"Circular to Inspectors on Withholding the School Fund.

"In some cases it has been found impossible, from various causes, "or extremely onerous, for School Trustees to comply with the Law "and Regulations on Public Schools. In such cases it is not desirable or expedient, in the opinion of the Honourable the Minister of Education, to deprive the school of its share of the School Fund.

"The Minister, therefore, requests that the circumstances of all "such cases should be fully reported to him by the Inspectors concerned, so that he may be enabled to consider them, and to give the "necessary directions in each case."

Another important subject in our system is that of text books. I found it to be a crucial question with the late Council of Public Instruction, and the reorganized Council of 1874 was chiefly occupied during its existence with its consideration. I will not page 20 repeat the explanations given by me on the Enquiry before the Honourable Mr. Justice Patterson, as there is a full report in possession of the House. I may, however, say that it was not possible in the then condition of the authorized text books to secure the copyright of all of these. There had been no general rule to do this before I took charge, and again it would involve a large expenditure to secure the copyright of all such text books as the school required. My proposal was to take control of every text book in these essential points, namely: as to its need, as to its educational merits, as to its mechanical execution, and as to its reasonableness in cost. These requirements are essential, and the Department can secure them, if it, and the various school officials, are vigilant in preventing the attempts made to evade them. The work I assumed was to take what the text book Committee of the Council of Public Instruction left incomplete, and the result was not to add any new books on any subject which were not absolutely needed by the schools. My principle was that no newly authorized text book should be used or placed in any school unless upon the combined consent and sanction of the Trustees and Public School Inspector. The Regulation requires the concurrence of those two sets of officials before any newly authorized text book can be introduced into any Public School. As to one of the books which was formerly authorized, and which has been discontinued, some misunderstanding has arisen—I mean "Collier's History of England"—but upon reference to the proceedings of the late Council of Public Instruction, it will be seen that a resolution was carried to the effect that it should be an instruction to the text book Committee, "To eliminate from their "list any book which contained statements of a clearly denominational character, to an extent that would offend any denomination "in the Country;" and this applied, as I understood, especially to portions of this History of England. I may also mention that it is the policy of this Department not to allow any new text book to be proposed, unless the initiative has been taken by the Department, when it is satisfied that some such work is needed by the schools. The text books newly authorized by the Revised Regulations were as follows: in English, three; in Mathematics, five; in Geography and History, three; and Physical Science, three; being fourteen out of the full list of forty. The old list contained forty-nine, of page 21 which twenty-eight were retained, twenty absolutely, and eight provisionally. I must also mention that under the former Regulations of the Council of Public Instruction, Trustees were bound by a fixed course of study and time table, which was imperative upon them The number of subjects has now been reduced, and any time table left to the discretion of the Trustees and teacher, and the Trustees can fully exercise their judgment in all matters of local management. The Department has been endeavouring to utilize this local knowledge and energy, so that all expenditure connected with our schools should result successfully in the one great object of educating every child at least in the elementary subjects of education. Our system is contrived to produce this desired result, while in the old Parochial system of Scotland a large part of the time of the teacher was taken up with giving instruction in secondary as well as in primary subjects. While with us in every County one or more High Schools or Local Colleges exist, and efficiently supply secondary instruction. The energies of our Public Schools can therefore be expended upon giving elementary education to that large part of the youth of the Province, more than eighty per cent, of whom, as I have shown, do not get beyond the third class in the public schools.

There is probably no country so favourably situated in respect of secondary schools as this Province, where the curriculum of study is so comprehensive in affording to every pupil, boy or girl, in Colleges thus locally convenient, the opportunities of higher education in English Literature, Ancient and Modern Languages, and in Mathematical and Physical Science. The burden upon our Provincial revenue for High School purposes is moderate, and with contributions from the County and other Municipalities, a large number of these schools are able to afford secondary education free also to their pupils. The people of Ontario can, with no less pride, regard their High Schools as satisfactorily fulfilling the work of secondary instruction in our system as that of elementary education is supplied in the Public Schools.

