vellers had no means of following, and after difficulties and disas-dence, that the New Hudson Bay Company will cast off the prejuters which the paper describes, they at length managed again to come on a trail, and were soon after encouraged by hearing a crow, a sure sign of more open country, and eventually they reached Kamloops. The paper concludes as follows: dices and lay aside the obstructiveness which degraded the policy of the old one, and promote, to the utmost of their power, that scheme which is of such vital importance to the advancement of all the British possessions in North America, The President spoke highly of the value and interest of the paper, and eulogised the conduct of Viscount Milton in leaving the ease and luxury of a home like his for the true advancement of science. He had more successfully than any other traveller, faced the dangers and difficulties of a most difficult and inaccessible country. Dr. Cheadle, in the course of some supplementary remarks, said that throughout British Columbia, except a few isolated portions, no farming-land was to be found. Though it was possible by irrigation to produce certain crops in a few years, yet they must soon cease, for there was nothing but sand, the only vegetable mould being supplied by the decay of grass. In most parts the land was so light that it was impossible to irrigate it. But this country, so rich in minerals, was only separated by the Rocky Mountains from the rich and productive country on the other side, showing the necessity for opening up a communication between them. Lord Milton, in the course of a few observations, expressed his great obligations to Dr. Cheadle, and said that the Red River Settlement was the best colony England had for farming purposes, but nowhere was farming less understood. One man there, after sowing eleven crops of wheat in succession on the same land, began to inquire the reason why his crops had failed. This showed at once the richness of the soil, and the ignorance of many who cultivated it.—Canadian Naturalist. 2. THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. A letter recently received from the Nile explorer, Mr. Samuel Baker, by Sir Roderick J. Murchison, throws much light on the facts already known to the world from the late exploration of Capts. Speke and Grant. The important additional knowledge obtained by Mr. Baker, showing the existence of great cataracts on the Nile, between the point where Capt. Speke left the river and the place where he next met it, explains that which has been looked upon as a serious difficulty in the acceptance of the views of that eminent explorer. We extract the following from Mr. Baker's letter, dated Khartum, April 30, 1865:— In conclusion, I must venture a few general observations upon the nature of the country through which we passed, from Fort Edmonton, on the eastern side, to Kamloops on the west of the mountains, with regard to the practicability of a road or a railway being taken across by that point. Our party being, I believe, the only one which has passed through this region entirely by land, the testimony has some value, as being all that is known of a very considerable portion of the distance. In the first place, I may safely state, that, with the exception of one or two rocky and precipitous bluffs,-few and trifling obstructions, compared with those which have been already so successfully overcome in making the road along the Fraser River, there are no engineering difficulties of any importance. On the other hand, however, for almost the whole distance, the road would require to be made, there being no open country until reaching the lower portion of the valley of the North Thompson. From Edmonton to Jasper House the surface is slightly undulating; and the lower ground universally swampy, even where covered with thick forest. From Jasper House to Tête Jaune Cache, the pass through the main ridge of the Rocky Mountains, the valley is, for the most part, wide and unobstructed, except by timber, which is generally of large size; the rivers small and mostly fordable, even at their highest. The ascent to the height of land is very gradual, and, indeed, almost imperceptible; and the descent, although much more rapid, neither steep nor difficult. From the Cache to the first opening out of the valley of the Thompson, about eighty miles north of Kamloops, the only route lies along that river, running through a succession of narrow gorges shut in on each side by lofty and inaccessible mountains. The whole of this portion is obstructed by growing and fallen timber of the largest size; but the fact of our being able to bring horses through without any previous track being cut open, proves sufficiently that there are no serious obstacles in the way of an engineer. No great ascents or descents occur, the bottom of the ravine being generally level, except where the transverse ranges of hills come down close to the water's edge. Many of these are, indeed, rocky, but consist generally of broken fragments of no great size. No bluffs of solid rock appear