(b) The examination, grading and licensing of teachers;

(c) The selection of books;

(d) The inspection of schools;

(e) Normal training;

shall be adopted or amended except at a general meeting of the Council of Public Instruction duly convened for that purpose.

It shall be the duty of the Council of Public Instruction:

(a) To make regulations for the government and discipline of schools
and institutes, and for the training and certification of teachers;
(b) To prescribe programmes of study and text books;

(c) To define by "Standards" the studies to be pursued in all schools,
such standards to be numbered from I upwards, standards above
standard V to be further denominated "High School Standards;"
(d) To provide for the examination of persons other than teachers
who may desire to enter professions or who may wish certifi-
cates of having completed courses of study in any school;
(e) To prepare suitable forms and give such instructions as may be
necessary for making all reports and conducting all proceedings
required by the Ordinance;

(f) To determine all cases of appeal, disputes, and complaints, aris-
ing fron decisions of trustees or inspectors and to make such
orders thereon as may be required;

(g) To make any provisions, not inconsistent with the Ordinance, that may be necessary to meet exigencies occurring under its operation.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

A school district comprises an area of not more than twenty-five square miles and must contain not less than four resident ratepayers and twelve children between the ages of five and sixteen, inclusive. Any three qualified ratepayers may petition for the formation of a school district and upon its proclamation the ratepayers therein may establish a school and elect trustees to manage it. These trustees have power to erect and equip buildings, engage certificated teachers, levy taxes and perform such other acts as may be necessary for the proper conduct of a school.

CLASSES OF SCHOOLS.

The classes of schools established are Public Schools and Separate Schools. The minority of the ratepayers in any organized public school district, whether Protestant or Roman Catholic, may establish a separate school therein, and in such case, the ratepayers establishing such Protestant or Roman Catholic separate school shall be liable only to assessments of such rates as they impose upon themselves in respect thereof. Any person who is legally assessed or assessable for a public school shall not be liable to assessment for any separate school established therein. Provision is made for Night Schools for pupils over fourteen years of who are unable to attend school during the day.

age

MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOLS.

Schools are maintained by Legislative grants and by local taxation. The Legislative grants are fixed by Ordinance and the following are the provisions governing them :

There shall be paid from and out of any moneys appropriated by the Legislative Assembly for schools, in aid of schools organized under and conducted according to the provisions of the Ordinance, Night Schools, Normal Schools and Teachers' Institutes excepted, an amount to be calculated as follows:

(a) To each school having an average attendance of at least six pupils for the days during which it has been open in any term, a sum of $1.40 for each day the school is open: Provided, that the total number of days in each year for which grants may become payable shall not exceed 210;

(b) For every pupil in average daily attendance an additional amount of $1.50 per school year of 210 days;

(c) To each school where a teacher is employed who holds a firstclass professional certificate the sum of 20 cents for each day (not exceeding 210) in the year such teacher is actually engaged in teaching; and to each school where a teacher holding a second class certificate is so employed, the sum of 10 cents for each day (not exceeding 210) in the year such teacher is actually engaged in teaching;

(d) To each school attaining a minimum grading upon the reports of its inspection, as prescribed by the Council of Public Instruction, on its efficiency in respect to buildings, equipment, government and progress, a sum not exceeding 15 cents nor less than 5 cents may be paid according to such grading, for each day (not exceeding 210) on which the school has been kept open during the year;

(e) To any high school complying with the provisions of the Ordinance and the regulations of the Council of Public Instruction, a special grant of seventy-five dollars per term ;

Provided, that in case the sum of the grants to be paid in any term under sub-sections (a), (b) and (c) of this section shall exceed 70 per centum of the salary actually earned by the teacher during that term, the amount of the grant under the aforementioned sub-sections shall be reduced to the amount of the said 70 per centum of salary paid;

Provided further, that payment may be made in respect of the amounts earned under sub-sections (a), (b) and (c) of this section at the end of the terms closing on April 15, August 31 and December 31, on receipt of the return prescribed by the Council of Public Instruction and provided for in sub-section (1) of section 88 of the Ordinance; but the grant earned by any school under sub-section (d) shall be paid only with the last payment of the year:

Provided further, that in schools where more than one teacher is employed, each department shall rank as a school under the provisions of sub-sections (a) and (d) of this section, when the average attendance of the whole school shall at least equal 20 pupils to each teacher employed; but no board of trustees shall engage an assistant teacher (expecting Government aid on that account) without having given the Council of Public Instruction at least three months' notice of their intention to do so and having received its approval:

Provided further, that the amount or amounts shown in the treasurer's return, provided for in sub-section (1) of section 88 of the Ordinance, to be due to any teacher or teachers, shall be paid direct and proportionately to such teacher or teachers to the extent of the grant;

Provided further, that no grant shall be paid to any school district until the bond of the treasurer provided for in section 87 shall have been received and registered by the Council of Public Instruction;

Any school which has been closed on account of the absence of the teacher in attending a teachers' institute held by order of the Council of Public Instruction, shall be entitled to all grants as if the school had been actually in operation during such period. For the purpose of computing the grant for such period the average attendance for the week immediately preceding the closing of the school shall be deemed the actual attendance during the period it remains closed from this cause.

Upon the recommendation of the Council of Public Instruction the Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make a special gant to any school, whether organised according to law or not, out of the general revenue fund of the Territories.

