Is there any arrangement for these vans to take the mails as they ^o along! 1 Nofyet. b/t I Lave'becn discussing t^at ^^^"^ J^ ^.^ of le^v P We are also selecting a group of iue rural ^^^';°}^^'^^^^;4°;/^ mature study already named. A travelling instructor ^'ll'^P^'^^f .,'^ ^^^.JVt another. Each at these schools, spending one day at one scl^o ""^ the^ext day at a school >.-ill be provided wth a school garden ''f'^^fXt^-ocanSpihc rural schools We will maintain that also for three years, to see how far we can neip S that way. in localities where consolidation .s -^ J P-cUcabk. Sir William Macdonald further gave the sum of $1.^,000 to tne un a b ment lo provide buildings at Guelph to train teach- -; ^^^^^ ^ J, ^^^tu ul education. Two buildings are be.ng erected there Cou'^cs ot n ^^^ ^^^ provided by the O^tar.o govenvmuU ^ w^^^^^^^ ^^^^.^ ^^^ ,^ On- vinces for three years. The Departments « Jiauc ^^^ ^^^^^^^^ tario have already <=«tabhshed^ courses m houehod s^'^^ »" e ^^ No doubt that will be extended in all f'«P^°™'-Xor each with advanced work these consolidated schools go on through t^^ normal schoo^^acnw ^^^^^^^ and suitable professional courses '" ."je'^^^^J'^.^^^^^i^'^S of education seience, they will be thoroughly ^l^ffif^i^^nald Incite a" or elsewhere, without any special short courses at the J*«^f ^^'^'^l'^^^^^^ ^chers now in The institute with its short courses .s intended to ™<*t U^e/^^J^/ie normal schools the service of rural schools, to give them a *f«f ;° *!" J*f ^A ^f ^ teachers who of the various provinces will doubUess P^^''^^- ^^^^^^^ ^stitute. having attend them hereafter. After the three JC" J^ilinart of the Ontario Agricultural By Mr. Boss (Ontario): to IJp of il. .itU th. t,..clU». ln.tr»»t«r, i„ Carloton co»n.,. O Are thev open for inspection, or at this season I t m i . A. Not yrt- the men are merely grading and fencing the gardens. In Quebec V. rL»!^'.rhool will likely be at Ormstown and the group of schools in Bromo foLTy n NeVBrul:il^ -hool will be at Kingston -d the «roup T:^Li\lr Woodstock. In ^o- Scotia the consoMa^^o^ w^^^ ''"'^t seems desirable also that the teachers .a rural school, hereafter should be able It seems °'="';°^'*' , ,. , ,ij ^^ these rural sdwols by applying the lessons to "a^.**" «f ^"^.*^„"£7traS^^^^^ and horticulture. The government of learnecl in the school ?"^^'e''\,*° X^tLn • thry h«v« decided to build n collrpe of Sc^ltt'at'VruroTd't^ tditSsUr^ th, ncrmal school. The Icgis- SreSNolSaio voted $36/)00 at the la.t session, to promote .nd assist m the conMlidfttion of schooli. cs JA.UE8 W. BOBEBTaOV By Mr. Wilton: Q. We bave not any in Ontario! Q mZ"i was a boy. Dr. Byersoa took^^J^^^ "^'tertained by leader, of I Q^ 80. Thi. manual training ^^V^'^'^bi about iu introduction educf^ion for many years, ^ut there were^n.e«naJo b ^^^ ^.^ ^.^^^^ ^ 1 haa not touched the rural schools at all. ihe ng ^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ers in con- lud women who would become *«;^J?^^^\V»',tLL8 in rural schools. Ve'y /ew faroa ^^lidated schools, and i'^^^'^^'^^Xf he S 1 ural colleges are identified wi^ the boys ever can go to college. When the agr ^^^^^^ ^^.^^ „ the normal schools, they will l*^'^'^^ ^^ «nd trlining confer on their graduates. That benefits which their ---^"^VTnVelrSrof Nova Scotia; I hope it will be By Mr. Sproule: n,„» «ro tauirht bv girls, and how will tion and I think I am within the mark ^^«°^.V. '*; over 1,000 consolidated rural don^ld obiect lessons have W «;;-. -.^"^ SiTs morning, with manual training schools in Canada, such as I have '7" ^^Xld science. I think that this movement nature study in school gardens, and ^°"=^'*°;„'' "l™^^ creamery movemcnte Rrew. wm ^ow and spread faster than the «?\^/,"^^J^Jbol in t«n ^ars. then the boys Even'^f we get only 400 "^ ^^Ss Wng^r^^^^^^^^^^ training in their school days. .n,1 ffirla who come from these scftoois, nav ug . , j have mentioned, ?n manuartraining. in houseliold science ««d ^^» ";; ™ ^ districts where the wiirbccome the teachers ;" --\ -J^" £ SfiT of the training which has been Htiall rural schools cannot ^^'^"P .ff * ' !std on bv the agency of the teachers who J".n in those consolidated -^^'^.^^[^^r^:^^ tJ ^et\L of the educa- rn^^rtrSnfoT^hfagric'rrar^^^^^^^ through the consolidated rural schools, out to practically all the rural schools. By Mr. Ross (OniM: ^^^ ^^-.ted States has taken up this Q. I notice that o- of^he ^-f ^-^^^^bing about your work in conncct.on question of consolidated schools^ ar ^^^^ with this matter, and has spoken of '^/f'^" .^,/^o^fc. n jg by George lies, a Oan- i Yes; an article has appeared >" Jhe WorWa Wo j^^^^ ^^ ^^^ adVan now living in Now York "^^ ^f^^^^^^^^^ [ great deal of attention in the which T was glad to supply. " ?