In closing my remarks, it will be seen by the House, that in introducing the amendments embodied in this Bill, I have only provided for what was absolutely necessary, in order to better secure beneficial results in the working of our system. Since the Bill was introduced, I have received numerous suggestions, both from honourable members page 22 and others of experience, and these will justify me in placing some of them in the form of further amendments when in Committee.

With these observations, Mr. Speaker, I move the second reading of the Bill.

Speech of the Hon. Adam Crooks, Minister of Education, on moving the adoption of the Estimates for Education for 1879, in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, February 20th, 1879, the House being in Committee of Supply.

We have, therefore, a decrease in the Estimates for 1879 as compared with those of 1878 of $32,980, and deducting the increases in the two items—"Inspection of Public Schools, $400;" and "Superannuated Teachers, $4,700," we have the net decrease, as I have said, of $27,880. The total expenditure for education for 1871 was page 24 $351,306, and for 1877, $550,984, a difference of nearly $200,000, viz.: $199,675; but I can show good reasons in the public interest for each item of this increase. I will deal with the actual expenditure of 1871 and 1877 as found in the Public Accounts. The amounts expended in 1871 and 1877, and the increases or decreases respectively, will be found under the several heads of service to be as follows:—

Comparative Statement.

These figures show a total increase in 1877 of $199,532, or deducting the decrease due to the discontinuance of the "Journal of Education," an increase of $198,675. Now, against that, however, there is to be set off an increase of revenue in 1877, over that received in 1871, of $22,331, the figures being in 1871, $35,450, and in 1877, $57,781; so that the actual increase in 1877 was $176,344. I page 25 propose to direct my observations to supplying full information as to the causes of this increase, and how much of it has been expended for the actual benefit of the schools, or how much the people of Ontario, through their schools, children and school teachers, have received from Provincial Revenues in addition to their own large contributions for their support of Public and High Schools. The increase in the grant to Public and Separate Schools is $66,500. The whole of this has gone to supplement the contributions of the ratepayers themselves. So, also, has the increase in the Poor School Grant of $6,010 gone to the benefit of schools in the remote and necessitous parts of the Province. The demands in that respect are only inadequately met, even by the increase in 1877 over 1871. So of High Schools, no one can contend but that the increase of $5,713 in the Grant has gone directly to their benefit. In the item of depository stock the increase is the sum of $14,806—the gross increase being $25,037,—but there is to be deducted $10,231, increase in the receipts, leaving the actual increase at the sum mentioned. The increases in the four items mentioned—Public and Separate Schools, Poor Schools, High Schools and Depository Stock—amount to $92,588, showing that nearly one-half of the total increase has gone directly in support of the schools and in aid of the ratepayers. The next class of increases to be considered is where the Municipalities themselves have received the direct benefit. The first item in this is the allowance—for the first time appearing in the Estimates, 1877—for County Model Schools of $3,362. The system only came into effect in the last half of 1877, payments being made to forty-two or more counties. The second item is the large payment of $16,376 to County Inspectors towards their salaries, and in order to secure efficient inspection of the Public Schools. These Inspectors are appointed by the County Councils, who pay out of county rates one-half of their remuneration and all travelling expenses These two items make together the sum of $19,738, which is accounted for in the way mentioned. The next increase is $20,247, in payments to superannuated teachers. The whole increase was $29,341, but the excess of receipts in 1877 over 1871, being $9,094, is to be deducted. The next increase represents a new item, which appeared for the first time in the Estimates, with the unanimous approval of the House, in order to give effect to an improved method of conducting page 26 our Normal Schools so as to utilize them solely for the professional training of teachers, and in making it compulsory upon all candidates for second-class certificates to attend a course of training at one of these institutions for one of the three sessions into which the academic year was now divided. This involved the necessity of paying the travelling expenses of all candidates for such certificates if the two Normal Schools were to be equally beneficial to every part of the Province, and of assuming some part of the expenses while in attendance, but only paying candidates who were successful. This increase went directly to benefit the very class we are anxious to secure, that is, efficient teachers. The total increase under these items is $41,015, and with the $92,588, as above explained, makes up $133,603 of the $176,344, the net increase in 1877, thus leaving the increases under the other heads of service to amount to $41,472, or less decrease of $857 for "Journal of Education," to $40,615, and this, with some exceptional expenditures, such as the Enquiry before Mr. Justice Patterson, appearing in the Public Accounts, will account for the residue of this $176,344.