until the last forty miles, where the "I had the good fortune to meet Captains Speke and Grant at country is generally open, and otherwise little obstructed. The Gondokoro, in February, 1863. The object of my expedition being flooding of the river by the melted snows of the mountains does not attained by meeting them, and by their discovery of the Victoria interfere with the passage along the valley, we having traversed it Nyanza Nile-head, I should have returned with them had not Capin the middle of the summer when the waters were at the highest. tain Speke reported that he had heard of a lake called by the A road might possibly be made more direct to Cariboo than by con- natives Luta Nziger. This, he imagined, might be a second source tinuing on to Kamloops, by following the north-west branch of the of the Nile, and I at once determined to attempt its exploration. North River, which comes in about sixty miles south of Tête Jaune My boats departed from Gondokoro for Khartum, with Captains Cache, or the Canoe River, some fifteen miles below that place; Speke and Grant, but when I was about to start, the whole of my but, from the ruggid nature of the country to the west, such a road men mutinied, and refused to proceed, retaining possession of my could only be made by great labour and outlay. The easiest line arms and ammunition. The ivory traders of the place combined to would, I apprehend, be from the junction of a small river which prevent any European from penetrating the interior, fearing flows into the Thompson, about twenty miles north of the Clear- travellers' reports upon the slave trade. On passing the station of water, or about eighty north of Kamloops. This stream, the Indi- an Arab trader, six days from Gondokoro, my men, who had preans informed us, came from the Cariboo Lake, and passes through viously conspired to desert me at that spot, again mutinied, several a totally open region. The most serious difficulty to the adoption absconded with arms and ammunition, and joined the traders' of a route by Jasper House would be the want of pasturage for party. They, however, with the entire party, were massacred by cattle. The patches of open country are few on the eastern side, the Latooka tribe, two days after their desertion. Owing to a sucrather larger and more numerous within the mountains; but after cession of difficulties and delays, I did not arrive at Kamrasi's leaving the Cache, on the western side, the forest is unbroken for capital, M'rooli, N. lat. 1 deg. 37 min., until the 10th of February, above a hundred miles, and in no portion of the whole six hundred 1864. The traders' party returned to Gondokoro, leaving me, with or seven hundred miles from Edmonton to the Clearwater, except my escort of thirteen men, to proceed. After eighteen days' march at Jasper House, is there sufficient food for any large number of I reached the long wished for lake, about 100 miles west of M'rooli, animals. The advantages of this route will be-1st. That it lies at Vacovia, in N. lat. 1 deg. 14 min. In respect for the memory far removed from the boundary-line, well within British territory. of our lamented Prince, I named it (subject to her Majesty's per2nd. That it passes entirely through a country inhabited only by mission) the 'Albert Nyanza,' as the second great source of the friendly and peaceable Indians. 3rd. That it offers the most direct Nile-second, not in importance, but only in order of discovery, to communication from Canada to the gold-regions of British Colum- the Victoria Nile-head. The Victoria and the Albert Lakes are bia; and from it the Sewshwap and Okanagan districts, as well as the indubitable parents of the river. The capital of Unyoro the road on the Fraser, are easily accessible. These considerations (M'rooli) is situated at the junction of the Nile and Kofoor rivers, are, I think, of sufficient importance to require that the question at an altitude of 3,202 feet above the sea level. The route throughwhether this more northern pass does not, from its directness and out is wooded, interspersed with glades, thinly populated, with no the security which it offers, possess more solid advantages than game. My route lay over high ground, to the north of a swampy those lying further south, should be carefully and fairly weighed. valley, running west; the greatest elevation was 3,686 feet. The The more southern passes lying within the British line are far more Albert Lake is a vast basin, lying in an abrupt depression, the cliffs, steep and difficult than the one by Jasper House, and are in unsafe which I descended by a difficult pass, being 1,470 feet above its proximity to the United States territories. The only advantages to level. The lake level is 2,070 feet, being 1,132 feet lower than the be claimed for them appear to be that they communicate with more Nile at M'rooli; accordingly the drainage of the country tends open country on either side, that pasturage is plentiful along the from east to west. From the high ground, above the lake, no land road, and that, from their more southerly latitude, they are likely is visible to the south and south-west; but north-west and west is to be blocked with snow for a shorter period. But whichever be a large range of mountains, rising to about 7,000 feet above the the one selected, I would urge most strongly the necessity for im- lake level, forming the western shore, and running south-west parmediate action in the matter, and hope, though not with confi-allel to the course of the lake. I navigated the lake in a canoe, And so with song and cheer, Flits lightly by on Time's swift pinions flying; Of gladness blooms each hour, -Harper's Magazine. 