^''™ 'Movements in the educafonal wor d; and I ^nit^d rotates. This i. one o the K'-^'^t ^o^em^^^^^^ ,^0 greatest appreciation and think Sir William 0. Mncdonn, on Jhn^ a ^^ ^ ^.^^ ^,^ ^„„„^,,tee rin£.*l^S ZX^^ these remarks by a few appendices. By Mr. Sproule: ^^^^ ^^^^ p,„f Robertson .as ^; di' ircon^SLrwSi:"^^ ;S^^ ^ ^ occurred to me that it is -^.*^riie^nc:.>^wm mn\ ^amk^nme^ri MACttOyALD FVND8 FOR EDUCATION » outeida the proper domain of this Gommittee's work. \. e have had ia tue P««t ;«» *^^' Committee a conflict between the rights of the provinces and the ''bJ^^^ "^^'^^ Dorn^ inion. The matters referred to us by the House of Commons "« ^"^'j^ '^ \^ .tfarf to agriculture and colonization as may be brought betore th.s Committee; ^^^^J^"^ insScted to inquire into these matters and report to the. House w.th such «u«K^o^^ as our wisdom and judgment should dictate. But m doing that \^ ^^^l^^fj'^l three times a little trouble about travelling outside our domain. I *' "^^^y^*" AT^. er^n ia doing a good work; but I might remind him that he is «'"P»«y^ «^ ^T^ missioner of Agriculture and Dairying, and he may find people d.sposcd ^ ^^^^^n t ^tih^him and ^y that in the work that he has been speaking to us about th.s morning he is interfering with the work of the educational departments of the provinces It J^to avoid Shat I make this suggestion, because I think if We do not ^^^JJ^ ^ e«Uer or later, we may have some trouble and contiict It is the ^^^^fj^''}^^^.^, £, world to raise a little jealousy and a little feeling over the f'',^'"'^ °V i^.tL tn par fament in connection with the work and the rights and the duf.s an. the uriSiction of the provincial parliaments to whom are always assigned he duty of eduSSn and the organization as to what kind of education they shall have m the provinces This is a we should bear in mind. provinces, ims 18 a^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ last meet mg of the Pommittee he would >u that this aspect of the question has been fully con- SST do not undo -ko any of this work as Commissioner of Agriculture. I have the authority of the Mini -.er of Agriculture to use my own time, as a.^-f^en m his worrand aU the work I have done has been done entirely in accord with and Jrough The provincial departments of education. My own preference was that Sir William MacdonaW should put the work in the hands of a committee "'.j;.^'"'''^ of trustees^ I thought that would have been an effective way. But Sir William Macdonald m suSanrsaid to me that if I would make the plans, administer the work and hand e the mon^v he would provide sufficient funds to carry it through. He has done that so cheeS; that that side of the movement also has been to me a constant incentive and iSrat^^n The question was whether I would do it or not have it done at this time, iani doing it in my own time as a private citizen, and there is not a dollar of Dom- inion money going into the work. By Mr. Wilson: Q. You were asked to give this lecture by the Committee, I believe? The Chairman.— Exactly so. A I have been guarded in the point raised, so as to avoid any conflict with the provfncial authorities. I may tell the Committee that .nle I>ve worked hard for manryears and enjoyed doing that in both capacities-as Oommiss.oner of Agr.cuU, uro Td as a private c tizcn-if it came to abandoning this ccucational work or resigning mv position a Co„,n,i.,,ioner of Agriculture. I would ro=ign the Comm.ss.onership Tf AgrSure. because I im convinced that this cd«c:tonal work is of far more importance "o the progress uA welfare of the Domimoi. than my work ns Comm.s- sionor of Agi-iculture. By Mr. Rohimon (Elgin) : Q Dr Sproulc raiscl the question about seven-t^n.hs of the teachers being / ii'= TTnvn vou found any difficulty in that regard? Do you not find female St as go^ in thtwork as the male teachers in the United States? By Mr. Sproulc: O I but thought when he stated that the agricultural college, that the work that i. done the.e. wa . not as far-reachiig in it, ramification, ns ,t n,.^ht bo if the school Sacher. in the rural schools were taught at the agricultural cuLege. I merely sug- JAUE8 W. BOBERTSOy 40 ^.ted that the bulk of the students at the ™^ «JtllT" ^^^^^^ ^ V^ Zt of ten teachers were females, so that t^^,P"P''*J°^„efit of the educational ad- °^J schools, where these ^ ^ '^^ JeT /s' tie t^^^^^^ ^« '^"^ ''"''^^ ' vantages at the agricultural coUeges, as the lema Mr. Stepiiens moved: , . .u v *„ Professor J. W. Bobertson, That this Comm.:;tee now te^i, Comm««cner of Agriculture and Dairying. j^ppEisrr>icES. APPENDIX A. Beinq copy of a letter and memorandum sent to the Premier of the Province of On- tario re the Macdonald Institute at the Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph. Ontario. Ottawa, Ont., January 6, 1902. The Honourable G. W. Ko?e, Premier, i?oronto, Ontario. 