/■f.- 
 
 
 \^ 
 
 rTROVINCIAL 
 
 REPORT OF THE 
 
 DELIVERED BY 
 
 (hON. MR. MOWAT,J 
 
 VHON. GEO. W. R0SS,'/>€»cA5*ei,»/ 
 (,MR. EVANTUREL, M.P.P.' 
 
 IN THE 
 
 LBGISLATIYE ASSEiWBLY. 
 
 APRIIv 3rd, 1890. 
 
 \ 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Proposed Imendments to the School Act in relation to 
 
 the UHO of the French liiiiiguase iu the 
 
 Public hchoois. 
 
 \ 
 
 Oepiea of this Speech can be had by addressing W. T. R. Preston 
 Secreta/t^y PtKwincial Reform Aesodation, Toronto. 
 
 > 
 
 ^ 
 
 IS^ovotxio : 
 
 PRINTED BY HUNTER, ROSE & GO. 
 1890. 
 
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 I 
 
FRENCH SCHOOLS. 
 
 li 
 
 DELIVERED BY THE 
 
 HON. GEO. W. ROSS, 
 
 m THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, 
 
 APRIL 3rd, 1890, 
 
 IN REPLY TO MR. T.D. CRAIO, MEMBER FOR EAST 
 
 DURHAM. i'li^ 
 
 The Minister of Education who rose at eleven o'clock amid 
 heai-ty applause from his friends, began his reply with the remark 
 that if the endorsation which the hon. gentleman predicted for 
 his party were similar in character to that which he had received 
 from his constituents, it would be quite satisfactory to this 
 side of the House. (Government cheers.) Mr. Ross then pro- 
 ceeded to comment upon the importance of the question that had 
 been thrust upon the House last year and this by his hon. friend. 
 He had remarked last year, in reply to the hon. gentleman's stric- 
 tures, thet composed as we were in Canada, of different races 
 and of different creeds, we should be careful not to arouse racial 
 or creed differences which would imperil or disturb the ^aarmony 
 of feeling that should exist in a young country Uke CanaiJa. He 
 had emphasised this view and had endeavored to show that in 
 the history of Great Britain and the United States, and several 
 countries of Europe, they had abundant evidence that the way 
 to buiid up a national sentiment and to unify a people w_ lc bu 
 kind and tolerant to all races and creeda that recognised acommou 
 Government. He held that view still. It was the view of the 
 Liberal party. He charged the hon. gentlemiin, intentionally or 
 otherwise — he did not know which — with fomenting the lace 
 agitation that was at present disturbing the people of the coun- 
 try. Such an agitation was injurious to their well-being, and 
 
i FRENCH SCHOOLS. * 
 
 the hon. gentleman's own constituents so fully recognised tbia 
 fact that they were not prepared to send him hick to the House 
 •again. (Cheers.) 
 
 KACE ANIMOSITY A CALAMITY. 
 
 ^6 repeated that such a condition of things as the hon. gentle- 
 man would have brought about would be most calamitous to this 
 young country. Just look at it. Canada was only 23 or 24 
 years of age, and one-third of its population was of French ori- 
 gin. What would be the effect on the million and a quarter of 
 French people in Quebec, on the thousands of French people in 
 l^fova Scotia, New Brunswick and Manitoba, if the impression 
 went abroad that there was anything like unkindness or unfair- 
 ness, or any want of magnanimity on the part ol Ontario in deal- 
 ing with the race minority of the Province ? Such a condition 
 would be most disastrous from a national, and a religious 
 !stand{^)oint. It was impossible to deprecate too strongly the 
 views expressed by the hon. gentleman and by the press of his 
 party. It would be most injurious to us as a young people if 
 the discussions that went on from time to time in this House 
 should have the effect — as he feared they already had to sjme 
 extent — of creating religious and racial animosities. Carlyletaid 
 that " History is Pliilost)phy teaching by expeiience." New let 
 us briefly review the history of this question. 
 
 HISTORY OF FRENCH SCHOOLS. 
 
 French schoools were established years ago in Essex, Pres- 
 
 cott and Russell. The founder of our school system had to do 
 
 with them as we had now. Everybody admitted the prudence 
 
 «,nd foresight and statesmanship in educational matters of the 
 
 late Dr. Ryerson. Hon. gentlemen opposite were as ioud in 
 
 their eulogies of him a« they were themselves. Did he deal 
 
 harshly With them ? Did he attempt to make English the only 
 
 language in the schools? He gave them the fullest liberty 
 
 as to the language to be used in the schools and as to the 
 
 •character of the teaching that should be permitted. He need 
 
 hardly wait to point out how unfair it was for hon. gentlemen 
 
 opposite to direct their attacks against him for what he had 
 
 done, without a word of censure on Dr. Ryerson during the 30 
 
 years of his administration and without a word of censure on 
 
 the four years' administration of John SandHeld Macdonald. He 
 
 would not wait to dilate upon that, but would simply remark 
 
FBENCH SCHOOLS. , 5 
 
 that one of the best educators of the Continent — a man whose 
 fame had crossed the seas — a man of eminent ability and fore- 
 thought had permitted this system to grow up without any 
 of the restrictions as to teachers, and text-books, and language, 
 such as he had imposed. Dr. Kyerson had applied the same 
 rule to Geinman Schools as to French. His expectations were 
 that the two races, surrounded as they would be by an over- 
 whelming English majority, would become Anglicised by English 
 teachers and English institutions, and that in this way a social 
 revolution would take place, v/ithout any initatiori or agitation 
 whatsoever. Dr. Ryerson was wise in his time. Early in the 
 history of Waterloo county there were nearly 100 schools m which 
 German only was taught, and a large number of schools in Pres • 
 cott and Russell in which French only was taught. The revolu- 
 tion whi(!h Dr. Ryerson desired had been accomplished so far as 
 German Schools were concerned. 
 
