The Constitution of the Corporation has been slightly changed, so as to admit of a fuller recognition of those who liberally aid in the forwarding of the education of the Blind, by making generous contributions to the funds of the School, or by rendering services advantageous to the school. The names of these persons will henceforth appear in the published report, under the heading of Benefactors, and it is earnestly hoped that many other persons may be induced to place their names upon this roll of honor.

In addition to the donations, elsewhere acknowledged, your Board gratefully acknowledge the receipt of $333.33 from the estate of the late Duncan Waddell, also the receipt of $100 from the estate of the late Miss Cronan. Such bequests enable your Board to extend the work far beyond the limit which the funds at command would otherwise warrant.

The Treasurer's statement shows the receipts from all sources to have been $9,660.22 and the expenditure $9,434.29, leaving a small balance of $225.93 to the credit of the school.

The managers again express their sense of the value of the services rendered to the school and the cause of the blind generally by the untiring vigilance and able administrative abilities of the Superintendent, C. F. Fraser.

The thanks of the Board of Managers are hereby tendered to Doctors Lindsay, Dodge, Kirkpatrick and Cogswell, for their kindly attention to the pupils. To H. B. Clarke, lessee of the Academy of Music, and to the Orpheus Club for tickets to entertainments. To a number of leading lecturers and musicians of Halifax for lectures and concerts given to the pupils in the Assembly Hall of the school; and to the railway, steamship, and coach proprietors for the privileges granted to our pupils.

Appended hereto is the report of the Superintendent. All of which is respectfully

submitted.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

To the President and Board of Managers of the School for the Blind :

GENTLEMEN: The table of attendance herewith submitted shows that 59 blind persons have been under instruction during the past year, 43 of whom were males and 16 females. Seven of these have since graduated or left the school, making the total number in attendance on December 1st, 1894, 52, of whom 37 are males and 15 females. Of these 28 are from the Province of Nova Scotia, 12 from New Brunswick, 4 from Prince Edward Island, and 8 from Newfoundland.

LITERARY DEPARTMENT.

It is gratifying to report that the past school year has been one of steady and satisfactory effort upon the part of both teachers and pupils. The teachers have brought to their work added experience, zeal for the progress of their pupils, and ambition to have the school retain its good name and reputation. Imbued with the spirit of the new education, they have faithfully striven to discharge their responsible duties so as to secure the best results, and I am satisfied that the respect and esteem in which they are held by the pupils is well deserved.

Miss Fletcher has daily been at her post, and has been enthusiastic in all the classes in which she has been placed in charge.

Miss Frame, by precept and example, has endeavored to arouse among her pupils that love for literature and literary pursuits which she herself so much enjoys.

Mr. Hussy has been untiring in his desire to forward the interests of the pupils, never being satisfied to have his labors restricted to school hours.

Recognizing the desirability of opening up to our graduates special literary callings, and availing ourselves of the experience of similar institutions abroad, a regular course in modern languages has been adopted, and instruction is being given to four of the older pupils with a view to their becoming teachers of French and German. Prof. Lanos has undertaken the instruction in French, and Fraulein Ellars in German.

In this new department one practical end is kept steadily in view, namely, preparing our pupils to earn their own livelihoods. If the experiment proves as great a success as we anticipate, a new and wide field of usefulness will be opened to the blind.

MUSICAL DEPARTMENT.

Among those who graduated from the Musical Department during the past year, Mr. Stephen Hulan, of Bay St. George, Newfoundland, deserves special mention. This young man came to the school seven years since, and by patience, perseverance and dogged determination he acquired a good education and won a foremost place in the Musical Department of the School. He is now Organist and Choir Master in one of the leading churches in Bay St. George and has a first-rate class of private music pupils.

The Musical Department of the school and Mr A. M. Chisholm, Instructor of Music, are so closely identified that, in calling attention to one of the successful teachers of music among the graduates, we indirectly commend the very excellent training given in this department by Mr. Chisholm. Certain it is that his ideas of thoroughness and efficiency are set high enough to merit the approbation of all true lovers of the divine art.

The importance of the Musical department cannot be over-estimated. It is to the Blind of these provinces a special school of music, and it offers to them exceptional advantages for professional training.

The recent outlay upon the Tuning Department has greatly improved the facilities for acquiring the knowledge of tuning and of the repairing of pianofortes. The Instructor in this department, Mr. D. M. Reid, has rendered admirable service to the school.

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT.

Work in the Electrical Department has passed beyond the experimental stage. Mr. S. J. Harivel, the enthusiastic Instructor, has himself exploited this new field of occupation for the Blind, and, inspired by his success and enthusiasm, the pupils of his class are ambitious to prove that they too can become experts in special electrical work.