3iH— Sir William C. Macdonald, of Montreal, has authorized me to lay before you the' following proposals. He desires to offer such asistance as he can towards enabling and encouraging public school boards and other educational authorities, (.1) to improve the opportunities for education in schools in rural districts in Canada, and (2) to carry on the work at them in such a manner as will prepare and mchne mos. of the boys and girls to live contentedly in the country and to follow occupa- tions there with intelligent ability, happiness and success. Taking cognizance of the reforms and advances in education in other countries, Sir William desires to hasten the introduction of such changes nnd additions as may be deemed desirable improvements in Canada. . For the purpose of this communication, these may be put into two divisions, viz.: — (First), nature study and manual training a- means of ''eveloping those faculties and forming those habits in children which the usual school studies, from books and theoretical subjects by themselves, leave almost wholly untrained and unformed,— for instance cbserving carefully the common things around them, and investigating and tracing results back to their causes, all of which lead to a love of labour, a love of ideas and a love of nature; and (Second), domestic economy or household science ns a means of developinpc '.he intelligence of girls and young women and of training their minds and hands to those forms of ability which in after-life may be applied to home-making. Conseiiuently, I an authorized to say that if your government approves of the proposals presented in the accompanying memorandum and agrees on behalf of the province of Ontario: First to provide instructors at the Ontario Agricultural College for short courses in nature' study for teachers from rural schools, without charging any fee for a period of three years; , . . • j Second to provide a course or courses of instruction and training in domestic economy or' household science of such sort and under such conditions and regulations as the government of the province may see fit to make; and Third, to nmintr.In, for those purposes, such buildings and equipment as ar* menUoned under parts 3 and 4 of the plan proposed, 41 €ne^K 48 JAME3 W. ROBBRTSOV r.t J1195 000» to provide, for the P™- I have the honour to be, Bir. Your obedient servant, (Sgd.) JAS. W. KOBEBTSON. •Afterwards increased to $175,000. EDUCATION AT «J«^^^^^fs oA^^™^™^ """^ "'TSX iHoTESnC ECONOMY OB Household science at the ONTAEIO AORICULTUEAL COLLEGE. PUT I.-TOK COK801.1I.AT10B O. «»»■■ "»«»"• Notes on Part 1. » .„„,.h lia« boon done for the girte and boy« („) In our educational P^^fT ."tr£n ^veTto and made possible for the in rural schools compared -ith what ha^ ^^/^faieh have hindered progress are children in towns and c>t.es Jhe d^ftcul ^^^^ ^^ ^.^^ ^^^^ ^as already too lid to have 5---,J?:;,,lTe -not properly qualified to take up better methods full, and the fact that teachers ^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ j^ ^^ U'lJrrrJS^^ofthr aX^U^ause the. to let educational matter. UA(mON/kLD fWDS FOi EDUCATION 43 drift iuto weaknesa aod inefficiency. If iu aome distriet an object lesson could be given of the consolidation of $ve, six or more weak rural achools into one well^p- pointcd and well-sustained central school, that might lead to general improvement. (c) In some of the United States the oonsoUdation of rural schools has already been carried out to a considerable extent with very great gain in the quality of the education given in the locality, and in most cases with no increase of cost to the ratepayers. It has not been difficult in Canada to arrange routes for the collecting of milk or cream to one central place; it would not be more difficult to arrange for tlio collection of children on various routes to one central school; and certainly the children of a neighbourhood are best worth the care, thought and spending of any- thing in the locality. PABT 2. — OROUI'S OF HLBAL SCUOOLS WITH A THAVELI.INO INSTRLCTOR FOB EACH UHOUl". Part 2 of the plan is for the purpose of giving object lessons of the value of school gardens and nature studies at individual rural schools as a part of general education, to be begun by means of a travelling instructor, who would visit an^' spend one-half day per week with the children and teacher at each school of a grou for a term of three years, or until a considerable number of suitably trained and q ilified teachers would be available to carry on such work themselves at rural schools. It is proposed to offer financial assistance to one group of ten or fewer schools in one locality in Ontario, and to one group in each of the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, to enable the people to provide school gardens, and to undertake and carry on object