a;

tit

5e,

In Prince lti King’s Total, ._ do. Royalty, 2, County, County, alien’s County, 42. 39. 27. 121.

- mice enumerated in the same table.

' the higherclass schools being counterbalanced by the

p

Cnanhorrci'owu, ITebrnat y 8th, 184%,, Ar a Special Meeting of the Board of‘Education, held

this day, Mr. JouN Macurirm, Visitor,qu Schools, present- '

ed his Report, which being read," was 'receiver! and ordered to be printed in the “ Royal Gazette’! and “ Colonial Herald” Newspapers, according to Law.

ALEX. BROWN, Scc’g.

svisiroa'snnroagr.

to m MEMBERS or THE «BOARD or EDUCATION.

Gmuutt, . :

The lapse 91' “other year imposes upon me once more. the duty of laying before your Board my Annual Re- W". on the state and advancement of Education in the Onion

Thalitberé is no matter acknowledged to be of greater importance to the human family than the education of - the oung.js,evident from the large share of public at- tention which the subject of elementary or common school education engages at the presentImoment ip all parts of the civilized World., No subject has 0.,iate years excited a deeper interest than 3Ihis, andItit isI gratir fving to know that amid other questions of Vital import t“ the prosperityof the country. the subjecs of education is not forgotten or neglected among ourseives, but that, on the contrary, much ofthe public attention is directed. :nndo. considerable share of the public funds applied to this all-important purpose, and that the canSideration of .thekgislatnrc itself is now bestowed upon its encourage- mnt and «tension as a primary object of paramount public importance. To all. add more especially those to whom the Law hnscommitted the control and supervrsion of our Educational Institutions, the progress which moral and intellectual education, despite severe:I advegsc iciIrIiItIiI r scour in ucnccs, continues to ma e arn rig topulati'o‘npgamloat fail of affording abundant gi'atification.I That imperfect and inadequate Views upon the subject of .edIcation should prevail among a population brought itogcther from distant and unconnected places, and with dissimilar habits and modes both of thought and action, however much to,be regretted. can be no matter of sur- prise, and assuredly no ground of reproach. But that such erroneous and inadequate .views can be proven to} the fiendily, if not rapidly givmg Iway, before the ad- vance of more enlightened Iopinions, which bid fair eventually to dissipate the prejud.ccs of bye-gone times, :that brighter prospects should be opening; the reflection .that, in short, a still greater diffusion of intelligence may .be anticipated from what has alIready been achieved, must be cheering to every one interested in the least .d i" in the Welfare of his country. I is almost unnecessary for me to say that the happy feet: of this more general diffusion of information are everywhere visible in the industry, and the enterprising character of the inhabitants, in the enlargement and 1m- provementrof their agricultural operations, In the exten- sion of their commerce, and in theIgeneral prosperity of «the community. Our fellow Colonists appear new to more generally sensible that the employment of their industry, the award of fill!" enterprise, and the full development of the important natural advantages with which a bounteous Providence has endowed Prince. Edward Island, must ever be in praporlIum to the means pjordedfor the development of their intelligence. I ' The best evidence ofthc growmg chire of our popula- ‘on for instruction, and their appreciation of its value . Will be found in the increasing facilities and means of education. To advert to our District Schools, which are one of the first great means ofimproving the population. we shall find an increase in their number iii a mnch higher ratio than the increase of population. According to the returnssof the Census takeh during the summer of last year, the whole population of the Island Will be found to have "increased nearly 46 per cent. iiiIeight years. The increase in the number of schools in the same period is above 63 percent. In 1833 the number .of schools was '74: at the‘ present moment the total number ‘is 12-1. But while the schools have increased in this ratio, the number of children attending them has, in the same period, been more than doubled. In illustration of the preceding remarks, and also for the sake of convenient reference, I beg to subjoiii the follow- ing table, which gives a view also of the proportion of children receiving daily school instruction to the whole inhabitants.

Total No. of N0. of Average title/id- populalivrt. Schools. | Scholars. anccon mn‘iSci’mol In 1833,:32292 71 I 2171‘) I 29.4 -“ 1841, 47,034 121 4356 36 _ ....- ..__, .3 Increase ‘ , No. Increase in Scholars. Y Proportim 4;} of since since 1833. pupils to Inhabi- ' 1 -“ ' trmts. v

2180,

I In 1833. l to 14 8 or 100 per cent.

47, .ori63 per cent. “ 1841, Il to 10.0

\ No. of Schools, In Charlottetown, 11,

Of these 1041 are licensed, and five are female schools.

