the decision of the Court on the demurrers, be tried in this action: tions; and shall appoint a person in each new school section to call Con. Stat. U. C., ch. 64. secs. 40-41, 45-46: The trustees haviog ap- the first school meeting." * * plied to the townships for authority to borrow the money necessary Sec. 40. "In case it clearly appears that all parties to be affected to build a school house, and, not having obtained the necessary by a proposed alteration in the boundaries of a school section have authority, might afterwards use their own lawful authority: Con. been duly notified of the intended step or application, the (not any) Stat. U. C., ch. 64, sec. 27, sub-sec. 12; 37 Vic., ch. 28, sec. 26, township council may alter such boundaries. But no such alterasub-sec. 14. As it was not contemplated or intended that the col- tion shall take effect before 25th December next after the lector should receive remuneration for his services, there was nothing alteration has been made.” to prevent his being one of the two trustees who appointed him : "Sec. 41. "In case, at a public meeting of each of two or more Con. Stat. U. C., ch. 64, sec. 27, sub-sec. 2; 23 Vic., ch. 49, sec. sections called by the trustees for that purpose, a majority of the 6; 37 Vic., ch. 28 O., secs. 24-25, 28, sub-sec. 1; sec. 29, sec. 86, freeholders and householders of each of the sections to be affected, sub-sec. 1a, and the rate was not unequal: Harling v. Mayville, 21 request to be united, then the council shall unite such school sections C. P. 499. into one." Sec. 43. "The several parts of any altered or united school sections shall have respectively the same right to a share of the common school fund for the year of the alteration or union, as if they had not been altered or united." * * C. Robinson, Q. C., contra. The addition of a portion of one section to another is not a union, but an alteration of sections: Con. Stat. U. C., ch. 64, secs. 41, 45-46; 23 Vic., ch. 49, sec. 55. Here there was no union of sections: In re Proper and the Corporation of the Township of Oakland, 34 U. C. R. 273. The plaintiff may Sec. 44. "In case a school site, school house, or other school be precluded from shewing in this action that the defendants were property be no longer required in consequence of the alteration or not duly elected trustees, but ought not to be precluded from shew-the union of school sections, the same shall be disposed of ing that there is no section for which they can be trustees. The warrant not being signed by a majority of the trustees, excluding the collector, is not a valid warrant: 37 Vic., ch. 28, secs. 25, 28-29. The rate is an unequal one: Con. Stat. U. C. ch. 64, sec. 46; 37 Vic. ch. 28, sec. 51; Harling v. Mayville, 21 C. P. 499, 508. The trustees, after applying to the township councils for authority to borrow the money, have no power themselves to levy the rate: Con. Stat. U. C. ch. 64, sec. 27, sub-sec. 12. in such manner as a majority of the freeholders and householders in the altered or united sections decide at a public meeting called for that purpose, and the inhabitants transferred from one section to another shall be entitled, for the common school purposes of the section to which they are attached, to such a proportion of the proceeds of the sale of such school house or other common school property as the assessed value of their property bears to that of the other inhabitants of the common school section from which they have been so separated, and the residue of such proceeds shall be September 26, 1876. HARRISON, C. J.-The Common or Pub-applied to the erection of a new school house, or to other common lic School Acts for the past twenty years have made a plain distinc-school purposes of such altered or united sections." tion between the alteration of the boundaries of a section and the union of two or more school sections. So far no provision is made for exercise of power by any other body than township councils, and can only be held to extend to The Courts, in several cases, have recognized this distinction, school sections situate wholly within the particular township. and endeavoured to give effect to it: See Re Gill and Jackson et al., The 23 Vic. ch. 49, sec. 5, which repealed sections 45 and 46 of 14 U. C. R. 119; School Trustees of School Section No. 2, in the Con. Stat. U C., ch. 64, provided that, "Under the conditions Township of Moore and McRae, 12 U. C. R. 525; In re Morrison prescribed in the 40th section in respect to alterations of other and the Municipality of the Township of Arthur, 13 U. C. R. 279: school sections, union school sections, consisting of parts of two or In re Ness and the Corporation of the Township of Saltfleet, Ibid. 408; more townships or parts of a township, and any town or incorporIn re Ley and the Municipality of the Township of Clarke, Ibid. 433ated village, may be formed and altered by the reeves and local School Trustees of School Section