XII. Monthly Report on Meteorology of the Province of Ontario. 1. ABSTRACT OF MONTHLY METEOROLOGICAL RESULTS, compiled from the Returns of the daily observations at ten High School Stations, for NOVEMBER, 1872. OBSERVERS :-Pembroke R. G. Scott, Esq., M.A.; Cornwall-James Smith, Esq., A.M.; Barrie H. B. Spotton, Esq., M.A.; Peterborough J. B. Dixon, Esq., M.A.; Belleville-A. Burdon, Esq.; Goderich-Hugh J. Strang, Esq., B.A.; Stratford-C. J. Macgregor, Esq., M.A.; Hamilton-J. M. Buchan, Esq., M.A; Simcoe-Dion C. Sullivan, Esq., LL.B.; Windsor-J. Johnston, Esq., B.Á. MONTHLY MEANS. HIGHEST. LOWEST. RANGE. MONTHLY MEANS. AIR. MONTHLY MEANS. SURFACE CURRENT. HUMIDITY OF WINDS. NUMBER OF OBSERVATIONS. 1 P.M. 9 P.M. MEAN. North. North-East. East. South-East. South-West. South. West. North-West. Calm. 28.8 35.7 81. 31.8 43-8 23.6 20.2 83.1 1.083 555 6731-27 36 62 82-33 33-41 38-45 26 51 11 94 28.5 21 896 542 25-26 30-38 35 75 30 11 32-08 39-08 22:52 16:56 26.0 18 869 495 6 728 76,87 59 30 92 32 42 39.70 22-01 17 69,30-2 845 507 6731 01 37 38 33 45 33-95 39-51 26-49 13.02 23.1 824 572 6-781-91 84-8231-97 32-90 38 48 25:48 13. 788 543 6-7 28. 32-73 28 35 29 69 35.05 23 42 11.63 17.3 21 808 576 6 731.24 37.83 32.48 33.85 42 85 27-91 14-4420-7 25 31.22 36 71 31 56 33 16 40-65 24-87 15 78,28.8 11 7 29.50 36. 29.75 31-75 39 10 28-88 15 23 19.9 29 eNear Lake Ontario on Bay of Quinte. fOn St. Lawrence. gon Lake Huron. h On Lake Ontario. i On the Ottawa River. 7 Close to Lake Erie. m On the Detroit River. kInland Towns. ESTIMATED b VELOCITY OF WIND AMOUNT OF CLOUDINESS. Total. 7 A.M. 1 P.M. 9 P.M. MEAN. 7 A.M. 1 P.M. 9 P.M. MEAN. No. of Rainy Days. Duration in hours. Depth in inches. No. of Snowy Days Duration In hours. Depth in inches. RAIN. SNOW. Total Depth of Rain aud Melted Snow. Class I. Class II. obs. doubtful. Sky unfavorable, obs. impossible. Sky favorable, Sky unfavorable, none seen. Class III. Class IV. AURORAS. a Where the clouds have contrary motions, the higher current is entered here. b Velocity is estimated, 0 denoting calm or light air; 10 denoting very heavy hurricane PEMBROKE. Hail, 14th. Wind storm, 29th. Snow, 14th, 16th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th. Rain, 1st, 6th, 11th. CORNWALL. Lunar halo, 11th. Wind storm, 25th, 27th, 30th. Fog, 4th. Snow, 16th, 19th, 20th, 23rd, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th. Rain, 1st, 2nd, 6th, 12th, 13th, 14th. First sleighing, 20th. BARRIE. Wind storm, 25th, 27th. Snow, 15th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 25th, c 10 denotes that the sky is covered with clouds; 0 denotes that the sky is quite clear of clouds. REMARKS. 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th. Rain, 1st, 5th, 8th, 11th, 24th. PETERBOROUGH.-Shooting stars, 27th, at 18 p.m.-19 seen in about one minute-direction from 70° or 80° to H., chiefly towards E. H. and N. H., in lines of no great length. Wind storm, 25th, also 21st and 28th, not very heavy. Snow, 15th, 18th, 19th, 22nd, 23rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, 30th. Rain, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 11th, WHEN OBSERVED A.M. 1 P.M. 9 P.MME'N. 15th. 16th, 17th, 21st, 28th, 29th. 23rd, 24th. Rain, 1st, 5th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 13th, STRATFORD.-Mill pond frozen, 16th. First sleighing, 20th. Wind storm, 7th, 13th, 25th, 27th, 29th, 30th. Fog, 4th. Snow, 7th, 8th, 15th, 16th, 18th-22nd, 28th-30th. Rain, 5th, 7th, 11th, 14th. HAMILTON. Wind storms, 15th, 25th, 27th, 30th. Fog, 5th, 22nd, 24th, Snow, 15th, 17th-20th, 22nd, 23rd, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th. Rain, 1st, 2nd, 5th-8th, 11th-14th, 24th. SIMCOE. Wind storin, 27th. Snow, 15th, 16th, 19th, 27th, 28th. Rain, 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 12th. Gloomy month, very few sunny days. Horse disease prevalent, and in many cases fatal. Crops much below the average; hay scarce and dear. WINDSOR.