pupils, doing next to nothing themselves, and retarding the work of the other pupils. If the Trustees had a little knowledge of school organization, and would take pains to explain matters to parents applying for permits, this whole difficulty could be easily surmounted.

Glenelg The School in No. 1 had been for nine years conducted very successfully by Miss Bessie J. Ullock, who resigned her position at the end of first term. The Trustees found it difficult to find a teacher capable of doing her work. They chose Miss Mary C. Edgar, under whom the school has maintained its efficiency.

GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.

Of the three Grammar Schools in my Inspectorate, that in Bathurst is the only one to change its Principal. At the last Annual Meeting the Ratepayers in a fit of economy (?) voted to abolish the Grammar School and operate a Superior School in its stead-as they could save $100 by the change-Principal Cowperthwaite would not of course, accept the reduced salary. He accepted a position in a private school and thus one of our ablest Teachers is lost to the public schools, I trust only for a time.

ARBOR DAY.

Arbor day was observed in 88 Districts in this Inspectorate. There were planted 850 trees and 127 shrubs, and 131 flower beds were made. A great deal of cleaning up was done both outside and inside. In many cases a programme was arranged for and carried out after the tree planting was over.

We are but beginning to realize some advantages from the observance of this day. A few school grounds are becoming very pretty from successive tree plantings, some getting fences, because without them the work of Arbor Day is made useless by the ravages of the wayside cow, and others are moving to get school buildings worth enclosing,

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

Institutes were held in all the three Counties of this Inspectoral District. Those of Northumberland and Restigouche Counties were made more than usually interesting by the presence of the Chief Superintendent, who gave valuable assistance in the discussions, besides delivering in connection with each a public lecture.

That of Gloucester County convened at Grand Anse. The attendance was smaller than usual. Rev. J. R. Doucet took an active part in the discussions, and contributed largely to the interest.

NEW DISTRICTS.

There have been only four new Districts erected in this Inspectorate during the year, viz.: two in the Parish of Blackville, one in Caraquet, and one (a border District) in Rogersville.

CHANGES OF BOUNDARIES, ETC.

For various reasons, but all with the view of making the schools of more service to the children, I have had to change the boundaries of Nos. 5 and 6, Blackville, of Nos. 6 and 10, Beresford, and of No. 10, Rogersville.

I have received petitions to change the boundaries of No. 5, Ludlow, Nos. 9 and 2, Chatham; No. 7, Nelson; Nos. 4 and 6, Beresford and No. 4, Inkerman.

I have submitted proposed boundaries for No. 5, Ludlow, but it is a border District and the consent of Inspector Bridges must be obtained before action can be taken thereon. In the other cases mentioned I shall embrace the very earliest opportunity of looking into their merits and of preparing boundaries where I think the interests of education would be advanced by a change.

There are many anxious to have the time of summer vacation changed so as to embrace the haying and early harvest season, and to have the terms changed so as to commence in April and November as formerly.

SUBSTITUTE DAYS.

When many Saturdays are taught to make up lost time, the result is most unsatisfactory. Pupils will not attend except they feel sure of being allowed to play instead of being compelled to work. The tone and scholarship in those schools where Substitute Days are of frequent occurrence are decidedly inferior. They should only be allowed to count as Teaching Days when the number of pupils present is equal to the average attendance, and when the hours are as long and the work is carried on with as much vigor as on a regular Teaching Day.

I have the honor to be,

Your obedient servant,

GEO. W. MERSEREAU.

DOAKTOWN, N. B., Dec. 31st, 1892.

INSPECTORAL DISTRICT, No. 2.

E. L. O'Brien, A. B., Inspector, Richibucto, N. B.

This District comprised the Counties of Kent, Vicioria and Madawaska, and the Parishes of Aberdeen, Kent and Wicklow, in the County of Carleton.

No report has been received from this District. Mr. O'Brien ceased to discharge the duties of Inspector at the close of the first term.

INSPECTORAL DISTRICT, No. 3.

Geo. Smith, A. B., Inspector, Petitcodiac, N. B.

This District comprised the Counties of Albert and Westmorland, and the Parishes of Havelock and Cardwell, in the County of Kings.

JAMES R. INCH, Esq., LL. D.,

Chief Supt. Education,

SIR: I have the honor to forward my Annual Report for the year ended 31st December, 1892.

In my last year's report I had occasion to remark that there was a scarcity of teachers for the term ended 30th June, and I stated that a few Local Licenses had to be granted in order that the schools might be kept in operation. For the year just closed I am pleased to be able to report that the supply of teachers was sufficient for the schools that were kept in operation. Only two Local Licenses were granted for the term ended 30th June, and two for the term ended 31st December. It is very gratifying to know that all the schools, French as well as English, have the advantage of being in charge of trained teachers.

The following tabulated statement shows the number of schools and departments in operation in the several Parishes of this Inspectorate during the terms ended 30th Jnne and 31st December respectively :

A few Districts in Albert County have become so depopulated that no attempt is made to keep a school in operation. Other districts while able to keep schools in operation at least a part of the time either from carelessness or penuriousness or both, fail to employ teachers and the result is that their children are being deprived of the benefits of an education.