2. THE CORONATION OF WINTER. The leafless branches and twigs of every tree, of every shrub, and even of every spire of grass that rose above the surface of the snow, were encased in a thick and beautiful hyaline coat, as transparent as the purest water. formed of a hollow tree, for 13 days from Vacovia, arriving at Magungo, at the junction of the Nile with the lake, in N. lat. 2 deg. 16 min. The voyage was long, owing to the necessity of coasting, and to the heavy sea, which, with a westerly wind, generally rose at 1 p.m., daily. I went up the Nile, in a canoe, from the junction; the natives would proceed no further north, owing to the hostile tribes on the lake shores. The course from the junction up the river being east, at about 20 miles from Magungo, my voyage suddenly terminated; a stupendous waterfall, of about 120 feet, perpendicular height, stopped all further progress. Above the great fall, the river is suddenly confined between rocky hills, and it races through a gap, contracted from a grand stream of, perhaps, 200 yards width, to a channel not exceeding 50 yards. Through this gap it rushes with amazing rapidity, and plunges, at one leap, into the deep basin below. This magnificent cataract I have taken Along the branches the ice swelled into tubercular masses, terthe liberty of naming 'the Murchison Falls.' On the eastern borders of the lake much salt is obtained from the soil; this forms the minating in a knot, so as to resemble strings of gigantic glass beads. trade of the miserable villages which at long intervals are situated Lovely was the effect produced, as the sun broke through the on the Unyoro shore. The natives are extremely inhospitable, in clouds, on these countless natural gems, thus prepared to refract many cases refusing to sell provisions. Mallegga, on the west coast and reflect his light with more than his original brightness. Each shrub had the aspect of a superb chandelier, and how still of the lake, is a large and powerful country, governed by a king named Kajoro, who possesses boats sufficiently large to cross the more magnificent, did a whole forest appear, with the rays of the lake. The Mallegga trade with Kamrasi was large, bringing ivory sun darting through and lighting up ten thousand radiant points of and beautifully prepared skins and mantles in exchange for salt, distance of forty or fifty rods, and when beyond that distance, the a diamond hue and intense brilliancy! These gems might be at the brass-coil bracelets, cowries, and beads, all of which articles, excepting salt, come from Zanzibar, via Karagwe, there being no forest had the aspect and the richness of embossed silver. The next communication with the west coast of Africa. The actual length day the sparkling brilliants were not, as before, of colourless light. of the Albert Nyanza, from south to north, is about 260 geographi-Here and there appeared gems of the prismatic colours, now one of cal miles, independent of its unknown course to the west, between splendid sapphire blue, next one of amethystine purple; here one of 1 deg. and 2 deg. south latitude, and of its similar course in the intense topaz yellow, there a sea-green beryl, changing by the north, in lat. about 3 deg." X. Miscellaneous. 1. WINTER. Outside the window pane, With dreary wail the wintry winds are calling; The gently-dropping snow From out the sky in feathery flakes is falling. The clambering casement vine That marked the year's decline With leaves in which the Autumn's fires were burning, Hangs coldly shivering there, A tender thing that waits the Spring's returning. The fields are white below Their covering of snow That o'er the earth, a chilly shroud is lying; And through the Elm's huge limbs The wind is chanting hymns, Like soft, sad dirges for some poor soul dying. Mute are the frozen rills With babbling voices in the Summer weather; I've angled from the bank for hours together. Within the solemn woods, No Summer bird her heart beguiles with singing; Beneath the pale moon's light, Are heard the merry sleigh bells blithely ringing. Or from the frozen stream On either side the cheerless shore abounding, The shadowy skater's heel Spurns the stout ice with shrilly echoes sounding. At home beside the hearth With jest and song of mirth, And ringing chorus to the rafters pealing, The long dark evening goes, The cider, circling, flows, And lights the eye with sparks of kindly feeling. slightest alteration of position into a rich emerald gem, and