lessons and experiments with improvements in education, all under the control of the regularly-constituted educa- tional authorities. Notes on Pari 2. (a) A group of ten, or fewer, rural schools in some locality should be chosen in which to give an object lesson or illustration of this better education. If a com- petent travelling instructor were engaged to spend half a day of every week at each of these schools, he would be able to train teachers and children into methods of nature study. The travelling instructor would be a specialist in nature study and nature knowledge as well as a good teacher in the subjects which have boon common in the schools in the past. (b) It would certainly be of great benefit to the children at any rural school if a school garden containing plots for every child above the age of eight or nine years could be provided. Those plots would be uscliat the ,o»ng M. ..orkinB on .ho form. •"^°"»| ™. now intorft in hi. .oA, .nd B«.tly KosrhS:ii!i"."-/SAri. »^ ""- it .. «»• p„, 3 .. tho pi.u h„ >oped that »!- f-^nt o^^^ provmce^ ^^^^^^ .^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^ providing a substitute or otherwise) to ename PP ^^ Lke the short --^ ^f ^^ " ^ f east fift^n teachers of rural schools outside ,,e P^tin:: oVon?^.: art:religible to receive instrucUoa and trau..ng in each short course without any few. UA^DOSALD FUNDS FOR EDVCATWJi 45 (e) For the first year, U is proposed to make. (1) an allowance at ^hf rate o^ frve cents per mile for the actual distance from the teacher's school to tl'^ OnUno Agn cultur;! College, to help in meeting travelling exi*nscs, and (2) an »U«'^3^^"; *^^ to help in meeting the expenses of board and lodging, to overj- approved teacher who has taken a full course satisfactorily. PART 4.— DOMESTIC ECOXOMY OR IIOVSEHOLD SCIENCE. Part 4 of the plan is intended to assist in providing courses of i^f '"«*';» ^"J training in domestic economy or household science for young women from country homes in order that they may have opportunities for acquiring practical and ad- vS ducltn not less'suitlble and helpful to them, than the present courses at the Ontario Agricultural College are ucneficial to young men, who take them with ^"-"rtrp^o^tcft^Sto-the province of Ontario at the Ontario A.riciatural Co^ leco at Guelph, (1) a residence building to accommodate not less amn 100 female studen s and tc'acher-students, daughters of farmers and 'others, and 2) d^« -^^^^^^ kitchen laboratories and other equipment necessary for courses of instruction and training in domestic economy or household science. Notes on Part i. (a) Suitable courses (i ng and short) which would include instruction "nd train- ing n dairying, poultry-keeping, bee-keeping, fruit-growing and e<^'^^'^l/«"l^°'"f' wUh particular attention to the cultivation of vegetables and flowers, would be highly valuable to the vo" ng women who were able to take them, and through their influence louTd be of far-reaching benefit to the rural schools, and the rural population generally. (6) Special regard might be given to properly arranged lessons and ewrcises,- (1) in the selection, preparation and serving of foods in the most nourishing, wholesome, appetising, and economical manner; (2) in sewin- dressmaking and the simpler forms of houseliold art and decora- tion; and (3) in the care and cleansing of rooms, fabrics, sinks, &c. ; All to the end that the pupils might know the relation of those things to health and comfort, and might observe those methods and practices which make for good living in simple, clean, well-kept and beautiful homos m the country. SUMMARY. Such in outline is the plan which Sir William C. Macdonald offei. to assist in puttingTn o effect as mentioned in my letter of even date Besides the Wfitswhuh have Ten allude to, there would doubtless be others no 1<«8 important to the pup.1^ the teSrs and the schools. The knowledge gained by observation, exp^ime.u and IxneHence i^ould indicate what changes or modifications of the plan might be made with most advantage tc the people in rural communities. (Signed) JAS. W. ROBERTSON. Ottawa, Ont, 6th January, 1902. .w.y^^"SR^. ■■■ WAMBa W. B0BBBT8 the revenue from school districts or sections as already S Sl P^iS '"urn „ n,., b. .^ »P» .-»•% •«■»»«"» «<•«■"' ■" revenue for a period of three years. UACBovAin Fvtrm ron wdvcatiox a Section V. In consideration of the financUl WBisUnce. ,'"«°^^'°f ^^"'^^^X/I; the board, or committee, who mauage the conBolidated '^"^ ^^^f 'h*^S.ir£icace, the head master, and as the instructors in manual train.ngjmd Jj»'g^°j^^ ^ ^ J teachers who are approved for those positions by the D^^^^^JiX^r Schools are recommende' by James W. Eobertson, acting for the Macdonald «urai Fund. Section VI. It is understood that the provincial K^f-^^^"^^ ^^^J^n pS authorities will pay annually to the board orcomr..ii^v.oi\^^r.