During the year new School Houses have been built in Bleakney Road, District No. 25, Salisbury; Mapleton No. 10, Elgin; Mount Pleasant No. 14, Botsford; and Tidnish No. 3, Westmorland. A new School House, with enlarged school premises, is much needed in the village of Penobsquis, and while I am not able to report that it has been definitely decided to build a new house, still, I am pleased to know that there is a growing feeling in favor of building a new one. New School Houses are also needed in Steeves District No. 2, Coverdale, McGinley Corner No. 10, Dorchester, Richie District No. 8, Moncton and Salem No. 11, Havelock. In the last named district there is at present no house, the old one having been burned in August last. Extensive repairs have been made on the inside of the School House at Harvey Corner. The walls in both departments and in the class-room have been thoroughly repaired and papered, the ceilings painted and the blackboards enlarged and improved. A considerable amount of apparatus has been provided, and a number of books added to the library. To Mr. W. B. Jonah, the Teacher, is due the credit of adding to the library, and to some extent the other improvements made. Repairs have also been made on the School House in Scoudouc No. 13, Shediac, Intervale No. 18, Salisbury and Upper New Horton No. 12, Harvey. New furniture is needed in No. 13, Shediac, No. 7, Dorchester.and No. 12, Salisbury.

Improved School House accommodation and enlarged school premises are much needed in Gautreau Village District No. 17, Dorchester. In this district there are children enough for a Graded School of two departments, but the School House is only large enough for one department and a class room. If the district could be induced either to enlarge and repair the house at present in use or build a new one, making provision for two departments the educational needs of the district would be more adequately provided for.

I cannot refrain from referring to a very anomalous condition of school matters which exist in the Parish of Hillsboro in Albert County. From the School House in the Village of Hillsboro to the School House in Lower Hillsboro is about three miles, and within that distance there are four School Houses and four schools; two graded and two ungraded. The Surrey School which was formerly a graded school of two departments, efficiently run, has of late years fluctuated between a graded and an ungraded school, the number of scholars having decreased so that there is not a sufficient number to keep up a Graded School the whole year, and consequently the school has not made such satisfactory progress as when it was kept up continuously as a Graded School. The Surrey School House is old and quite dilapidated and a new School House must be provided in a few years. A union of the Surrey District and Edgett's Landing District with a new School House at or near the centre, would seem to be what is needed at present. If this were done the district thus formed would contain a sufficient number of pupils for a school of at least two departments and both districts would be benefited educationally.

The custom of shortening the hours for the younger pupils in graded schools in towns and villages is a custom to be commended and is in the best interests of education, and I am sorry it is not universally adopted throughout the country districts. It seems almost inhuman to keep a large number of very young children confined in a small School House, especially during the warm weather of August and September, for

six hours a day. I have frequently suggested to the teachers of the ungraded schools that it would be better to shorten the hours for the younger pupils, but I have generally received the reply that the Trustees and Ratepayers were not willing that this should be done. The old erroneous idea is still prevalent in many Districts that the more time children spend in the School House the more they will learn. These remarks receive additional force when we remember that in many cases children are sent to school too young, many being sent when they are barely five years old, and in some cases that have come under my own observation, before they were five. It has long been established beyond a doubt that young children are retarded in their education by being kept too long in school each day. And here I may add that I am in hearty accord with the action of the Board of Education in extending the summer vacation this year.

It is very satisfactory to know that so large a number of the Teachers avail themselves of the privilege of attending the Provincial Institute, and it is worthy of note that those Teachers who attend the County Institutes and the Provincial Institute, as a rule, are more interested in the work of teaching, and are more likely to keep abreast of the times. The means of self-improvement are so numerous and varied that there is no excuse for any teacher plodding along behind the age. I should like to see a larger

number attend the Summer School of Science for the Maritime Provinces.

As already noted important additions were made during the year to the library of the Harvey Corner School. About ninety volumes have been added to the library of the Dorchester Superior School. Mr. Geo. J. Trueman, teacher of the Superior School in District No. 11, Sackville, has succeeded in raising forty dollars as a beginning for a library for that District. Good work has been done in this line in other districts.

Mr. T. E. Colpitts still continues in charge of the Albert County Grammar School, and Mr. J. G. A. Belyea remains Principal of the Westmorland County Grammar School. In August last Mr. A. C. M. Lawson took charge of the Superior School at Havelock, and Mr. Van Buren Thorne became Principal of Superior School at Petitcodiac. The other Superior Schools in this Inspectorate remain in charge of the same teachers as last year.

The schools in the City of Moncton have maintained throughout the year their bigh state of efficiency. I regret, however, to learn that there is an agitation in favor of reducing the salaries of the teachers and of employing teachers other than those holding licenses of Class I. This, in my opinion, would be a retrograde step and would I fear have a tendency to impair the efficiency of the schools.

Arbor Day was observed by eighty-three teachers. Six hundred and forty-seven trees and one hundred and thirty-two shrubs were planted, and fifty-one flower beds were made, besides the usual external and internal improvements in the school grounds and school houses.

The Albert County Teachers' Institute was held at Hillsboro, and the Westmorland County Teachers' Institute was held at Shediac. Both Institutes were well attended and the exercises were interesting and instructive.

I have the honor to be, sir,
Your obedient servant,

GEO. SMITH.