 RESULT OF DR. RYillSONS POLICY. 
 
 f 
 
 When he (Mr. Ross) came to deal with this question ho found 
 there were no German schools in which English was not taught, 
 and only twenty-seven French schools in which there was no Eng- 
 lish taught. It was evident, therefore, that by Dr. Ryerson's calm 
 and peaceable policy the schools were becoming anglicised. 
 Now, this was true philosophy — it was the teaching of expe • 
 ence in Canada, and it was the teaching of experience else- 
 where. Could his hon. friend say that the measure now proposed 
 to the House would have brought about a better state of things 
 than the silent growth resulting from social surroundings to which 
 Dr. Ryerson trusted so much. As a philosopher, — if the hon. 
 gentleman is a philosopher, — he will admit that the strongest 
 lorce in national growth is that which works gradually and trom 
 within. There is a genius of action as well as a genius of- waiting; 
 and the genius of waiting is the rarer gift. Dr. Ryerson had this- 
 genius ; he had the courage to wait and he lived to see a social 
 revolution brought about without irritation or disattection just 
 because he had the courage to trust to the natural effect of thd 
 Anglo-Saxon institutions which surrounded the French and Ger- 
 man people in Ontario. (Cheers.) : __ w. .^;- ,^.,v 
 
 SHIRKING THE RESPONSIBILITY. 
 
 Hifl hon. friend was very anxious to impress upon the House 
 that he did not desire to raise a race cry. Was his hon. friend 
 
6 FRENCH SCHOOLS. 
 
 sure that he had not raised a race cry already ? Was he sure that 
 his #«peech last year was not irritatinjif and disturbing? (Hear, hear.) 
 If he read the papers he would find that it was regarded by the 
 French people as an attack upon their language, and he was suro 
 the hon. gentleman would regret some day that he had made that 
 speech and had projected in this country such a disturbing element, 
 liis hon. friend had said that the time given for the study of Eng- 
 lish in the schools of Frescott and Russell was not sufficient, and 
 states that six hours a week was the time prescribed by the regu- 
 lations. Thfc hon. gentleman is quite mistaken as to the time 
 Tecommended to be devoted to the study of English. In the in- 
 ^troctions to the teachers of French schools issued in Sepu., 1886, 
 at was distinctly stated that at least two hours per week should bo 
 igiven to classes I and II, and four hours per week to classes III 
 and IV, or twelve hours per week in all, and that circular was in 
 the collection of papers he had on the desk in front of him. His 
 hon. friend in his Bill proposed to allow one hour a day for the 
 teaching of French. What evidence had the hon. gentleman that 
 ■one hour was not too much in some cases and so limited a time 
 an other cases as to be utterly useless ? Could an arbitrary rule 
 such as he proposed, be drawn successfully ? He thought not. The 
 cnstructions sent out by the Department in October last contained 
 the only directions that a man with any pretensions to be an 
 educator would adopt in dealing with this question. The}' said 
 in effect that the teachers should be governed by the circumstan- 
 ces of the school. There might be circumstances under which 
 half an hour would be sufficient ; but the matter was one that 
 might very well be left to the trustees. (Cheers.) 
 
 Bi-lingual Readers, . : 
 
 There w^s one other matter to which he wished to refer before 
 dealing ssfiih the Bill of his hon. friend, and that was the policy 
 of the Government with respect to the Bi-lingual Readers. The 
 leader of the Opposition in his London speech declared himself 
 opposed to Bi-lingual Readers on the ground that their use 
 would tend to perpetuate the French language. His hon. friend 
 from East Durham, however, had said nothing with refer- 
 ence to that. The policy of the Government with regard to 
 the use of Bi-lingual text-books had the highest sanction that a 
 policy could have. Take for example the case of Wales. It 
 had long been a grievance there that the children were un- 
 able to study Welsh in the elementary schools t« the extent 
 desired. The matter was inquired into by a Royal Commission, 
 
 % 
 
FRENCH SCHOOLS. . 7 
 
 who reported upon the auhject last year, recommending the use 
 of Bi-lingual readers in Wales. That Commission consisted of 
 many distinguished men — Lord Cross, Lord Harrowby, Lord 
 Northbrook, Sir John Lubbock, Canon Gregory, Canon Smith, 
 Cardinal Manning, the Bishop of London, Dr. Dale, and others. 
 In the code adopted by the Education Department in 1889, Bi- 
 lingual readers were recommended for Weluh schools. He had 
 therefore the sanction of the British Royal Commission for his 
 policy and also the stwiction of the Education Department of 
 Great Britain. _ 
 
 POLICY IN GREAT BRITAIN. \ 
 
 The Scotch code of 1888 allows one shilling extra to be paid for 
 every pupil in the elementary Reader who is partly taught 
 by Gaelic teachers, and further, it allows Gaelic to be taught 
 during the ordinary school hours either by the regular teachers 
 ,'»r any person specially employed for the purpose. The code also 
 provides for an examination of teachers in Gaelic reading, 
 translation and composition. 
 
 The Commissioners on National Education in Ireland have 
 authorised for the use of Irish schools a series of Bi-lingual 
 Readers. From the annual report of 1888-9 of the Society for 
 the Preservation of the Irish Language, it appears Irish was 
 taught in 41 schools. Teachers are also subjected in certain cases 
 to an examination in Iiish-Gaelic, and an extra allowance is 
 Ki'vle by the Government for the pupils who pass a satisfactory 
 examination in Irish. It will be seen, therefore, that the British 
 Government, which has had some experience in forming a 
 national character, so far from prohibiting the use of W*el8h, 
 Gaelic or Irish, rather encourages the study of these languages ; 
 and there was no complaint made, so far as he knew, because 
 public funds were employed for this purpose. Surely the honor- 
 able gentleman is loyal enough to admit that the example of 
 Great Britain is a reasonably safe example to follow. 
 
 POLICY IN THE ITNITED STATES. 
 
 Then what do we gather from the United States ? In order 
 that there mighi be no doubt as to the policy of the Americans 
 on this vexed question, he communicated with Mr. W, T. Harris, 
 Chief of the Bureau of Education at W; hington, from whose 
 letter under date of February 8th, with the permission of the 
 House, he would make a few quotations : 
 
8 TBENCH SOaOOLS. 
 
 Department of the Interior, 
 BuKBAU or Eduoation, Waiihwuton, 1). 0., 
 
 February 8, 1880. 
 