No. 4, in the Township of Haloncell superintendent or superintendents of the townships out of part of and Storm, 14 U. C. R. 541; In re Hart and the Municipality of Ves- which such sections are proposed to be formed, pra and Sunnidale, 16 U. C. R. 32; In re Isaac and the Municipality union school section composed of portions of adjoining townships, or of Euphrasia, 17 C. C. R. 205; In re Proper and the Corporation of Portions of a township or townships, and a town or incorporated the Township of Oakland, 34 U. C. R. 266, 273. village, shall, for the purposes of the election of trustees under their control, be deemed one school section, and shall be considered, in respect to superintendence and taxation for the erection of a * in which the school house, as belonging to the township same is situated." The power to form and alter school sections at discretion was at one time vested in the council of each district: 9 Vic. ch, 20, sec. 9; and when this was the case there was no difficulty arising from the circumstance that the section proposed to be formed or altered consisted in parts of two or more townships. See In re Ness and the Municipality of the Township of Saltfleet, 13 C. C. R. 408. When the population of the Province increased, when the number of school sections was correspondingly increased, and when the sections themselves became less in size, the power to form or alter sections was divided and attempted to be conferred on smaller bodies than district councils, such as township councils, &c. The power to take from or to add to the boundaries of a school section, or to form two or more sections in a union, is a legislative power which can only be exercised by the Legislature of the Province, or those to whom the power has been delegated by the Legis lature. * * and each These powers are in effect continued in the existing Public School 1. The alteration of the boundaries of a school section within a township by the council of that township. 2. The union of two or more sections within a township by the council of that township, after a meeting of the freeholders and householders of each section requesting to be united. 3. The alteration of the boundaries of a union school section, although consisting of parts of two or more townships, by the reeves and local superintendents of the townships. But no provision is made for the alteration of the boundaries of a school section (not being a union school section), consisting of parts of two or more townships. On 24th December, 1873, the reeves of the Townships of Tilbury East and Raleigh, in conjunction with the Inspector of Public Schools for the County of Kent, assumed by by-law to form a new school section, formed, in part, of the whole of school section No. 6, in Tilbury East, with the addition of some lots and parts of lots from the Township of Raleigh, and called it "Union School Sec-section as is situated within the limits of its jurisdiction from the tion No. 2, Raleigh and Tilbury East." Although called a union school section, it was not a union of school sections, but the addition to an existing section in Tilbury East of some parcels of land situate in the Township of Raleigh,in other words, an alteration of the boundaries of an existing school section in Tilbury East by an increase of territory from an adjoining township. But the question is not so much as to the name of the new section, as to the power of those who assumed to exercise it to form the new section in the manner and at the time they passed the bylaw of 24th December, 1873. The statute in force at that time from which the power, if existing, could only be derived, was Con. Stat. U. C. ch. 64, with amendments thereto. Sec. 47 of Con. Stat. U. C. ch. 64, enacts that "Each township council may, under the restrictions imposed by law in regard to the alteration of school sections, separate such part of any union school union of the sections, and may form the part so separated into a distinct school section, or attach it to one or more existing school sections or parts of sections within its jurisdiction, as such council shall judge expedient." Sec. 92 enacts, that "The local superintendent of adjoining townships shall determine the sums to be paid from the common school fund of each township in support of the schools of union school sections consisting of portions of such townships and shall also determine the manner in which sums shall be paid. Sec. 93 enacts, that " In the event of the local superintendents of the townships thus concerned not being able to agree as to the sum to be paid to each such township, the matter shall be referred to the warden of the county for final decision." We can only judge of the intention of the Legislature from the Sec. 39. "Each township council shall form portions of the town-language which the Legislature has used. ship where no school sections have been established into school sec- The Legislature has provided for the