In our workshop several young men are being trained as willow basket makers, while others are being taught the reseating of cane-bottom chairs. Among the former is Willie Hulan, the deaf, dumb and blind boy of Bay St. George, Newfouudland. Willie has acquired an excellent knowledge of cane-seating, and the skill with which he manipulates his material in making baskets has been a source of great surprise to those not understanding the methods by which deaf, dumb and blind persons are now successfully trained. Mr. D. A. Baird, instructor in the workshop, has proved himself a patient and painstaking teacher.

Miss C. I. Bowman, who for the past four years has so successfully instructed our girls' work class, has, to the great regret of her pupils, resigned her position in the school. The position is one that requires special qualifications upon the part of the teacher, and these Miss Bowman possessed in a marked degree. Her successor is Miss Lisle.

GENERAL.

One of the difficulties with which we have to contend in educating the blind arises from the fact that many of the best years for educational work are lost. Our pupils enter the school at ten years of age. Prior to that time they have received no training whatever, and many of them are the victims of indulgence, ignorance or neglect. No argument is necessary to prove that these little blind children suffer physically, mentally and morally during these years of inactivity. If this be true, and it surely is, it would not be asking too much of the Governments and Legislatures of the Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland to allow us to take the children at six instead of ten years of age.

In our present school buildings the maximum number of pupils that can be accommodated is sixty, and having due regard for the health and comfort of all within the establishment, the number of resident pupils should not exceed fifty-six. Of the fifty-two pupils now on the register, fifty-one are resident in the school, and already we have found it necessary to turn our trunk room into a dormitory for the domestics.

Judging from the number of names of probable pupils now on the books, I feel satisfied that the school will continue to increase in numbers for several years to come. This being the case, it is evident that some measure should soon be taken to provide increased accommodation. In the meantime the friends of the blind should unite in subscribing towards a building fund, in order that the Board of Managers may see their way clear to meet the emergency at the threshold.

For the past five months, Miss Una Legge, a recent graduate of the school, has been visiting the homes of the blind on the Western portion of New Brunswick. During this time she has taught ten blind persons to read and write in the Braille system,

or to read in Dr. Moon's larger characters. Three blind women have been instructed by her in knitting and fancy work. In addition, Miss Legge has visited the homes of eight young blind children and interested the parents in their education and training. Many of those who have been under instruction have, in letters to me, expressed the deepest gratitude for the privilege of being taught by Miss Legge at their homes. It is gratifying to find that through the agency of the home-teaching fund many persons are being relieved from the dull monotony of their lives, and, at the same time, that through the same agency many blind children will be induced to come to the school, and will be saved from lives of ignorance and dependence.

In conclusion, let me say that the reputation which this school has won for being a progressive and thorough institution is largely due to the liberal support and encouragement which I have always received when submitting for your consideration and approval any contemplated improvement, and it may truly be said that the blind of the four provinces represented in this school owe to the members of the Board of Managers a deep debt of gratitude, and that foremost on the roll of honored benefactors should stand the names of the gentlemen who have unsparingly given time and thought to the development of this Institution.

All of which is respectfully submitted,

C. F. FRASER,

Principal.

APPENDIX F.

COUNTY INSTITUTE PAPERS.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION.

BY INSPECTOR MERSEREau.

In these days, the Written Examination has assumed an importance of the first rank. The fitness of candidates for any position in almost every department of human activity is tested by its means. This is especially true of the learned professions. When our pupils leave our schools to begin their life-work, they are confronted on the very threshold of their career by the Written Examination, whether they wish to become doctors, lawyers, clergymen, teachers, or clerks in any branch of the civil service. We see then that the practical needs of life render it imperative for us to make them at home in the Written Examination.

I wish in this paper, however, to consider the matter simply in relation to the assistance which the teacher can derive from it, and to ascertain to what extent he can use it as a device in tuitional work.

The first point to claim our attention is its utility. A good question for the teacher, as well as for the parent, to ask is, "Cui bono"? I will state some of the benefits in the order in which they occur to me, rather than in the order of their importance. 1st. It provides a review of a given amount of work.

2nd. It is a test of the pupil's knowledge and, therefore, of teaching to the teacher and of learning to the pupil.

3rd. It cultivates the habit of attention.

4th.

5th.

It promotes self-reliance.

It leads to concise thinking and readiness in commanding thought.

6th. It develops intellectual sturdiness, or what perhaps might better be called mental energy.

Besides it provides opportunity to put into exercise, no matter what the subject, those branches of knowledge considered most eminently practical, such as Grammar, Composition, Spelling, etc.

I think you will agree with me that any device in school-work that can be made