The total number of children ofbotli sexes, then, re- leivmg daily school instruction is 4356, giving an in- crease over the preceding year of 7:11. Notwithstanding this egression, about one half of the youth of the lslan may still be considered as being left without education. The number of youth under the age of Sixteen on the Island is 22.766; deducting from this amount those under Six and over Fourteen years of 530, the proportion of which to the whole number may be fairly estimated at ncara half, we shall how: in sound numbers 10,000 children within the Juvenile educationaltige fit for attending schools. Cutting off from this last sum, the number of children receivmg private instruction. and who cannot exceed 500, there will still remain 9,500 children to supply with instruction, of whom more than one half, as is obvious from the \preceding summation, will appear to be left in n condi- tion of Mlete ignorance. It is however fair to remember that many ofthose within the educational age, although not at present in actual attendance, have been «at school some part of their lives. In a great many instances, parents can afford only to send their children .to school alternate years or quarters. A degree of in-' «motion, however, so limited, so meagre, is nearly oqnivalentto none whatever. The‘number of children who frequentsunday-schools too is not taken into account in the above computation ; for these schools, eminently useful as they are in imparting religious knowledge, cannabc ranked in the list of educational establish- means, taking this phrase in its proper meaning; and firming more incorrect still to comprise their pupils in an [outnumber of children receiving instruction on (he island, seeing that the majority of these pupils are

the attendants in daily schools, and would thus be

' mining that the foregoing information relative to ourochotd Statistics will be deemed sufficient for the present, by youtBoard, I proceed to consider the system of public instruction under which these schools are established, unwell-as the process of elementary education pursued in them.

The existing “ Act for the encouragement of Educa- tion" is based on the principle of voluntary contribution, aided by partial Assessment and Legislative Gran-ts. The average amount paid by each School District towards the support of its Teacher is, as nearly n81 can ascertain, about £40 per annum, including Board and Lodging; add to this the Provincval allowance, which will average £10 to each school, (the additional £5 to

reduced sum paid towards the support of the Acadian vand inferior Schmls in the poorer Settlements, and \which are included in the above enumeration,) it will

appear “‘3‘ me Proporfion' of the Teacher’s salary de. frayed by Government is a fifth, or that for every four pounds paid by the Inhabitants, the public revenue.

one pound is paid from

‘dppus teachers.

' given district 0 assess the residue who might withhold

of office in May next, on the state and degree of improv.

v

Thewell known defects of our school'rsystem,.whi_ch, frbwtime to time, I have brought under your notice, s’fillhppearin too many parts of the Island, such as in-

.of desks, benches, and other school apparatus, the want of suitable books, and occasionally ofI duly qualified schoolmasters, andthe scanty remuneration of-meritori-

In accordance with your understood wishes, .I have in former Reports reiterated the fact of the existence of ,these defects, and the indispensable necessny of a reform; and I should be much more happy to listen to the stric- lures, or benefit by the suggestions- of other-I more ex- perienced friends of education, than submit for the amehdment of the system any prt'iject of‘my own. As it may be' expected, however, that .I should oflhi' some further remarks upon this subject, as lying Within my province,- I proceed briefly to observe, in taking up the above defects teriatt‘m, that no district should be allowed to participate in the public bounty where the school building is limited to the mere letter of the Act. Al— though several comfortable and commodions houses have becndately erected, too many are yet very insuffici- ent, and with nothing to entitle them to come Within the meaning oflthe Act, except their containing within four bare walls the prescribed area. It isnindispensable to the usefulness of the Master, the improvement of his pupils, and to the health and comfort of both, that pro- per furniturc be provided, convenient seats, desks. docs and that a proper supply of light, fresh air, fuel, and warmth be attended to ; these are all matters to which trustees should give constant and particular attention. It would be much more benefictal, were depots estab- lished in remote and destitute parts, for the distribution of those elementary books, for the purchase of which One hundred pounds were granted to the Secretary of your Board iii the Session of 1837. Such books to be approved of by your Board and to be distributed under the directions of the school-trustees of those districts.

In considering the disadvantages Connected with and; arising from the last named defects, I would beg to- obscrve, that I need not enlarge upon the importance of an Institution for the preparat ion of teachers, or the defect of that system by which a teacher must work out a plan of his own, and acquire experience at the cust of the pupils committed to his care. Let there be really one superior school iii each county, from which the lintire'tcachers of the Island shall be drafted, and where, before being licensed to teach, they must spend some time iii supplying the deficiences of their own education. and .iii familiarizing themselves with the practice of communicating knowledge in the most dexteruus manner. Should a well endowed school in each County be con- sidered by some too extravagant'an establishment, it is evident that one central Seminary ought at least to be sustained, if the Cotintry would rear its own improvers, and possess within itself a source for the constant supply of‘its own increasing wants. A regulation such as this, in my opinion, would» do much to enforce the amend- ment of the system ; it would iii the first place improve the quality of general education, and we might then hav’e reason to hope, that on the true mercantile princi- ple, the increase in the value of the article, would com- mand a corresponding increase in price, and not the teacher merely, but the country would then reap the benefit. The necessity there exists of holding out higher en- couragement to teachers of character and ability, is so evident as to preclude the necessity of my enforcing it by a single word. The inadequate maintenance, and consequent poverty ofteachers, is evidently incompatible with that moral influence which a schoolmaster ought to possess over his pupils, and with the high degree of respect With which he ought to be regarded. by their parents.

