III. TABLE C.-NUMBER OF PUPILS IN THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF INSTRUCTION. This table shows the number of pupils as classified under the present system.

The following summaries show:

1. The percentage in the several classes as compared with the whole number of pupils attending school.

1st Class. 2nd Class. 3rd Class. 4th Class. 5th Class. 6th Class.

2. The percentage in the principal subjects of instruction as compared with the whole number of pupils attending school.

IV. TABLE D.-NUMBER OF TEACHERS-ANNUAL SALARIES-CERTIFICATES. 1. Number of Teachers, Male and Female.-In the 5,123 schools reported, 6,596 teachers have been employed-increase, 123; of whom 3,153 are male teachers—increase, 93, and 3,443 are female teachers-increase, 30. It will thus be seen that there are about 300 more female than male teachers.

2. Annual Salaries of Teachers.—The highest salary paid to a male teacher in a County, $900-the lowest, $135; in a City, the highest, $1,000-the lowest, $250; in a Town, the highest, $1,000—the lowest $200. The average salary of male teachers in Counties, was $383-of female teachers, $249; in Cities, of male teachers, $662-of female teachers, $296; in Towns, of male teachers, $616-of female teachers, $270; of the 3,153 male teachers 10 received salaries ranging from $901 to $1,000; 19 from $801 to $900; 35 from $701 to $800; 45 from $601 to $700; 164 from $501 to $600; 908 from $401 to $500; while 1,972, or the great majority, were paid $400 and under. The average increase of male teachers' salaries for the Province during 1879, is $8 per male teacher. The number of teachers who had attended the Normal Schools at Toronto or Ottawa was 1,374, an increase of 241.

3. Teachers' Certificates.-Total number of certificated or licensed teachers reported, 6,596 increase, 123; Provincial Certificates, 1st class, 253-increase, 43; 2nd class, 1,601 -increase, 192; County Board Certificates of the Old Standard, 1st class, 307-decrease, 21; 2nd class, 125-decrease, 17; New County Board, 3rd class Certificates, 3,836— decrease, 68; Interim Certificates, 474-decrease, 6.

V. TABLE E.-SCHOOL BOARDS AND RURAL SCHOOL CORPORATIONS.

1. The number of Urban School Boards was as follows:-In Cities, 18; in Towns, 87; in Incorporated Villages, 132, being a total of 237.

2. The number of Urban School-houses was as follows:-In Cities, 129; in Towns, 190; in Incorporated Villages, 182.

3. The total number of pupils in Urban Schools registered during the year was, in Cities, 45,871; in Towns, 50,078; in Incorporated Villages, 52,016, and the average daily attendance was, in Cities, 26,771; in Towns, 27,776; in Incorporated Villages, 22,980.

4. The number of Township School Boards was 6, that is to say, in the following Townships-Enniskillen, Tuckersmith, Macaulay, Morrison, McKellar, and Christie.

5. The number of Rural School Sections was, 4,654—increase, 78. The number of Rural Schools reported as kept open, was 4,622—increase, 97.

6. The increase in number of Rural School-houses was 45. Of late years there has been a most satisfactory improvement in the School-houses, and in stone, brick, and frame taking the place of the old log-built School-houses.

7. The whole number of School-houses reported is 5,147, of which 1,633 are brick, 520 stone, 2,301 frame, 693 log.

8. Titles to School Sites.-Freehold, 4,948-increase, 46; Rented, 199-increase, 35. 9. School Visits. By Inspectors, 13,034-increase, 289; by other persons, 89,523— increase, 2,016. Total School visits 102,557-increase, 2,305. Trustees especially are bound to show zeal and interest in Public School Education and by personal visits to the schools, and counsel to parents, incite them to educate their children.

10. School Lectures.-By Inspectors, 646-decrease, 117; by other persons, 175decrease, 145.

11. Time of keeping the Schools open. The average time of keeping the Schools open, exclusive of holidays, vacations, and Sundays, was two hundred and eight days in 1879. The actual number of legal teaching days was 221 for Rural and Urban Schools, not united with High Schools, and 212 for Urban and Rural Schools united with High Schools.

12. Public School Examinations.-The whole number of Public School Examinations was 9,663-decrease, 286; though less than two for each School. The law requires that there should be in each School a public quarterly examination, of which the teacher should. give notice to trustees and parents of pupils, and to the school visitors (clergymen, magistrates, etc.,) resident in the School Section. Such examinations being tests of efficiency on the part of teachers, and of progress on the part of pupils, cannot fail to produce beneficial effects on Public Schools.

