IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I a-illM IIIIIUJ. J 50 rs IM IIIII2.2 IM 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 i.6 ^ ( v — ► V} ^ /} ^^^ e>M o-s ■% . ^rl ^f, ^A / 'f w Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 672-4503 ^^^ ^^ V "o^ % ^^ ^(>- .^^ % %' m. mp, % / .<$> ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH ColEection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microrcproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques «; is O \ i> ©1981 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques at bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. 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Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre film^s d des taux de rdducticn diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul clich6, il eat film6 d partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de geuche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcussaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 IRi Betu TMH] IRAMMAR SCHOOL SYSTEM Of ONTARIO -♦•«■►■•- A (JORRESPONDENCE Betiveen the Board of Trustees of the Clinton Connty Grammar School AND TIIIC REV. E. RYERSON, D. D., OHIEF SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION. CHnton* 1IG*PRINTBD IFROIW THE ^'CI^lflTOlV MEW ERA/' 1868. u % G A 1 i .: » TiilE I I GRAMMAR SCHOOL SYSTEM «GF O N T A R I O . . -'( ' \. ^ al 'i V !• i A ? 'i -- ■ i ; r ' ^ Correspondence hetween the Boai^d of Trus- '<-Je£s of the Clinton County Grammar School i" I Am) THE , . . . 1 •■ REV. E. RYEJISON, D.D„ 1,'. )o ',\-- '■ ;■■■!'<) ' ' ' CtMIEF SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION. n- ;)l 1.1 f^^2^i3n.i SIE-PRINTED FRO^t TflE CLINTON "NEW ERA.»» 1868. •!"? i-"^- m 'I ■i;/ J? t ''i< .>i s.-*^ ^*t.7'' fc .i » ■ PREFATORY NOTE. Prior to the year 1866 the Legislativa grant for Grammar Schools, commonly calied the Grammar School Fund, was dif«« fribiiled among tiie counties of Upper Canada in proportion to their population. In 1865, the Act for the improvement of Grammar Scliools was paf«sed, which pro- vides tliat the grant shall be distributed upon the basis of the daily average attend- ance of pupils in each school. In 1866, the grant was so apportioned, being dis- tributed according to the average attend- ance of pupils, without distinction of sex. In 1867 the ratio of apportionment for girls Was reduced by the Departm'jnt of Public Instruction (with uo new authotity from the Legislature) to one half of that for boys ; and in the present year the apportionment for girls has been discontinued altogether. In 1865, the Council of Public Instruo- tion promulgated a revised ♦* Programme of Studies " with a system of " Regulation* for the Government of Grammar Schools."* By these regulations it was provided that, after the first day of January, 1866, no Bchool should be entitled to rc^ceive any portion of the Grammar School Fund unless it had a daily average atten(!ance of at least ten pupils learning Greek or Latin. These circiimstances have given rise to the following correspondetice. « » ■^.'■■■fi'' H,y ^1 for boya ; rtioninent Itogether. Instruo- ogramme jgulationi' Schools.' ided that, 1866, DO !eiro any ind unless nee of at a<- isfy us that the new rvgulaiioii it legal. The directions of the Act are clear and precise, — that the apportionment shall be made *• upon the basis of the daily average attendance^ at each Grammar ibchuol, of pupils in the programme of studies pre- scribed according to law for Grammar Sclwols." It is plain that girls pursuing the prescribed programme of Ktudie^ ai« (in a legal sense) either " pupils " or not ♦* pupils." If ihey are pupils, their attend- ance should be reckoned in tull ; if they are not pupils, their attendance slioiild not he reckoned at alL The new regulation is evidently in direct coniiict with the injunc- tions of the Legislature, which has no- where given authority to any individual or board to pronounce two pupils of one class «r sex to be equal to one pupil of another clasi or sex. We submit that no power Jess than the Legislature itscltcan do this. And we further submit that the Legislature has not auihoriKed the exclusion of girls either from the Grammar Schools or from the benefit of the apportioum«nt. The phraseology of the Stalntes relating to this apportionment is precisely the same as that of the ninety- first section of the Corainou School Act, which prescribes tkat the Lo- cal Superintendent shall apportion the com- mon school fund money among tlM M'hool sections " according l« the rates of the average attendance of pupils at each com- mon school." We can see no reason why th« word •' pupils " should in one Act ha .;! lAe\d to nitiar. boyH nm\ ii'\t\s, ami in the otiier Act boys uiily. Tliuru is iiu intima- tion whatever in any part uf uither uf the CJrammar School Acts that the benefits of ihoHB schools are to be restricted to male pupils. Our Grammar tjohools are not, like ihoce of (ireat Hritain, foiMnled by private muuificeuce. They are originateii and supported mainly from' mnniutpal and Provinoitti grants, derived from itn- po8t8 levied upon the wtiole comn^unity. To exclude from the benefits of these Hchools those tax-payers who have only (laughters to be eduxjated would- seem tu be a stretch of authority which nothing but tlte plain declaration of the legislative will oan warrant. It may be further observed that if any. evilb result from allowing boys and girls- oi the v.fie of those cuminonly attending, Grammar Schools to bo taught together^ these evils will not be diminitdiud, but rather increased, by excluding girls from those sohools. Upon such excluaiiun, tht) girls will, in general, be at onoe sent back. to the Common School, where they will usually be placed' in the first or highest olasf- The boys in this class (pupils in- the Common Sohools being received to the age of twenty,- one) will ordinarily be of about the same age as the boys in the Grammar School. The teacher, having. many younger pupils to' attend to, cannoL, however efficient atul well disposed, exerr cise the same complete and careful superr mteiidenoa over the pupils in the higher class as the Grammar School Master would be able to exercise over his school. To send back the girls from the Grammar to the Common School would therefore neces- sarily lead to the inference that the De- partment of Public Instruction is only an;A- lous about the character and demeanour of the pupils in Grammar Schools, and is in- dif.eient about those important subjects iti' Common Schooli>. We hasten to express our' conviction that this inference would be entirely un- just. On the contrary, we feel assured that in all which has been done in thid matter, the Department of Public Instruc- tion has acted with the sole view of pro- moting the educational interests of all classes. Especially we have, as a Board, to express our grateful sense of the atten- tion and kindnese with which our efforts on behalf of the school entrusted to our charge have been constantly aided and encouraged by yourself and. the able and •Bteemed Deputy Superinleudant. Beiug placed in a situation in which thp injurious working of the new regulation, and ith utter ineflicieticy for any good purpoDe, becorna evident, we have deemed it our duty tO' bring to your attention the conclusions' whioh have been fuiced upon us. We have not thought it n.