formation and alteration of boundaries of school sections within a township, and for the forma- In our former decision we meant to follow these authorities; we tion and alteration of boundaries of union school sections; but has did not intend to go any further. not provided for the alteration of the boundaries of a school section by the addition to that section of land in an adjoining township, unless we read the words "union school sections as meaning not only a union of school sections, but a union of parts of different sections in different townships to form one school section. We cannot do so without giving to the language used a forced construction, and one which the words do not naturally bear. The only provision in the Act for the formation of a union school section is that contained in sec. 41. which speaks of it as the union of "two or more sections." There cannot be a union of sections unless there be at least two sections to form the union. There may be a union of parts of two sections; but where the result is only one section, it cannot, with any propriety of language, in a School Act, or any other Act, be denominated "a union school section." It is safer that we should allow the Legislature to supply its own omissions, or correct its own errors, than that we should, under the guise of interpretation, assume to legislate. The conclusion at which we have arrived is, that the Legislature have omitted to provide for the formation or alteration of a section consisting of parts of two or more townships, &c., and this is what the Reeves of Tilbury East and Raleigh, in conjunction with the County Inspector of Schools, have, without legislative authority, attempted to do. Where there is power to do a thing, and the only question is, whether the power has been regularly exercised, and the inquiry is into a matter of fact, which may be differently found by different tribunals, and the right to office depends on the finding, it is only proper to hold, as we did in this case, that the inquiry can only be properly made in some proceeding where the question will be once for all so decided as to bind the rights of all parties concerned. When this case was before us on demurrer, it was assumed that the reeves and county superintendent had power after notice to alter the boundaries of a school section in one township by adding to it a portion of a school section in an adjoining township, and the Court, on that assumption, held that the plaintiff could not in this action, as against the defendants in office, dispute that the fact as to notice, but must try it in another proceeding, where the finding would be final and bind all parties concerned. If the law on this point were otherwise, the effect might be that, in a suit by one ratepayer, a jury would find a sufficient notice, and in a suit by another ratepayer, a jury might find no sufficient notice, so that in the one case it would be held that the alteration was properly made, and in the other the reverse. Such procedure, if permitted, could manifestly only end in confusion. But where the question is, not merely the regular exercise of power, but the possible exercise of power, and there is no dispute, and can be no dispute, as to the facts, there is no reason why the question of law should not be determined in any suit where it properly arises for decision. Our decision of the demurrers proceeded chiefly on the authority of Penney et al. v. Slade, 5 Bing. N.C. 319; and Re Gill and Jackson, 14 U. C. R. 119. In Penney et al. v. Slade, 5 Bing. N. C. 319, there was power to appoint overseers, and the only question was, whether the person assuming to hold that office had been duly appointed. Tindal, C. J., on delivering judgment said, at p. 331, "It is obviously a much more convenient course that the validity of the appointment should be brought into controversy in a direct way immediately upon the appointment, than that a party should lie by till a rate has been made and levied, and should then be allowed to revert back to some miscarriage in the appointment. No objection arising in such a way ought to prevail, unless it rests on the most solid ground, which, in our judgment, the present objection does not." In Re Gill and Jackson, 14 U. C. R. 119, the question was, whether the trustees claiming to act, or a different body of trustees, ere.entitled to the office. * * Sir John B. Robinson, in delivering judgment, said, at pp. 126, 127: "However, there was an unfortunate irregularity to this case, the resolution (if that alone would have sufficed in making the alteration), not specifying with any distinctness what was thereafter to form sec. No. 7, and what to form sec. 11. But, independently of the question whether the local superintendent's decision upon the point can thus be incidentally overruled in an action, the learned Judge left out of view that the trustees who imposed and received this rate were the trustees de facto, and that, until