I propose now to show that the several increases were clearly justifiable, and do not afford any proper ground for a charge of extravagance in the administration of the Department. I will discuss each increase under its particular heading.

1. Public and Separate School Grant.—The whole of this amount is appropriated to School Corporations and applied towards teachers' salaries. And here I must refer to one whose career, as Chief Superintendent, was so eminently useful. I mean the Rev. Dr. Ryerson, whose services in the cause of education were so distinguished. Dr. Ryerson, in 1872, recommended the Government to increase the appropriation for Public and Separate Schools by $20,000, and in 1873 and 1874 he likewise recommended similar increases of $20,000. This brought up the expenditure to $240,000, and the grant has not been increased since. Some of Dr. Ryerson's reasons were that, having regard to the large Fund to the credit of the Public Schools, and the increases in the local contributions, this rich Province would not be guilty of any extravagance, but on the contrary, would be extending still further the advantages of elementary education. If the local contributions since 1871 are compared with the Legislative Grants during the same period, it will be seen page 27 that the local contributions were increasing in a much larger proportion than those from the Provincial Treasury. The Legislative Grant in 1871 was $194,196, while the Municipal Assessments amounted to $1,930,300; and in the year 1872, when the first increase of $20,000 was granted, the local bodies contributed more than $350,000 additional in that year. So in 1873, when the second increase of $20,000 was made by the Legislature, the local contributions reached two and a quarter millions of dollars. Similar increases occurred in 1874, 1875 and 1876, until in 1877 the local contributions amounted to three millions one hundred and fifty-three thousand dollars, while the Legislative Grant remained stationary. A comparison of the local contributions with the Legislative Grants will show that the proportion of the latter to the former is as 1-10th to 9-10ths in 1871, 1-11th to 10-11ths in 1872 and 1-12th to 11-12ths in 1877. While our schools are rapidly improving under more efficient teachers, and therefore entitled to higher salaries; while better opportunities for professional training of teachers are being provided, so that they may become more competent and useful; while the people are able and willing to tax themselves more than they did in 1871 in order to satisfactorily maintain their schools, the Legislative Grant has remained comparatively stationary. The whole expenditure for current maintenance and on capital account for 1877 was $3,076,000, while of that sum no less than $2,038,000 was paid for teachers' salaries, and $1,038,000 for school sites and buildings, and of the gross expenditure, nearly 70 per cent, was applied to the one purpose alone of paying teachers' salaries. When I mentioned that in 1877 a great improvement began in the qualification of teachers, and that since 1871 there has been a large increase in their number, and in that of pupils to be taught, and also in the number of schools kept open, it will furnish confirmation of the soundness of Dr. Ryerson's recommendations of increases of the Grant by the Legislature. The number of schools in 1871 is reported as 4,480, while in 1877 it was 5,140; of teachers employed in 1871, 5,306; and in 1877, 6,468;—of registered pupils in 1871, 446,326; and in 1877, 490,860. The amount expended on teachers' salaries was $2,038,000.