^cessary to en- ter into the general question whether girls< and boys uf the age of! those who u>iually attend Grammar Schools should, or should not, be taught together, because, as has- been before observed, if girls are excluded^ from the Grammar Schools, they will for tho most' part be sent back to be taught with boys of the same age in the Common iScliooIs. It may, however, be observe(f that in mcst Grammar Schools and in- some Colleges in the United Stales, pupils nf Loth sexes are taught together, with no injurious results, so far as is known. And. as regardsthe present tendency of opinion' in Great Britain, no better evidence can be cited than that of Eai't Russell. At thw recent chsiribution of prizes in connection with the Birkbeck f^iierary and Scientifio Institution, that eminent statesman made some remarks on this subject which (with' their reception by the audience)' are thus- reported : — '- There i.s one plament Iliat ha» been conifantly a part of the nirlcl)eolf hi.iuiijlion, which Tthoutd iilteto- iiiiticu — viz : thai lailie..ii .as well,a« guntlemen, are ad- mitted to share in the iidvanlageu offered. I caiiiiol think that a knowledge of arithmetic, or an acquaint- ance with tbe vc-riotv< br uches of literature, wilt at uU injure that doinestic economy of which ladies are gene-- rally expected to be perfect mi.'tfesMPS; (Cheer*). On the coiitrnry, l-slm-jld think that anything llial sharpen* the iiitcllipeude, imi>art!cope.lo the mental faculties, i"< likely to improve the ciipa^-ity ofladies, as well an that of men, in anything they may undertake. (Cheers). The very interesting report, which gives an account of Mr. Fm-- ser's journey to the United iSlates mid Canada, telli" us something 0,1 this point. It fay-.-^-that in the schools and oollegei* he visited, youiig.ladies are allowed to com- pete with young men (or the highest prizes ; and he niemions that the ftr.it on thelist of one institution, with regard to Greek Hutlimrs) were' three young ladies, with regard to l.«tin aulh'irs were two young ladies, and I think Ihrcb young ladies stood f.rst for the math«- niallcal piize-. (Cheers). 1 aii/ very glad that this in- stitut'on so long ago had that. right n4)preciatioii of the talents of ladies; and 1 trust ihat we shall find that, whether our friend Mr. Milf succeeds in his schema or not— (laugl.tcr and .cheers)— the ladies at all events will go on gainrtig these prizes for learning of various kiijds. 1 am sure those prizes that have been gained in English hi.-itory, f&rinsiance. will he of great use in leaching the lovers and husbands, and harcalter sons of thoso ladies, a knowledge of Knglish history which may guide them ill their political (-areer- •« l;nowledge in which, I am sorry to say. the gentlemen of tins country are not seldom wanting. (Laughter and cheers). In conclusion we beg to state that of the- girls who are studying Latin in our school,, some are preparing to be teachers ; and' others are inlluericed by the desire of. their parents that they should d8riy.8 ev^jry poa- I I I e injurious III ith uttar H, becorne ur duly tO' loiiclusionS' H'iiry to en- lelher girls' lio u»UHlly or should i^e, an ha»- o exclu(l«• which may guide viedge ill which, I IS country ars not eers). ate that of the- 1 in our school, lenchers ; and; desire of. thuir iyjQ ev<3ry pea- Bible advaiituge from the iiiHtructiou given in the school. It in the opinion of many that the learning and teacliiii;r of language are peculiarly .i[)prt;priate to llie capacity and province of the female uex. In the natural couree ot eyentn, ulinuKt every vt'oman in destined to become a teacher of language, at lea.st within her own family. ThoHe who have eiijoyi d the benelils of a superior education, such as iu given in the Grammar tichools, will not only be tlie bebt ini«tructor« of their children, but will be the mo«t anxious that these should en> jpy the like benefits. And instetid of the education of girls in our Grammar i'SchooU pi'oving to be an injury to those schools, it may be confidently anticipated that both^ the Grnmmar Schools and the Universities- of ihu Dominion will at a future day be iii» debted fur no small iiicreaae in the num- bers of thttir students lo the anxiety of the.* go be*- yond the lirst or second declension. It ifr also urged th.it if the (iiammar School Fund be apportioned according to the average atteiulimce o! boys only, then all- Grammar Sclinoltf will be treated alike ;; and if the tiii.slees and masters of some Grammar Schools think propor to admit' Rirls, they can do so,^ and charge such fees for their attendance as they please. It is- also urged that the English branches of edk- uca'iori are less efficiently taught in the* (ckammar Schools than in the common> Hchools. Whatever was done in regard to appor- tioning the Grammar School Fund for ths' current year was done during my absenoa- in Europe ; and under the circumstances, P have felt it my duty to get the legal opin- ion and advice of the law officers of the' Crown befoie finally deciding on the qu«s-- tion. I have the honor to be, &c., E. Ryjihson,- No. III. Extract from a "Circular" to the Chair- man of the Board of Common School Trus- tees at Clinton : — Sir.—* * I regret to observe that the evil of inducing girls to i;uter the Grammar .Sclu a\s, with the apparent object o unduly sv.elling the numher of pupils, lius not diminished but has ir.cre.ased, although there are slill several schoi 'Is which are not open lo this reproach, it thercfort) liecomes the duly of the Deparlinent, in its adniinislrmion of the law, lo lake care ihril no encDur- agenieut is olfered to a course of aclion which is coii- iriiry to the intenliou of the Grainiiiar Sdiool L*iw and Regulnlions, and injurious to the best iiiteresl* of the saaoois and pupils. The law invests school trustees with ample power* for the estahli^hmc'it and miiinlcimnce of schools or <>b-- partments ot -school u which girls, who have passedi through the elenieniary common school studies, may obtain that higiier culture and iMStruction which they may re(juire. But the orgaiiizalionand studies of the- grammar schools are not adapted for mixed classes oP grown up girls and boys, nor is it desirable that buclv mixed classes should exist. Tlitt iivatier is of so serious an aspect, that I fslt it my duly to co'isult the princpial law officer of the Crown im thi* I'r.ivince as to the proper interpretaticn of the law,- and the following is the interpretation he has given >—■ '• My inierprelalion of the Grammar School Act in relii-- tioii to the iiuesiion subrailtiid by you is that boys al(Nb»' (^ Rhimlil \m utiiiiiltuil to thoxe scIiimiU, nnil ihiil cnnxn. (lamilly. tin' nriiHiiiuir ScIikhI KiiihI \v:ih iiili-iulcil fur tliM cImkmicuI. iiiiillieiimlical, iiiiil IiikIkt l'iii;(lii«li filiicu- tiiiii of lK>y»." It ttivriri'iini liocinie my diiir. nx lhu> iiiiiiriicl?il, id U|t|ii>riiitn tlic i;riiiil nf !hfl8 mi'ihi' Iia>i4 nt' tin: tioys' Ht- ipmWlli'v KriHii llin chut, ii-* wi'll ii.« Irmn liic iisiiul (luCllllltlllllK III lIlL* HlttrnillllKT. III!' irrHllHIn Kiillll- uflllli nclniillH iiro iim'cSNiirily iliiiiiiiiNlitil. wliilf in ulln^r ciwrH lliey nrc lilrn-ii'dMl lhi« Vfur. Km whcio liirifi' ri'diic. tiiiiK wi-ri.' thus ri'(|iiircil in ccrlHiii u|i|iiii'liiiiiiiii'iiti iih ciiiii|iari'il Willi tlioni! of tin- nrr 'fdiiijf \ cur. lli« i>|Hru- liiiii iif tlic Inw liiti* liucii rciiucrcil iih I 'vnnihli! n» pnit- ail)le to tin: hcIIoiiUiiikI liiiliviiliiiilH conccriicil. Tlii» ifTuiil U' your •cllool, I'or ISHS. will he tit tlic riilo of iwi' liiiiiilrcii iiii:1 tvVmity-l'ciur ilidliirH per iiiiiium, for the liorioi) (lilriiij; vvliicll il Is kepi (tpcii, wi'li itio re- quIrcK nvrrauH nMcmlnnce, ni'd rniiiliivtfd Hpoorditig lt» inw ; Riiil the niiiiiIIi-hi iiiiii rc(|Hirecl to he riimed iitldtT lh« Kill Hcciiiiii uliiive i|iicited, wiltiiii Ihu ytior, i* one hi'iiilred iiiiil twelve dolliir*. Ill the c<.iir«e of ili« piwi two yeBM, the lyitoin of lo- cnl iiiiiiiii ip.il mippiirt. U'< wii< expscted, tmii lienii very fCeiiiTHllv uilopied. a. id it i« to lie hoped that it will lit'iiet'forlli lie «i fur iiiiiliired nn to l(ir>fely iiicreajic tha MieiiiH for the support el' (intiiiiiior .Sehnuls and their Miinter". II