they are removed, the acts which they do in the ordinary current business of trustees must of necessity be upheld, or everything would fall into confusion." We are not concluded by our former decision, or by these authorities, where the objection, so far from being a mere question of irregularity, rests on the broad foundation of entire want of power, from deciding the question where it properly arises between parties interested in the result. It is impossible in any Act of Parliament intended to regulate the conduct of men in the transactions of life, to provide for all possible cases. Experience shews that the best framed Acts of Parliament are imperfect. Further legislation is required where unforeseen difficulties present themselves. The present School Act is still imperfect. It not only omits to provide for the addition to a section in one township of land in an adjoining township, but also omits to provide for the equalization of the assessments as between the persons residing in the two municipalities affected by the change. It also omits to provide for the adiustments of assets, other than an existing school house property, &c., as between the ratepayers residing in the different municipalities. In the absence of legislative light on these different points, the trustees of this school section have endeavoured to be a light unto themselves. Each step they have taken from the first is only a further and a further plunge into darkness. The sooner their career is stopped, the better for themselves, and the better for the distracted ratepayers. The by-law of 24th December, 1873, was, in our opinion, passed without any legislative authority, and must, on that ground, fall; and with it falls all that was afterwards done resting on the foundation of its validity. The rule will be absolute to enter a verdict for the plaintiff for $5 [a]. Rule accordingly. 4. SYNOPSIS OF AMENDED SCHOOL ACT OF 1877. The following is a synopsis of the amended School Act, which was recently passed by the Legislature of Ontario, and is now in force : Section 1, Sub-section 1. 37 V., c. 27, s. 27 (5), amended. Further powers to the Department to grant equivalents for passing High School Examinations. Sub-section 2. 37 V. c. 27, s. 27 (11), amended. Arrangement with Trustees for County Model Schools. Sub-section 3. 37 V. c. 27, s. 27 (17), amended. Normal School Students. Examination of port to be for Calendar Year. Sub-Section 14. 37 V. c. 27, s. 33, amended. Payment for travelling and other expenses of Normal School students authorized. Sub-section 15. 37 V. c. 27, s. 70, amended. Equal amount payable by county. Sub-section 16. 37 V. c. 27, s. 71. Section 2, Sub-section 1. 37 V. c. 28, s. 129, amended. Encouragement of Teachers' Associations. Sub-section 2. 37 V. c. 28, s. 130. Amended. Section 3, Sub-section 1. 37 V. c. 28, s. 149a, repealed, and new section substituted. Terms and vacations in Public Schools. In cities, towns, and villages. Sub-section 2. 37 V. c. 28, s. 71 (). Mode of rating to be open, not ballot. Sub-section 3. 37 V. c. 28, s. 72, amended. Close of Poll. (a) See also Halpin v. Calder, 26 C. P. 501. Sub-section 4. 37 V. c. 28, new section, 32a, inserted. Definition III. Proceedings of Teachers' Associations.* of "site" and owner. Sub-section 5. 37 V. c. 28, s. 48, amended. Imperative on Town ship Council to pass by-law about loans. Sub-section 6. 37 V. c. 28, s. 153, amended. Verbal. Sub-section 7. 37 V. c. 28, s. 89, repealed. rizing Board of Examiners in cities. Sub-section 8. 37 V. c. 28, s. 92 (8), amended. Teachers' rural Reports. Teachers and To extend superannuation to Public and High School Inspectors. Sub-section 10. 37 V. c. 28, s. 108, amended. County Council to arrange for inspection in remote parts. Sub-section 9. 37 V. c. 28, s. 85, amended. Sub-section 11. Inquiries on complaints to Inspectors, Minister, or Department. Section 4. 29, 30 V. c. 51, s. 276, amended. Verbal. Section 6, Sub-sections 1 and 2. Provisions for establishing Township Boards of Education. 1. WATERLOO TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. The Semi-Annual Meeting of the Waterloo County Teachers' Repeal of Act autho-Association was held in Berlin on the 5th and 6th days of January, 1877. The President, Mr. Thos. Pearce, P.S.I., occupied the Chair during the whole of the proceedings. A communication from the Hon. Adam Crooks was read by the Secretary, stating his inability to be present at this meeting, but expressing his willingness to attend any subsequent meeting. Mr. Suddaby, delegate to the Prov. Teachers' Assoc., gave a review of its proceedings, and was afterwards tendered a hearty vote of thanks for his action in that capacity. Many practical addresses were delivered: a brief synopsis might be given as follows:-Mr. Suddaby, on the subject of "Gram. Changes of Construction," pointed out carefully his method of teachSection 5. Declaratory clause. Quorum of Trustees and Boarding