Whatever additional sums may be necessary for the conduct of the school are raised by local taxation. Two sections of land (1280 acres), in each township are reserved and held in trust by the Dominion Government as school lands for aiding and promoting education. This means an endowment of about eleven million acres.

STUDIES.

In the Programme of Studies provision is made for the teaching of those subjects a knowledge of which is helpful in the transaction of business, the duties of citizenship, the care of the body, and the formation of moral character. This knowledge is needed by all and may be so presented as to be objectionable to none. The work in Latin, Greek, French and German, done in the High School departments is determined by the matriculation requirements of the Universities of Manitoba and Toronto. The Programme contains no syllabus of religious instruction. The character and, within a time-limit, the amount of religious instruction given in any school is determined by the trustees, who may be presumed to represent the desires of the ratepayers. Religious instruction is not allowed in any school until one half-hour previous to the closing in the afternoon, at which time such instruction as is permitted by the trustees may be given, parents having the privilege of withdrawing their children at that hour or having them remain without taking part. It is, however, permissible for the trustees to direct that the school be opened by the recitation of The Lord's Prayer.

In all Standards above II the text-books are uniform, care being taken to authorise none written from a sectarian standpoint. In Standards I and II Roman Catholic Schools are permitted to use the Ontario Readers or the Dominion Series (Sadlier's Catholic Readers). In districts where French is the vernacular the trustees may, upon obtaining the consent of an Inspector, use the Bilingual Readers, Parts I and II, and the Second instead of the Ontario or Dominion Series.

TEACHERS.

Teachers receive their academic training in the high school departments of Public Schools and their professional training in the Normal Schools. Under certain limitations graduates of Universities and holders

of certificates of the first or second class obtained outside the Territories may receive permission to teach without further examination. No distinction is made between teachers in Public and Separate Schools. They have to pass the same academic examinations and undergo the same professional training. A non-professional certificate (academic) is not valid as a licence to teach. Local Normal Schools for the training of persons who have passed the academic test for third class are conducted at convenient local centres by the Territorial Inspectors from January 2nd to March 15th in each year. The Normal School for teachers of the first and second class is conducted in Regina. Students are given instruction in the theory, art and history of education and regular practice in teaching under careful supervision.

INSTITUTES.

During April, May and June in each year Teachers' Institutes are conducted by the Superintendent of Education assisted by the Inspectors. They are devoted to the further instruction of teachers in principles and methods of teaching, and the fostering of professional zeal and spirit. Public meetings in the evenings afford opportunities for directing the attention of citizens to the best means of promoting the welfare of the schools. Over ninety per cent. of the teachers voluntarily attend these institutes.

INSPECTION.

Inspectors are appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, and report to the Council of Public Instruction and the trustees of each district on the scholarship, behaviour and progress of the children, teaching and governing power of the teacher, condition of the buildings, grounds and apparatus, and state of the treasurer's books. They are expected to give any advice and instruction necessary for the successful conduct of the schools. They have nothing to do with religious instruction.

Report of the Superintendent of Education.

MR. F. W. G. HAULTAIN,

Chairman Council of Public Instruction.

SIR-I have the honour to submit the following report for the year ending December 31, 1896.

The North West Territories (Assiniboia, Saskatchewan and Alberta) cover an area of 302,000 square miles, embrace large farming, ranching, lumbering and mining regions, and contain amongst a widely distributed population a number of "colonies" established by different foreign nationalities. To carry on educational work successfully under such conditions is difficult, but while much remains to be accomplished the progress made during the past year gives us reason to be thankful and hopeful.

The increase in schools, pupils and teachers keeps pace with the growth of population. The classification of pupils shows that 43 per cent. of them are in Standard I, 21 per cent. in Standard II, 24 per cent. in Standard III, 7 per cent. in Standard IV, 3 per cent. in Standard V and less than 2 per cent. in the High School Standards; 88 per cent. do not proceed beyond Standard III. The conditions of life in a new country, and the demands of the farm, the ranch and the shop, account in the main for the early withdrawal from school of so many children. The importance of the education given in the first three Standards is greatly increased through this withdrawal. The scope and thoroughness of the work done in them, and the spirit in which it is performed, will be potent factors in shaping the characteristics of our future citizens.

The demand for teachers with higher qualifications continues. There has been an increase of thirteen First and sixty-two Second Class teachers, and a decrease of forty-three Third Class and provisionally certificated teachers. The ratio of men teachers is unusually large. Out of four hundred and thirty-three teachers employed, two hundred and eleven are men. The salaries (Appendix "D," Table V) compare favourably with those paid in the Provinces.

SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

In the erection of new buildings increased attention is given to those conditions which affect the health and comfort of the children. In too many of the older buildings little thought was given to proper lighting and less to ventilation. The light should come from the left side of the room, not from the right, and never from the front. If additional light be needed it should be admitted from the back. The window surface should be equal to one-fifth of the floor surface. The windows should extend to the ceiling, the sills being higher than the level of the children's heads when seated. Those through which the direct rays of the sun may fall upon the children should have light curtains. Both sashes should be adjusted by weights and pulleys.

In buildings heated with hot air furnaces the fresh warmed air should be admitted by a flue half-way to the ceiling and the impure air with