mii-t lie rrmniiiliereil (Iml t'lilly equipped mid efliciciit (jruiiiiimr Nehooir un^ iik "^Heiitial h piirt of H complete «yii( III of piililiu trducaiioii ai are tli« Conimoii School* Ihemnelvus. • • • • . I have, kc„ K. Uykrion. Kdnrjjtioii Office, Toronto, May, 1868. , | *-^~— — — — ■ , .., No. IV. Ci.tNTriN, July '20, 1868. itev. /v*. RyofKon, D I)., C/ti'f Snperin- tendcnl of F'duccUian, 'I'Dronlo, Sir, — Tlio Baanl of Tiuslees of the Clintun Grurntnar School have the honor to acknowlHcigH the leceipi of your ciicu'ar of May last, aiinoutidiii^ that'ihe apportion- ment of tho f^tigislative j^'rant tor Grammar Schools will be tnacle for the current y«ar on the basih of the boys' attemlaiice, ex- cluding the girls from any participation in ihe benefit of thin grai. And we have alBO to ackncw ledge the receipt of youf letter of the 30lh of December last, (ad- uiKcil iiiidiir 'unr, IK uiie yxtoin i»f lo- itM henii very Dial it will iiicrt'Bic ihe h ami tliiMr lly rqiiipprd iitiul a iMirt lit uri) tli« Uykr^on. f'd to gi^s' upinion eiilioii of and npirit (irammar 1011 in ac- 5a illegal^ intereals ing thefle iitHiided to iiy whose rt. Every f well as iive value) 3 reversed, I new hear- it, is pre- n now re- was both A y shown by Down to accustomed relating to r as author- I as well as at interpre- b urjjcd, it masters of» cclude girls) It from the umber who have been of the In- r 1866 that e number oC pupils. W^ litve »vwry rniihon to bolit>ve that the general opinion of triinti'OM and inaAierH ihroiiirhoiK the province wa^, and ix, i)tr(iiiou»ond girls, who are now receiving ilio benefit of the supe> rior education conferred by thosu schools, will henceforth be deprived of it. Tlio evil, however, will not be limited merely to th;; injury which these pupils will suffer. For a reason which, we fear, has not been taken into vikw, the exclu- sion ol gills from Grammar Schools will l>o a step most injurious to the cause of public education in tins Province. As you are doubtless awa.e, the (irammar Schools have become of late years, in a peculiar de- gree, the seminaries of common school teachers. At least one third of the pupils, both male and lemald, who attend our own school, do so with the idea of becoming horeiitter teachers in the common schools ; and this proportion will probably hold gwod in all the Grammar Schools of the Province. The education given in those schools, Ifiough defective (as we shall havu occa- tion 10 point out) in certain branches vrhich the Legislature specially prescribed for them, IS much better ai'- pled than that of the common schools fo. ilip instruction of teachers, for two almost self-eviiient rea- sons. In the first place, the masters, be- ing nearly all university graduates^ are ne- cessarily for the most part men of higher and more varied culture than the teachers of common schools; and, in the second place, Latin and French are taught in those schoola, and not in the common schools. There are few who are not avnre how im- poriani to one who intends to be a teacher of the English language is a knowledge of the elements of those two tongues, from which the English is in such large meas- ure derived, it is for this advantage more especially, as we have reason to know, that many girls have hitherto attended the Giaminar Schools, from wfiich it would seem they are now to be expelled. It appears by the report for 1866 that the total number of common school teachers in, Ontario was in that year 4,789, of whom 2,925 were males, and 1,864 females. The member in that year who received certiti- '8 ;!f catefl from the Normal School (in both vessiofifl) was J85, of whom 72 we;e males »nd 113 lemales. It is quite eviilenc that ithe NorMal i^chooi, however vaiuahle in «otri raspects, can do but little tovmrds Bupplying the large and inoreafeing demand for wolleducated common school teachers — eepecially when it is considered that a considerable proportion of ihose who re- ceive certificates .from the Normal Schuol do not continue to follow the profession of leacher. It further appears from the same report that the number of male teachers in the Province wus diminishing, and that of f«- ma\e .eachers was increasing. This re- ■sult corresponds with what has occuried ©Isev'here. In the newer portions of the (United States the male teachers are most Jiumeroup ; while in the older Slates the number" of female teachers largely .pre- . dominates, Thus in lllinoi,^ we iftnd that in I86'i, there were 7^713 male teachers and 7,381 4'emale teachers ; while in the Slate of New York,. in the same year, there vrere 7,585 male teachers &nd 18,915 fe- .■male teachers ; and in . Massachusetts, in ■fjie same year, there were 1,508 male rteacners and 4,856 female teachers. The •causes which have produced these re- .Bults in the United States are undoubtedly •operating here. We may anticipate n.at before many years the female teachers -will be at least two-thiids of the whole .number engaged in that calling in this Province. If girls are allowed to remain jn the Grammar Schools, it is probable Jthat the greater number of these teacliers fwi'l receive in those schools their mo«t (Valuable instruction. We may therefore ■ytirh reason ask what sevirer injury >co!dd be ioflicteU on the caufse of popular -^duc-'ion in this ctuiitry than the exclu- sion ot female pupils from those schools ? Another and a very serious injur;' Mhich •wiil result trom the exclusion ot girls from Grammar Schools will be found in the loss fCf those advantages which aiise from edu- cating the s.jxes tt-.gether, as in the com- mon schools. It IS only of late years that ^he peculiar benefits, both intellectual and moral, of this syslen^ of "mixed ediina- 'tiop," if we may so term it, as contrasted With the Oriental system of separation, have been understood and appreciated. "Lest our own opinions might be suspected •of bia«, we prefer to cite on this po nt, not ^he theoretical views, but the actual ex- perience ot intplligenl men who have test- '<©d tke eystem in the mother -co.iutry, as given in the recent report of the *' Schools Inquiry Commission" for 1868. Not hav- ing access to the report itself, we are in- debiod for our informatioii to the extracts from it which are given in an article on '* Country Grammar Schools" in filack- wood's Magazme for Mav, 1868. In re- gard to the school at Abbot's Ann, the fact .is mentioned that ^* the girls are taught the same sul^jects and in the same classes as the boys ; and .that the effect of this ia, according to the »vidence ot the Rector and chief manager, the Hon. S. Best, that *' it raises the tone of the school altogeth- er.' " Similar evidence is given in regard to the school lately established at Calling* ton, in Cornwall, a country town of about 2,000 inhabitants, by the Roctor, the Rev.. F. V, Thornton. The children of every class in the town, both boys and ^irls (in- cluding the Rector's own children) pre ed- ucated in the school, fiolh Latin and Greek are taught, as well as French and some iGerman, and the English branches;^ in tact, it is described is '* the usual Gram- mar School course." A boy at this school got upon the foundation at Eton, and the pupil who was next to him in point of pro- ficiency was a eiri, the daiighler of a la- borer. Mr. Thornton's testimony as to the good effects proceeding from the mix- lure of the two sexes is strong and (con- sidering that his own children were in the school and that he had every opportunity of elud.yirig the results,) mueJ be deemed •mo-tt impoitant and satisfactory. These results-(in his own words.) are a '* decidsd increase of manliness among the boys, and of gentleness among the girls." He adcis.: " A Marlborough ' .ast«r, on taking rharf^e of our school, said he had no notion that bojs could work, aill he had tried theta workir;^ withgirls. The greater diligence of »he girls tells so much upon the boys, while the greater depth of the boys tells on the girls." 