13. School Prizes and Merit Cards. The number of Schools in which prizes are reported as having been distributed to reward and encourage meritorious pupils is 1,708— increase, 45.

14. Prayers and Ten Commandments. Of the 5,123 Schools reported, the daily exercises were opened and closed with prayers in 4,477 of them-increase, 189; and the Ten Commandments were taught in 2,851-increase, 23. While the Public Schools Act provides that "No person shall require any pupil in any Public School to read or study from any religious book, or to join in any exercise of devotion or religion objected to by

his or her parent," the Department has framed regulations of a recommendatory nature on the subject, with forms of prayers, in the earnest hope that School Boards, Trustees, and Teachers, may thus be better enabled to impress upon their pupils the principles and duties of our common Christianity. In 4,477, out of 5,123 schools, religious exercises of the kind recommended by the Department are voluntarily conducted.

15. Maps.-Maps are used in 4,744 schools-increase, 74. Total number of maps used in schools, 39,987-increase, 992.

VI. TABLE F.-ROMAN CATHOLIC SEPARATE SCHOOLS.

1. The number of Roman Catholic Separate Schools is 191-decrease during the year, 15.

2. Receipts. The amount apportioned and paid by the Department of Education from the Legislative Grant to Separate Schools according to average attendance of pupils as compared with that at the Public Schools in the same Municipalities, was $13,100— increase, $479. The amount apportioned and paid for the purchase of maps, prize books and libraries, upon the usual condition of an equal sum being provided from local sources, was $1,018-increase, $229. The amount of school rates from the supporters of Separate Schools, was $89,386-increase, $10,265. The amount subscribed by supporters of Separate Schools, and from the other sources, was $25,587-decrease, $9,431. Total amount received from all sources was $129,092-increase, $1,543.

3. Expenditure. For payment of teachers, $75,165-increase, $4,864; for maps, prize books and libraries, $2,575-increase, $660; for sites and building School-houses, $20,784; for other School purposes, $24,305.

4. Pupils. The number of pupils reported ás attending the Separate Schools was 24,779-decrease, 501. Average attendance, 13,073-decrease, 99.

5. The whole number of teachers employed in the Separate Schools was 346-increase, 13; male teachers, 101-decrease, 3; female teachers, 245-increase, 16.

6. The same table shows the branches taught in the Separate Schools, and the number of pupils in each branch; also the number of schools using maps, etc.

VII. REPORT ON TERRITORIAL DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

In addition to the statistics of Public Schools there is appended the report of the Deputy Minister on District and Indian Schools.

VIII. REPORT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTORS.

Several of the Public School Inspectors also report on the state of education in their respective districts during the year. These documents will be read with great interest, as they furnish many valuable hints and suggestions.

HIGH SCHOOLS.

IX.—TABLE G.-COMPARATIVE STATEMENT-HIGH SCHOOLS, 1878, 1879.

A comparative statement is here exhibited of the progress or decline of each High School, as contrasted with the work of the previous year, under the respective headings of total number of pupils, average attendance both total and in the Upper School, admission and intermediate examinations, apportionment of legislative grant and expenditure.

X.—TABLE H.-HIGH SCHOOLS, RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE, PUPILS, NUMBER OF

SCHOOLS.

Receipts. The amount received by the High School Boards from Legislative grant for the salaries of teachers, was $76,834-decrease, $272. The amount of Legislative grant apportioned for maps, prize books, etc., was $1,346-decrease, $450. The amount of Municipal Grants in support of High Schools was $190,326-decrease, $12,521. The amount received for pupils' fees was $26,225-increase, $4,644. Balances of the preceding year and other sources, $122,728-increase, $5,872. Total receipts, $417,461decrease, $2,727.

Expenditure.-For salaries of masters and teachers, $241,097-increase, $18,087; for building, rent and repairs, $54,274-decrease, $29,694; for fuel, books, and contingencies, $100,203-increase, $16,299; for maps, prize books, apparatus and libraries, $5,212-increase, $85. Total expenditure for the year 1879, $400,788-increase, $4,777. Balance of moneys, not paid out at the end of the year, $16,673-decrease, $7,505. Number of Pupils, 12,136-increase, 1,562.