 Hon. Oeorge W. Rou, Minifter of Education, Toronto, Canada.' 
 
 My Dkab Sib, — I havD the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yoar lette 
 of the 2Dth ult., in whioli you request to be furnished a " stateuient show- 
 ing the various States of the Union in which any other language (and what) 
 than English is allowed by the law of the tState or by usage to be taught in 
 any of the elementary schools." 
 
 To enable me to answer rebr)eoting State laws, I have caused an examin*- 
 tion to be made, and fiur: that there is no legal provision, either prohibitive 
 or permissive, of foreign lan({uages in Alabama, Arkansas, Oonneoticut, Dela- 
 ware, Florida, Georgia, lowu, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mis- 
 sissippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North 
 Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 
 
 The law expressly requires that; the echools be taught in the English 
 language in California, Cuiorado, Indiana, and Kansas. 
 Several States have special provisions, viz. : 
 
 Indiana. — deiman shall be introduced as a course of study in any school* 
 where the parents of 25 or more pupils demand it. 
 
 Kentucky. — In any district where one-third of the pupils are children of 
 other than English-speaking parents, their respective languages may be added 
 to the course of study. 
 
 Maryland. — Where there is a considerable German population, school oom- 
 missiouers may cause German to be taught. 
 
 Ohi *. — The School Bi>ard of any district shall cause the German langvage 
 to be taught when a demand ia made in writing by 75 resident freeholders 
 representing 40 pupils. 
 
 With your permission I will add here the substance of a letter which I 
 wrote on January 3rd to Mr. H. E. Clark, a member of your Legislature, in 
 -/eferenoe to permitting inatruction in a foreign language in the Public 
 Schools. I said : 
 
 " It is a subject on which I have decided convictions and much experi- 
 ence. It IB the question of assimilating in the best manner a foreign element 
 found in the community, either as the remnant of a once conquered people, 
 like your Canadian French, or the residuum if a wave of immigration like 
 the German population in our Northwestern States. 
 
 '* I am decidedly in favor of a pl''-< that has proved equal to the emer- 
 gency in our Northwest. 1 inaugt; ad it in St. Louis, Mo. I gave instruc- 
 tion in the writing and speaking m uie German language one lesson a day to 
 all German pupils and to all An^^ . American pupils who desired to learn 
 German. This provision was carried out in all schools where there were 
 enough pupils to warrant the appointment of a teacher for a half or for a 
 whole day. (By the word ' school,' as technically understood by us, is 
 meant an organization under one head teacher assisted by from one to thirty 
 assistant teachers, and having from one hundred to hfteen hundred pupils or 
 more.) The result in St. Louis was to bring all German children into the 
 Public Schools, and to break up entirely the private schools which had ex- 
 isted before. Mtny Anglo-American children availed themselves of tbv 
 opportunity to learn German. A great advantage was found in this in the 
 
FRENCH SCHOOLS. 9 
 
 fact that the feeling of caste was rapidly obliterated by the mutual respect 
 engendered amoug the pupils by earnest etforts to leani each the other's 
 
 native language. 
 
 *♦»**■*♦♦•# 
 
 " I have no question that thia is a policy that would have the same results 
 in the French provincti in Canada. Teach them good Parisian French, and 
 at the same time require them to learn tho majority of their lussons in Eng- 
 lish, and the results wouM be soon to have an entire population of EngUah- 
 speakiug people. 
 
 •' Very refe^rectfuUy, your obedient servant, 
 
 " W. T. IlARRia, Comtniwioner." ■ 
 
 This is the experience of one of the best educators in the 
 Unitfid States and who was selected by President Harrison for 
 the highest educational position in the gift in the Government. 
 
 TOE GERMAN LANGUAGE. 
 
 On the same subject, Dr. Peaslee, late superintendent of Public 
 Schools in Cincinnati in answer to the objection that the study 
 of German should not be allowed, says : 
 
 " But," it is said, " this is America, and therefore, the English language 
 only should be taught in the Public Schoo'ts ; teaching the German language 
 tends to make our citizens ItiSs patriotic, le,i8 American." " Are," laak. "Gen- 
 Oarl Schurz, Gen. Frank Sigel, and the tens of thousands uf other Germans 
 who fought in the Union Army, in the last war, any leas true American cit- 
 izens, any less patriotic, because they were educated in the German tongue 1 
 Are our German fellow-citizens any less patriotic than the English whosa 
 mother ton^jue is that of our country, are the Germans in their native coun- 
 try, are the Germans in their native land any less devoted to the institutions 
 of (}ermany, because the French language is taught in thousands of their 
 sofaooU 1 " No one, I think, would answer these questions in the affirma- 
 tive. And until they can bo so answered it is idle to say, that a knowledge 
 of, or the teaching of German or any other foreign language, is adverse to 
 patriotism. The truth is, that our German fellow-oiiizuns are noted for 
 their attachment to the free institutions of America, and are among our most 
 patriotic citizens, as a class much more so than the English." 
 
 TUB FRENCH LANGUAGE. • ; , 
 
 Even French is permitted a place in the United States. Th» 
 Legislature of Lo jisiana at its session in 1 888 provided by Act 
 No. 81, 
 
 "that the elementary branches may be taught in the French langua<]je in 
 tl»oee parishes in the t:>tate or localities in said parishes where theFrenoh 
 language predominates, if no additional expense is incurred." ^ 
 
 Will the hon. gentleman contend that ttiese American States 
 are entirely wrong in their educational policy ? He will surely 
 
10 FRENCH 8CU00IA 
 
 admit that the Americans are a progressive and far seeing people 
 and that in the last hundred years they have made gigantic 
 strides as a nation. How did they assimilate the millions of Ger- 
 man, French and Italian immigrants that settled within their 
 borders during the present century? Was it by arbitrary legis- 
 lation such as is advocated in certain quarters in this Province, 
 or did they trust to the assimilating powers of the dominant race ? 
 (Cheers.) 
 
 POLICY IN EASTERN PROVINCES. 
 