'On another still more import- ant point Mr Thornton'^ evio-snce is very striking. He says:— "The school being mixed produces an enormous improvemant in purity both of boys and girls ; it is difli- cnlt to i«nv of whicli most ; because girls* schools are on the whole rather worse than boys' schools in that respect.'* ' In \.jvr of thirt latter evitlence, we musX refer to the suggestion in your recent cir- cular that " the law invests school truslees with ample powers for the establirdimeiil and maiiiteiiance of scho .1m •■ departtnentrt of sc!i(y(»ls in which girls, who hare paMsed through the elem(!iitiiry cammoii MiUudl I J th« are be nu in pei re un 01 ou tei kr as it Tl oft arl ♦♦ JSchdols Not hay- e are in- exirauts Lrticle on n Black- '. Ih re- I, the fact taught the lassea aa f this ia, 19 Rector Best, that altogeih- in regard t Calling- ot about the Rev^ of every 1 itirls (in- jn) pre ed- Latin and rench and branches:; auni Gram- this schooi 1, and the oint of pro- of a la- lony as to 1 the mix- and (con- were in the opportunity be deemed )ry. Thestf a " decidsd e boys, and ' He adds.: king charge notion that tried Ihein er diligence I the boys, boys tells on ore import- nce is very chool beip}; mprovemarrt ) ; it is difH- ?an.se girls' r worne than ce, we mnrt recent cir- hooi trus'iee*! FttablirjIiriiHiit (lupurttnentfl hare pasHed laim MC'huMl fitiidien may obtain that hii;her culture and in.Hirnclion which they may require." We may observe, in the tirst place, that it is exceedingly docbtftrl if ihe establishment 6f neparate dchooU for girl^ would be de- sirable, in the second place, if su-eh fichuoir WHre establinhed, the means of Affirdiiig them that special tnistruction in Latin nnd French which they obtain in (iran titit Schnols, and which is so usef'i! m tili-...g thmrr for the vocalion of tearjhers, conid only be obtained at an expense #hrch few local eichool boards would venture upon, — and an expfusa, we may add, which, as h would be partly fur a Proviiicia' object, phou Id in just ice,' be partly botne f#onni a Provincial fund. Finally^ and above all, this authority for e'stabliflhing what may be termed " hi'.jh sfthools for girls," is by the corcmon school law restricted to "the school truste«ff in cities, town^ and incorporat- ted tillages," (Manual for 1864, p. 71,) and is there given, We may observe, only m a Vague and general clause, empowerino the trustev s *' io determine th;f if»*inber, sites, kind and deticription of schot>ls to be es- tablished in the city, town, and village." According to the latest Ci'nsus, the total population of the Province of Ontario, was (in round numbers,) 1.396,000, while the aggregate pi^polation of ther cities, towns, and incorporated villages » ?he Province was only 258,000 ; thus leaving the large number of 1,138,000 persons who have no authority for establishing such schools, even it they were deemed desirable. These are all tax-payers, contributing to the provincial and county j^rantsfor Gram- mar Schools, from whose benefits, so far as the education ot girls is concerned, they are hepceforwanJ to be debarred. We must be allowed to say, on behalf of the large numbeir of ta*-payers in this county, whom in this respect we represent, that we cannot perceive the equity of this arrangement. Great, however, as will be the evils and the injustice resulting from ths exclusion of gii-ls from these schools, still, if the law requires it^ we must of course, however reluctantly. Conform to this requirement, until the legislature shall see fit to decide otherwise;. We proceed, however, to give our reasons for believing that the new in- terpretation of the law, now firbt made known to us, is erroneous, and that r^r c'lty as trustees requires us to disregard it until it shall be confirmed by a judicial djcinion. The two statutes which comprise the whole of the law relating to Grammar Schools ar« of no great length. They occupy but about twelve ordinary octavo pases.- Thf/ are plainly written, comprising no» peculiar legal or technical terms^ We see no reacron why any person of ot''-- nariiy gr.ud judgment, tamili ir with s.io nonfitruetion and r: placed an interpretation upon them in re- gard to the admission of girls directly op- posite to that recently given to it by tno legijj anthorrty t) whonj yott refer. You have been, as we think we miy Venture to infer, worried Fiito partially admitting llw other viev^ by the persistefnt urgency of a few partisans cf the separate system, whose arguments yoo tdduce in your letter of last l)3cember. We must be permitted to say that we consider your original opinion to be the right one ; and ihe fact that yots formed it and acted upon it before the op- posite pariy had time to disturb your judg- ment by (heir clamors, is a strong evidence of its correctness.^ On an examination of these statutes, tha fact which first strikes us is that there is not in either of them a single word directly referring to the MX of the persons who are to receife instruction in the Grammar Schools These are usually formed •' pu- pils" — in one pUce " scholars," and in another " children." These words, •« pu- pils" and " children," are the same thfct are used in the Common School Act. If it was intended to confine the benefits of the Grammar Schools to boys, it is not easy to understand why proper words should not have been used to express this intention.' As we are thus left to gather the inten- tion of the Legislature from^ other indica- 'ior.s, there is one which should not b9 disregarded. Wh^n the act .^f 1865 tor the improvement of Grammar Schools waa passed— the act under which the appor- tionment is now made— girls were admit- ted as pupils to most of the schools. This fact must have been well known to the L»- gislature, as neveral memberf of Parlia- ment were, or had been, members of Gram- mar School $oards — ^a fact which is doubt- less within your own cognizance, ft can hardly be doobted that many members cf that Parliament had among the pupiln daughters, or other near relatives of the same sex. Is it credible that this Parlia- roant would have intentionally pas««d an id Act excluding two thousand girls from th« sd vantages of tlial superior ediicalioa wbicli they were then obtaining in liiese schooU, without malsing any provision againul the •injury thus infliuted ? In point ot fact, they* did no iiuch thinjr. Ah has beer^ jire^'"" ously pointed out m this correrap«4ttiijnye/ ttte apporticninent clause in thi.« act is jirecisely the same in phrae«(i(»loj/y with ^m like clause iii the Common School Act A^mere comparison of the two cl»u«es will \ieltie this point : — ■ From th^ Common School Act;, 2a'^'Ct./ ,|ehap. b4:. ... •'Skc. 91.— Ituhnll be the duly of ench lof^T ?ii'p«Tin- teiuluiit, and he is hereby fiuixiwcreil, — utiluKii other- ■«fi»e in8lriicted by the Chief Superiiilendfiif" of Educa- T(^i. — ti> aijportii)!! umotif; tlie spyeral sc•h^n^ sections ,,tj(*ir respective portions of the Common Schnpl fund mOTiey' apportioned to the townships wiiliin iho limits of hi< cliarxc, a« soon as notified liy the Couiuy Clerk of tlie anuiunt so apportioned to such towiuhipn. and »U(:h apporlionment among the said cchrtol se'jtions shnll be acenrdinK to the rates nf the average ttltindnnce of pupils at each common school (the menu attendance ol •neh lialf year lieiiif^ taKeii) us coinpnred w'ith the whole n\iinber of pupils attendnij; the cuniinon tchools of each •iicli town«hip." ■* i'UM" Wi' r . ,.i.;. '• .i^Ui... ^ From the Grammar' SchoolIiBprbvemerit Ac!, 29 Vict., chap. 23: '.;•' Sue. "7.'