2. Public School Inspection.—We find in this item an increase of $16,376 in 1877 over 1871. The House will understand that in 1871 the then Government, through the Honourable Mr. Cameron, Provincial Secretary, introduced a School Bill which underwent much discussion, and amongst several important new principles was the proposal of Dr. Ryerson to substitute for the old system of local township superintendency that of County inspection, and the provisions for this became law in time to take effect in July 1871. This object was one clearly in the interests of elementary education in this Province. Dr. Ryerson had in the beginning laid the foundation of our system, and in its growth thoroughly understood its requirements, and he would not have proposed such a change in the mode of Public School inspection, had it not been in the interests of Public Schools to do so. If the large expenditure on elementary education was to yield commensurate educational benefits which the people who mainly contributed had a right to expect, it was necessary that any system of inspection should secure this. "As your inspection is, so are your Schools," is an educational axiom universally accepted. The same injurious effects of local Superintendency had been found in many States of the American Union to be equally detrimental to the best interests of their Schools; and the mode of inspection established by our legislation in 1871 is also that which in the last ten years has prevailed in many of the States of the Union. Massachusetts in 1868 revised its School system in several particular. I mentioned one when I spoke on a previous occasion—the substitution of the township as the School District instead of the old subdivision into sections. When Bishop Fraser examined the working of the American page 29 system in 1866 he pointed out, in his Report as one of its defects, inspection through Local Superintendents; and since then in many of the States we find them adopting the principle of County Superintendents. So far therefore as this amendment by the act of 1871 is concerned, it was one entirely necessary; and it is the origin of the item for Public School inspection, which, for the first time in the last half of the year 1871 appeared as an appropriation from the Provincial Revenue for its portion of the expense. Further, the appointments of all Public School Inspectors are made by the County Councils in case of Counties, and by School Boards in Cities and Towns. The Department's authority is limited to prescribing regulations so as to ensure proper qualifications for the office. The County Councils can also remove an Inspector for misconduct or inefficiency, and can remove him even without cause assigned by a two-thirds vote. A County Inspector is therefore in his appointment and in the tenure of his office a County official, and also derives more than one-half of his remuneration from the County Council. While an increase of expense was entailed both upon the Province and Counties by the Act of 1871 for this new mode of Public School inspection, the results have been generally satisfactory, and should be so universally if County Councils will take care not only to appoint competent Inspectors, but through a Committee of their body to inform themselves upon all those important matters which it is the duty of these officials to discharge. The total amount paid for Public School inspection in 1877 was $78,733, of which $27,130 was paid by the Province, and $51,603 by the Municipalities; while in 1871 it was $42,623; $11,527 being paid for the half-year by the Province, and $31,096 by the Municipalities. In 1872, being the first full year after the Act of 1871 came into force the Province contributed $25,490, and the Municipalities $41,364. The increase therefore in the amount paid by the Province in 1877 over 1872 would be only $1,640. If the total cost of Public School inspection is considered, it will be found to represent a cost for each registered pupil in our Public Schools often and a-half cents in 1872 and in 1877 fourteen and three-quarter cents. To contrast this with expenditure for the like purposes in some of the States of the Union and in England it will be evident that in this respect we are working with much greater economy. In Massachusetts for the year 1876 the cost is forty-six cents. In New York page 30 for 1876 the nominal cost of inspection is only eleven and a-half cents, but there is no less a sum than $1,471,739, representing $1.40 per pupil, which appears as "Miscellaneous or Contingent expenditure" in addition to that for sites, building and furniture, libraries and apparatus, and salaries of teachers. In Ohio in 1876 the cost of school inspection was twenty cents per pupil, but there was a large amount for miscellaneous and contingent expenditure. In Pennsylvania they have an apparently economical system, the cost being nine and a-half cents per pupil, but there is also a large amount classified as miscellaneous. In England the Education Report for the year ending March 1876 shows the cost of inspection of elementary schools as follows:

Ninety-one Inspectors	amount (sterling) £90,437 7s. or $452,186
Scholars present at inspection	2,250,895
Making the cost per pupil about twenty cents.

In leaving this item I would remind members of the House who are also in County Councils in this matter of Public School inspection, to see that the work is efficiently done, so that they and the Province at large may get a fair equivalent for their expenditures: and it will be the duty of the Department to endeavour also to secure the like efficiency.

3. Poor School Grant.—The next increase is in the grant to Poor Schools. I need scarcely defend that increase. In the remote and partially settled parts of many Counties and Territorial Districts of the Province the moderate assistance given from the fund is much appreciated, and often affords the benefits of some schooling, where otherwise there could be none. Hon. Members for Renfrew, Addington, North Hastings, Peterboro', Muskoka, and Algoma can speak of the benefits derived in their constituencies from the annual expenditure of this grant. A Poor School is aided when the County or other Municipality in which it is situated contributes an equivalent to the amount of the grant from the Department. In case the School Section is too poor to raise this equivalent, then, upon a report of its circumstances from the Inspector, the grant is made unconditionally.

