:

For eight years the number of High Schools stood at 104; in 1884 there was an increase of 2, now they number 109. Collegiate Institutes have advanced to 24 in 1886. The most gratifying feature, however, of our High School system, is the large increase in the attendance, the number having nearly doubled in eleven years. Having regard to the number and standing of the teachers employed now as compared with 1876, it is worthy of note that the cost per pupil, taking expenditure of all kinds into consideration, is less than it was eleven years ago. If we make the test, the amount paid for teachers' salaries, which is the main item of expense, it will be found that in 1876 the cost per pupil was $22.94; in 1886 it was $20.04 per pupil. The High Schools are classified as follows:Schools with two masters, 46; Schools with three masters or over, 63; Collegiate Instistitutes, 24. The largest Collegiate Institute is Toronto, with an enrolment of 647; then Hamilton, with 489; London, with 399; St. Thomas, with 351. There is an average of 7 teachers in each of the Collegiate Institutes; the average number of pupils to each High School teacher in the Province is 40. From table G it will be seen that fees amounting to $47,144 are charged in 51 High Schools. The tendency to charge fees is evidently growing. In 1876, the fees collected amounted to only $20,122 in 34 schools. There is no reason why High School Boards should not exercise the right conferred by Statute, to impose a reasonable fee on the pupils in attendance. The High School is the preparatory school for the professions. All who enter the University or any of the learned professions, must first take a course at a High School. In 1886, 1,100 pupils were preparing for matriculation, 797 for the learned professions, such as law and medicine, and 5,777 for teachers' examinations. Nearly one-half of the whole work of our High Schools is thus devoted to qualifying young men and women for professions, by which they may become self-supporting. Would it be any hardship to require them to contribute a reasonable sum towards that education by which they are afterwards to make a livelihood? I would regret very much to see the Province deprived of the honor of maintaining a free system of Public Schools. It is beyond doubt the duty of the State to provide for every one of its citizens at least a substantial elementary education; but when the citizen desires to use the schools provided by the State for the purpose of selfmaintenance, then the right to impose fees for this privilege is unquestionable. A trade is a trade, no matter by what linguistic term disguised, and the reason that would apply to a free education for one trade or profession would apply with equal force to all others. Another feature observable in the growth of our High Schools is the attention paid to certain subjects, which within the last few years have been regarded by all educators as of the greatest importance for practical life. For instance, in 1876, only 3,725 pupils, or 40 per cent. of the whole number studied commercial subjects, such as book-keeping; in 1886 this subject was taken by 12,150, or 80 per cent. of the whole attendance. On the other hand, Latin, in 1876, was studied by 3,789, or by over 40 per cent.; in 1886, the number of pupils in Latin was 4,954, or only a trifle over 30 per cent. of the number in attendance. The number studying Greek has diminished from about 10 per cent. of the whole attendance to 7 per cent. In French and German the numbers are relatively the There has been a large increase in the number studying Drawing, the total in 1876 being 2,747, and in 1886, 12,956. Phonography is taught in 10 schools to 406 3* (E.)

same.

pupils, the largest class (113 pupils) being in Toronto, and the next largest (65) in Hamilton. Music is taught in 23 schools, and senior matriculation work to 131 pupils in 34 schools, the largest class (19 pupils) being at St. Catharines, and the next largest (13 pupils) being at Kingston. The total number of pupils who passed a University matriculation examination was 337, being an increase of 47 over last year. Of these, the Chatham Collegiate Institute passed the highest number (20), and Cobourg the next highest number (18). While the High Schools are largely employed in preparing pupils for professional life, it is pleasing to notice so many attending for the sole purpose of acquiring a liberal education. This is shown by the fact that last year, 964 High School pupils on leaving, entered mercantile life, and 638 returned to the farm to pursue agriculture. The effect on these pursuits of the superior training of the High School must be salutary. The highest salary paid a head master was $2,350 (Toronto C. I.). The average salary of headmasters for the Province was $1,107. Of the headmasters, 65 were graduates of Toronto University, 19 of Victoria, 10 of Queen's, 6 of Trinity, 3 of Albert, and 5 of British Universities. The whole number of teachers employed was 378.

3. ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS.

Entrance examinations are held each year in July and December. The course prescribed for this examination is identical with the work of the fourth form of the Public Schools. Examinations are now held at 170 points in the Province, and although all who pass do not enter the High School, it is found that, as a standard for the work of the Public School, they are very useful. In fact, it may now be assumed that the entrance examination is a fair index of Public School work. In 1877, the first year in which the Department took these examinations in charge, the number passed was 3,270; in 1886 it was 6,768. The increased anxiety to accept this test is shown by the fact that in 1877, only 6,248 wrote for entrance to the High Schools; in 1886 the number had risen to 13,660. The papers for this examination are sent out by the Department. Last year 220,000 papers were required.

III. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

now

Training Schools are established for the teachers of Ontario, in every department of their work. During the year, regulations for licensing Kindergarten teachers were adopted, and the first examination held under the direction of the Department. Teachers for this work are divided into two grades, (1) those who have attended a Kindergarten training school one year and passed the prescribed examination, called Assistants, and (2) those who attend two years and pass the prescribed examination, called Directors. Examinations were held at Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto, and out of the 83 candidates who presente I themselves 28 passed for Directors and 34 for Assistants. There is now a Kindergarten School at London, Berlin, Waterloo, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Parkdale, Toronto, Cobourg, Kingston and Ottawa. The whole number of pupils in attendance in 1887 was 1,661, and the number of teachers employed,

74. I would like very much to see Kindergarten schools opened in every incorporated village, town and city in the Province. The advantages of such schools. cannot be discussed fully in the limits at my disposal, but the following epitome may be considered:-1. They develop the observing powers of children. 2. They cultivate manual dexterity, 3. They contribute to the physical training of the child. 4. They cultivate originality and spontaneity. 5. They combine amusement with the acquisition of knowledge. 6. They develop the child's mind symmetrically. 7. They teach self abnegation, self control and attention. As the pupils are not allowed to be kept at school for more than three hours per day, there need be no fear that, in a properly ventilated room, the child's health would suffer by the restraint of the school.

1.-County Model Schools.

County Model Schools were first established in 1877, and since that time they have been attended by 13,082 teachers. The term has been lengthened by two weeks, in order to enable principals to give more time to the science of education. The course of study has been simplified, and boards of examiners empowered to reject any teacher in training whose scholarship appears defective. Boards should deal firmly and heroically with every candidate whose qualifications are not unmistakably high. Efficiency in the school room is only attainable by exercising the greatest care in the professional examination of teachers.

The statistics of County Model Schools since the date of their establishment are as follows:

2.-Normal and Provincial Model Schools.

The course at the Provincial Normal School is now almost purely professional, instruction being given in only a few elementary subjects of special importance to the public school teacher, such as writing, drawing, reading, music, drill and calisthenics. The professional course is also enlarged, and more value attached to methods and to practical teaching than formerly. The Normal Schools need no longer be academical. The High Schools and Collegiate Institutes teach the non-professional subjects as well as they can be taught anywhere. It is perfectly safe, therefore, to limit the Normal Schools to theoretical and practical pedagogics. This affords an opportunity to make the course more thorough than it could be made if it were attempted to teach non-professional subjects as well. It also justifies greater strictness at the final examination, and ren. ders it easier to discover those defects in the student's manner of presenting a subject, or his power of governing a class, which would prevent his being a successful teacher. Candidates who fail in the written part of their course are required to take the whole written examination over again, but if they pass in practical teaching they are allowed an interim certificate for six months. All the changes in the regulations respecting Normal Schools were made with a view to make the second test for professional preferment more severe, and thus give an additional guarantee to the public that the holder of a certificate bearing the seal of the Education Department will do honor to the profession, by teaching and governing his pupils according to the most approved methods. The following Table exhibits the work done for the last eleven years :