 Then we have the example of other Provinces of the Domin- 
 ion: — In New Brunswick the Bi-lingual Readers, which we 
 have just authorised are used by 287 schools; in Nova Scotia 
 by 73, and in P. E. I. by 33, and their use is recommended by some 
 of the most prominent educationists in Manitoba. With such 
 weighty precedents he (Mr. Ross) could not be far astray in re- 
 commending the introduction of the Bi-lingual Readers into tbo 98 
 schools in Ontario where the French language is spoken. Then, 
 what is the situation in the Protestant English schools of Mont- 
 real ? There the French language is compulsory in every form. 
 On the 9th Sept., 1889, E. W, Arthy, Sec. of tne Protestant Board 
 of Commissioners, wrote him as follows : — 
 
 *' The study of French is compulsory in every Department of the Protes- 
 "tant Public Schools of Montreal, except the preparatory classes of the 
 " Common Schools, which consist of infants 6 and 7 years old — who attend 
 ^'half the day only. No French is taught in these classes, but in all higher 
 " classes French is taught and the study is compulsory." 
 
 What an example of tolerance and good sense is here presented 
 to the hon. gentleman. The Protestant minority living in the • 
 midst of a French and Catholic community have such perfect 
 confidence in the English language that they are not afraid of 
 its being displaced even if their children do acquire a thorough 
 mastery of French. (Cheers.) 
 
 ACTION IjY education DEPARTMENT. 
 
 It became his duty as soon as he took office to ask the House 
 to consolidate the School Act and Regulations, and in dealing 
 with the latter he proposed that English should be taught in 
 every school in Ontario. The words of the regulations are as fol- 
 lows :-* 
 
 "The programme of studies herein provided shall be followed by tha 
 teacher as far as the circumstances of his school permit. Any modifications 
 
FRENCH SCHOOLS. 11 
 
 deemed ueceasary should be made only with the concurrence of the inspector 
 and trustees. In French and Oerman Schools the authorized Headers should 
 he used in addition to any text books in either of the lang^iagea aforesaid. " 
 
 His hon. friend had said so many censorious things that one 
 would have thought he had been living upon sour grapes during 
 his absence last summer from Canada. He had nothing bat 
 bitter words for the gov'-nment, the Attorney- General, and fOr 
 himself (Mr. Ross). He Wj i not magnanimous enough to spend 
 one moment in paying him i. single compliment for making Eng- 
 lish compulsory in all the schools of Ontario. Why this want of 
 generosity ; surely it cannot be necessary for purely party pur- 
 poses to be ungenerous towards an opponent. What is the hon. 
 gentleman to gain by declining to recognize what the country 
 knows to be the case, what every member of this House knows 
 to be the fact, that he (Mr. Ross) was the first to make the study 
 of English in every school the unmistakable policy of the Educa- 
 tion Department. In the face of such conduct on the part of 
 the hon. gentleman, he must not be surprised if he is told he is 
 not the exponent of a broad policy, but is the representative of 
 partizanship and intolerance in its most contemptible form. The 
 hon. gentleman says that the regulations of the Education De- 
 partment are inoperative, are disregarded and would be disre- 
 garded in the future. What justification has he for the state- 
 ment ? Does not the correspondence before the House show that 
 the number of schools in which English was not taught is steadily 
 decreasing since 1H86, the date of the regulations ? that while in 
 1887 tliere were 27 departments in which no English was taught, 
 in 1888 there were only 6, and in 1889 English was taught in 
 every school. What did the Commissioners say on this {)oint ? 
 After having visited every school in which French was taught in 
 Prescott and Russell, they say : — ' \. 
 
 I. That some English is taught in every school. 
 
 II. That the Ontario Readers have been introduced into every school. 
 
 III. That the pupils are usually well supplied with English readrng books. 
 
 IV. That in at leaat twelve schools the work done in English is much be- 
 yond the amount prescribed. 
 
 V. That in 24 schools more time is given to English than that prescribed 
 in the circular; in G the time preacribjd is f ' ven, and in 2d less thin the time 
 prescribed is given. 
 
 Vf. That in very few schools has sufBclent attention been given to oollo- 
 quial ezeroisea. 
 
 M[STAT£MENT CORRECTED. 
 
 The hon. gentleman argues on the assumption that he (Mr. 
 Koss) had said that every pupil was learning English and learh- 
 
12 FRENCH SCHOOLS. 
 
 ing it thoroughly. He never made such a statement. He was 
 aware that English was not taught to every pupil. He was not 
 aware nor had he assumed that English was well taught in every 
 instance. The words he used on that occasion were : — 
 
 "It is not to be assumed that English is as well taught in the schuola of 
 Bastern Ontario as in some of the older counties. Due allowance must be 
 made for local conditions in considering a matter of this kind. In fact, in a 
 Province extending over an area so great, no fair comparison can be made, 
 at least between counties remote from each other. There are poor schools 
 even in the older counties; there are poor schools in the northern parts of 
 the counties of Frontenac, Hastings, Haliburton, &o., &c., and to say that 
 some of the schools in Prescott and Russell are in a backward condition is 
 merely to assert what perhaps may be said of many schools in the county of 
 York, or Middlesex, or Oxford." ) 
 
 It had become the practice of hon. gentlemen on the opposite 
 side of the House to quote very largely from newspapers. There 
 were a great many reports last year as t » the condition of the 
 schools in Prescott and Russell. They had reports from the Mail 
 and the Telegram, and there was some uncertainty as to the time 
 condition of affairs, and he felt it was desirable, in the face of 
 so many conflicting statements, that he should know authorita- 
 tively how matters stood. The hon. gentleman said they were 
 compelled to appoint a Commission to inquire into the condition 
 of the Prescott and Russell schools. The hon. gentleman never 
 made a greater mistake. They were compelled by their sense of 
 duty, by their desire to ascertain the truth, just as they had ap- 
 pointed Commissioners to inquire into other matters. They were 
 anxious that there should be no doubt as to the true facts in the 
 case and the Commission was appointed accordingly. 
 
 Hian CHABACTER OF COMMISSION. 
 