— rhe apportionment payable half yearly to tSe 'dram'mar .School shall be made to each school con- d'l^cied Bccor'diiig to law, uimn the basis of the daily aver- age attendance at surk Grfimmnr Schorfi of pupils 11 the prngrainnie of studies prescribed accordinif to the law for Grammar 8chooli ; such atteii()aiice shall be c«rtiiied by- the H'jHd Master and Trusteua; and'verified by the Pisprctor of Grarama^'.SclKxili!.'*' Ui J . • . Ft is cle*r' ihkt' thef^ff is" r*6t&hig in »his t. clause — n'6t itt there anything in any other clause of the Act — to indicate that the girls who then attended the Gramiiiar Schools jjWere not to be counted as *' pupils " (as },ihey were in the Common Schoola^) in ap- portioning the Legislative grant. To de- prive the schools which admit girls of their due share of the apportionment, computed ^un this basis, appears to us, we must ^ ftankly say, a stretch of authority which ^^no mere ilictum of any law officer can war- ^.rant. Before so serious a step ia taken, ^.Ihore should surely be a reference to the ^.Legislature, that its will might be clearly ^ Mcertained on this point. Wo are well . aware, however, that those who desire the ^ i^Xelusion of girls from the schools will not '^linture to make this refere'jce. It has occurred to us as possible that - tho^e who desire to restrict these schools to boys may rely partly up^n' a vague feel- ing, or rather prejudice, arising out of their mere name, coupled with the fact that in SagJand Grammar Schools are usually at- tended -jnly by liny.«!. It is to be rem. rkia,' however, ihal six'h pclio'ij.s are alinuol ail private fnundiiliuiM, established iseveral (ieninrie.-^ ai'o, when f"ma'e ediicnlion, at leuft in the l-ii^her branches of study, wan, little regarded ; and yet evfeii in England there are .some, bptli 0! the older and newer schools, in which girls are adiniited (ac wo have already shown) on ihe same terms as boTs, and to precisely the same studies.. TliH coiiclufliye ansv/er. however, to any argument drawn ft-oin' this sonroe, is thai our school syslf^m is derivf>d; nvit from 'Great Britain, but from the Ignited States ; and in the Grammar d^chools of the latter country, the two sexes are educated to- gether, precisely as in llic Common Schools. The only othnr argnr ants of whitth we have any knowietlge, in favour of exclud- ing girls from these nchools, or from the basis of appOitioiinnent, are thvpe mer.tion- ed in your letter of Det^emba'r la'^t. These arguments, we ate griilified to obeei've, are not givWri as yoiit"'CTw\i', hut merely as those which had been'pressed upon you by "the Trustees a'fid Musler-i of some sfihools." Wj have, thereftrre, the less hesitation iii characterizing their reasoning *» illogioa', and baseless. They •• believe," it ap- pears, — though live grounds of this beliff aria not given,— »biit "the Grammar Schools, as we'i' a6' University Colleges, were intended for hoys"; and that no part cf the fund setaparr'fbr Grammar Schools, any more than the Onivereity endowment, was intended for other than the ednca;ion of boys or young men." It is hardly in- cumbent upon us to argue against a mere belief; and we might be satisfied with re- marking that the Trvstecb and Masters of five-sixths of the schools have heretofore enteitatned and acted upon the opposite opin'on ; to which we might add that your Department until this year has dune the same. However, the argument necessary to set aside this belief is brief and conclu- sive. Instead of the Grammar School Fund being on the same footing with the University endowment, a moment's ex- amination will show it to be wholly dis- similar to that endowment and to resemble in every material respect the Legislative grant for Common Schools. Like the lat- ter (and uniika the former) i^ is placed under the charge of your Department, and is distributed among the schoolc according to the number ol pupils in each ; and (as with the Comtflon Schoolp) the Municipal Councils are called upon th supplement this Legislative aid from the proceeds ui 1 '% )]oc .J)0 ';' ,tht Sc lui all in i ^ anc onl are ,Jori rne the in5> to V ate npt Kion urg nf thrc sen tion mis ,»ve We ev^i this Lat stuc whi by < n ' rem. rktd"/ ulinuol hII ilmI neveral [iiicntion, at rtliidy, wiifi, ill England, r and newor lilted (hh wo me lerrpf^ hs itne ptudieH.. !Ver, to any. iiroe, 18 thut, lU n^n from', itfid States ;' o!" llie latter educated t6- mon Sohoola. f which we r of exclud-^ or from thff •j^e rr.er.tion- ifi'At! The«e' observe, ara' irely an those you by " the ne schools.';* Uesitation iii' s»s illogioai }ve," it ap- [)f this beliff le Grammar dty Colleges, that no pari imar Schools, / endowment, the ed oca, ion is baldly in- rainst a mere rjfied wiih re- id Masters of ive heretofore the opposite add that your has dune the ent neceswary f and conclu- immar School oting with the moment's ex^ e wholly dis- id to resemble he Legislative Like the lat- ) i( is placed partment, and oolc according each ; and (as the Municipal tb supplement the prcceeds ut' (local taxation. What i^ decisive on this .]Hi i lit ifi the fact thut tlie law proviiltis for ,lho uniyii of Grammar and Comrnou ISchools, 4(1 which case the former are sus- itaiiiad by a direct school tax levied upon all clasEiCK; lin the muniiipality or district ,in which llie united sch( ol in siluaied. , , . You further mention that the Xru'^'ees and MaHters of the tfuhoold wh|(;h admit ,ouly boye complain .tliat .** other pchoolo are paid tor admitting girln, the gruat ma- jority of whom are pressed to learn Latin merely to incitsase tin: apportii^ument to the schopls, witiiout any mlenlion ^ sludy- itii> Italian, French; Spanish or Fortugneae^ ;to which the study of Latin is an appropri.- ate introduction, and mo.^t ot vyhora do npt go beyond ifcie Cr»i or second declen- Kion." This argument shows in those whg urge it a singular ignorance of all the fact^ ,nf I he ,caae. We may remind theriji^ through you, that in the Ragulatiyns pre- i«crib«d by tiie Coniicil of Public Instruc- tion, the special reason given for the ad- mission of gir,l« to the schools is *• to afford .every posnible facility for learning French.*' We believe that, in poi^it ot lact, almost ev^iry girl in,t,\!,t Gran^imar Schools studies this language, ii'he fact that the study of Latin is usetHl as an introduction to the study of French afiords an excellent reasou why the acquisition of the former language by girls xhoulifl be encouraged. Whenever the other languages of Latin origin, which you mention, are taught in our schools, it ;mu8t be chiefly for the sake pf their litera- ture ; and there seems tg be a3 much reasoQ for the study of -l^em by girls on tkis ac- count as by boys^ ,unieKs we are to ^dgpt the principle th^t ^the literary education of women shouW be ^inferior to that of roefl. The facts that, a^ we ' ave already stated, many gf the female pupils in Grammar Schools are preparing to become teachers, and that Xo a teacher oi English some knowledge of Latin is highly desirable, aflord another reason why an opportunity for acquiring this language should be al- lowed to girls. The statement that oiosl ,of the girls do not go beyond the first or second declension is certainly not correct as regards our own school ; and we pre.- sume that, as regards the schools in gene- xal, it will only apply to those girls (as well as boys) — no doubt always a consider- able number — who remain in the school too short a time for going through the whole .course of study, which vould properly oc- ,cupy sHveral years. .i^ng.lher argument which ha? been press* ed upon you is of such n nature as hardly to admit of a serious rep'y. '* It is aia^ urged," you inform us, "that if the Gram- mar School Fund be apportioned according to ,the average attendance of boys^only- then all Qramrnar Schools will be treatecji . alike." To illustrate this by an e^ample|,^; the tow(;i of A — r- has a Grammar Schoo) with fifty .pupils, all boys ; the town of B — — , has a school of the same number, ol whoofiH ,one haft are girls. The expenses of tho 4wo schgols for salary of ^,i«ler, library, appar^tvi."