then one of deep red. As the sun approached the meridian, the number and splendour of these coloured gems increased, so that on a single tree hundreds of them might be seen; and sometimes so large was their size and intense their colour, that at a distance of fifty rods they seemed equal to Sirius, nay, to the morning star; and of hues the most delicate and rich that can be conceived, exactly imitating, so far as I could judge, the natural gems, and not partaking at all of those less delicate and gaudy tints by which a practised eye can distinguish genuine from suppositious precious stones. And by moving the eye a few inches, we could see these different colours pass into one another, and thus witness the rich intermediate shades. Two days afterwards there was a storm of fine rain and snow, and the beautiful transparency of the icy coat was changed into the aspect of ground glass. This gave to the trees a new and more delicate appearance. They resembled enchased work, formed of pure unburnished silver, and had the sun shone on them they must have been intensely beautiful. Another day the snow was scattered from the boughs, and as the sun approached the meridian, one had only to receive his rays at a certain angle, refracted through the crystal covering of a tree, in order to witness gems more splendid than art ever prepared. Fourfifths of them were diamonds, but sapphires were numerous, the topaz and the beryl not unfrequent; and occasionally the chrysolite and the hyacinthe shone with intense brilliancy. There was wind. also on that day; and as the branches waved to and fro, these various gems appeared and vanished, and re-appeared in endless variety, chaining the eye to the spot until the over-powered optic nerve shrunk from its office. But the rich vision did not cease through all that cloudless night, nor did it terminate when the sun went down. For then the fullorbed moon arose and gave another most bewitching aspect to the scene. During the day the light had often been painfully intense, but the softness of moonlight permitted the eye to gaze and gaze untired, and yet the splendour seemed hardly less than during the day. Most of the bright points were of a mild topaz yellow, and when seen against the heavens they could hardly be distinguished from the stars; or when seen in the forest, especially as one passed rapidly along, it seemed as if countless fire-flies were moving among the branches. Yet occasionally I saw other colours of the spectrum, especially the bluish green of the beryl. Through that live-long night did these indescribable glories meet the eye of the observer." From "the Phenomena of the four Seasons," by Professor Hitchcock. 3. LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN RUSSIA. The chief clauses of the new Russian press law are as follows:The censorship is abolished upon all books containing more than ten sheets of printed matter; also upon all newspapers, magazines, and periodical publications, the editors of which are willing to submit to the system of warnings. A journal will be suppressed after three warnings. The first two will be given by the administration; but the third must be sanctioned by the Senate. The Government reserves to itself, in addition, the right of prosecuting the delinquents before the ordinary tribunals, and they will in that case have to submit to the verdict of the jury. 4. BRITISH PERIODICAL LITERATURE. The general characteristics of these Reviews are well known, and their literary standard is very high-far beyond any publication of the kind we have ever had in America. Many have been the attempts to rival them in this country, and as many the failures; hence the large circulation enjoyed by the American reprints of the Messrs. Leonard Scott & Co. Of the Reviews, the Edinburgh is the oldest. It was established in the beginning of the present century, by the leaders of the Whig party. Brougham, Jeffrey, Sydney Smith, Lord Holland, and others of world-wide reputation, enriched its pages with their racy wit, pungent satire, and judicious critiques. History, Philosophy, Politics, Science, Art, Belles-Lettres-all were here discussed, ex cathedra, by master minds, and in the choicest English. A few years later, Macaulay commenced his long series of brilliant essays, shedding additional lustre on it by his unrivalled periods. Stephens published his masterly papers on the Philosophy of History, and the elegant Talfourd became a regular contributor. Still later, Sir William Hamilton, from his comprehensive mind and vast storehouse of learning, showered forth his able discussions on a great variety of topics. Many of the best known works of Whately, Arnold, Whewell, and a host of other luminaries, were first given to the world in the pages of the Edinburgh. Lord Brougham, now nearly ninety, if we mistake not, is the only survivor of the original founders of this Review. All Local Superintendents retiring from office, are required by law to hand over to their successors the copies of the School Manual furnished to them by the Department, and all