other countries, and with the Upper Province. Dr. Meilleur urges further improvements in the law in the following particulars:

1. A literary qualification for School Commissioners. 2. The establishment of a Normal School. 3. Deputy Superintendents. 4. Public Libraries. 5. A Journal of Education.

The provisions for "Dissentient" or Denominational Schools are peculiar and deserve attentive consideration.

The School Acts of Lower Canada (of 1846 and 1849) throw no obstacles in the way of Denominational, there called Dissentient Schools. They do not, like the Act of Upper Canada, limit the aid to the cases only where the differences are between Protestant and Roman Catholic, but they enable every denomination, if it pleases, to have its own school, and to receive its proportion of aid both towards the building and the support of the school. By sect. 26 of the Act of 1846 (9 Vict. c. 27), it is provided that, when "any number whatever of the inhabitants professing a religious faith different from that of the

majority" wish for a separate school, they may have one, and if it is attended by fifteen children they will be entitled to an allowance out of both the general and local school fund; and the trustees of that school are empowered (by sect. 18 of the Act of 1849, 12 Vict. c. 50) to collect both the Assessment and the School fees from the "inhabitants so dissentient," and at whose instance the school was established.

The clauses of those Acts given below will, I feel assured, be read with interest by all persons who are desirous of informing themselves on this difficult question; and no one, I apprehend, after the above statement, will be disposed to say that the French Canadians are not making vigorous exertions to remedy the results of past reluctance and backwardness in the matter of elementary education.*

*Act of the Provincial Parliament of Canada, 9 Vict., c. 27, s. 21. Among the duties of the School Commissioners of each municipality are the following:

Tenthly.-To cause to be levied by assessment and rate, in the manner hereinafter provided by this Act, in each municipality, a sum equal to that allowed out of the Common Schoolfund for each municipality, and to report their proceedings in this respect to the superintendent; and to enable the School

Inducements for Persons of the Upper Class of Society in this Country to Settle in Canada. -The consideration of the subjects last touched

Commissioners to receive from the Superintendent of Education their share of the Common School-fund, they shall furnish him with a declaration from the secretary-treasurer that he has actually and bonâ fide received, or that he has placed in the hands of the School Commissioners for the purposes of this Act, a sum equal to the said share accruing to such Commissioners.

"Twelfthly.—They shall fix the fees per month to be paid during the eight school months for each child of age to attend school, by each father or mother of a family, tutor, or curator, to the secretary-treasurer above and over the rate levied, and for the use of the school district (arrondissement) paying the same; such fees not to exceed in any case two shillings per month, nor less than three pence per month, at the discretion of the Commissioners, according to the means of the parents," &c.

With respect to "Dissentient Schools," it is provided by "Section XXVI., that when in any municipality the regulations and arrangements made by the School Commissioners for the conduct of any school shall not be agreeable to any number whatever of the inhabitants professing a religious faith different from that of the majority of the inhabitants of such municipality, the inhabitants so dissentient may collectively signify such dissent in writing to the chairman of the said Commissioners, and give in the names of three trustees, chosen by them for the purposes of this Act; and such trustees shall have the same powers and be subject to the same duties as School Commissioners, but for the management of those schools only which shall be under their control; and such dissentient inhabitants may, by the intervention of such trustees, establish in the manner provided with regard to other schools, one or more schools, which shall be subject to the same provisions, duties, and supervision, and they shall be entitled to

upon was suggested by the inquiry as to whether there were not increasing attractions

receive from the superintendent or from the School Commissioners such sum out of the general or local school fund as shall be proportionate to the dissentient population they represent: Provided always, that whenever the majority of the children attending any school now in operation, and the school-house, shall belong to or be occupied by such dissentients, the said school-house shall continue to be occupied by them so long as the number of children taught in such school shall amount to the number required by this Act to form a school district, and the entire amount of monies raised by assessment on such dissentients shall be paid to the trustees of such school, together with a due proportion of the building-fund.

“XXVII.—And be it enacted, that to entitle any school to its allowance out of the general or local school-fund it shall be requisite and sufficient that such school has been under the management of School Commissioners or Trustees appointed in the manner provided by the next preceding section; that it has been in actual operation during at least eight calendar months; that it has been attended by at least fifteen children (periods of epidemic or contagious diseases excepted); that the returns have been certified to the School Commissioners or Trustees by the master, mistress, or teacher, and at least two of the Commissioners or Trustees; that a public examination of the schools has taken place; that a report signed by the majority of the School Commissioners or Trustees and by the master has been transmitted to the Superintendent of Schools, according to the form prescribed by him for that purpose, every six months, that is to say, before the first day of July, and the first day of January, in each year; and, finally, that a sum equal to the allowance made by the legislature for the municipality has been raised as hereinbefore provided.

"XXIX. And be it enacted, that the trustees of dissentient minorities shall also be elected for three years, except that at the

in Canada for the safe and satisfactory employment of British capital and labour; meaning

end of each of the two first years one of the trustees shall retire and be replaced or re-elected by such dissentients; children from other school districts, of the same faith as the dissentients for whom the school was established, may attend the same whenever such dissentients shall not be sufficiently numerous in any district to support a school alone: Provided that the individuals of the dissentient minority shall not be elected nor serve as School Commissioners, nor vote at the election of the School Commissioners; and that in like manner the individuals of the majority shall not be elected nor serve as school trustees, nor vote at their election."

Provisions as to the cities of Quebec and Montreal :

"XLIII.—And be it enacted, that in the said cities no rate shall be levied for the schools, but the treasurer of each city shall pay out of the funds thereof to the said Boards of Commissioners, and in proportion to the population of the religious persuasion represented by them, a sum equal to that coming to such city out of the Common, School-fund, to be employed by them for the purposes of this Act; and if such payment be refused, the School Commissioners or their Secretary may apply by petition to the Court of Queen's Bench sitting in Superior Term, who, upon proof of the service of such petition upon the treasurer, shall take cognizance of the matter, and shall determine the same in a summary manner, and may, if right shall require it, compel payment by all legal means and process."

The Act 12 Vict., c. 50, makes the following additional provision for "Dissentient Schools:"

"XVIII.—And be it enacted, that anything in the twentysixth section of the above-cited Act, or in any other part of the said Act contained to the contrary notwithstanding, whenever the trustees of Dissentient Schools shall have been chosen and shall have established one or more Dissentient Schools in any school municipality, and the said trustees shall not be satisfied

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