 The Commission consisted of Rev. Prof. Reynar, of Victoria 
 College ; the Rev. D. D. McLeod, of Barrie, and Mr. J. J. Tiiley, 
 
 men of the highest standing in their various walks in life and 
 
 men who couJi not be approached with a view to influencing 
 their judgraen ; and he ventured to eay they had not prepared a 
 partial or ore sided report. The hon. gentleman saya — reiterat- 
 mg a statement made by the Leader of the Onpo'sition in his Lon- 
 don speech, — th^t the Commissioners were very anxious to shield 
 the Minister of Education, 
 
 What right has the hon. gentleman to impugn the character of 
 these Commissioners ? Two of them are leading men in their 
 respective denominations, one a Methodist and one a Presbyterian. 
 
FRENCH SCHOOLS. 13 
 
 'They were selected because of their experience, education and 
 their high standing as citizens. Because they did their duty, 
 because thcif report contained the facts as they found them and 
 because these facts did not serve the purpose of the hon. gentle- 
 tleman, he is unkind enough to intimate that they were partial 
 and unfair and tried to shield the Minister of Education. The 
 opinion which he seems to have formed of their report is at vari- 
 ance w'^ih the one formed by competent judges elsewhere. For 
 instance: ;,;;■;;;, 
 
 The Canadian Baptist said "This evidently impartial report, while it does 
 not perhaps add largely to the information already p )S8essed by those who 
 have followed up the discussion in the Legislature and in the pres?, will be 
 ot great service as giving, in cmcise form, a reliable basis for infereuce and 
 action. Most unprejudiced persons will, we think, agree that the recom- 
 mendations of the commission are eminently judicious. They include aboat 
 all the action that seems necessary and desirable." 
 
 Tlu Gaiiadtan Prealiyferian said, " As was to be expected from men of 
 their chnracter and standing, they did their work with diligence, thorough- 
 ness and impartiality. Their report has just been issued and it is strictly 
 correct to say that it is untinged by political coloring. Tne report is valu- 
 able becaase it presents a clear and unbiassed statement of the actual sf ate of 
 afi'airs in these schools dor.iinated, as they largely are, by French Roman 
 Oathoiic influences ; it will aho, doubtless, lead to the adoption of the cor- 
 rections necessary to preserve the integrity and usefulness of the Public 
 School system in Ontario." 
 
 The Frtxbyterian Jieview said, " Wth ihe report we are much pleased. It 
 is full, carefully prepared and clear. Ihe Ccniniissioners have done their 
 work well, and we are happy to agree to the reconimendatiuns they make." 
 
 The Lhriatiaii Ouardiau said, " As far as we can judge, the Commissioners 
 have done their work with great thorou^lmess and fairness." 
 
 The Toronto Mail said, " On the whole the ConimiMsioners appear to 
 "have done their work thoroughly and conscientiously." 
 
 The Ottawa Citizen (Tory^ said, "it was hinted in some quarters that the 
 " report of the Cunimissioners appointed by the Ontario Department of Ed- 
 *' noation to investigate the condition of the Public Schools of the Province 
 <'in counties where the French-Canadian population is numerous would 
 <' prove a whitewashing one, and that the object aimed at would not he 
 <* attained i but a careful examination of the report, briefly summarized 
 <* in yesterday's Citizen, iihows that the Commissioners performed the dtrty 
 <* assigned to them in a most careful and thorough manner." 
 
 The hon. gentleman claimed that a Conservative should have 
 been on the Commission. Why ? Did the hon. gentleman serious- 
 ly contend that the truth was only to be obtained from Conserva- 
 tivea ? (Hear, hear.) 
 
 FRENCH AND QEllMAN SCHOOLS. 
 
 The hon. gentleman brought him to tnsk for having said in his 
 speech in Toronto last J une, that the German schools were pre- 
 
]4 r&KNCH SOUOULS. 
 
 cisely in the same condition as the French schools, and in answer to 
 this invention of his own brain, he quotes from the report of 
 the Commissioners to show that there was no similarity in 
 the condition of the two schools. What led him to this con- 
 clusion no one could tell. The words used by him (Mr. Ross) 
 on that occasion were — 
 
 '*! come next to consider that mosi disturbing uf all questions — French 
 " and German schuols— and I bracket these two because every objection 
 "that applies to one applies to the other. From an Anglo-Saxon stand- 
 " point they are both fureigu ]an|j;uages, and national characteriatios have 
 " very little to do with the questioa." 
 
 He was then discussing the French and German schools from a 
 racial standpoint He argued that if French was a foreign lan- 
 guage so was German, ana that Anglo-Saxonizing was as much a 
 necessity in the one case as the other. He was discussing the 
 question whether under certain circumstances it was not desir- 
 able and proper that French should bo used as a language of in- 
 struction in addition to English, so as to teach the French chil- 
 dren English through French, just as German children would be 
 taught English through German. From a national standpoint 
 they were in the same position. It was natural that the French 
 child who learned French should be taught English through the 
 medium of that language, just as a German or Gaelic child 
 should be taught English through the instrumentality of his 
 native language. 
 
 MR. CRAIG'S plagiarism. 
 
 He came now particularly to the Bill introduced by the hon. 
 gentleman, and first he would mention that every clause in it 
 which is of any value was stolen from the regulations of the 
 Education Department, and those that were not so stolen were 
 worse than useless. By the first section of his Bill he declares 
 that English shall be the language of every Public and Sc|)arate 
 School in this Province. Where did he get this section ? As 
 everybody knows, he got this from the Regulations ot August, 
 1885, amplified by the Regulations of the 10th of February last 
 as follows : — 
 
 "(13) It shall be the duty of the tf oher to conduct every exercise and 
 recitation from the text- books prescribed for Public tSchoo s, in the English 
 lagniiage, and all commuiji;atiun between teacher and pupil in regard to 
 matters of diecipline and in iha manat^ement of the school shall he in 
 Euglinh, except so f^r as this is iniprHcncuble bv reaHon of the pupil not 
 understanding Engliaii. Recitations in French or Qerman may be coudaoted 
 in the language of the text-book." 
 