*, ,r^(it, /uel, ^tc., are precqiely the ^anpe. jF^e t^Vustees and IVIfi^ter af the j^ — sqhool Kay^to the Chief SU|*erin>tendent of •Kduci^tion— «' Wo atljfljiit that in iip they teach as many pupils a>) ifK.e do, and teach th^i;^ as well,— and the/r .ejsper.sei^ and needf.^rc as great as ours, ^ut theQ we exclude girls from the bof\elit of a .Grammar Sciiooi aducativi. Thi<« npetMstt torious act de.>'erves soii^e acknowledg- ment from you. Givi! our sctigui just twice as much of the public money its you give .the school in B for the same amount ot public service, and we shall be salioiieil. > and strict justice will be done to all." .{•>. We come now to what we believe tu t)^t the only really important argument, antl^jj the one which, wp have reason to think, has finally decided the case against th« admission of girjs, not only with your Def^ partment, but with the law officer whose opinion you have reeeived. You state tht^ " it is also urged that the English branches of education are less efficiently taught in XbtH Grammar Schools than in the Coinmoa Schools." In other weirds, that t^e Gram* mar Schools are iiK^nded chiiifly for ola«-** sical instruction. The law officer, in ex'»a^ pressing his opinion tl^at "the (iranfimar ' School Fund was intendud foi 'he classicaV'? mathematici'.l, and higher English educur tvoi of boyp,^' *h9Wf,, by.thepigler in whic^ he place? |tl;i,e .«ii!ffei"ent brai;che«, that ho regarde.i^Mie classical as iTie most jmipoit.' antde^af-tment of Grammar School eauca- tioii. Now if it shall appear, by .1 refereuc;»i|'| ^0 the express provisions of the Statute ilt.,. self, that, according tp the intention ot thfCj l-egislature, the primary phject teiidei4 by ine Legi**- liUure tobe Ki'Ven in theiin-immar Schueio, as centrasied wrth that wiiich actually is :4;iv«n in the*n. ifiit shall appear that the iirteirtirns of the 'Legi:4lat-ure hawe bnen fraatrated, and the (ochools diverted fronn their proper object, -wa fee*! eonfiiient th^rt 'the acknowtledmed ability and energvy which have produced t>uch beneficial results in ■iha organtKation and improvement of (xur •Common Kchoois will 'be exerted by yon in .bringing bacic the Grammar School** to thwir true office, and elevating them to the •high purpose lor which they >wero design- «d. We corvoeive that ".hette institutions, instead of beit»g mef«ly petty classicul school*, andfeed'^rs of trie lUniversities, Were intended to be -themselves local cslle^t^es, in which pupils whose circumstances pre- vented them tfr->m attending (if boys) the Universitiies, or (if girlh) the exp«>nsive fCity boarding schools, might be instructed in the highS'r rauoties of a practical Kiigliah and coni- mcrcial education, including the «;lementi of naluriil philixnphy and machanics. — and alto in the Liatin and (ircck language*. anJ iiiathenu>;icA. bu far aA.te»ti'in, incluiling natural phil- osophy and mechanics ?" We think it is impossible for any persok wKii an lUnhiaBsed mind lo read this sec- tion attentiveKy without being satisfied thai the purpose of the 'Legislature was whait we have stated it -to be, and that if carried into eirect the results would have been tuust beneficial. 'But on e.vamining the programme of fihidies and the regnlations presitribed by the Council of Public In- strnction, we find that if the purport of the Statute was what Wd have supposed., it has been in a large measure disregarded, and the whole office and pdan of these 8i:hooh have been perverted, or perhaps we should rather say reversed. It has ap- parently been asbumed that the chief duty of the schoeiis is to teach Laiin, Grebk and mathematics, and toprepaie pupils for the Universities. !n the first place we find the rule laid down that no Grammar School shall be allowed to receive a share ot tht> Legislative Grant unless it has an average atlendance of at least ten pupils studying Latin, — a rule -which, as we ^hall here- after take occasion -to show, is directly op-- posed 10 anutlier pror perhaps It has ap- hief dmy jrretfk and tils fcr the e w« find nar Sohooil lare of the in average s studying hall here- irectly op'- Grammar y illegal. , vre lind in^ and no ed, whoi«e Grammar, Fimt and i^y, Cicero, I compbsi- [eropersed. own wiih nesfi. Ill rhich four the samn. lies wl ich Older ,(artd rogranrmfe) 1 co^p1»»to icR, w'hioh ute, is rtnt '• It is per--^ " Natural learnei by th or oldest •but one. The three junior cla88u« are as- paretitly de'i'aed to be too much absorbed in Virgil, l^unian and Himple equHtionn to have lime for 8uch s*udies akeeping. We remark that in 'the few branches of ''practical and com« mereiai education," to which room is thu.^ -scantily given, no tewt books are mentioned, no particular method prescribed, as witk •the more favoured studies. They are •thrust carelessly into the fag-end ^as we may jui?tly term it) of the Programme, and different sciences like " Matural Philoso- phy and Geology," " Physiology and Chemistry," are combined in a manner which Reems to indicate that the principal object in view was to have theii names appear in ihe list of studies. We beg to say that we do not now pre^ tend to enter into the question whicn has been so much discussed, as to the relaMva radvantages at' classical studies and what are termed the practical branches. We respectfully but firmiy urge that, as re- •rards the Grammar Schools of thi? Pro- vince, the Legislature has decided the (question, andthat-in some way its decision, which we believe to have been well- weighed and judiciouf", has been set aside and rendered of no effect. The result Is that about fiv« thousand pupil«, comprising no insignifioant portion of the flower of our 'Canadian-youth, are spending a large part of their best y.ears in the acquisition of a p^uliar learning which will be Iv after life of but li'ttle use to the majority of them. Not one in twenty ©f them will enter any college; and ot the remainder, with the ex-ception of those who pursue the profes- sion of teaching, probably not one inififty, .after leaving school, will everopen a Latin ; book or work :i prot>l««i in algebra. On the otherlund, in this new canntry, with agriculture every Tear becoming more scientiAc-^with minerd wealth of remark- able extent and variaty just becomioa do- vwlfipeil, — with railroads, steamboats, miinn factories, and mills, requiring every ".Hflfie^y of m0chanicHl knowledgrf,- with . commerce expanding and reai'liing to the . moHt remo:e countries, — with half a con- tinent kj subline to the purpose of civiliza- Gt*en»~^tt would seeir. that the yvisdom vf the Leiiislatu /e, in providing that tho ' (irammar Schooh, which are in fact tbit People's Colleges, should be devoted prin- cipally to the " higher branchus of a prac- tical English and coqamercial education," must be recognized by all, and that ail wtio des.re to promote the welfare and im- provement of the country would cheerfully aid in currying this purpose into efiect. We gladly declai ur conviciiou that in your loiig-conliuued and eliicieni labors in the cause of education, you have been solely actuated by this debi^e ; and if W9 have written thus freely it is only because we have been led to think that the engross- ing duties cuiiiiected with the common schools have wiihdrawi your atienticn from the nnfortniiate course into which tha Grammar School iiducaUon has been di- vcrteil, — doubtless with none but the best intentions on the part of .those who hare so misdirected it. Our duties as trustees have made us aware of the detects of the eicisting system. After va.inly attempting in our own school Xo .bring the programme tOxwhich we areilied into harmony with the plain re seek. The regulation which presoribed that, to entitle a school to a share qt X^ Le^isiiitivu Grant, there must be an avcbC' a<^'e attendance of at least ten pqpibleain-- mg Latin, is the sole and sufiicient cause. It must be rememl)ered that though a sclijool may haye many more ttian teu p,ui;ils oniis roUtj, >jiii,,from .iUneea ami * 14 li ) 'i ! ( } { 1 'ij! ii other unavoidable cau.'