the subject, particularly with Participles and Infinitives, and Vote of electors unnecessary for school debts, school site, urged upon the teachers the necessity of giving many examples in contracting and expanding. Mr. Bergey read an able essay on charges, and functions of arbitrators. "How to teach Spelling." He dwelt particularly on the fact of the eye being the best avenue in learning to spell, and gave carefully his method of conducting dictation exercises. Miss Hutchison read an essay on "Music in our Schools." It abounded in practical ideas, and was well received by the Association. Mr. Connor, High School Master, next took up the subject of "Etymology,' and showed its great use in explaining words. He illustrated, by means of the black board, how to teach prefixes, affixes, and roots. He showed himself master of his subject by keeping the attention of the Association for about an hour in showing the peculiarities existing in many of our English words and their origin. The opening address on the second day was given by Mr. Linton, on "How to teach Writing. He pointed out his method of teaching principles, and the various lengths of the different letters. He showed that great watchfulness was needed in teaching this subject in order to produce satisfactory results. Miss Tilt next read an essay on "Teachers' Habits." She showed how largely the power of imitation was developed in children, and urged upon teachers to remember that they teach by their actions as well as by precept. Mr. McRae next gave a humorous description of "What he saw at the Centennial." This was the most mirth-provoking address that was given, the speaker being several times greeted with applause. Before adjourning, many resolutions were carried, only three of which may be considered of any interest to those outside of the county. These were as follows: Sub-section 3. Management of Schools by Board. Sub-section 7. Effect as to parts of township united. Sub-section 9. Adjustment of claims in cases of parts of township Sub-section 10. Repeal of By-law, and for reforming school sec tions. Sub-section 11. Application to Board now existing. Section 9. 37 V. c. 28, s. 28, amended. Payment of teachers' sala ries. Section 10. Adjustment of claims between unions in same townships. Section 11. Provisions as to Unions and Dissolution between parts Sub-section 1. Unions between parts of two or more townships, 1. That this Association considers that a cash bonus should be annually given by Government to Teachers holding Provincial cer- Sub-section 3. No power to alter boundaries, except on petition, &c. third and second should be established. Section 12. Towns may place schools under County Inspector. 3. That the mid-summer holidays of the Public Schools should be made the same as those for the High Schools; but this is not to be done by curtailing the Easter holidays. Also, that a copy of these Sub-section 105a. Lieut.-Governor to form remote districts for in- resolutions be sent to the Minister of Education.-Communicated spection, by the Secretary. Sub-section 3. Permits to Teachers, Subject to Regulations. Sub-section 4 (a). Provisions for ascertaining Public and Separate Sub-section 4 (d). Provisions Permissive, not to impair any Pro- Sub-section 4 (e). To apply also to Cities, Towns, and Villages. Section 14. Quarterly Payment of Teachers' Salaries. Section 17. County Payment. Sub-section (a). To County Model Schools. Sub-section (b). To Teachers' Associations. Sub-section 3. Third-class Certificates to be awarded by County Board. Sub-section 4. Vacancy in, of Trustee, when caused. Sub-section 5. Compulsory Attendance, Excuses. Section 18, Sub-section 1. High School under County Sub-section 2. As to High School Districts. 2. TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION, EAST BRUCE. Summary of the exercises of the East Bruce Teachers' Association, 1876 There were three meetings held in the months of January, May, and November: one was at Walkerton and two at Paisley. There were 40 names on the roll of membership at the beginning of the year, and 22 entered during the year. Two of the forty were not present at any meeting during 1876, excluding them, we had 60 members at the close of the year-20 female and 40 male. The average attendance of teachers and inspectors at each meeting was 41, of which 13 were lady members. The least attendance was 30 and the greatest 60. The average attendance from each of the municipalities was as follows: Brant, 8; Carrick, 7; Walkerton, 6; Elderslie, 5; Paisley, 4; Arran, 3; Amabel, 2; Greenock, 2; outside of the District,.4. The Association was favoured with seven addresses: by Dr. Bell, upon the progress of our Country, and Culture; Rev. Mr. Tindai, upon the History and Philosophy of Language; Mr. Miller, the reJurisdiction.quisites of a good Teacher, and an account of his visit to the Centennial; Mr. McKellar, a report of the proceedings of the Provinand by the Minister of Education upon School Law. Four essays were read upon the ventilation of the School-room, by Mr. Coles; Convocation only to dis- School Government, by Miss Case; the School and the World, by Miss Adair; and Philosophy of History, by Mr. Chambers. Sub-section 4. Power to County and City or Towns separated to cial Teachers' Association, to which he had been sent as delegate; agree as to High School. Section 19. Terms and Vacations. Section 20. 