^^^^lV^^^^ by them respectively during any one of the three ^^"^ "^^jf ^^' J ""? „^i ' also Jhools and teachers in the area served by the ^?"-^^»;t ^'^.'^^^r^^^^^^ to the board or committee any special grants which may be provided tor a y j to encourage or assist (1) the consolidation of schools. (2 ^he --cyance of pupd^ (3) the use of a school garden and nature study, (4) manual training, or (5) household science. Section VII It is expected (although this expectation is not to be held as con- which the •mall schools are closed. Agreed to on behalf of the ratepayers of tlH. school district, or section .in the" ..190 At Province of this »lay of. Agreed to on behalf of the Macdonald Rural SchooU Fund. At m \h^-\ Province of . . . this .day of. .190. Memorandum of provisional agr^-ment between the school tr-tj>s.^ -^commis^ S J^Im^ W' Sbirn^TStu:! in the province of Ontario, acting for the Mao- donald Rural Schools Fund, of the second part. Section I. Whereas it is desirable to ofTer some assistance to en..blc the people bection 1. wne e ^^ undertake and carry on an object lesson for improvemenu in education at rrral schools, through the use of a school garde,, and iXe sTudy, all under the regu.arly constituted educaf.onal author.t.os; Q^otinn TI Therefore, if the school trustees, or commissioner.'., of the Section 11. ^^^^^^ ^.^^^.^^ ^^ ^,^^^.j^^ ^^^^ ^ ^jjj^p „at„,.g ^tudy. through the use of a school garden and otherwise, part of the regular public school cour.so; Section III. ThPn James W. Robertson, of the second part, acting for tho Mac- donald Rural Schools Fund, will agree: (1) To meet tho cost (a) -f a school garden, and (b) of preparing it for educa- tional work in nature study ; , , , f2^ To pay the salary and expenses of a travelling instructor <■. ^pond nt least half a day ^r week with the children and teacher at such school, for one year, or W^m^ 48 JAUES W. ROBERTSON untn a teacher suitably trained and qualified, ia available to the trustees to carry on such woiIe; and (3) To meet the expense of maintaining the school garden for three years. It is understood that the provincial government or municipal authorities will pay, towards the cost of such nature study and school garden work, the full share ot any special grant or grants which may be provided by them for any locality for such purposes. Agreed to on behalf of tlie ratepayers of the school district, or section At in thel Province of this day of 190. Agreed to on behalf of the Macdonald Rural Schools Fund. At 'n thel Province of f this dayof IW). .J MlACDOJiALD FVlfDS FOR BDOCATIOS APFEimiZ c. New Brno copy of a letter and i; < randum sent to the Premier of the province of Brunswick re a college of agriculture for the province of New Brunswick. Ottawa, March 14, 1903. Hon. L. J. TwEF.DiE, Premier of New Brunswick, Frcdericton, N.B. Dear Mr. Tweewe.— Herewith I enclose you a memorandum re the esUblishment of a college of agriculture in the province of New Brunswick. . , ^ , ,,,, You will observe that I have outlined the organization into si.x departments, ihc illustration stations and farm would not be a necessary part of a college of agriculture especially during its first few years. A department of agriculture and live sto<-.. would include the dairying service which has been carried on i- .province during u num- ber of years. The departments of nature study and ho -c ' , - might be united un- der one' head; and some of the more scientific parts of tu. ..ork might be carried on by the science master at the normal ^^'hool, or by one of the dcpartuicuts of the uni- versity. The departments of agricultural chemistry and physics and of Lng isli an., mathematics could be carrie) Useful stems, as flax, trees, wheat (straw), &c (c) Useful leaves^ as kttuce, cabbage, &c. (d) Useful fruits, as strawberries, currants, &c. Development of tent caterpillar from egg to pupa. General study of landscape, representing it in water colours. GUADE u. Autumn work. — Plant tulips aud observe seasonal chai^ es in garden plants. Dispersal of seeds and fruits. (Seed Dispersal, by W. J. Beal). (o) Seeds and fruits carried by the vind, e.g., dandelion, thistle and milkweed. (6) Those carried by animals, e.g., burdock, cocklebur, and sticktighte (Bidens). (c) Those carried by birds, e.g., seeds of cherries, raspberries, &c. (d) Those which float on water, e.g., cress, grass and tcdges. (e) Explosive fruits, e.g., violet, witch-hazel, and jewel-weed (Impatiens). (f) Those carried by man, especially seeds of useful plants. Habits of squirrels. Observe their food and habits of eating, tlie collecting and storing of nuts, their nests, their alarm calls, their walking, running and climbing, their taming and care as pets. Observe hibernation of