-Lunar halo, 8th, 10th, 11th, 12th. 13th, 15th. Meteor 25th, in N., towards H.; another through auriga towards H. A number of meteors in N. part of heavens 27th. They moved in parallel lines, and in pretty close succession, some above the pole and some below; all moved towards the N. H. Wind storm, 7th, 25th, 27th. Snow, 7th, 15th, 19th, 22nd, 28th, 29th. Rain, 2nd, 5th, 11th. XIII. Departmental Notices. TRUSTEES' INCOMPLETE RETURNS. Some Inspectors complain of the very great incompleteness of many of the school reports received from Trustees of rural sections, and ask what they should do with them? By reference to the reports themselves, Trustees will see that the Inspectors are directed to return to them all incomplete or incorrect reports. The law declares that a School Section shall forfeit its share of the School Fund, should its Trustees fail to furnish the Inspector with a full and satisfactory report yearly and half yearly. It will, therefore, save the Inspectors a good deal of time and trouble, and the Department some delay, if the Inspectors will promptly return to the Trustees all imperfect reports, so as to have each column correctly filled up. Should an Inspector's Reports to this Department be incomplete, they will have to be returned to him so that the desired information may be obtained. PRIZE PLANS FOR SCHOOL-HOUSES AND SITES. Thirty persons have competed for the prizes which the Chief Superintendent announced in August that he would give for the best interior plans of School-houses, of various dimensions, and for the best block plans, on acre and half acre School sites. Of these thirty plans, four were of superior merit, in various features, nine were of varying excellence, while seventeen either did not come up to the standard required, or had other palpable defects in them. Although, strictly speaking, only prizes to the value of $95 should have been awarded for these plans, yet it was felt that, as so many of them displayed some feature of excellence, an acknowledgment of that excellence should be made. Additional extra prizes were, therefore, awarded by the Chief Superintendent, to the value of $115, or more than the original amount proposed as prizes. It is gratifying to note the taste and skill evinced by the various plans which have been sent into the Department, and which the offer of these prizes has been the means of discovering and drawing out among the Inspectors, Teachers, and Masters. It only shows that in our own country we have the taste and talent necessary to aid in the good work of providing for our School Sections neat and comfortable School-houses. There is no reason, therefore, why this skill should not be made available for this purpose. In order to aid in doing so, it is proposed to combine in a few of the prize plans the excellence of all, and have them engraved for insertion in this Journal, during the coming year, should the Legislature see fit to make the usual grant for its publication. We heartily congratulate all parties concerned in this practical "step in advance," designed as it is to promote a most important interest of our Schools. The following is a list of the plans sent in, with the prizes which have been awarded: PRIZE PLANS OF SCHOOL-HOUSES AND SITES. MOTTO OF SENDER. No. 1.-"Education is the bulwark of liberty." First prize for interior, $25; second prize for block plan, $15...... TOTAL 13. Mr. W. Laing, Hamilton: "Rural Maple Leaf" 14. Mr. Hugh Robertson, Teacher, Toronto "Interest" 5 5 5 $40 15. Mr. D. McIntyre, Teacher, No. 10 Lancaster, "E. L. F."....... There were in all fifteen candidates at the recent examinations, which lasted six days, and were conducted simultaneously in all the cities and county-towns where competitors presented themselves; only those being eligible who had previously ob- correct physiological principles, being curved to fit the natural shape of The seats and backs of the improved Folding Chairs are constructed on tained Second Class Certificates. The same papers (fifteen in the human body; thus compelling, when seated, a more strict adherence number) were furnished to all the candidates, and the answers sion, establishing better health and physical deportment than could be to the erect posture, and, by allowing the chest of the pupil full expanhaving been written in the presence of the local examiners were produced by the old pattern chair, which causes the pupil to be in a stooptransmitted to Toronto. The examination embraced the following position most of the time. The Folding Chairs enable the pupils to ing subjects:-Education, School Law, Arithmetic and Men- take and leave their seats without the slightest disturbance, They also suration, English Grammar and Etymology, Chemistry, Physics, ment of dust, and a free passage is obtained when the seat is lifted for the afford a better chance for cleanliness, as there are no angles for the lodgNatural Philosophy, History, Book-keeping, Algebra, English