4. High School Grant.—In considering the Legislative grant to High Schools as well as to Public and Separate Schools, we ought not to overlook the fact that there is a large endowment held in trust for the Province and comprised in the Trust funds with the Dominion page 31 at Ottawa, and of the proceeds of Grammar and School lands sold since Confederation. The amount which would thus represent the endowment of the Public Schools would be nearly $1,500,000, and of the High Schools more than $400,000. The funds with the Dominion are bearing interest, and while the interest goes into the Consolidated Revenue of the Province under Treasurer E. B. Wood's Act, yet this revenue should be considered as a diminution pro tanto of the amount annually granted for Public and High Schools out of the Consolidated Revenue of the Province. The increase under this head is $5,713, but it is less than in 1872 by $2,772. The legislation of 1871 was in part the cause of the increase in 1872, and since then there has been an increase in the number of pupils, and in the salaries paid to teachers. The Report shows an increase of pupils in 1877 over 1871 of 1,739; or the total of 9,229 as compared with 7,490 pupils in 1871. The Grants for salaries amounted in 1871 to $65,536, and in 1877 to nearly $10,000 more.

There has not been any large increase in the number of High Schools, but the effect of the uniform examination for admission, and the Intermediate as the entrance to the Upper School, has gradually raised the standard. The increase in Provincial expenditure upon High Schools has not advanced in anything like the proportion of the contributions from local sources. In 1871 the local contributions amounted to $50,674, while the Legislative Grant was $65,536, or an excess of $15,000. In 1872 the position is changed, for the Municipal contributions were $84,971, and the Legislative Grant $77,930. In 1877 the amount from local sources was $158,794 and the Legislative Grant $75,158, and less than in 1872. The increase in local expenditure during the period between 1871 and 1877 has been threefold while the Legislative Grant has increased only about $10,000, this taking place between 1871 and 1872, since which time it has been nearly stationary and will probably remain so.

5. High School Inspection.—One ground for this increase is the additional number of pupils, being nearly 33 1/3 per cent., but it has chiefly arisen from higher efforts on the part of the High Schools and the proper functions of elementary Schools being understood. Secondary and primary education are now confined to their respective Schools. From figures given to the House it has been seen that a small per centage of the Public School pupils are in the Fourth class, a page 32 smaller number in the Fifth, and only a small fraction in the Sixth. It is more economical that the energies of our Public School Teachers should be employed in the task of elementary education, and that High Schools should exclusively be called upon to supply secondary education. The explanation therefore of an increase of $6,332 in 1877 over 1871 is that in 1871 the salary of only one High School Inspector was paid, an additional one was appointed upon the recommendation of the late Chief Superintendent, beginning his duties in 1872, and in 1873 another was added. The salaries of the High School Inspectors were at first $2,000 each, including travelling expenses. In 1876 an allowance of $200 each was made for that purpose. In 1877 I came to the conclusion that the more correct principle was to pay the travelling expenses actually incurred. This particular service was not charged with its proper share of printing until 1877, when for the first time this was done. The printing under this head is for examination papers prepared by the Inspectors for entrance and intermediate examinations in the High Schools. The actual increase for High School inspection in 1877 was less than $400 over 1876, the expenditure in that year being $7,564 and in 1877 $7,923. The present Inspectors were all appointed by the late Council of Public Instruction.