FBEMOU SCHOOLS. 15 
 
 By sec. 3 of his bill he provides that i d teacher is to be employed 
 
 ' permitted to teach unleSvS he is cap ble of speaking the Eng- 
 
 lis hlangua^w^ Another case of petty larceny, as the following 
 
 Begulation or ..;. Fr'.i-.t'-Ci: D-p..*-ti -at passed in lhh5 provided 
 
 for an examination in English and covers the samo ground. 
 
 155. In addition to the examination conducted in the French or the Ger- 
 man language, every candidate for a teacher's certificate shall be required to 
 pass such examiMations in English grammar and in translation from French 
 or Qeroian into English, as may be prescribeu by the Board of Examiners. 
 
 By sec. 4 of his bill the teacher may use any language under- 
 stood by the pupils in imparting instruction in all cases where 
 the pupils do not understand English. This section was also 
 stolen from the Regulations of the Department, and is strangely 
 at variance with the statement made by the hou. gentleman last 
 year. 
 
 On the 9th of March, 1880, as reported by the Empire, he 
 (Mr. Craig) said : — 
 
 " He had shown that the situation was a very serions one. Were they wil- 
 " ling to have two languaj^es in this Province ? In the Public Schools of 
 "Ontario, if such were not the desire of the people, the English language 
 *' only should be taught." ♦ * ♦ ♦ ♦ «• He did not wish to speak a 
 " woid against the French language, but as this was essentially an Eoi^Iiah 
 *' speaking Province, they CMild only haw one language in their PuWio 
 " Schools. That was the great propotition which he wished to lay down." 
 
 What has become of the great proposition laid down by the hon. 
 gentleman last year ? Ithas vanished into thin air. 
 
 By sec. 6, the teacher who violated the provisions of the hon. 
 gentleman's bill, should it become law, is to be dismissed appar- 
 ently without judge or jury. This clause was not stolen from the 
 regulations of the Department. By sec. 7 the use of French is to 
 be allowed for one hour per dey until Parliament enacts other- 
 wise. So we are going to postpone the great panacea of the hon. 
 gentleman for making us a united people until Parliament gets 
 ready. Why such procrastination. By sec. 8 the privilege of using 
 the French language in the instruction of pupik who know no Eng- 
 lish is to be withdrawn absolutely, in case the provisions of the 
 hon. gentleman's bill are wilfully violated. If a teacher violated 
 this section the children would be deprived of instruction in 
 French altogether, and consequently would not be taught at all. 
 He would visit upon the heads of the children, not the sins of 
 their fathers — that would be according to Scripture — but the sina 
 of the Board of Trustees. Such a measure could not be passed 
 
1(J FRENCH SCHOOLS, 
 
 through any legislative body anywhere, not even in Japan. (Ap- 
 plause.) One serious omission in the bill, in spite of all the Bbulen 
 sections it contained, was that it made no provision for the 
 training of teachers in English. This omission he regarJed as 
 fundamental. The Commissioners stron'^ly recommended the 
 establishment of a training school for French teachers. How 
 were we to introduce English into the schools, except through the 
 medium of teachers qualified to use it properly in the school- 
 room ? 
 
 BILL MUST BE REJECTED. 
 
 He asked the House to reject the second reading of the 
 Bill, and in so doing he hoped that the last had been heard 
 of this question. It' they were going to keep before their 
 minds the purpose of those who founded Confederation, it 
 woidd not do to have the public agitated by discussions 
 that fostered a cleavage between French and English. The 
 French had been as loyal to Canada as any otiier portion of the 
 population. They had defended it against attack from within 
 and without, and we had a right to respect their language and 
 even their prejudices, for were they not our own kith and kin ? 
 If they would build up here a great nation they must look be- 
 yond the nan'ow horizon of a school section, or of a few counties, 
 or even beyond the horizon of the Dominion itself, and the further 
 they looked the more they found the policy of the Government 
 sustained by the great countries of the woild. It was that policy 
 vrhich had helped to make England the mistress of the seas, 
 which had enabled Switzerland for centuries to maintain herself 
 in her Alpine retreat, and which had helped Germany and Austria, 
 in spite of internal strife and contlicts with other nations, to be- 
 oome two of the great Powers of Europe. Such a policy, too. 
 would help to build up a great nation ia Ontario and in Canada. 
 (Applause.) 
 
 Mr. Meredith replied to the Minister of Education and was 
 followed by the Attorney-General ; — 
 
 TOE AITORNBT-GENERAL 
 
 . The Atfomey-GenTal, on risini? ahortlf before two o'clock, was greeted 
 with louiA chebra. He aaid that at that late h»iir it would not be bucoiuiag 
 on his part to occupy the attention of the Huuse very long, nor did the 
 speech of his hon. friund, heated although it was and excited, and impas* 
 sioned as ita delivery no doubt waa, oontain much that required an answer. 
 It waa absurd for the leader of ihe Opposition to say that the G tvernment 
 <did nut desire the French population to learn English. If his hon^ frieod 
 