sweeping and washing of the School-room floor. Educators who have Literature and Composition, Botany and Agriculture, Euclid, studied the wants of schools, are all in favour of Folding Seats. The desk Geography, Zoology and Physiology. Of the four successful has the proper inclined plane for writing on; beneath the top there is candidates all received their training at the Provincial Normal ample space for books, &c. The ends (and backs when ordered) of the School, with the exception of Mr. Brown. Desks are made of ornamental open iron work, so that the teacher may inspect and prevent the concealment of improper articles, or keys to the books the pupils may be using. The improved School Furniture has quite an ornamental appearance, which of itself is a protection from its defacement and destruction by the pupils. XIV. Advertisements. THE SCHOOL LAW EXPLAINED. The Publishers (Copp, Clark & Co., King St., Toronto) beg to announce that they have just published a full Exposition of the School Law of this Province, the Official Regulations and Decisions of the Superior Courts, by Dr. Hodgins, Deputy Superintendent of Education, in a three-fold form as follows; PART I. Lectures on the School Law of Ontario, and regulations relating to: 1. Rural School Trustees. 2. School Collectors and Auditors. 3. Public School Meetings-School Sites and Arbitrations. Being the subjects of examination prescribed for Teachers' Second and PART II. Lectures on the School Law of Ontario and Regulations relating to : I. Municipal Councils (of all kinds). 2. City, Town and Village School Trustees. 3. Arbitrations and Awards. 4. Public School Inspectors and Examiners. 5. Chief Superintendent and Council of Public Instruction. 7. Copious Analytical Index to Part I and 11. Being, with the exception of Numbers 5-7, the subjects for Teachers' First Class Certificates of Qualification; and for Pub lic School Inspectors and Examiners. Part I and II contains the substance of Lectures on the School Law, etc., to Normal School Students. Price for Double Desk with two Folding Chairs,...$6.50 5 tion III. PAPERS ON EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.--(1) Successful School Trustee Meetings. (2) County of Huron and Township Boards. (3) Preparatory Classes in High Schools Condemned. (4) The Galt Schools. (5) Popular Education in Europe. (6) Compulsory Education in Europe. (7) How Prusssia Does It. (8) Education and the Late French War. (9) Education in Denmark. (10) Higher Education for Girls.... IV. PAPERS ON PRACTICAL SCIENCE.-(1) Necessity for Education in Practical Science. (2) Practical Science-Regrets of Horace Greeley. 3. The Relation to Elementary of Scientific Teaching. (4) Underground Telegraph Wires VIII. EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.. 8 V. PAPERS ON PEACTICAL EDUCATION.--(1) Home Geographpy. (2) Slates to be Abolished. (3) Bishop Magee on "Cramming." 9 VI. MISCELLANEOUS.-(1) Annie and Willie's Prayer. (2) Present Condition of the Indians. (3) The New Japanese Calendar. VII. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.-(1) Mrs. Mary Somerville. (2) The Necrology of 1872......... 9 11 11 12 X. NOTICES OF BOOKS.... 12 13 XII. MONTHLY REPORT ON METEOROLOGY OF THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO 14 15 Publishers, 17 & 19 King Street East, Toronto. XIV. ADVERTISEMENTS...... 16 HUNTER, ROSH & Co., Printers, 86 and 88 King Street West, Toronto. Toronto, Jan., 1873. COPP, CLARK & CO., IX. CORRESPONDENCE.... XI. MATHEMATICAL DEPARTMENT...... 2 CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. I. HIGH SCHOOLS. (1) Condition of our High Schools. (2) Suggestions for the Improvement of our High Schools. (3) System of Payment by Results.. 17 II. IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOOL HOUSE ARCHITECTURE. (2) English Hints on School Building. (3) Rules in Planning a School III. PAPERS ON SEATING AND VENTILATION.-(1) Mistake in Seating Children in a School-Room, (2) Simplest Plan of Ventilating School-Rooms. (3) Necessity for Teaching the Elements of Natural Science; Warmth and Ventilation. (4) Plant Trees IV. PAPERS ON PRACT EDUCATION.--(1) Teaching from Real Objects. (2) Teachers' Rule. (3) Increase of Technical Education in Germany. (4) Manners......... 