small part of the inspectoral grant were devoted to encouraging efficient work along these lines conditions might be improved. Much good teaching is done in geography but even yet to too great an extent it is a memory subject, the pupils not being taught, for example, to reason out from a study of the map the main facts regarding the industries and products of a country. Considerably more use should be made of moulding boards and the like. In my opinion the work in geography required of elementary classes according to the programme presupposes a breadth of experience and power of abstraction not often found. The educational importance of seat work is rarely realised and it is the exceptional teacher who equips herself with permanent materials for easily assigning suitable busy work. The teaching of formal science is evidently improving though still generally hampered by the lack of dezirable apparatus. French and German are treated too much as mere examination subjects and not enough as real living languages.

Of course throughout the foregoing paragraph I have been emphasising prevailing errors while comment on prevailing excellencies is crowded out for lack of space.

Conventions, etc.

Besides institutes under the auspices of the Normal School staff, the inaugural convention of the Kirkella Line Educational Association was held at Lipton for the benefit of the northern part of my inspectorate and a very successful meeting of the Central Assiniboia Teachers' Association took place at Indian Head. Superintendent Hutcherson has organised the Regina staff into an association holding monthly meetings and steps are being taken to revive the educational association that should be serving the interests of education in the territory tributary to the capital.

Records, etc.

The registers are carefully kept, but owing to the inexperience of many secretary treasurers the other official records are frequently unsatisfactory. Expenditures are often made without due authority and even in contravention of the Ordinance; and in more than one village school district I rectified errors formerly passed over by official auditors which would have more than covered the expenses of my inspectoral visit.

Compulsory Education.

In another report prepared at the instance of the deputy commissioner I have presented a conspectus of the regulations regarding enforced attendance that are in operation in the leading American states. This is a matter which, I respectfully submit, calls for the early attention of our legislators. The law as it now stands in Saskatchewan is practically a dead letter and despite the keen general interest shown in education even by most of our foreign immigrants, hundreds of children in this single inspectorate are growing up without proper schooling.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

NORMAN F. BLACK,

Inspector of Schools.

J. A. CALDER, ESQ., M.L.A.,

MOOSOMIN, SASK., January 31, 1907.

Commissioner of Education.

SIR, The general character and quality of the school buildings and of their equipment are excellent and will bear comparison with those of any province, but I cannot say the same of the school grounds.

In the great majority of cases these instead of having an educational value constitute an educational menace and I feel that the department would be acting wisely in offering some incentive which would tend towards their improvement.

Not more than twenty-five per cent. of the school districts have even fenced the ground and until this is done other improvements are comparatively useless.

In spite of these conditions a number of the teachers with the co-operation of their pupils have endeavoured to make the place attractive by gardening, etc.

The desire therefore appears to be present and it only requires action on the part of trustees to accomplish something.

I have been pleased this year with the general excellence of the teaching staff throughout the inspectorate and the general desire on their part to adapt their work to the course of study.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

J. HEWGILL,

Inspector of Schools.

REPORTS OF THE PRINCIPALS OF THE INSTITUTES FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB AND THE BLIND.

March 21, 1907.

J. A. CALDER, Esq., M.L.A.,

Commissioner of Education,

Regina, Sask.

SIR, I have much pleasure in submitting for your consideration a short report of the progress and condition of the Manitoba School for the Deaf. The report is of a general character and deals with the entire workings of the school as I feel it will be of greater value and interest to those who desire to know the nature of the methods of instruction.

The pupils of your province are all making good progress and in no instance have we a pupil who is not in every way a fit and proper subject for a school for the deaf.

The following tabular statements will furnish information in regard to the attendance of the year 1906:

The following is a list of those present from Saskatchewan December 31, 1906: Mary Hauser, Rachel Stephenson, Ida Hess, Clifford Moore, Ferguson Carey, Melvin Odegarde, Maurice Banks, Ruby Thompson, Glen Smith, Winnie Lawrence, Albert Rivard Louis Amirault, Lizzie Lemky, Mary Wiebe, Paulina Ens, Anna Hochbann, Herbert Whitman, John Hertlaen, Walter Molisky, Olive Binnie, Mary Atkins, Freda Lindal, Ray Farnham.