other official school documents in their possession. Extra copies of the Local Superintendent's Manual can be furnished for fifty (50) cents, including postage. NO PENSIONS TO COMMON SCHOOL TEACHERS UNLESS THEY SUBSCRIBE TO THE FUND. Public notice is hereby given to all Teachers of Common Schools, or Teachers of the English branches in Grammar Schools, who are legally qualified Common School Teachers in Upper Canada, who may wish to avail themselves at any future time of the advantages of the Superannuated Common School Teachers' Fund, that it will be necessary for them to transmit to the Chief Superintendent, if they have not already done so, their subscriptions, at the rate of $5 per annum for each preceding year, commencing with 1854, and at the rate of $4 per annum for the current year's subscription. The law authorizing the establishment of this fund provides, "That no teacher shall be entitled to share in the said fund who shall not contribute to such fund at least at the rate of one pound per annum." No pension will be granted to any teacher who has not subscribed to the fund, in accordance to the preceding regulations of the Council of Public Instruction. The London Quarterly was set on foot, by the Conservative or POSTAGE REGULATION IN REGARD TO GRAMMAR Tory party, a few years after the establishment of the Edinburgh; it took up the gauntlet the latter had so defiantly thrown down. Gifford, Southey, and Sir Walter Scott were among its founders, and for years contributed to its success. The Westminster Review was commenced some forty years since by the Liberals. In politics, judiciously liberal; but in religion, the advocate of the most ultra-Rationalism. A most enthusiastic admirer of anything German, it imports its science, a great deal of its literature, and all its philosophy and theology from that cloudy Doubtland. One feature particularly attractive to us, at present, is the Review of Contemporary Literature, where we find judicious notices of all the new books published in England, France, Germany, and America, during the previous quarter. а The North British Review, established some twenty years ago, as the organ of the Free Church of Scotland, has, from the first, occupied a very high position in British periodical literature. It is not religious" journal-as this term is generally understood-perhaps not more so than the Edinburgh or the London, though it is designed to fill the want so often felt and expressed by Dr. Arnold for books on general subjects, writton from a Christian stand-point. -Charleston Daily News. AND COMMON SCHOOL RETURNS. warded to the Chief Superintendent, or a Local Superintendent, All official returns which are required by law to be forand which are made upon the printed blank forms furnished by the Educational Department, must be pre-paid, at the rate of one cent, and be open to inspection, so as to entitle them to pass through the post as printed papers. No letters should be enclosed with such returns. A neglect to observe this regulation has repeatedly subjected this Department to an unnecessary charge of 14 cts. and 21 cts. on each package, including the Post-office fine of nearly fifty per cent. for non-payment. SCHOOL REGISTERS SUPPLIED THROUGH LOCAL SUPERINTENDENTS. School Registers are supplied gratuitously, from the Department, to Common and Separate School Trustees in Cities, Towns, Villages and Townships by the County Clerk-through the local Superintendents. Application should therefore be made direct to the local Superintendents for them, and not to the Department. STRAHAN & CO.'S MAGAZINES. "Good Words are worth much and cost little."-HERBERT. GOOD WORDS. 12 Cents a Month; $1.50 a year; Beautifully illus SUNDAY MAGAZINE.—We have received the October and November numbers of this magazine. They are illustrated with excellent engrav ings-well chosen, and the articles are well written and suitable for Sunday reading. The editor says, “This Journal is intended to answer to its title. Its articles will be brief and varied, and will touch on subjects connected with Christian thought, work, and life. Laymen will teach it without offence, and clergymen will speak without ascending the pulpit.trated. Edited by Norman MacLeod, D.D., one of Her Majesty's Chaplains. It will be cheerful and healthy in its tone, wise in its teaching, tender in its spirit, and catholic as befits the day. To make our magazine plain to common people without being vulgar, interesting to cultivated minds without being unintelligible to men of ordinary education, to make good our entry into cottages as well as drawing-rooms, to be read by people of all Christian denominations, to be of no class, of no sect, of no party, but belonging to all and profitable to all-such is our aim. Strachan & Co., 50 St. Peter's Street, Montreal, or W. C. Chewett & Co., Toronto. $1.75 per annum. XI. Departmental Notices. COMMON SCHOOL MANUAL FOR UPPER CANADA. A copy of the last edition of the Common School Manual for Upper Canada, is supplied gratuitously to all new School Sections in Upper Canada. To other Sections the price is thirty-five (35) cents, including postage, which is now payable in advance. THE SUNDAY MAGAZINE. 