animals, e.g., U.'l, frog, chipmunk, ic. Make breeding cages and bring in caterpillais; observe their habits and changes. Collect cocoons. (Comstock's Insect Life.) The departure of birds, noting the dirt : ion they go and why. Singly or in flocks ? : h leave first t Dates of departure. General study of landscape, representing the seasonal clianges in water colours. Winter work. — Forms of water at various temperatures, including simple studies o* condensation, evaporation, and crystallization. Effect of heat on various substances, e.g., sealing-wax, iron, &c. Estimation of distances, weights and measures. General study of landscape, representing the seasonal changes in water colours. The use of animals and their parts to man, observing the different uses made of the flesh, hides, fur, hair, bones, hoofs, horns, blood, fat, &c. Spring ttort.— Plant and care for two easily-raised vegetables, e.g., beans and squashes. Growth and flowering of tulips. Plant beans or pumpkins and study germination and growth. Observe the life history of two or three insects, e.g., grasshopper, cricket, mos- quito, &c. Note the emergence of moths from cocoons. Study the feeding, nesting and habits of a familiar bird, such as the robin. Observe the return of birds. General study of landscape, representing the seasonal changes in water colours. guade ni. Autumn worfc.— Plant narcissus and look after garden plot. Coloration and falling of forest leaves. What trees and what parts of trees colour first? What part of the leaf is coloured first? What colour appears first (nd ur yellow) ? Does colour appear before frost? Is frost the cause of colour? General study of the autumn aspect of forest trees; deciduous habits, evergreens. so. Life history of 'the potato beetles M /AMB8 W. ROBERTaon Make a terrariuin and observe the habits of such animals as toads, snakes, beetles* &c. Recognition of ordinary soils, e.g., clay, sand, gravel, loam, leaf-mould, &c. Study the landscape and represent its changing appearance in water colours. Winter work, — General study of the winter aspect of forest trees, including types of branching, character of burk, kinds of buds, &c. Study the habits of the rabbit or hare. Apparent motion of the sun and moon. Becognition of the constellationa of Orion, Ursa Major, Cassiopeia, &c. Kecognition of common rocks, as granite, limestone, sandstone, &c., noting their uses to man. Study ^iic landscnpa and represLUt its changing appearance in water colours. Spriiiy work. — Plant and care for garden vegetables, such as potatoes and sun- flower. Observe the development of narcissus. General study of the spring aspect of forest and fruit trees, including bursting of buds, flowering, formation of fruit and leaf arrangement. Habitat of common wild flowers. Flower calendar. (Nature Study and Life, p. 104, by C. F. Hodge.) Life history of potato bc-de. Work and habits of earthworms. Observe their general external structure, move- ments, food and home, and notice the burrows and casts and infer their use to the worm and to man. The observation of the habits of such animals as toads, salamanders, or snakes, in a terrarium. Action of water on land, erosion and formation of land. Study the landscape and represent its changing appearance in water colours. GRADE IV. Autumn toorX;.— Plant hyacinths and look after garden plot. Observe the preparation of plants for winter, e.g., defoliation, winter buds, rosette arrangement of leaves, underground stems, &c. Simple experiments in plant physiology. (See Atkinson's ' First Studies of Plant Life.') Habits of wasps, mud daubers, social wasps, &c. (Comstock's ' Insect Life.') Observe how insects breathe and eat Study the breathing pores of such insects as grasshopper, cricket, cabbageworm, &c., and compare the feeding habits of various caterpillars, beetles, &c. Life histories of l«o or three injurious insects, e.g., codlin moth, currant cater- pillar, cabbage-worms, &c. Make aquaria and study habits of water animals, such as fish, water beetles, &c, Observe the effect on animals and insect life of a film of oil on the water. Winter wort.— Special study of forest trees. Observe the appearance und character of wood, the mpiinin^j of rings of growth, and medullary rays, the appearance and cause of knots. Compare the st .^ngtn and elasticity of similar pieces of different woods, testing by weights. Study the more obvious abnormal features of trees attacked by fungous diseases, such as black knot, bracket fungi, witches' brooms, &c. Simple experiments in plant physiology. (See Atkinson's 'First Studies of Plant Life.') Observe tlio adaptation of parts of grass-eating animals to habits, e.g., tongue and teeth of cow, horse, sheep, &c. Observe the adaptation of parts of flesh-eating animals to habits, e.g., teeth of cat and dog, feet and claws of cat, && MACDONALD FDND8 FOR EDUCATION Study habite of familiar winter birds, such as crow, chicadec, woodpecker, spar- row, snow-bird, blue-jay, &c. i -d i»-:« Qirlna Recognition of the planeU and a few conspicuous stars, such as Polana, binus and Veza. The movements and phases of the moon. Spring worh.