The life of every system of education is its provuion for a constant supply of good teachers: and experience has proved, that this is the part most difficult to deal With, and upon which the greatest difference of opinion exists; to say more on this head would be superfluous; my views and suggestions on the subject are already before you. I In order to afford all possible encouragement to meri- torious teachers, it would be advisable to fix a graduated scale in the emolument of the first class of English in. structors, and a competition to take place for the best endowed School. Teachers would thus undergo a special examination for a particular school, and each would obtain a higher or lower school, according as his merits would be found to deserve. A regulation like this, holding out prospects of prefermerit and reward of merit, could not fail in having a favorable effect upon the cflbrts of teachers. It would be premature to expect yet the full develop- ment of a measure such as the present School Act, which has been iii existence only Since April last. I cannot therefore be prepaer to draw any inferences from its bricf‘operation, or report how far its provisions are likely to be attended with salutary eff-Jets. Time, however, will soon test its efficacy, its merits or demerits, and prove to what extent it is calculated to meet the increasing exigences of the country. I may be allowed to state, however, that the operation of the provision relating to assessment, to which I have directed particular attention, has not, in any instance which came within my knowledge, been attended with oppressive or injuri ous effects; on the contrary, I ascribe much ol'tlie in- crease in the schools, and the school attendance of the past year, over any of the preceding, to that regulation which empowers two thirds of the heads of families in a

their support. I did not find, however, that the teacher in any instance has reaped the benefit ofthis provision, by the augmentation of his salary. His salary has re- mained stationary, while the advantage hes accrued to the inhabitants \vliOse individual burdens have been diminished, in proportion to the amount realized to the common fund by the imposition oftlie assessment. The teacher thus deiivcs from the Statute no equivalent for the loss to which he has been subjected by the reduction of his small Legislative allowance. In some few in- stances, he may be compensated by the gratuitous liberaliiy of his subscribers, or in a few cases where the interest of the inhabitants may prompt them to make up the deficiency in order to retain an approved school- master in their service. In directing your attention also to the course of edu- cation or process of instruction, I have to remark, that although a high degree of improvement has been mani- fest in various of our District Schools, since the period of my last Report—yet I have found, since then, no such material alteration in their general state—nothing so new or striking in the prevailing mode 0 instruction pursued—no such marked extension in the range of elo- mentary education in these Schools, as to furnish me with any information, particularly interesting or important to communicate on these heads. On this account, you Wlll not, Iflbnture to presume, consider it necessary for me to enter into further detail at this time, more espe- cially when yoti will remember the last Report I made to your Board of the Schools, in their several degrees of merit—the minute description I then gave of the state ofeuch School, and the general proficiency of the res- pective scholars, ecu. To furnish you With similar de- tails now, would only be travelling, in a great measure, over the ground explored then. This, too, I deem the less necessary, as the Schools opened in the present year do not appear to be of a. superior description, nor the attainments of the teachers, in the aggregate, of a higher order than those previOIJsly established. Indeed, it I may be allowed an opinion, I would say, that in general they are inferior this year. To this, ho'wever

there are some striking exceptions: among which I can3 not but allude to the fact that of the six second or higher class Schools now open on the Island—three of their teachers have received licenses of qualification during the past year'. As there may be something new, how.

ever to communicate, on the subject above alluded .to,I hope again to report to you, at the expiration of my} term

merit of each particular school. I But to return ‘tothe consideration of the system

*- One of the last licensed, Mr. Donald Livingston, whose laudable pursuit of learning and efforts at self. improvement are deserving of notice, is a native, and a proof of what application and steady perseverance with

but few opportunities can effect.

sufficient .or incommodious schoolhouses, the deficiency

I it” y ‘ ‘ that the great . of education. It .is evident 2:255? “rife the law is the education, in the cornmloln brainclies of secular knowledge, of every chrld in It or: [land I It is certain, too, that our schools are r; viewed as a means of conveying usefulIkn0\vledgt::In ‘1 H " ’ c ' the improvem s owertul euitiliaries in I I I iiibtrals. ITo this end it is Wiselyprtaviggd giggle] bl: dmoral character an n c I I persons Organ ' f outh or anteast partiCi- trusted wuh the educatioiio y b,II _ I h ‘ us reasons, ow- in the ublic ~grant., Ear o VIO I I pate the laiiiJ has not introduced any regularly organiz

ver I I I I I II :d system of instruction an the ChritstiauI-Rehgaon iphto 'he schools, nor has itimposed any obligationon e:

' s ""achthe doctrines of particular sects. a giiéiifieféf therefore, there has hitherto hardly efésterd. a single school iii which the Master hillIS Igivepnz‘fucpzn ly regulated religious education. Re IglolISd .I u on in our schoolshas gonoIiio further than to milpreSs 1;“ the memory of the children, and. make It em rep the questions and answers in some catechism. tad b: Although this part of instruction is not “11:19:11];ijl law, of the Schoolmasier, yet I am happy touch Ind- rcveral instances, Teachers have acted quon t e , pic that moral and religious instruction is .theImos e: sential part—the great groundwork of education,‘ an have made it a primary object and duty to impreps re: ligious principles upon the youthful and yet uncon am:- nated mind. This training I found to be iInoteIgenIcd ally practised by those teachers w to have imanigfgaflel from Britainoflate years. Education .15 indee o It e value unless based upon the Scriptures: All persons, of whatever denomination, however Widely theymay differ upon particular doctrinal points, can entertain

our. I I I ffgetiteshould any religious differences arise to impede or frustrate so desirable and beneficial an object. IAll objections proceeding from a difference of creeds might be obviated or removed, perhaps, in mixedschools, by pro- vnling that the great general truths of Christianity in

those great truths, without which all other knowledge would be vanity, should form as necessary a. part of the routine of every District School—as the Multiplication Table, or the Alphabet itself.

tion afforded, I have to observe that the branches taught in all our schools are of a simple elementary character, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Book-keeping. English

of classical learning in the schools of Pinette and New London Point only. The progress made towards the establishment of a general uniform system of instruc- tion for the government of our schools, and the obsta- cles and enibai'rassments which have hitherto beset, and still stand opposed to the extension of this desideratum, Will be found detailed at such length in my last Report, as to relieve me from the necessity of makingfurthcr allusion to it here. i .

In the preceding table I have given the total of the youth of both sexes attending school. Although unable, from the absence of certain documents at present, to show the relative numbers of the two receiving instruc-

falls far short ofthe other sex in this respect. The range offemale education is lamentably limited among us. Very erroneous and imperfect views on this subject prevail in many quarters. 1t is unnecessary for me to take up any portion ofmy limited space in insisting

operates on all the relations of life, or in saying that it has been acknowledged in all enlightened communities in ancient as well as in modern times, that woman should be as prospectively educated with a view to the right discharge ofall the duties of social life, as man is with a view to ilie proper discharge of the duties of ope. rative or commercial life. The mother in the domestic circle has been compared to the schoolmaster in the school. If it be true that the education of most im- portance is that received in childhood, that education belongs incontestibly to woman. How importantis it, then, that woman should be well educated ! The ,most civilized nations of antiquity, the heathen, Greeks and Romans were more sensible of the high importance of female education than some Christian communities, “ Why,” enquired a Persian Ambassador, “ are women held in such high estimation in Lacedemon?” “Because,” replied an accomplished queen of that country “they alone are competent to form men,” uWhat do we want in France," demanded Napoleon, “ to insuresto our children the best possible education 2” “We want, Sire,” was the reply, worthy ofthe celebrated Madam C‘ampan, “ we want educated mothers.” It is to be hoped that more enlightened views on this subject will make more pro. gress among our population—and also, that in every settlement, where practicable, the inhabitants will avail themselves ofthe advantage which the statute holds out by making such provision as will be a sufficient induce— ment to females to qualify themselves for the important office of teacher. Hitherto, the benefits of Education have been parti- ciputed in, either more or less, by some of all classes and conditions of the population, excepting the benightcd remnant ofthat once numerous, but now feeble race—- the Aborigines of this Island, who continue to rave along the shores-notice their own undisputed posses- Sion—in search ofa. scanty and precarious subsistence, unaided by the lightsof Education, and unchcered by its rewards. A solitary exception to this people’s ric- glectbf Education, is an instance of an Indian ha of 13 years of age, who has been receiving instruction during the last three years, iii different settlements around Richmond Bay, according as the migratory habits of the family led them to the vicmity ofa school. Notwithstanding this desultory attendance and frequent changing. the proficiency made by this boy—whose name is Martin Francis-proves that he is not inferior to other children in quickness of apprehension, and en- pacny to learn. He can read the English Reader with fluepcy, is well versed in the principal Rules of Arith- metic,and\ a specimen of his writing I herewith enclose. There is a peculiar interest attached to this boy, from the circumstance ofliis devoting his leisure hours to the instruction of the other children of his tribe. It is diffi- cult to foretell the influence which this youth’s precept and example may yet exert over the fortunes ofhis race. I do not know a more interesting object for the exercise of public generosity, and I trust the benevolent will aid and encourage him in the path of improvement.