^er* of abseiicn, lliu average altendatice for the whole year al- ,^'a.yfl falls much below the whole number -pf pupiU. There is always a fear that the average wiP sink below the required mark, an(l that the school will be broken up ; and hence a Hirong influence — or as one Master is quoted (in »he Iiispector's'Iacit Report) as terming it, a poweiful '' moral suaHJon '' m oxerted tp'.induce every pupil to learii Latin, for the benqfit of the school ; and, as a mat- ter of course, nearly all the pupils do study Latin, as, under the like inducemapts aud urgency, they would aid study iSyrjac ©r t)an?crit. :'iocliool8 chiefly the means of makiiig this boon more readdy accessible to all who aspire to it. It is easy to cofnprehend that in their eacerness to accomplish this desir- able oiiil, they should have ovH.luukevI the fact that the preparation of luiys lorcolleire ^8 ill truth only the secondary Jl>jecl of these schools, ai:d that their primary ollice i^ t9 furnish a good pruciicai and comineiciul English education. With assuredly perfec^t reulilude of purpos«, with great abditie^ and experience, and an evident desire t9 fulfil worthily a high public duty, they liave devoted themselves to \\x^ work o/ framing regulations which should convert the Grammar Schools under their churgu into manufactories of college matriculants, j^nd the result ia that while our commoQ bcnool system and our Universities may justly challenge a cor^iparisua y^ilh thusu of any other Ja|id, our (^rumrnar ISchooi system may, wit^ equal ^\i£»iice.j be te'inei^ the worst system of in^e.ruiediate instruc- tion which exists in any civilized country. The accomplished Inspector of these Schools, whose sympathies are evidently what may be termed the classical systen^i, is compelled to make his last report one long ele^y over the failure qf the sysleiq. The brfst remedy \vbiuh Jie cap propose, and that only with doubt.and he«itation, i^ an elaborate and expensiye systen;i of in- spection. 3iit tnere Jflspeution canmot re- deem a systenpt whieh is breajjiiug dow^ solely by reason of being based on erro- neous principles. If the censure which we have pror nouuced tipon the existing Grammar School system should be thought too se- vere, we vvould invite atienfipn to tde re- markable statistics which appear in ihe latest report concerning therp, — that for 1866. It there appears that while the total number of popils in the 104 Grammar Schools of the Province was 5,179, the number of pupils frorp these schools who in that year entered the .Uaiji^ersities was only 63, — not quite one in eighty. Thus, in order that these sixty-three pupils might be prepared for college, the remaining 5113 were obliged to expend a large part of their time in atvi^'ies w'lioh in after life will be of hardly ^.ay benefit to the great majority oflhemo Even for those pupils who are preparing to become common-school teachers,, and tQ when (as we have before remarked) some knowledge of Latin is undoubtedly desir- able^ the amount of instruction in that language prescribed in the programme must be deemed altogether excessive, es- pecially when compared with the instruc- tion given in other studies. For example, we observe that French is deemed suf- ficiently taught wiien the pupil is prolicient in the " grninru'ir ami exercises," and ii;t two roadiiig books— Voltaire's Charles )^ll^ fuenj into fitic fkitiol Jbas #^e -fllesel • t ■U lice is t9 uneiuial y perfH(!|t abilities lesire tp work oj convert • churgtf riculuiita. commua ies may ilh those IX School I in»iruc- 1 country, of the8t) eyideiitly I systen^i, eport one I sysleitt. I propose, lilation, 19 •rp of in- sanMOt re- iHg dowi;i i on erro- have pro- Grammar ht too 86- lo the re- sar in .tho ,— that for ile the toial I Grammar 5,179, tho ;h00lB who iruities wat» ity. Thus, lupils might iaining6113 part ot their life will be at majority re preparing ihere,, and Iq Larked) some itedly desir- lion in that programme :ce88ive, es- the inatruc- For example, deemed Buf- il 18 proficient ses," and i^ 8 Charles :)^ll. and k piuule (Iramn of Corhuilie. It is riirlitly supi)osod Umt a scholar who has advanced liiuslar will be able to yo on in t.lie 8lndy wilh'oul further iiiauuctioii. Can any roasoi: be given why a pupil not desiyjiUHl for the Univer^itj should be re- f|nirrt(l, in the .study of Uatili, besides the Giaminar and Arnold's 1st and 2nd book-^, to be lamiliar with works of no less than' live aulfiors, including feonio compositions' which require for iheir appreciation tlio muiit prnliiund scholari«hip and the rllost enllivatt'd taste,— and this besides " pi-0i«e doin()osition, and prusody" 1 li\ French dtdy three classes are required ; in F^atin live. It is clear that if the lime given to French is snfficieill. ihat which is devoted t'o Latin is, as re^jards the same objects and the same class of pupils, far beyond ■\Vhat is necessary and useful. It may be expected that we should state nioryprecisely the nature of the changes lii' die exieting system which we consider desirable. In the first place, wo would ■suggest that while provision should be [made for teaching Greek and Latin as ^thoroughly as at present to those who may idesire that instruction, the study of these jlanguages should be entirely optional. |0f course, the regulation requiring an' iverage attendance in each school of- ten' i^nipils (or any other number) learning' ^atin, should be rescinded. The desire, rhich the recent regulations appear to lanifest, to reduce the number of Gram- lar schools, and to prevent the forrr!ct the (juulity of the in- slnnition imparted in it. The Grammar Scliuols are ..ow mainly supported by local conhibulioDs ; and it may safely be left to the municipal councils and the public of any locality to decide whether the «choly to discourage" new schools ; and to discourage new schools* is to discourage the extension of higher' education' afmoiig the great bod_ of tho-^ people.' As'regardA the progtamnftB of'stfidles, we- cttly ask that' the directiows of the Statute'' sh'all be strictly followed, — tha:t'the genfetal' course shall comprise (to cite again the' clause already quoted) ** instruction in all"^ the higher branches of a practical English* and commercial education, mcluding the-' elements of natural philosophy and me- chanics ;" and that for thoie pupils who are" to be prepared for college (and any otheis' who may desire to join them) there shall- be a special addition to this course, com-' prising the '* Latin and Greek languages- and mathemaiics," so far as may Le re- quired for this purpose. We would add* that th^ standard of scholarship now re- quired for admission to the schools should' certainly not be lowered,^ arid that the system of exam>inations, inspection, and^ periodical reiurns should be maintained as thoroughly as at present An objection' may Wmade that it will be difiltiult, \»> -^,- u iii i y 1 Kchooln haviiifT but one leachar, to carry out the atM'oiidnry or " ('ollegiale" portion of th« proposeil course efficiently, without ji.torferitig too'much with the penaral and ynnre importatit stuiiies of the nchool. This difficulty mny, howwver, we think, he read'ily obviat'ed in practice. By the' J'egnlations, the tiriiedf daily inHtruetion itv tht schools is not to exceed six hour* ; blltf fi'ie' Board of TniHtees ;d any Grammar School may dett^rmiiie at their option upoh any less number of hoUrs of daily iutelruc- tion. If the time of d'aiiy iiistructiort' \Jvnre' limited, for