-VXant and care for garden vegetables, such as lettuce and Indian com. , Obberve the development and flowering of hyacintlis. /■^«. Atkin- Simple experiments to show the effects of light and water on planU. (Sec Atkm son's ' First Studies of Plant Life.') „„„onf mtpr- Life histories of two or three injurious insects, e.g., codhn moth, currant cater pillars, cabbage-worm, &c. Note songs of a few common birds. In aquaria, study the development of frogs or toads from the egg Study also the habits and food of other water animals, e.g.. fish, caddw flies, water- beetles, &c. Flower calendar (continued). Butterfly calendar. GR.KDZ V. Autumn worfc.-'otudy the methods of propaeation of woody plante by cuttings, iiaine such plants as currant, gooseberry and grape. ,„„„„ *„, Study plant colonies, such as free swimming plante sphagnum bogs, swamp-for- ests cat tai? and reed-grass soci.Lies. (See Coulter's ' P ant Eelations.') Study masses and ferns, noting general characteristics, habits of growth, and methods of reproduction. . .. * i. „„j o„ta Study the habits and characteristics of bees and ants. SpSfal study of two or three familiar birds, as blackbird, bobolink, or cat-bird, noting home, movements, food, plumage, song, &c. Winter worfc.-Physical analysis of soil Find by experiment the amount of water, humus, clay, gravel, and sand present in different soils. , , , , ,^^ From Tw constituents make d.fferent soils, such as clay loam. loam, sandy loam. ^'tluiTfew minerals, e.g., quartz, mica, felspar, and calcite, noting colour, form. ''"Sple Weriments in heat, including co-induction, radiation and absorption. Gravitation, pendulum and clock. Simple experiments with light, using prism, mirror and lenses. Observation of the movements of stars, planets and constellations. Spring worfc.-Plant and care for garden vegetables, such as cucumbers and to- matoes (T^ofe.-Flowcring or ornamental plants may be substituted for vegetable, in this or in the following grades, if thought desirable.) , , ^ . , Study the methods of propagation of ncrbaceous plants by cuttings, using sucli plants as petunia, geranium and begonia. „ ,. , < t>i ^ t. i ,• >\ Ecological study of stepis. leaves and roots. (See Coulter's ' Plant RclationR ) Mosses, ferns and horse-tails, noting the commoner species, general characteris- tics, habits of growth and methods of reproduction. 'study the habits and characteristics of bees and nnts. Special study of two or three familiar birds, as blackbird, bobolink, or cat-bird, noting home, movemente, food, plu nage, eggs, young, &o. Butterfly calendar (continued). Bird calendar. t.;...*^^:^ 5« JAUEJS W. ROBERTSOV OBADB TL Autumn work. — ^Learn to recognize the poisonous plants and trees of the locality, A few of the more conspicuous fungi, noting particularly their manner of growth, colour, Ac. Make cultures of moulds and other fungi. Study the characteristics of two or three great plant groups, e.g., crow-foot and rose families. Identification of the weeds of the locality, noting their original habitat Study of spiders, noting external structure, food, webs, &c. Special study of a few birds, as in Grade V., considering especially their benefi- cial and injurious relation to the farmer. (' Birds in Ontario in Relation to Agricul- ture,' by C. W. Nash.) Observation and systematic record of the weather. Winter worlc. — Simple experiments to show the difference between physical and chemical changes, and between mechanical mixtures and chemical compounds, e.g.: — (a) Physical changes: water, ice, steam. (6) Chemical changes: heat sugar and it becomes carbon. (c) Mechanical mixture: sulphur and iron filings. (d) Chemical compound: heat sulphur and iron filings and produce iron sulphide. Use of thermometer, barometer and rain-gungro. Simple experiments in the use of levers. Tic various knots and splice ropes, applying the knowledge to the making of halters. Study of winter birds (continuation of autumn work.) Spring work. — Plant and care for garden vegetables, such as melons and celery. Learn to recognize the poisonous plants and trees of the locality. Study the characteristics of two or three great plant groups, e.g., lily and crow- foot families. Give especial attention to experiments on larger garden plots. These plots may be used for experiments in : — 1. Kotation of crops, e.g., Ist year, hoed crops, as roots and com; 2nd year, ^rain; Srd year, clover. 2. Methods of culture, e.g., flat and hilled culture of potatoes; ensilage com sowed broadcast and planted in drills and in hills various distances apart. 