23 26 27 Ontario. No. 2. CONDITION OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. The anomalous and unsatisfactory condition of our High Schools has within the last two or three years called forth a good deal of discussion and unfriendly criticism. Several articles have recently appeared in the newspapers and other publications on the subject. But as there are several facts connected with the history and proceedings of these schools, and many features of their present condition that have been but imperfectly touched upon or illustrated, we purpose to supply these omissions in as brief a manner as possible. OUR COMMON INTEREST IN THE PROSPERITY OF HIGH AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. We have all a common interest in the prosperity and success of our Educational Institutions-in our High as well as in our Public Schools; and no true friends of these institutions will be disposed to absolve those from blame who have allowed private views or personal interests to interpose barriers to the healthy development and free expansion of the High any more than the Public School, department of our educational system. as The main purpose however for which these attacks were made having signally failed, others followed with more or less success; but the final step taken was to object to the supervision of the High School Inspectors over the admission of pupils to the schools. THE EDUCATIONAL ANACHRONISM OF 1807. The early promoters of education in this Province-though This official supervision was urged to be an unjust interferit was with a laudable zeal they acted-perpetrated a memorable ence with the schools themselves; and it was even held that it anachronism, the effects of which, on the character and popu- cast a slur upon the character and impartiality of the local exlarity of our Grammar Schools, it has taken years to moderate aminers! At length even this necessary and wholesome reand in part to remove. Even now we suffer from the untoward straint was removed. No one pretends to say that the character bias which that educational mistake gave to our High Schools or standard of these schools has been improved by these succes"Class Schools," in after years. sive assaults on the system-assaults made chiefly with a view In 1807, or nine years before a single public elementary to better the financial condition of the schools-or that the school of any kind (except some small scattered private schools) schools themselves, as higher" educational institutions, have existed in the country as a feeder to a higher class of schools, benefited by these downward changes. Combined (as these the Legislature was induced to authorize the establishment of changes unfortunately have been) they have almost indefinitely "District" Grammar Schools in different parts of the Province. postponed the reasonable chances for improvement in the These schools under the circumstances of their establishment, schools for some time to come. The opinion of our best High necessarily partook somewhat of the character of class schools School masters and educators, so far as we have heard them, (as we have indicated); and, for that reason, having no hold on unite in deprecating in the strongest terms the destructive public sympathy or support, they were never popular, except character and demoralizing influences of these recent changes in a few individual cases. They continued to exist without and levelling "ameliorations." much change or improvement in their condition for years; nor were there any efforts made to popularize them until 1853. In that year legislation took place, by which their character was Again, objection has been made, and is still strongly urged to somewhat improved, their condition elevated, and they them- the programme itself, and to the necessity of employing a suffiselves were incorporated into our educational system. Owing, ent number of masters in the High Schools to carry out that however, to their continued unpopularity they were not well sustained, and the county councils declined, except in a few cases, to support them. Various plans were from time to time adopted by their friends to keep them in funds, but they maintained a bare existence, and struggled on for years in poverty and consequent inefficiency. OBJECTIONS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMME. programme. as To these objections we propose to reply separately. First, as to the programme itself. This has been objected to Those who urge these objections forget two things: CHARACTER OF THE EFFORTS MADE TO SUSTAIN THE HIGH tute, be made elementary