FRENCH SCHOOLS. 17 
 
 really seriously meant any such statement as that he must be pretty nearly 
 appruaohJng absolute idiocy. (Oheers and laughter.) His hon. friend was 
 not in that position — he knew very well how the matter roally was, but he 
 thought just now it was in the interest of his party to represent things aa 
 being diliierenc to what they were. The Government were as anxious as he 
 was to see their French fellow-cubjects speak the English language; but the 
 difficulty was how to bring about that result. The plan propost d by his hon. 
 friend was a veiy bad one, and if carried into effect, not more English would 
 be learned, but less. The Goremment wanted English to be learned by the 
 French portion of the population, but they wanted them also to be friends. 
 Nothing could be gained by proscribing the French language in the schools, 
 but a great deal was to be gained if they recognised to a certain extent the 
 use of that language in the schools. The French population contributed to 
 the support of the schools, and the object sought could be secured a thous- 
 and times more efifectually by respecting their prejudices, by respecting their 
 loTb for their language, by respecting their desire tjat their children shonld 
 be taught their own tongue, than by adopting a coercive policy. (Oheers.) 
 He wanted the French children to learn their language, to study their lan- 
 guage, to read books in their language, and he wanted them all to study the 
 language and literature of England. His hon. friend had said that he could 
 not imagine what the policy of the Government was, and challenged him (the 
 Attorney- General) to tell him their policy. The hon. gentleman could be 
 very obtuse when he wanted to be obtuse. The Minister of Education had 
 already appealed to the " Instructions for Teachers " for the purpose of show- 
 ing what their policy was. The member for London had read those instruc- 
 tions, and after reading them it m as absurd for him to pretend that he did 
 not know what the policy of the Government was. The hon. the Attorney- 
 General then went through the instructions seriatim as regards the ase of 
 French in the schools and the directions for the teaching of English, point- 
 ing out that the French children were not to study French only but to study 
 English also. The policy of the Government was to have English taught in 
 the schools, and to adopt the best methods of teaching it and the best 
 methods of educationists elsewhere had been adopted. There no doubt was 
 in some counties a scarcity of teachers qualified to teach English, and the 
 Government wanted to remove that state of things as speedily as possible. 
 The Government recognised the necessity for doing something, and were 
 taking steps to provide teachers where that scarcity existed. The Govern- 
 ment were anxious to have children thoroughly trained in English, and with 
 that object in view they were adopting the methods that experience had 
 prov3d to be the best. The object aimed a\'. could never be accomplished by 
 exhibiting a spirit of hostility to the French population — certainly not by 
 proscribing the use of French in the schools. The Attorney- General quoted 
 from correspondence previously used by him in his recent speech at Wood- 
 stock to show that Dr. Ryerson and the whole Council of Public Instruc- 
 tion had regarded the use of French in the French Schools in the East much 
 as they regarded the use of English in the English Public Schools, and 
 showed liow this condition had gradually changed until the recent regula- 
 tions of the Education Department had been issued, by which English was 
 to be thoroughly taught and teachers thoroughly trained in English in every 
 school in these counties. (Loud applause.) 
 
 Mr. Evanturel. 
 
 It was nearly half-iast two o'clock when the Attorney-General ceased 
 speaking. Mr. Evanturel rose for a moment and expressed his regret that 
 
18 FRENCH SCHOOLS. 
 
 the lateness of the hour precluded his continuing the debate, and correcting 
 the numerous inaccuracies which, he said, the speef^hes of Mr. Meredith and 
 Mr. Craig contained. He felt bound, however, to point out to the hon. gen- 
 tlemen thai this " ayllabaire," which he and Mr. Craig had condemned bO 
 vehemently on account of its alleged Roman Catholic teaching and prayers, 
 did not contain one single Roman Catholic prayer or doctrine. If the hou. 
 gentlemen had been able to read French they would have seen this, and the 
 fact that such a circumatance had escaped the attention of two Toronto Uni- 
 versity graduates who had examined the little volume lowered his estimate 
 of the Provincial University by fifty F'»r cent. He would have been happy 
 to translate the whole contents of the volume for the benefit of the House u 
 the hour had been earlier. (Oheera.) 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 :-'K:t 
 
FRENCH SCHOOLS. 19 
 
 MKMORANDUM. 
 
 Since the delivery of Mr, Hoss' speech the Empire has publish- 
 ed what appears to be an official report of what Mr. Craig said 
 in the debate on French Schools. In order that all mattera 
 in dispute might be fully covered, the following supplemen- 
 tary observations are appended. Mr. Craig made a special effort to 
 fasten upon Mr. Ross the charge of misrepresentation if not falsi- 
 fication in connection with the French Schools. The first state- 
 ment made by Mr. Ross in his speech last year which Mr. Craig 
 challenged was as follows : 
 
 He (Mr. Robb) denied that the aobools of Eastern Ontario were inferior in 
 the sense described by the member for East Durham. The reports of the in- 
 spectors go to show that these schools are doing excellent work, even French 
 pupils beating English pupils at departmental examinations. The member for 
 East Durham should have informed himself on the condition of the schools 
 of Eastern Ontario before making a charge that they were not in an efficient 
 condition. 
 
 In L'Orignal English is taught, and there could not be any complaint with 
 respect to the teaching of English in the sohools in the extreme eastern part 
 of the province. ; -.,/ 
 
 .,-.,.„... 'i, ......'.-;vV Answer* '.U----v ■ 
 
 The information on which this statement was based is contain- 
 ed in Mr. Summerby's report (Sessional Paper, No. 48, 1887) and 
 is as follows: 
 
 To give you an idea of the character of work done in English, in some of 
 our FreLch Schools, I may here draw your attention to the fact that I mer- 
 tioned to you when I was in Toronto last month. For>/ pupils from one of 
 these schools passed the Entrance examination to the High School during the 
 year 1886, one in July and three in December. All four of these pupils 
 speak and write both languages ; two of them are the children of French 
 speaking parents ; tiro of them English-speaking parents, and one of them 
 is but eleven years of ago. One of the French pupils made a perfect paper in 
 dictation, spelling every word correctly and beating all the English-speaking 
 pupils. 
 
 In the western part of the inspectorate there are no High Sch6oi , and ad- 
 vanced work must be done in the Public Schools, or pupils wishing to go 
 forward in their studies have to leave home to attend school. Some of our 
 pupils attend Bigh Schools in adjoining counties, and as in some of these 
 schools medals and scholarships are awarded pupils taking the highest mark» 
 at the Entrance examination, we have thus a means of comparing our work 
 with that done in neighboring counties. Several times of late years oar pu- 
 pils have taken gold and silver medals at the Kemptville High School, and 
 tliey have aUo taken scholarships at Ottawa Collegiate Institute. 
 
20 FBENCH SCHOOLS. 
 
 Tu some of our Public Sohools pupils are prepared for the teachers' exam- 
 inations. During the past two years several have passed district examina- 
 tions ; three the third class examination, and one the second class exam- 
 ination. The second class candidate was but fourteen, years of age and had 
 passed the third class examination the previous year. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 (Signed) W. J. SUMMERBY. 
 
 "School Inspbotor's Office, 
 
 "January 4th, 1888. 
 