6. Departmental Examinations.—The increase here is $5,977, and the explanation is that by the Act of 1871 a great change was made in the mode of granting Teachers' Certificates. It was a change which was demanded by the improved condition of our Public Schools, and sought to secure the more uniform classification and examination of Public School Teachers. The great requisite in any system of education is efficient teachers. This is what Dr. Ryerson had in view in making the important changes to be found in the Act of 1871. That Act provided for the appointment by the Council of Public Instruction of a Central Committee whose duty it would be to prepare uniform examination papers, and so secure a satisfactory classification of teachers: and the preparation of all examination papers by one authority was then for the first time adopted. Formerly the County Boards prepared their own questions, and there was necessarily a great diversity in the qualifications represented by the Certificates of the different County Boards. The Central Committee was charged with the preparation of a uniform series of examination page 33 papers for First, Second and Third Class Certificates. The reading and valuing of the answers was however entrusted to the County Boards except as to Normal School Students. The principle established by the Act of 1871 was important in declaring that the true way to secure a satisfactory class of Teachers was by a uniform system of examination and classification. To carry this out the Council of Public Instruction in 1873 appointed three members to constitute this Central Committee. The Rev. Geo. Paxton Young, Professor in University College, who had been first Grammar School Inspector, was appointed chairman, and the others were the two High School Inspectors. Upon the third High School Inspector being appointed in 1873 he was added to the Committee. All these appointments were made by the Council of Public Instruction upon the recommendation of Dr. Ryerson. In 1875 the Council of Public Instruction proposed to add to the Committee two Public School Inspectors, as it was considered that the Public School element was entitled to be represented as well. The Council also proposed to add another officer, an Inspector of Teachers' Institutes. Dr. Ryerson considered that this would be valuable in improving the efficiency of teachers as had been found in the American system, and an appropriation of $2,800 was made by the Legislature in 1876 for the purpose of establishing these Institutes. Nothing was however done; but I refer to this that the Committee may understand that the same difficulty was felt by the Council of Public Instruction in 1875 which I had to consider in 1876.

I considered there was an advantage in these views of the Council, and accordingly appointed the two Public School Inspectors the Council had in view. I also found that in connection with the new modes of training of teachers, and their examinations, it was requisite that two additional Public School Inspectors should be appointed the better to represent the Public School element on the Central Committee. It formerly was composed of a Chairman and the three Inspectors of High Schools. The work of the Central Committee includes the preparation of the examination papers for all Public School teachers' certificates, as well as those for admission, and the Intermediate in High Schools. In 1875 the Council of Public Instruction provided for two examinations, called "Intermediate," in the year in the High Schools, which should be the test for page 34 passing from the lower to the upper school, and that a portion of the High School grant should be distributed amongst the various schools upon the result of these examinations. These regulations came into force in the last half of 1876, and we have had no more than two and a half years' experience of the experiment, and the result has been to place our High Schools in a much higher position educationally, and in 1877 they were adopted as equivalent to the literary and scientific qualifications prescribed for Second-class Certificates. In order to complete the work of examining the papers of the Intermediate Examinations with requisite expedition, it became neecssary to appoint other qualified persons as sub-examiners to assist in this. The estimates for 1876 accordingly provided for:

(1.) Central Committee	$1,000
(2.) Two additional members (Public School Inspectors)	400
(3.) Sub-examiners of Intermediate papers	300
(4.) County Teachers Institutes, inspection, &c	2,800
	$4,500

Of the whole amount expended under this head, viz., $6,557, $2,800 was for allowances to members of the Central Committee, $1,000, in addition to the $1,800, being distributed amongst the members thereof for other services, which included the examination of library and prize books submitted for the sanction of the Department. The cost of the enquiry before Mr. Justice Patterson ($1,398 50) is included, and travelling expenses, printing, and stationery, make up the residue. Two most beneficial and necessary steps in advance were gained when the Central Committee was established, and the system of departmental examinations, as we now have it, instituted. The sum of $1,000 appeared in the Estimates for 1877 for the examination of an accumulated number of books submitted by publishers for sanction as library and prize books, and which had remained unexamined for some time during page 35 the Council of Public Instruction's existence. I propose to discontinue this item in the present estimates. I propose also to drop the item for Inspection of County Model Schools, and to place this under the High School Inspectors in addition to their duties. I may also mention that, after a full consideration, I have come to the conclusion to recommend to His Honour in Council that the Intermediate examinations shall be held only once a year in future. The chairman and other members of the Central Committee, and many High School masters are now convinced that the test of two Intermediate Examinations in one year is too severe. It will follow that a deduction can therefore be made in the amount to be distributed on the basis of the results of the Intermediate Examinations, which this year will be $4,000, as will be seen by the Estimates. I will not detain the committee much longer on this point. I have had a tabular statement prepared of the examinations held in 1877 and 1878, in order to justify the appointment of so many sub-examiners. The object in appointing so many is to close up the examinations speedily and to report the results within a fortnight. Their remuneration is moderate when the required qualifications are considered.

Departmental Examinations.

Tabular Statement of Examinations in 1877 and 1878.