Health.

The health of the pupils of this institution has always been, comparatively speaking, of a very satisfactory character. During the past two or three years we have suffered from mild epidemics of measles, scarlet fever and chicken pox, which caused serious interruption to the work of the classes but happily in each case all of those afflicted were restored to health and strength. Our freedom from serious outbreaks I feel is due to the satisfactory sanitary conditions of our buildings. Because of proper conditions and surroundings we do not wish to make promises for the future, but it is worthy of note that during seventeen years we have only had three cases of illness resulting fatally, a fact which I think speaks well for the precautions that are taken to guard against disease.

School.

On the whole the work of the class rooms has been satisfactory. No change has taken place in the methods of instruction, although the speech method which has existed here for some time is perhaps receiving more attention. Most of the schools in Canada and the United States are gradually increasing and extending their oral work as it is found that by this method a large percentage of deaf children may be taught to articulate so clearly and distinctly that speech is of real benefit to them. I do not, however, admit, nor is it admitted by foremost educators of the deaf, that speech should be taught to all deaf children. Perhaps fifty per cent. may be taught to speak well, but I do not believe that more than thirty per cent. will make practical use of this speech after the pupil leaves school.

We have five manual teachers and one teacher of articulation, while in other schools the precentage varies from fifty per cent. to seventy-five per cent., that is, in schools known as "combined schools

for the deaf." Schools under the combined system employ any method that is best suited to the child and the two best known methods of instruction are the manual and the oral. During the last ten or fifteen years there has been a great controversy between friends of both methods of instruction which has resulted in an organisation of an Association for the Promotion of Speech to the Deaf. This association supports the theory that all deaf people should be taught to speak and to be educated by the means of speech, while those who favour the combined system believe that only a certain number-those specially adapted to this method-children having a good voice and a natural aptitude for speech should be taught by the oral method. The question is far from being decided and will always remain an open one and the only hope of salvation in the education of the deaf along the best lines possible is for those who have charge of the institutions to keep an open mind and be broad enough to accept any method or system that appears to them to be in the best interests of the children under their control.

At the close of the term in 1905 we graduated six pupils, namely: Archibald Wright, Winnipeg; Archibald McDonald, Fort Qu'Appelle; Eugenie Muller, St. Boniface; Lottie Jameson, Carman; Alice Lonsdale, Headingly; and Olive Jenkins, Victoria. These pupils all possessed ability of a high order and fully deserved the honour received as graduates of this school. Three of them, Lottie Jameson, Archibald Wright and Archibald McDonald, have since attended Gallaudet College at Washington, an institution supported by the federal government of the United States for the higher education of the deaf and dumb. They still remain and I have no doubt will give a satisfactory account of themselves as they all possess ability to take the full college course. The other graduates, with the exception of Olive Jenkins, are living at their homes and as yet are not taking up any occupation. Miss Jenkins has been appointed supervisor of the girls at this institution and is giving perfect satisfaction.

Occupations for the Deaf.

It has always been a subject of anxiety to those interested in the welfare of the deaf after they have left school to advise and assist them. in securing suitable occupations. On account of their inability to hear they are of course handicapped and but few avenues are open to them. This difficulty has long been recognised by educators of the deaf, as is evidenced by the provision made in most schools for manual training which to a certain extent supplies a knowledge of some handicraft whereby graduates of our schools are enabled to obtain a start in life. It is only possible to teach a comparatively small number of trades in our schools and it follows that it is out of the question to equip all our graduates with a trade or calling suitable to their capabilities. We have some pupils who could perform duties demanding intellectual attainments above what is required as a printer, dressmaker or carpenter, but their deafness prevents them from even getting a chance to show what they can do. It is for this reason that the friends of the deaf are solicitous and even anxious to welcome any efforts that are made on their behalf. I wish to express my own gratitude and I know