besides having to do about double work in his former subjects; Spelling, Arithmetic, Grammar, Geography, Composition, &c., has to take in addition, according to law, Natural History, Canadian and English History, Chemistry and Botany. In passing from our 2nd to our 1st Division, the change is even more overwhelming. Of course, all the old subjects are retained, and greatly increased in quantity, and besides, we have to shower on the newly promoted ones, deluges of Human Physiology, Civil Government, Natural Philosophy, Algebra, Mensuration, Geometry and Book-keeping. One can scarcely wonder, that with so many new and difficult studies to engage his attention at once, a boy often becomes perplexed and discouraged, and frequently leaves school with very confused notions about all his teacher has been trying to explain. Our ascent should be easy, and our gradations natural, if we wish to make our teaching thorough and effective. Another reason for having a larger number of grades, and reducing the length of the step from one class to another is, that we do not promote a whole Division at a time. The number of pupils promoted from one class to another at each examination, is from twelve to twenty. These newly promoted ones, have at once to enter into competition with those who have been over the work already. With so few grades, as we have at present, the teacher is compelled either to proceed much too slowly for his old pupils, or too rapidly for his

new ones.

In order to carry out a proper system of Grading, it is a matter of the utmost importance to have a graded system of school buildings, carefully planned, both as to locality and size. If no schools were erected but those capable of accommodating all the Divisions in each, we would require only a few of them, and they would necessarily be a considerable distance from a large number of the pupils, who had to attend them. This system, while it would have the apparent merit of allowing every scholar to attend the school nearest his home, would be unjust to the Junior pupils.

The scholars in our advanced classes can travel, with very great profit to themselves, a distance that would be injurious, and in many cases impossible, for their smaller brothers and sisters. It is therefore advisable to erect schools of different sizes. This should be done in a systematic manner, and great care should be taken to have the schools of different sizes in proper situations. I would prefer having schools of three kinds. Primary, Interme diate, and Advanced. The first should contain four, the second eight, and the third, twelve rooms. If the sexes were taught together in all grades, this would admit of twelve grades of pupils, all of which could attend the Advanced schools, while the lower eight could attend the Intermediate, and the lower four the Primary. I propose, however, to have only ten grades of scholars, and to teach the sexes together only in the Junior classes. The Primary schools should be situated mainly in the outlying parts of the city, or school districts. The Intermediate schools should be fewer in number than the Primary, and, therefore, more distant from each other. The Advanced schools would only need to be few in number, and should be so placed that no pupil, even in the remotest parts of the city, would have to walk more than a mile to reach one of them. In the Primary, I would place the lowest four Divisions, teaching the sexes together; in the Intermediate the lowest six, the sexes being taught together in four, and separate in two grades; and in the Advanced, I would teach the highest six classes, the sexes being separated. By this plan, all Junior pupils would be able to attend the schools nearest their homes, and no part of the city would be without accommodation. As a scholar advanced in his studies, he would be transferred, first to the higher classes in the Intermediate, and ultimately to the Advanced schools. Among the advantages which would accrue from such a system I would mention the following:

The Grading of the scholars would be much more complete, and the teaching and discipline consequently better.

The attendance would be more regular than if all the schools were the same size, because the small children would not have to walk so far. The lower divisions are those which contribute the great bulk of the time lost by absence.

The attendance would continue for a longer period, and scholars would therefore receive a much more complete education. With only a few grades of scholars, a child soon gets forced into the highest class. Both parent and child naturally think then, that the education of the latter is completed, so far as the Public Schools are concerned, and the ages of the pupils in our advanced classes have heretofore averaged from two to three years less than the ages of the corresponding classes in most of the American Citics. If girls and boys, 13 or 14 years of age, are associated daily with little children 5 or 6 years old, they soon begin to think that they are too old to go to school, and many of them leave school too soon on this account. They leave, too, at a time when their minds are commencing to ripen, and they could appropriately be led in original investigations, and the practical application of the knowledge they have been acquiring during their previous school life. The last two years of a child's school life have very frequently most to do with the enlargement of its views, and the development of its mind.

There will be less difficulty in maintaining a proper state of discipline in the play-grounds. Where all grades of scholars are mingled in one yard, in large numbers, there is always trouble. The large and small boys do not play the same games or take similar exercises, so that one party must interfere with the other. The result too often is, that the "weaker goes to the wall.”

When the new large schools are completed, we will have our school buildings in Toronto arranged very nearly in accordance with the plan suggested above, so far as relates to size.

D

TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY.

All professional men who desire to attain to eminence, must carefully watch the progress of events in connection with their own profession. They must read the literature connected with it, and study the new theories that are advanced from time to time, or they will soon fall behind the age. No persons require to do this

more than teachers. It is conducive to the best interests of the public to have the teachers thoroughly versed in the most approved principles of teaching. The reading of educational works and periodicals is calculated to awaken a teacher's interest in his work, to give him new energy, to prevent his insensibly falling into set and mechanical methods of teaching, to enlarge his views, and to fit him in all respects more fully for the proper performance of his important duties. I would respectfully recommend the Board to establish a Library for the use of our teachers, to be kept in charge by the Board. Several such Libraries have been instituted in this Province during the past two years.

TEACHERS.

There were ninety teachers in the employ of the Board at the year. Of these, eighteen were males.

close of the

The average number of pupils to each teacher was 72.

WRITING.

Considerable advancement has been made in this important subject. The introduction of a uniform series of books, has enabled the teachers to have all their pupils usually writing the same copy on the same day. They are thus enabled to give explanations and illustrations to the whole class, instead of individually as heretofore. Owing to the fact that the pupils of the fourth grade have no desks, they have never been able to write on paper. I have arranged this

year, however, for them to do so, by allowing them to exchange rooms with the pupils of the third grade for one half hour each day.

DRAWING.

During the year, this subject has been introduced into all our classes. Our excellent Drawing Teacher has endeavoured to arrange a systematic scheme of work, to be accomplished by each grade of pupils, so that they will advance in this, as in other subjects, as they pass from one grade to another. The principles are explained on the Blackboard, and the teaching thereby made much more practical. Mere copying has been done away with. As soon as possible, the pupils in the higher divisions will be taught to draw from objects. One of the chief difficulties in the way of the more efficient teaching of this subject, is the lack of sufficient Blackboard accommodation.

EXAMINATIONS.

There were three written Examinations during the year; the Combined Examination, and two for Promotions. The method of conducting the Combined Examination was entirely changed. Instead of taking three pupils from each class as formerly, twenty were taken, and they were selected, not by their teacher, but after undergoing a preliminary written examination. The lists of Scholarships and Prizes awarded by the Examiners will be found in their Report. The comparative standing of the different schools in the different departments of study, will be found below, by comparing the marks obtained at the Combined Examination.