The amount paid to examiners in 1877 was $7,950, the sum for that purpose in the Estimates of 1879 is $4,500. I am enabled to make that reduction in view of the fact that instead of holding two examinations a year in the literary and scientific subjects, I propose to hold but one. The regulations of 1877 ought to have made a considerable reduction in the expense entailed in the various counties for examinations. If the County Councils and Inspector had understood the effect of the Revised Regulations of the Department there should have been a large decrease in the cost to the counties of these examinations. Before this change the expense of conducting examinations was thrown upon the County Councils, and as regards First, Second, and Third-class Certificates, and, in fact, for everything except Normal School Certificates. At each of these examinations the whole County Board attended, and in some Counties there was (in error of the law) a County Board for each Inspector's District. One of the advantages to the Counties of the changes made was to transfer to the Province a large share of the expense of these examinations. Under these regulations the County Board had nothing to do with conducting the examinations; but the whole of this rests with the Inspector, and an approved substitute, if necessary; only these two at the most are required to be in attendance, and the County Boards begin their duty when the answers to the questions are placed before them.

7. Training of Teachers.—The next item is the increase in connection with the training of Public School Teachers, amounting to $6,559. This is new, and one first sanctioned in 1877 by the unanimous vote of the House. It was proposed to make attendance at one of the Normal Schools compulsory upon candidates for Second-Class Certificates, and inasmuch as it was desirable that the advantages should be extended to candidates from all parts of the Province alike, my suggestion to meet that difficulty was that the Department should pay the travelling expenses of each student to either Toronto or Ottawa, and also a sum of two dollars per week towards maintenance while there. This involved an expenditure of $1,030 in 1877. A further expenditure of $2,000 also first became necessary in that year in aiding the County Model Schools, and the sum of $1,860 in organizing and inspecting them. County Teachers' Association received the sum of $1,362, and the balance of $305 was expended in page 38 printing and stationery. In thus aiding these Associations they became more useful in improving the efficiency of teachers, and continuing their interest in their work. Teachers' Institutes are much relied upon for this in most of the systems of the States of the Union, and the Council of Public Instruction had recommended a large sum ($2,800) which appeared in the Estimates of 1876 for a similar purpose. The explanation, then, of this is, briefly, that in 1871 the Normal School at Toronto was the only means for the training of teachers, and that afforded training to comparatively few in number of the whole body of teachers, numbering then about 5,000; while in 1877 we entered upon the effort not only to extend the benefits of a Normal School training to a large number, but to require it in a more moderate form, to be possessed by every teacher in the future through the medium of the County Model Schools. The expenditure for the organization and inspection of the County Model Schools will now disappear, as the High School Inspectors will perform that duty. I propose to make another decrease in withdrawing the $2 weekly allowance towards maintenance of students while in attendance at the Normal Schools. Both the number of applicants and the demand for higher training in the Normal Schools has so much increased that there will probably be no necessity for stimulating by this assistance attendance at the Normal Schools.

8. Swperannuated Teachers.—The increase here is large. After deducting the increase of receipts in 1877 over those of 1871, the amount under this head is $20,247. This increase is the result of the policy of 1871, when it was made compulsory upon all male teachers to contribute to the fund at the rate of $4 per annum. This was not generally acceptable to the teachers, but it was nevertheless persevered in, and we find now an increase in the payments for this purpose during the year 1877 over 1871 of $29,341, and deducting the excess of receipts in 1877, being $9,094, the net increase is $20,247. This system of pensioning teachers who, after many years of service have reached an age when they can no longer be useful, is one which is very desirable to retain. The allowance is moderate, and only a partial support to any teacher. I find that this amount averages $100, and the cost to the Province $67 each. A large additional number of teachers have applied for and received these allowances since their contribution became compulsory in 1872. In 1868, when page 39 the system was voluntary and optional, the number was 143, while in 1874, 1875, 1876, and 1877, the numbers were respectively 189, 229, 206, and 298; the total number in receipt of pensions in 1877 being 478. The average of their ages is about 60. The Committee will now understand how this item is so large, and why it happens to be one of the two items in which the Estimates of 1879 show an increase over those of last year.