15 Cents a Month; $1.75 a Year; Profusely illustrated. Edited by Thomas Guthrie, D.D., Author of "The Gospel in Ezekiel," "Speaking to the Heart," &c. Magazine for the Fireside and the Journey. They are published by Alex. THE ARGOSY. 15 Cents a Month; $1.75 a Year; Illustrated. A Strahan & Co., 56 Ludgate Hill, London, England; Canada Branch, 50 St. Peter Street, Montreal. Messrs. Strahan & Co. will send specimen copies free, and offer one of the elegantly bound volumes of "Good Words," or nish a Bookseller with Five new Subscribers. Club terms on application the "Sunday Magazine," or an additional copy to any one who will fur at 50 St. Peter Street, Montreal. ADVERTISEMENTS inserted in the Journal of Education for 20 cents per line, which may be remitted in postage stamps, or otherwise. TERMS: For a single copy of the Journal of Education, $1 per annum, back vols., neatly stitched, supplied on the same terms. All subscriptions to commence with the January Number, and payment in advance must in all cases accompany the order. Single numbers, 10 cents each. All communications to be addressed to J. GEORGE HODGINS, 11.8. Education Office, Toronto, LOVELL AN @IBSON, PRINTERS, YONGE STREET, TORONTO. CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER: I. THE RECENT COUNTY SCHOOL CONVENTIONS IN UPPER CANADA.- III. PAPERS ON EDUCATION IN CANADA.-(Education in Lower Canada. IV. PAPERS ON AGRICTLTURE IN SCHOOLS.-(1) Natural History and V. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.-No. 16. The Rev. Dr. Atkinson. 17. Rev. 33 Canada. No. 3. PAGE cussing certain improvements in the machinery of the present law. He had taken a similar course before the passing of the Common School Law in 1850, before the establishment of Public School Libraries, before the passing of the Supplementary Act in 1853, and the School Law Amendment Act of 1860. Before laying the foundation of our present system of Public 37 Instruction, he had visited every country in which there was a regularly established system of education, in search of information. He regretted that the multiplicity of his labours precluded his visiting each portion of the Province more than once in five years, and the present he expected to be his last official visit. But before making any additional improvements in the present Public School Law, he had thought it but fair to consult the country on a matter in which all were so deeply interested, aud to embody in a bill the views of the principal educationists, expressed at these conventions, as far as practicable. 41 43 44 46 47 THE RECENT COUNTY SCHOOL CONVENTIONS IN TOPICS FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE CONVENTIONS. In accordance with the circular from the Chief Superintendent of Education, published in this Journal for December, the several County School Conventions have been held, and the result said, was to consider the expediency of substituting Township The chief object of these School Conventions, Dr. Ryerson has been most satisfactory and encouraging. The attendance Boards of Education for the present system of School Section generally was large, including persons from various parts of each Trustee Corporations in Upper Canada, and to see how far the County. The greatest interest was felt by those present, at this School System itself might be further improved. He also proofficial visit of the Chief Superintendent, as by this mutual con- ceeded to explain the principles upon which our Common School ference and consultation, difficulties were removed, objections system was based-each county, township, city, and village answered, and all parties more closely united in the promotion having the management of its own schools, irrespective of of that great and patriotic object-the education of the youth of Upper Canada. At each Convention the Chief Superintendent delivered an address, explanatory of the objects of his tour, as well as of the steps which had been taken by the Educational Department, since his last visit, to supply the wants, and to elevate the character and condition, of the Public Schools. The address also contained such practical suggestions and remarks as were deemed appropriate to the occasion. The substance of this address, and other information, we give below. The resolutions passed at the several meetings will be given in our next number. REASONS FOR HOLDING THESE SCHOOL CONVENTIONS. In commencing his remarks, Dr. Ryerson said that: Before submitting to the Government a draft of a bill for the further improvement of the Public Schools, he felt it to be his duty to hold these County Conventions for the purpose of dis Governmental interference. The principles and practice of free government were thus brought home to each man's door. He further remarked that there were three subjects which he thought should engage the attention of the present meeting. A fourth has also been suggested during the course of the tour. The first would be, to