36 V. c. 29, s. 24, amended. cuss Terms of Affiliation. Section 21, 36, V. c. 29, s. 26, amended. Authority to admit persons to examination, with subjects. * Secretaries of Teachers' Associations should send condensed reports of their proceedings for insertion in the Journal. -[ED. J. of E.] Seven discussions were engaged in, viz: Approved method of teaching Dictation and Long Division, Teachers' Certificates, Homework required by the Pupils, the use of Monitors, Tattling among Scholars, and the Examination Papers of 1876. Two lessons were taught upon Notation, by Mr. McKellar, and Parsing, by Mr. McGill. A reading was given by Miss Laidlaw. There was a question drawer in connection with each meeting, and an aggregate of 31 questions were propounded and answered. The year was made memorable in the history of the Association by the honour of a visit from the Hon. Mr. Crooks, Minister of Education. The Association at that time held a two days' session, the Department having kindly granted authority to consider Friday a holiday, and money has been apportioned to the Sections accordingly. His Honour gave a public address on Friday evening, and visited and addressed the Teachers on Saturday. The Minister's presence and expressions were highly appreciated by the Teachers of this district, and his visit has added new life to the Association. ANNUAL MEETING, FEB. 3RD, 1877. President in the chair. Minutes of last meeting read and adopted. A revised constitution was read and laid over to next meeting for consideration. last year was 247,696. The number of schools under the direction of commissioners or trustees, has increased from 3,790 to 4,030 in the last two years. In the same time the average attendance rose from 171,226 to 193,714. The progress made during the last twenty years, may be seen in the statement that in 1857 there were 2,573 commissioners' schools in operation, against (as already mentioned`, 4,030 in 1876. It must not be supposed that we have reached perfection. On the contrary there is still need for a great deal of improvement in many respects. In the autumn of 1874, the inspectors received instructions to pay a special visit to all the academies and model schools, so as to ascertain how these institutions discharged their obligations to the public. The result was that several of them were found deficient, and were removed from the list of subventions. One chief cause of their failure, was a kind of foolish ambition on the part of the founders which burdened them with a name to which they had no right, and which imposed duties which they could not fulfil. We have ourselves known schools, virtually elementary, which were complimented by the name of model, model schools, which were known as academies, and academies which were dubbed colleges. Such a system of nomenclature places the institutions in question in a false, and sometimes ridiculous, position; though in some cases it may lead to such laudable efforts as may entitle them to the name. But nothing tends so much to bring the cause of John Eckford, Esq., late local superintendent of Schools, gave in addr. ss upon Education, Progress, and the necessary qualifications education into contempt, as to place a cheap, and therefore inferior, of a Teacher. The soul-stirring and practical thoughts of the ad- teacher in charge of one of these high-sounding establishments. dress, delivered in that gentleman's usually earnest manner, re-in some parts of the Province, is one of the great drawbacks to The beggarly remuneration which teachers receive for their work ceived the hearty appreciation of the Association. Boulton. Mr. Gorsline exhibited his method of teaching Map Geography to an advanced class, and Mr. Colles, his method of introducing de cimals. An essay upon Mary, Queen of Scots, was read by Miss There were two discussions: The Awarding of Prizes, and Punishment of Pupils. The former was introduced by Mr. Todd, followed by Messrs. Gorsline, McGillivray, McKellar, Mitchell, Dr. Bell, and Clendening; and the latter was introduced by Mr. McGillivray, followed by Messrs. McKellar, Miller, and Clendening. Messrs. McGillivray and McKellar made admirable addresses. Reports were read by the Secretary and Treasurer for 1876, and on motion were adopted. Mr. Miller, the President, gave a valedictory address, noting particularly the increasing influence of Teachers' Associations, and the progress of our own, and recommending the itinerant principle in selection of officers. The following