accepted by the senate of the University as equivalent to either the junior or the senior Matriculation, as the case might be. PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF THE LAW RELATING TO GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. In this connection I would respectfully call the attention of the Government and the Legislature to the desirability of such a modification of the law relating to Grammar Schools as would tend to stimulate local effort in the support of secondary education, and to build up strong institutions wherever practicable for the promotion of advanced educational work and as feeders to the University. Under the provisions of the law, as it now stands, a Grammar School which is doing no more advanced work than some of the Common Schools, and less than several of the Superior Schools, receives as large a grant from the Provincial funds as those which have a large staff of teachers, and more than a hundred students above the eighth standard. Would it not be practicable to fix a standard, both in regard to equipment and the number of advanced pupils, falling below which a school would cease to rank as a Grammar School? If, in addition to fixing by careful examination, the minimum requirements which would entitle a school to be ranked as a High School or a Grammar School, a sliding scale of Provincial Grants to these schools should be adopted, based on such conditions as the character and equipment of the buildings by the District, the number of teachers employed, the enrolment of pupils above a certain grade, and the general educational results; it can scarcely be doubted that an impetus would be given to Secondary Education, and the weakest link in our present system would be so strengthened as to give vitality and tone to the whole service. The direct tendency of such scheme would be to stimulate local effort for the improvement of school accommodation and apparatus, for the employment of the best teachers, for the encouragement of pupils to follow out the Grammar School Course, and for the consequent increase of the number who would complete a full College Course. TABLE XIV.- EXAMINATION OF TEACHEKS. These examinations are conducted by the Chief Superintendent in conformity with published regulations of the Board of Education. The papers were estimated the past year by Thomas Harrison, LL.D., Prof. L. W. Bailey, Ph. D., Prof. H. S. Bridges, A. M., Ph. D., George W. Mersereau, A. B., James Vroom, Mrs. de Soyres and Prof. John Burwash, D. Sc. The papers submitted to candidates for the several classes of license at the June examination are appended to this report. The following is a summary of the examination: The number admitted to examination was 306; 295 received license of some class. Two hundred and thirty of the candidates were admitted to examination as being classified student-teachers of the Normal School; 61 were teachers seeking an advanced class, or Provincial License; 13 were admitted as eligible for examination. Of the 295 teachers who received Provincial Licenses, 22 males obtained the first class, 15 males the second class, 12 males third class; 34 females received the first, 137 females the second class, 74 females the third class. The above numbers include the number of Acadian candidates who attended the examinations in December, 1890, and May, 1891, the details of which are shown in the table. Licenses are granted in accordance with the following standards of award : (a) To obtain the class worked for, the average Examiners' marks (the provisions respecting spelling being duly observed), must be 50 or upwards; to obtain the next lower class, the average must be 40 or upwards; and to obtain the second below the one worked for, the average must be at least 30. (b) In each case, no mark may be further below half of the required average than the actual average is above the requirement, with this limitation that where there are more than one paper demanded under one general subject (as in the case of History, Mathematics, etc.,) if the average of the marks on these papers equals the required general average, these papers shall be exempt from the operation of the principle. (c) In order to obtain a License of the Grammar School Class, candidates will be required to make a general average of 50 or upwards on the whole examination, with no mark in the English branches further below 37 than such average is above 50. In Latin the average of marks must be 50 or upwards, and in Greek 37 or upwards. Candidates for this License who are Graduates in Arts, or who have previously made an average of 75 or upwards on the syllabus prescribed for the first class, are to work papers on those subjects only which are peculiar to the syllabus for the Grammar School Class. The following is the provision respecting Spelling and Writing: Spelling and Writing: Each examiner shall note and report the number of ordinary words mis-spelled by each candidate; and the average of marks obtained by any candidate on his whole examination shall be increased or diminished by .5 as many times as the number of words so reported shall be less or more than 6. Each Examiner shall also give a special credit or demerit of 1 to each candidate for neatness and legibility of Writing when these qualities are markedly present or absent (as the case may be), and the average of marks obtained by any candidate on his whole examination shall be further increased or diminished by the sum of such credits or demerits. At the semi-annual examination, an exercise in spelling shall, on application, be prepared for candidates who at any previous examination made an average of 50 or upwards on the papers of the first class, with no mark further below 35 than the average of marks is above 50, and were debarred from receiving license of the first class by reason of bad spelling. The exercise shall not exceed one hour in length, and shall be confined to common words, and any such candidate making no more than six errors shall be granted a license of the first class without further examination. Each candidate is notified by the Chief Superintendent of the result of his exam ination, and is furnished with a memorandum of the estimates placed upon his papers by the Examiners. The names of the successful candidates are appended to the table TABLE XV.-SCHOOL LIBRARIES. This Table shows a gratifying increase of interest in the matter of School Libraries. In 16 Districts more than 1,000 volumes were purchased at a cost of $671.40, of which the Province contributed $222.08. The following are the provisions under which bonus is granted : Libraries. Whenever any School District shall raise a sum of money for the purpose of establishing a Library, or adding thereto, the Board of Education may grant to it a sum equal to one-half the amount so raised, not to exceed twenty dollars in any one year, to be expended in the purchase of books therefor. of an immoral or sectarian character, shall be permitted in the School Library. The Trustees shall hold School Libraries in trust as part of the School property of the district, and shall make such regulations for the preservation and circulation of the books as they shall deem necessary. TABLES XVI, XVII, and XVIII. Details will be found in these tables respecting the travelling allowance paid to Student-Teachers attending the Provincial Normal School; together with the statement of the Chief Superintendent's drafts to Teachers and Boards of Trustees, and a summary of Provincial expenditure for school service to December 31st, 1891. School-House Grants to Poor Districts. During the year closed December 31st, 1891, the sum of $1,280 was paid to the Boards of Trustees for the Poor Districts in aid of school-houses as follows: Amount carried forward, .... .... $100 00 25 00 $300 00 Parish of Weldford and St. Marys, No. 5, $25; No. 22, $20, Parish of Springfield, No. 18, KINGS COUNTY. $300 00 $30 00 25 00 40 00 95.00 45 00 $40 00 70 00 MADAWASKA COUNTY. The following provision is made in aid of Poor Districts: Each Inspector shall, as directed by the Board of Education, determine and report to the Chief Superintendent what school districts under his supervision may be entitled during the ensuing year to special aid as poor districts, and the Chief Superintendent may allow to the schools in such districts such amount, not exceeding one-third more on the classification of the teachers of schools, from the provincial treasury, and one-third more per pupil from the County School Fund, than the allowance to other school districts sharing such funds, as in his discretion may seem proper, taking into consideration the position and circumstances of such district. The fixed sum to be paid out of the County School Fund in respect of each teacher, to schools returned as poor schools, shall be forty dollars. The following districts will, in accordance with the foregoing provisions, be recognized as poor districts for the year ending December 31st, 1892. |