consider any suggestions which may be made for the amendment of the School Law, for the improvement of the schools, for the diffusion of education, and for the extension and usefulness of prize books and public libraries. The second would be, to consider, especially, whether or not it would be desirable to have one Board of School Trustees for each Township, as there is one Board of Trustees for each City, Town, and Incorporated Village in Upper Canada-thus putting an end to the trouble and disputes arising from School Section divisions and alterations, the election of Section Trustees, and the levying and collecting of School Section rates, &c., greatly simplifying the machinery of the School System, leaving RESPECTFUL TREATMENT OF THE TEACHER BY PARENTS. to parents a larger discretion as to the selection of a school for their the affection of their pupils, so as to command respect and attention, children, and giving greater permanency to the situation of teachers. they would be in a position to exert the best influences for the eduIn several of the neighbouring States, where the system of Town- cation of the youth in their charge. ship Boards of School Trustees has been established in the place of School Section Trustees, the advantage is said to be immense. The Township Board would, of course, appoint for each school a Visiting Committee of three, who would visit the school from time to time, and report annually, or oftener, its state and progress to the Board. The third would be, to consider whether each Municipal Council should not be invested with power to bring to account and punish by fine, or require to work on the roads, parents who do not send their children, between the ages of seven and fifteen years, to some school, at least four months in the year. The fourth subject proposed was the alteration in the constitution of the County Boards of Public Instruction, so as to simplify the present mode of granting certificates to common school teachers. THE EDUCATION OF THE YOUTH OF CANADA THE GREAT OBJECT IN It is also necessary for parents to speak of the teacher in terms of MODIFICATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM The subject of education has very properly engaged the attention of our Government to a very considerable extent, and has formed a prominent part in their policy. Changing circumstances render constant modifications necessary. What is applicable at one time is not applicable at another, because as before remarked, it was necessary from time to time to introduce alterations which the progress of the country rendered necessary. Wants not originally felt when our School System was first inaugurated, have been felt of late, and those wants have been supplied. We had now advanced another step when it seemed proper once again to pause and inquire whether anything could be done to improve the system and render it more efficient. It was believed that hitherto the system had been on the whole decidedly popular, and the progress so far highly satisfactory. STATISTICAL PROGRESS OF THE UPPER CANADA SCHOOL SYSTEM. The object which the Government, the Legislature, and the Department has in view, is the education of the youth of Canada, and it is one in which every person is concerned. Our system of government is so framed that in proportion to a man's property, so do his interests and burthens of responsibility to it increase, and the greater a man's property, the greater is his personal interest in the training and moral culture of the rising generation. Great pains have been taken in framing and in the administration of the School system of Canada, not only by visiting other countries and inquiring into their system of education, and adopting what was best in them, but also by visiting the various counties of Upper Canada and inquiring into the circumstances and wishes of the respective communities. It had been felt by him that a mere theoretical system was not sufficient, inasmuch as different communities, subject to the constantly changing influences of a progressive country, require changes in their educational institutions. For it must not be forgotten that though the general system of law and government are When the school system commenced, 96,756 pupils were taught; in many respects essentially the same, they must ever be adapted now there were no less than 385,800. The amount expended for the to the peculiar feelings and interests of the people for whose protec-payment of teachers during the first year of the present system was tion and benefit they are instituted; and the same rule applies to $206,856, last year the salaries of teachers amounted to $1,080,66. the educational system. In order, therefore, to obtain a full insight The amount expended for all purposes during the first year was into the wants of the people, he had thought it best from time to $295,897. Last year no less a sum than $1,330,608, was expended time to hold meetings similar to this, which was the fourth visit of for educational purposes. These statistics are highly gratifying, the kind which he had made.