officers were appointed for 1877: Mr. Hugh McKellar, President; Rev. Dr. Bell, 1st Vice-President; Mr. John McBride, 2nd Vice-President; Mr. Arnoldus Miller, Treasurer; Mr. W. S. Clendening, Secretary. Votes of thanks were presented to Mr. Eckford and Miss Boulton, and the retiring officers of 1876. There were twenty-eight teachers and inspectors present, which, considering the almost impassible condition of many of the roads, occasioned by the thaw, was very encouraging. Five new names were added to the roll of membership. The following are the names of those who were present :— Walkerton-Boulton, Ross, Wisser, Wallace, Miller, Mitchell, Dr. Bell, Clendening. Brant-Bacon, Elder, Graham, Chislitt, J. McBride, Todd, 1. EDUCATION IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. A work which we had occasion to notice a few days ago, of which the Hon. Mr. Chauveau is the author, furnishes remarkable evidence of the progress of education in this Province during the last quarter of a century. It is satisfactory to know that this progress is continuous, and it is even more rapid than the increase of the population itself. According to the recently published report of the Superintendent, we find during the five years from 1871 to 1876 inclusive, there was an augmentation in the number of pupils attending our various schools, of more than 11 per cent.-the increase of the population being only 8 per cent. The actual number sum. It sound education. Some of the salaries paid are so low that, if the fact were not stated in black and white, we could hardly believe that There trustees could be found to offer or teachers to receive them. are in the Province 115 male teachers, and 1,722 female teachers, who labour for an annual stipend of less than $100! There are 374 males, and 2,544 females, who receive less than $200 a year. Salaries of from $200 to $400 are given to 480 male and 345 female teachers; and those who receive the prizes of the profession, salaries exceeding $400 a year, number 219 gentlemen and 50 ladies. ought to be mentioned, however, that of the 1,722 female teachers who receive less than $100 a year, 787 belong to religious communities. This still leaves 935 lay female teachers who obtain only that Of the whole number of male teachers, moreover, 536 are religious by profession, which reduces the number of male lay teachers who receive less than $400 to 318. This is certainly quite enough to suggest the necessity of more ample remuneration for a class of persons who, by courtesy at least, are ranked among educated People. It may be remarked that the ill-paid teachers are found almost invariably in the country districts. Any one who glances at from inspectors and others, of the want of knowledge and skill by these figures, need not wonder if he sometimes hears complaints for such rewards, persons should be found at all to undertake such which such teachers are characterized. The wonder is rather that, laborious and responsible duties. The first requisite for any marked improvement in the rural education of this Province is to rectify this absurd injustice. As to higher education, we see that there are 21 Roman Catholic industrial colleges, attended by 3,461 pupils; and one Protestant institution of the same kind, with 160 pupils. Protestants, it must be remembered, obtain their commercial education in our high schools. The progress which has been made in this branch of education in late years, is very marked. In 1867, there were only 6,713 pupils learning book-keeping; in 1876, this number had grown to 13,383. In most of the schools and colleges it is now customary for a commercial course to precede the classical course, and this innovation has been found to work well. English and French are taught with equal care in almost all the schools. General and Canadian history and geography, also receive more attention than formerly. The ordinary branches of education,-arithmetic, grammar, dictation, etc., are taught in all the schools. As to the higher branches, the reports of the inspectors are, in the main, favourable. An impetus has been given to the teaching of design, and the Hon. Mr. Ouimet quotes largely from the report published by the committee appointed by the Council of Arts and Man factures. It is now a part of the regular course in all the schools of the Christian Brothers, and there is hope that, before long, the example will be generally followed. Among the reforms suggested by the Superintendent, are the angmentation of teachers' salaries, already referred to; the establishment of a depot for books, maps, and other school appliances, and of a scholastic museum; the construction of school buildings according to the principles of hygiene and the demands of comfort; the adoption of the savings bank system in connection with schools; the general use of a text-book on agriculture, with some instructions, when needed, in horticulture and apiculture; the continuous pre |