schools, any more than can Colleges SCHOOLS. and Universities be legitimately made High Schools; and secondly, that it is the Legislature, and not the Council of PubOne fatal cause, which has operated of late years to paralyse lic Instruction, which has prescribed what subjects shall be exthe healthful growth and natural development of the High clusively taught in our High Schools,-that the programme is Schools, has been the anxiety, chiefly on the part of the friends not an arbitrary dictation of subjects on the part of that Counof the weaker ones, to force into them the greatest number of cil, but is simply the mere arrangement, in a convenient and intelpupils, so as individually to absorb the largest amount of the ligible form, of the subjects which the Legislature itself has deLegislative grant. The friends of the High Schools generally cided to be the essential subjects of study in High Schools. The (with some honourable exceptions) quietly laboured with increas- Legislature has declared that in each High School there shall ed earnestness in this direction, in the hope that their neigh-be taught "all of the higher branches of a good English and combours would not take the alarm and outstrip them, and that a mercial education." As an evidence of the flexibility of the larger grant would be the reward of their increased exertions. High School law, the Legislature has further provided most But in this they were disappointed. The vigilance of the rival liberally that some of these schools may be classical, and some schools for an increased grant was also aroused; and the num- of them English High Schools. No provision has, however, bers of ill-prepared pupils which were crowded into these rival been made by the Legislature, nor authorized by the regulations schools also were found to have so far exceeded what was an- for giving instruction in the elementary branches, either in ticipated, that the enlarged Parliamentary grant, (when appor- preparatory," or other unauthorized classes in the High tioned on the basis of the average attendance at each school), Schools. The Legislature has already made such ample proviwas actually found in individual cases, even with their increased sion in our Public Schools for teaching these subjects, that to attendance, to be less than what the school had received under teach them in the High Schools would be an interference with the old system of apportionment which had been so strongly the province of the Public Schools. It has, therefore, wisely denounced. Much chagrin was felt at the result, and much restricted the teaching in the High Schools to "all the higher unjust odium fell upon the Education Department, on the branches of a good English and Commercial Education," etc. ground, as was stated, that the grant was not fairly and equit- The Council of Public Instruction, if it has erred at all, has ably divided by it. But for this reproach there was not a shadone so in the direction rather of lowering than of maintaining dow of reason. In the scramble for the grant, the less unscru- the proper standard of High School instruction which the Legpulous were generally the winners, and the Department was islature has set up. Thus for instance the Legislature has powerless to prevent the unseemly strife, although it was held declared that in the High Schools shall be taught "all the responsible for the alleged losses to individual schools.* OTHER STEPS TAKEN TO INCREASE THE GRANTS TO INDI- In carrying out this suicidal policy for increasing the funds of individual schools, the first step taken was to attack the classical character and standard of the High Schools; the next was to assail as a grievance the policy of the exclusion of girls from these schools. Both points were at length conceded. For List of Apportionments to High Schools in 1872, see page 29. higher branches of an English and Commercial Education," &c. And yet the Council has fixed the standard of admission to High Schools quite below these "higher branches;" for it has permitted pupils to enter High Schools from a point midway between the 3rd and 4th (out of the six) classes which are premitted to the High Schools after they had completed the pubscribed for the Public Schools. Formerly pupils were only adlic school programme, now they enter after they have only little more than half completed that programme. We have, therefore, the singular fact presented to us, that both Public and |