9. Normal School, Toronto.—There is an increase in salaries and contingencies of $5,027, but admits of a ready explanation. In 1871 there were six Masters in the Normal School, and six in the Model School, while in 1877 there were seven Masters in the Normal School, eight in the Model Schools, and a Clerk, a Science Master being also added in the Normal School, at a salary of $1,800. The Science Master was appointed by the late Council of Public Instruction. Large additions were also made under the authority of Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's government to the Normal School building, and especially in increasing the accommodation of the Model Schools from 150 pupils to 250 in each school, or from 300 to 500 pupils in all. These facts will therefore explain the increase under this head of service.

10. Depository Stock.—Any increase under this item means a payment of additional sums to schools through the distribution of library and prize books, maps, and apparatus, at half cost, and the operations of the Department have been increasing just as the demands from the schools have increased. The figures show that there is a large accumulation of stock in the depository, and for this reason I propose to make a reduction in the estimates of 1879 as compared with those of 1877 of $13,000. My intention is to bring down the amount on hand instead of increasing it. I made the attempt to do this last year, though it does not appear that I have been successful, but I do not intend that the stock at the end of this year will show anything like the amount now on hand. It is a question to be considered, whether in the future a less per centage of discount might not be as effectual an encouragement as the present fifty per cent., and so decrease the large expenditure under this item.

11. Depository Management.—The increase in the management of the depository amounts to $3,333, being in the salaries $1,702, page 40 and in the contingencies $1,631. The justification for this is to be found in the great development of our school system. In 1871 the receipts of the depository were $24,770, while in 1877 the amount was $35,001, more than $10,000 of an increase. The number of letters received was in 1871, 5,327, and in 1877, 7,679; number of sales in 1871, 4,680, and in 1877, 7,068; value of stock sent out in 1871, $41,514, and in 1877, $58,398.

12. The Education Department.—Here there is a similar increase in salaries and contingencies amounting to $5,500. The tables placed before the House in answer to the return moved for last session, show that in 1871 the correspondence inwards was 12,395, and in 1877, 19,901: the correspondence outwards was in 1871, 13,358, and in 1877, 24,331; payments to treasury amounted in 1871 to $35,450, and in 1877 to $57,786; the number of clerks employed in 1871 was 9, and in 1877, 13.

13. The Normal School, Ottawa.—This item is one which had no representative in 1871, as it was first established in 1876. In 1877 the necessary outlay for current maintenance was $14,082.

14. Confidential Printing.—This item is represented by the sum of $1,110 for confidential printing, but it properly comes under "Departmental Examinations." The committee is familiar with the circumstances under which this additional expenditure was thrown upon the Department. The expense is not, however, new, inasmuch as the Department is now enabled to print itself examination questions, circulars, and other documents which formerly were done by the government printer.

I have thus endeavoured to explain and justify the apparent difference of nearly $200,000 between the expenditure through the Department in 1871 and 1877, the actual excess, as I have explained, being $176,344. I may say, with reference to the proposed expenditure in 1879, that it is less than the amount proposed in the last year of the late Chief Superintendent and the Council of Public Instruction. The estimates which were recommended to the Treasurer in 1876 by the late Chief Superintendent will show a considerable excess over those proposed for the present year, the former being for the sum of $524,4 93, while for 1879 the estimates amount to $516,935.

In my explanations of the particular increases which have taken page 41 place under each particular head of service, I have shown that more than one half of the whole increase has gone directly to the schools themselves; and that only in regard to the moderate increase in the Depository Branch and in the Education Department, can it be said that there has been any increase in the administration of educational matters.

I have to thank the Committee for allowing me to explain at unusual length, the estimates in connection with the Education Department. Formerly the Education Estimates were received by the House without discussion, and were disposed of with more celerity than those in connection with any other service; but now having become responsible for all these expenditures, it was necessary that I should on this occasion have undertaken to explain the amounts required for each particular service, in order that the Committee and the public generally should be in possession of the fullest possible information. I have also endeavoured to show the causes of any increases made, and the reasons for their being taken as justifiable and necessary.

I beg now, Mr. Chairman, to move the adoption of the first item, being $200,000, for Public and Separate Schools.