3. The effect of various fertilizers on different plants. 4. Results from selected seed. Study of spi^:-- o^ ^^^' --- -- -^'^^ ^^ ^i"-eSS? record of natural phenomena in chronological order. M-6 BB JAUEa W. ROBERTaOV Winter work. — Experiments in plant physiology. Identification of weed seeds in grains by comparison with samples collected in tiie autumn. Simple experiments on frictional electricity and magnetism. Simple experiments in chemistry. Distinguishing characteristics of the great groups of vertebrates, viz., mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fislies. Spring work: — Plant and care for some of the rarer garden vegetables, e.g., salsify, egg-plant and pepper. Give especial attention to experiments on larger plots, as outlined in Grade VI. The care of small fruits and their propagation by layering, stolons, &c. Study plant families represeiiteil iu the f,uTd'^n,e.g : — (a) Gourd family, including squash, pumpkin, cucumber, melons and gourds. (6) Cabbage family, including cabbage, cauliflower. Kale, Brussels sprouts, Kohl rabi, &c. (c) Grass family, including the various grasses and grains. Injurious fungi and the use of fungicides. Injurious insects and the use of insecticides. Root-grafting of apples, pears, eharries, &c. Nature calendar, a record of natural phenomena in chronological order. BOOKS FOR REFERENCE. Nature-study. Nature-study and Life ; C. F. Hodge Ginn & Co., New York $1 50 Nature-study in Elementary Schools; Mrs. Wilson G. N. Morang & Co., Toronto 90 Handbook of Nature-study; Longe G. N. Morang & Co., Toronto 1 00 Nature-study and the Child; C. B. Scott D. C. Heath & Co., Boston 1 80 Nature-study for Coinsir.n Schools; W. S. Jackman Henry Holt & Co., New York 1 20 Guide to Nature-study ; M. R. Crawford The Copp Clarke Co., Toronto 90 The Nature-study Idea; L. H. Bailey Doublcday, Page & Co., New York 1 00 Plant Life. Trees of the Northern United States ; A. C. Apgar American Book Co., New York 1 00 Familiar Trees and their Leaves; S. Mathews D. Appleton & Co., New York . 1 75 Corn Plants; F. L. Sargent Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston GO First Studies in Plant Life; (ieo. F. Atkinson Ginn & Co., Boston CO How to Know the Wild Flow-^i-s; Mrs. Wm. Starr Dana Scribners, New York. ... 7'. 2 00 Nature's Garden; Neltje Blauclian Doublcday, Page & Co., New Yori; 3-(,o UACDOSA-hD FVyoa FOR EDVCATlOJf (• Muahrooms; Geo. F. Atkinson , „ Andrua & Church, Ithaca, New York » "" Plant Relations; J. M. Coulter G. N. Morang & Co., Toronto Plant Structures; J. M. Coulter Q. N. Morang & Co., Toronto Ferns Jid their Haunts ; Clutc Seed Dispersal; W. J. Beal ^ ^^ Ginn & Co • • • Ten New England Blossoms; C. M. Weed ^ ^^ Houghton, Mifflin & Co The Weeds of Ontario; F. C. Harrison Dept. of Agriculture, Toronto. ...... • • "^ The Nature and Work of Plants; D. T. Macdougal G. N. Morang & Co., Toronto " "" Fungi and Fungicides; C. M. Weed Orange, Judd & Co., New York Animalt, Animal Life; Jordan and Kellogg „- D. Appleton & Co., New York.. ••••••• Squirrels and other Fur Bearers; John Burroughs Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York ^ "" Manual of the Vertebrates; D. S. Jordan A. C. McClueg & Co Birds. Bird Life (coloured plates) ; F. M. Chapman Appleton & Co., New York *> "" Bird Neighbours; Neltje Blanchan Doubleday. Page & Co., New York. » "" Birds of Village and Field; Florence Merriam Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York ^ "" Our Native Birds; D. Lange G. N. Morang & Co., Toronto ^ "" Birds of Ontario; Thos. McHwraith Wm. Briggs, Toronto W :.' 'k' "■ " "v" m Handbook of the Birds of Eastern North America ; F. M Chapman; Appleton & Co., New York. . . . ,. • ... • . • «« ^ The Birds of Ontario in Relation to Agriculture; C. W. Nash D^t. of Agriculture, Toronto "^• Insects Insect Life; J. H. Comstock G. N. Morang & Co., Toronto ^ ^'' The Insect Book; L. O. Howard Doubleday, Page & Co., New York -J W Manual for the Study of Insects; J. H. Comstock Comstock Publishing Co., Ithaca, N.Y J '•> Bee People; M. W. Morley A. 0. McClueg & Ce 1 -*» «> JAUES W. BOBERTBOn The Butterfly Book ; W. J. Holland Doublcday, Page k Co., New York. . Every Day Butterflies; S. H. Scuddcr Houghton, Mifflin k Co., Xew York. Insects and Insecticides; C. M. Weed 8 00 a 00 riiysics. Chemistry, <£e. High School rhysics (of Ontario), ParU I. and II High School Chemietry (of Ontario). Easy Experiments in Physics; P. Smith Morse Co •/•••••• " ^" Simple Experiments for the School-room ; J. F. \Voodliull E. L. Kellogg & Co., New York 50 Home-made Apparatus; J. F. Woodht E. L. Kellogg & Co., New York 50 Inductive Elementary Physical Science; F. H. Bailey D. C. Heath & Co., Boston 50 Manual and Outlines of Nature Ix?fcsous; J. Brittaiu J. & A. McMillan, St. John, NJJ