tin general or nori-collegiale studies (if we may so terra them,) to five' hours, and the pupils pursuing o\ily iho**e' studies wete'fhemlismissed, the remain)nation requiring at least ten pu-pils' studying Latin in each GrammaT School ia coiitraYy to the Statute. And here we mast advert to a serious de- fect in t'he otherwise usbfiil " Grammar School' Mantml " published" by voui Depart- ment. It professes to contaili the ♦• Con- solidated Aefs relating to Grammar Schools." These two Acts, however, have never bee^ consolidated by the Legislature itself, as rftight be supposed from this phrase ; and on examining fhem, wn fiml that the consolidation h^^ been efj^eted apparently by the esteemed comprler of the Manua'l,' and after a manner not alto- gether satisfactory, however well intended. If he had simply printed both the A'cts in full, with foot-notes pointing out arry alter- ations made in the earlier Statute by the lafter Act, the readers of the Manual would h'ive had the whole Grammar School Law before them. He has chosen, however, (undoubtedly with the laudable object of making the law more easily intelligible) to omit all those portions of the orisinal Statute Which in b'ls opinion have been repealed, and to insert words and phrases to itidiCHte what he believes to have been the intention of the law-makers. In this way It happens that we have before us i» the Manual not the precise law itself, bui in many cases merely the worthy com- piler's opinion of what the law is, or wai intended to be. We have now to point ou; i, one grave error which has resulted appar | . ""^ ently from this method of dealing with thi Jf."^'^''' Statutes. In the original Act, Sections r^^"*^ ' and 6 prescribed the mode in which thi# ,''■'' Legi«lative Grant was to be apportionec*a~^ "" viz., according to the population of thW*']'|"^' eeveral counties, but with a spesial »H»« T**^ . It 5 ot K •'^xprij i ■ f till this. :of ihl ^The .Leg is is no| ;;the H t 17 «^.««t.».' ,%t t\- 1 A iiceJ will nfB in th6 in society, ornton ha« iipplication huVr« tr«nt eacl\ sejf to v» ntage ifi greal faiiVt , , the exrVV- B ate irealeil neae Hchoels' lion i« madia' B noW refer- sequbnce rt- a qiiei^lion 6i etiy ntJtireil. ion requiring ^ ,a and chiefly ef that class in the large towns. To this we may add that the liberal anl practical system of instruction designed by the Legislature is that which is now advo- cated 'by the highest authorities, and is every year mere favored by the oldest and mo£t e:4teemed institutions of learning in England, as well as in other countries. The contrary ajstem, everywhere else dis- countenanced and disregarded as unsuited to the wants of cur age, finds its last •tronghold and support, we regret to say, in the Cuuncil of Public Instruction of Ontario. It is very much in the power of the Chief Superintendent of Education to determine, for the present lime, which ot tliese sys- tems shall prevail in thi'J Province. If the Itfgal opinioH, recently promulgated, shall be doemad an ob«taoUi» tk«r» would b« no difficulty in obtaininjj; an authoritative en- actment on that point from tho Legislature at its next session ; and we are inclined to believe that the respected Law OHicer who f^Ave that opinion would wdlingly lend his aid toward this object. In the meantime, our duty as a Board of Trusteed appears to us quite clear. Wg cannot see that we have a right to exclude from the school ariv class of pupils who were admitted in Grammar Schools when tha Act of 1865 was passed ; and. we shall continue to admit girls as pupils into oor school, We shall also continue to claim our due share of the Legislative Grant on account of the attendance of these pupils. If this claim is refused, we can do na more than report the circumstance to the County and village Councils which appoint* ed us, for such action, either through thtf tribunals or by application to the Legisla- ture, as they may think proper to take. These Councils huve both made liberal grants to the school, on the assurance (which from the previous practice of the department we felt entitled to^ive them,) that the increasing attendance of pu|>ils in eur school would secure to us this year an increase of the Legislative grant ; instead of which we experience an unexpected and embarrassing diminution. Your recent circular informs us that the grant to our school for the current year will be $224, and that this ^rant ij based on the attendance of boys only. As the attend- ance of girls in our school has been nebrly equal to that of boys, we should have re- ceived f c - tiiem at least $200 more. The loss of this money will be a serious injury to eur school. It will oblige us to use, fwr making up the salary of the master, funds which we had intended to devote to pro- curing a library and additional apparatus, both of which are much required, an«t would be of great service to the pupils. This money is taken from us to be given Xer other schools, whose only claim to it lie* in the fact that they have excluded girls from those advantages of education which we, in accordance with previous usager have extended to them. VVe most earnest- ly protest against this spoliation and injus- tice ; and we now respectfully ank trorn your Department the full apportionment of the Legislative grant to which "the aver- age attendance of pupils" entitlei uiir school. We also respectfully request to be ia- fertned whether it is your inteniiun to •it-'j I Id b« no aii»e en- •gisUture jcUned lo r Ofiicer willingly I Board of ear. W# to exclud« apiU wh« tola when I we shall i into ooi I to claim Grant an use pupila. can do na ince to ihe ich appoint* .hroiigh thrf he Legisla- sr to take, lade liberal I assuranctf, ctice of the ^ive them,) of pupils ift this year aa ant ; instead jxpecled and •ntertnio for your constant aad most usiTal e\e> liana in the cause of edtioation, and our hope that your personal views will be in favor of an or.l?fged, lih^rnl. and prae- tical aystein of Grammar '^uhnol ini^trae* tioii, each ad wo betievo t 'tHve bean de» siiriied by (he Lf^isiatiuo. and Huch as lb# peopio of this P.uvint!*', vxpreMing their pentitnentfl throui^h tho praction of so many local boards, undoubtedly prefer. i us that the ent year will based on the s the attend- i been nearly (uld have re- ) more. The serious injury us to use, fer naeter, funds leTote to pro- lal apparatus, required, and the pupils, to be given tor aim le it lie* sxcluded girls ucation which evious uiagc, 1 most earnent- tion and injus- fully »*lt "for« portionmeni ot ich " the aTer- " entitle* «"' inest to be ia^! itenliwn tfr •»'! ■ - 16 foree the regulation requiring an averaj^e uttendanoe uf ten pupils siadyiii;^ Liitin. This informatiun is essential, iis it will tnabla us to decide whether we can adopt the non-classical programme fi)r pupiln *who are not piepariiig to enter tiolle^H or to follow the profession of t«achii)<;, with- out thereby endangermg the exitlence of •Br school. In conclusion, \Ve beg again tn express (he sitjcore respect and gratitude which vre . . », Wb have the horuor to bo, Sir, ,:,. . . Your obedient servants, H'. HALE, B. A., • ChairmaMy '^ * IROBERT COATJ*, . • Treasurer, JOSEPH WHITEHEAD, M. P., ; . • A, D. McDonald, , , Minister Can. Pres. Cbnreb. A. S. FISHER, W. W. FARRAN, Reeve of Clinton, Secretary, Trustees of the Clinton County Grammar SobooU tN'oTi.— No rISPly das fti (Au|;uHt 15,1868,) been received to the foregoing letter mi the Clinton Roara. But as the Chief Superintendent's letter of Dec. 30, 1867, which formH part of this correspondence, has been puolisheJ by him in the Toronto papers ot July 31, 1868, with no reference to the arguments urged un the other side of the question la the two letters addressed to him, it has been deemed proper to publish the entire eor- reitpofidence;] .:.;1| .■•V