* It is assumed by all that it is the showing that a very great advancement has been made in our eduduty of every country to educate its youth, and it is also assumed cational system. It was to be hoped that the period was not far that it is the duty of every parent to co-operate in doing so. If a distant when the beneficial effects of this extended education would father were to mutilate his child he would be liable to the penal be felt throughout the country, and that complaints might no longer laws of the land, but how far more culpable that man who mutilates be heard of the nature "with which" said Dr. Ryerson, "I have the immortal part of his child's nature, who by neglecting to do been assailed during the past week," of the inefficiency of persons what lies in his power to provide for his mental training, reduces appointed to municipal offices, and other important offices of public him almost to the level of a barbarian! trust. The number of schools in operation when the present system came into force was 2,610, now there are 4,360. There are other matters connected in some degree with our School System, the progress of which was equally gratifying, and as the increase in school house accommodations, the number of maps, &c., which had been procured, and the establishments of libraries. The latter was an institution of comparatively recent date, but no less than 212,423 volumes of instructive reading had been put into circulation in connection therewith. EDUCATION OF CHILDREN ONE OF THE FIRST DUTIES OF PARENTS. Dr. Ryerson next proceeded to urge parents to consider it as one of their first duties to give their children such an education as would enable them to take care and make a proper use of property that might be left to them, or what they might make themselves by their own industry. He was rather against parents leaving their sons large fortunes, as it led them to be idle and careless, and sometimes dissipated, but considered it to the advantage of parents to settle a dowry on their daughters, as they generally took better care of it. He said he knew many young men who had received large fortunes from their parents, and had sunk into obscurity, while those that had been brought up to industrious pursuits in agriculture, &c., had made fortunes for themselves, and were among the first men of the country. COMPULSORY EDUCATION OF VAGRANT CHILDREN. One subject which had lately commanded a very great deal of consideration, both from the Government and from the people, was the question as to the course to be adopted in reference to children who were entirely neglected by their parents. The word "compulsory" he knew had not the most agreeable sound in the ears of many individuals. It was thought by some to be an interference INFLUENCE OF AN ATTRACTIVE SCHOOL-HOUSE AND A GOOD TEACHER. with personal liberty and parental right. But the proposal was It was highly desirable to remove, as far as possible, all obstacles founded on public expiendency and the principles of justice between that might interfere with the education of youth. The very place man and man. The system was carried out with greater rigour in of instruction should be rendered as attractive as possible. If the Switzerland, which was even a more democratie country than the school-house should happen to be the meanest house in the neigh- United States, than in any other part of Europe or America. The bourhood, as it not unfrequently was, the impression of the children Swiss felt that the general education of the people was so essential attending it would naturally be that it was one of the meanest to the maintenance of their liberty, that they looked upon man as things in the world to attend school. It was requisite that the inte- an enemy to the country, and as liable to the penal laws of the Canrior of the school-house should be rendered as clean and comfortable ton in which he lived, who did not educate his children. The same as possible. There was much true philosophy in the erection of a regulation existed in some of the Eastern States. The principal on good school-house. Teachers, also, should be the most attractive which compulsory education was founded was this: The ratepayer persons in the estimation of their pupils. They should see to it that justly said,-"If the state compels me to pay taxes for the education they conducted themselves in their bearing and their whole manner of all the youth in the state, I have a right to demand of the state towards the school children as kindly as possible; for the art of kind-in return that it shall see that all the youth are educated." If the ness would surely make itself felt, and when teachers had secured Viz.: in 18 1853, and 1860, see account of the proceedings at these Conventions in the Journal of Education for those years. parent were so inhuman as to deny the child the education which was so necessary for the proper discharge of its future duties, the community had a right to step in between the unnatural parent and the defenceless child, to secure to the child its inherent rights. |