The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

fying feature of the high school system is Mr. Cornelius Donovan, inspector of the the large increase in the attendance, the western division of separate schools, says:-- numbers having more than doubled in four-- Un a general view of the situation i am teen years, while the cost per pupil is much h'"g to be able to bear witness to the less. In 1877 the average cost of a high satisfactory character of the work of the school pu il was $77 24. in 1890 it was schools of 'ch.l' diVlBl?n dunng 1891. Im. $32 34. 'I';m total number of pupils of all provement in terching methods is also the schools in 1890, except colleges and steadily going on. . Whoever considers that private schools, was 517,319, and the it is not a generation ago whon. the leading 'grand total sum _ expended for _ all | features of school work comprised & servile | educational -- purposes . was _ $5,284,980. use of the text book, the memorising of Tle _ "number or" mMmechanics' institutes' useless dates and events, and the acquisi-- in 1891 was 215, against 93 in 1833. tion of abltra}ct principles at tl.w very out-- The efforts made by the department to se-- set, will readily appreciate existing methods cure the planting of shade trees and the under which observation, investigation, cultivation of flowers in the school grounds thought and Judfment. are cultivated and were heartily supported by teachers and made habitual. If I do not here go into trustees. Arbor Day has now become one particulars it is because reports giving a of the most interesting and profitable holi-- fully detailed account of the standing of days in the year. . In 18835, 38,940 ; In 1886, the pupils in the different branches of in-- 34,087 ; in 1887, 28,057 ; in 1838, 25,714 ; struction (as well as of the condition of the in 1889, 21,281, 'and in 1890, 22,250 trees premises) were forwarded to the depart-- were planted. In a very few years every ment and to the trusatees as soon as possible rurai school in the Province will have its after each school had been inspected. It is pleasant shady bower where the pupils can significant that out of '"'1{ 300 classes find shelter from the scorching sun during there were only four that had to be repri-- the summer months, and where their taste manded for unsatisfactory work." for the beautiful in nature will find some $ PUBLIC WORnks RELORTY. gratification. _ The report of Mr, J. F. The report of the commissioner on public White, inspector of the eastern divi-- works gives an account of the improve-- sion of the Roman Catholic Separate ments made during the year to the various Schools, presents some interesting in-- public buildings. _ Regarding the new Par-- formation regarding the French schools. | »liament buildings it says:--'"Considerable Of'these there are in Ottawa 12, having 58 &'°8'°'","'"vs made in the construction of teachers ; in other places, principally in the ese buildings during the year. 'The roofs country districts olp Prescott and Russell, are completed and the Buildings protected there are 71 with 94 teachers ; making in from the weather, with the exception of the all 83 schools and 152 teachers. There has slating in the central portion, the slates for been a very large increase in these since his which are now on the ground and the work last visit to thein in 1887; then they em-- in progress, The plastering of the east and | ployed about 75 teachers, so that in four west wm§s and the intermediate portions is | years they have been doubled in number. now nearly completed. The works con-- | In every school and department the regu-- nected with the steam heating, ventilation lations regarding the teaching of English and plumbing, and the interior wood finish-- are carried out, so that each class learns ing,are well advunced,_mul progress has been this language, though with varying suc-- made in the construction of the outer drain-- cess--depending upon the circumstances of age. The cut--stone work, masonry and brick-- the school. In most of these places all the work is completed, with the exception of } pusill ope"'French as their mother--tongue, the main entrance and 'porte cocheres,' . | and very bhave m slight or indeed any which will be complc'te(! early next year." | | acquaintance with English before beginning Of the cottages at Mimico for the care of | their school life. In a few of these schools, the insane it says :--'"The sixth, seventh | however, there are some English--speaking and eighth cottages were occupied during pupils, and intercourse with them has the early part of the year, and the are atly facilitated the acquisition of spoken lights for the outside lighting of the grounds i'r:gli.h by the French children, so that it were completed. The houses for the farm-- is sometimes the case that pupils express er and engineer were also occupied, and the themselves with equal readiness in either piggery and driving house completed in the language. Still it must be borne in mind | | early part of the year, Two cottages for that for the vast majority of these children | | refractory patients, with the connecting English is heard only in the school, and subways, pluinbing, drainage, etc., are now that French is the language of their play-- ! nearly completed." The amount expended mates, of home and of their surroundings ; on public buildings and works since con{ed:-- consequently it will be very difficult for eration was $8,160,030 43. Of this sum them to speak any other fluently, for with the expenditure last year was $651,849 96, the ending of their school life will end and in 1890 it was $626,029. for most of them the study and frequent | | NOTICES OF MoTiOXNs$. use of any but their mother--tongue,. | |_, Mr. White--Bill to amead the Municipal In some schools the pupils of the lowest | | A¢t-- y division of the First Book, who had been in | | _ Mr. McLenaghan--Resolution that in school from two weeks to six months, were | | the opinion of this House the time has ar-- reported as not learning any Eoglish Iua| | rived in the history of this Province when such cases the teachers were instructed to greater local facilitiee should be given makea beginning in this language by suit-- whereby farmers' sons may receive a better able oral work in object and language les-- education in their own profession. sons, as a proparation for the written work mmnarmantemmmeamiemmeamama to be takem up later. 'There has been, to the best of my knowledge, a general and cordial compliance with these directions, and in some schools visited later in the year it was found that English was taught in every class and to all the children. For 1892 it is expected that the same statement can be made of every school in the inspec-- torate, based on the resuits of a personal visit. . On the whole then it may be fairly stated that the schools in this inspectorate are in a healthy condition, and that the out-- look is encouraging.