 Sib, — At the beginning of last year I asked my assistant, Mr. Dufort, to pay 
 special attention to this subject (English) when making his inspectoral visits. 
 The result is that we have reduced the number of purely French departments 
 from twenty-seven to six, and I hope to be able to report, at the end of the 
 present term, that these six have fallen into line. At last summer's exami- 
 nation for teachers for our French schools, all candidates totally ignorant of 
 English were rejected. I do not wish it to be thought that I am satisfied 
 with our present attainments in this respect. As I have said in previous 
 reports, our weak point is a staff of teachers having an imperfect acquain- 
 tance with the English tongue. But I think we are going forward as rapidly 
 as can be expected under the circumstances. 
 
 • ' , * „ <lt ., ., ,. * * -K * 
 
 " Yours truly, 
 v.. "W. J. SUMMERBY. 
 
 "RcsaisLL, 23rd February, 1889. 
 " Dkab Sie, — Last year T had to report that we had six schools in which 
 English was not taught. Mr. Dufort has made a verbal report to me that 
 these six fell into line during 1888, so that we can now say that English is 
 taught in every Public School iu the counties. 
 
 - ' " Yours truly, 
 
 ; ' "W. J. SUMMERBY. 
 
 : ' / : .-- " CuKRAN, 25th February, 1889. 
 
 *' Sir, — Last year according as I made my tirsh visits I insisted on all the 
 teachers that they had to teach English, and also explained to trustees and 
 parents the necessity of having it taught. The result is that I now have the 
 pleasure of stating that English is taught in all the schools more or less. 
 
 " Your obedient servant, 
 
 "0. DUFORT, 
 ...-:,-^v4v'' Assistant I. P. S. 
 
 The siateraents of the Inspectors were confirmed by the Com- 
 iniasionera, as the following extracts will show : 
 
 " I, That some English is taught in every school. 
 
 " II. That the Ontario Kuaders have been introduced into every school. 
 
 ♦ ' JIl. That the pupils are usually well supplied wita English reading bookf . 
 
FBENCH SCHOOLS. 21 
 
 *' There can be no question as to the fact that in all the French schools in 
 the several counties visited, notwithstanding pai ticular cases of backwardness 
 or inefficiency, an efTort is being made to impart a knowledge of the English 
 language ; and not only so, but this work is receiving a larger amount of 
 attention at present than in former years. There are some of these schools 
 in which English has been well taught f<>r many years, so that they are prac- 
 tically English schools There are also some, as will be seen from the sta- 
 tistical statement forming part of this report, m which the English language 
 is largely used in the work of the school. This is the case more particularly 
 in the counties of Essex and Kent." 
 
 Unauthorized Text Booha. , ; 
 
 Mr. Craig states that Mr. Ross denies that unauthorized books 
 were used in the schools in Eastern Ontario. Mr Ross never 
 made such a denial, on the contrary, as reported in the Mail, he 
 made the following admission : — 
 
 "There was a certain violation of the Regulations of the Department in the 
 French Schools in Eastern Ontario in that they used French text-books not 
 authorized but books authorized for mixed schools in Quebec. He had ob- 
 tained in the French language those used ^n the Maritime Provinces and had 
 sent them to the Central Committee for repoit. The prospect was, therefore, 
 that in a short time they would have French text-books as undenomination&l 
 as were the books used in the Pnblic Schools." 
 
 From beginning to end the reports of the speech show that 
 what Mr. Ross said was true and is true, and that nothing has 
 been disclosed by the Commissioners, or by any other evidence 
 submitted so far, to show that his statements were inaccurate. 
 
 REGULATIONS OF THE EDUCATION DEPART- 
 MENT, , 
 
 EESPECTING FRENCH AND GERMAN SCHOOLS. 
 
 Approved, February 10th, 1890. 
 
 (1) In school sections where the French or German language prevails, the 
 trustees, with the approval of the Inspector, may, in addition to the course 
 of study prescribed for Public Schools, require instruction to be given in 
 reading, grammar and composition to such pupils as are directed hy their 
 parents or guardians to study either of these languages, and in all such oases 
 the authori^^ed text-bonks in French or German shall be used. 
 
22 FRENCH SCHOOLS. 
 
 (2) It shall be the duty of the teacher to conduct every exercise and recita. 
 tion from the text books prescribed for Public Schools, in the English 
 language, and all communications between teacher and pupil in regard to 
 matters of discipline and in the mana^'ement of the school shnll be in Eng- 
 lish, except so far as this is impracticable by reason of the pupil not under* 
 standing English. Recitations in ' French or German may oe conducted in 
 the language of the text- book. 
 
 (3) It shall be the duty of the inspector to examine carefully in English 
 every pupil according to the course of studies prescribed for Public Schools ; 
 but he shall be at liberty to use his own discretion as to what explanations 
 he will give in any other language that appears to be better known by the 
 pupil, Tho standard of efficiency recognized in Public Schools where the 
 English language only is taught shall be the standard for French and Ger- 
 man schools, reasonable allowance being made for pupils trhose mother tongue 
 is French or German. The IiiBpector shall report at once to the Education 
 Department any school in which the regulations respecting the study and 
 US6 of English lire disregarded by the teacher or trustees. 
 
 (4) In counties where there is a scarcity of teachers qualified to tebch Eng- 
 lish, the Board of Examiners for the county, with the approval of the Edu- 
 cation Department, may establish a Model School for the special training of 
 French or Gern^an teachers. Such schools shall hold two sessions each year, 
 and shall, in addition to the ordinary professional course required forOounty 
 Model Schools, give a full literary course in English in all the subjects pre- 
 scribed for Third Class Teachers' Certificates, or for District Certiticates, as 
 the Board may direct. The final examination for certificates to teach, shall 
 be conducted in the English language. There shall also be a final examin- 
 ation in the French or German language, in reading, grammar and composi- 
 tion. Boards of Examiners shall possess all the powers with respect to such 
 schools aa they now possess with respect to County Model Schools. The 
 Regulations governing the inspection of County Model Schools by the 
 County and Departmental Inspector shall apply to these schools. 
 
 (5) Emblems of a denominational character shall not be exhibited in a 
 public school during regular school hours. 
 
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