Number of Schools, 104.

XI. TABLE I.—HIGH SCHOOLS, NUMBER OF PUPILS IN THE VARIOUS BRANCHES. Table I shows both the subjects taught and the number of pupils in each subject in each of the High Schools.

No. of Pupils. In English Grammar and Literature, 12,015; in Composition, 11,691; in Reading, Dictation and Elocution, 11,281; in Penmanship, 7,171; in Linear Drawing, 2,693; in Book-keeping, 4,500; in Arithmetic, 12,105; in Algebra, 11,761; in Geometry, 11,285; in Trigonometry, 660; in Mensuration, 6,888; in History, 11,873; in Geography, 11,935; in Natural Philosophy, 2,464 ; in Chemistry, 2,871, in Natural History, 411; in Physiology, 238; in French, 4,687; in German, 729; in Latin, 5,391; in Greek, 1,097; in Gymnastics and Drill, 2,851.

XII. TABLE K.-SCHOOL HOUSES. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. HEAD MASTERS AND THEIR UNIVERSITIES.

In this Table are given the names, University degrees (or certificates), of the Head, and the number of Assistant, Masters.

Of the School-houses, 75 were of brick, 20 stone, 8 frame; 8 were rented or leased, the remainder freehold. The tendency everywhere is to improve the buildings and grounds required for High School purposes, so as to make each High School worthy of its now recognized position of being the local College.

54 High Schools were under Union High and Public School Boards. 2,020 maps were used in the 104 High Schools; 53 Schools use the Bible; in 93 there were daily prayers; 248 pupils matriculated at some University during 1879; 565 pupils entered mercantile life; 535 adopted agriculture as a pursuit; 693 joined the learned professions ; 1,200 went to other occupations, a large increase on the preceding year. The position of the High Schools as an essential and integral part of our educational system, is now well understood, as well as their practical value. They abundantly supply opportunities for secondary education, and thus protect the elementary schools from the tendency there would be in neglecting the many, in order to attend to the clever few who are sufficiently advanced to call for instruction in secondary subjects. They also constitute the necessary stepping-stone between the Public Schools and the University, and upon their efficiency depends the success of our efforts in opening the avenues of learning to every child in the Province, as well as in affording to each youth of ability the opportunity for the highest intellectual career. The High School is intended to meet in each county the requisites of higher education, just as the Public School in each section is established to furnish elementary instruction. Under the amended Regulations for the training of Public School Teachers, they have become the chief means for educating candidates in the different subjects prescribed for the non-professional examination for Second and Third-class Public School Teachers' Certificates, while uniformity in their work has been secured by making the results of the Intermediate Examinations equivalent to passing such non-professional

examination.

XIII. REPORTS OF HIGH SCHOOL INSPECTORS.

Remarks and suggestions by the High School Inspectors as to improvement of High Schools, are appended to the statistical tables of High Schools.

TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

XIV. TABLE L.-THE TORONTO NORMAL SCHOOL.

Table L contains the gross number of applications for admission to the Normal

School, Toronto; the counties from whence these students have come; and the religious persuasions of these students.

Table L shows that of the 8,269 students admitted, 4,151 were males, and 4,118 were females. The number admitted during the session of 1879 was 247. Of these, 134 were males, and 113 females.

XV. TABLE M shows that 182 students were admitted to the fourth session of the Ottawa Normal School-106 males, 76 females; it also gives similar particulars as to the admissions, religions, counties, etc., as are given in Table L for the Toronto Normal School.

Table L contains abstracts in connection with the twenty-nine years' existence of the Normal School at Toronto, to show the total number of applications, the counties whence the students came, and their religious persuasions for that period; Table M, an abstract of the students admitted at the Normal School at Ottawa. The conditions under which Public School Teachers' Certificates were formerly granted have been changed by the amended Regulations which came into effect in August, 1877, and Tables L to Q contain the information applicable to these new conditions. The Normal Schools at Toronto ånd Ottawa are now confined to the professional training of candidates for Second-Class Certificates, while in each county of the Province, one or more County Model Schools have been established for the professional training of candidates for Third-Class Certificates, details of which will be found in Table N and the Model School Report. In the Normal School the session for the instruction of candidates for First-Class Certificates extends throughout the Academic year, from September to July, and is literary and scientific, and also professional, but attendance is optional. In the Report for next year will be found the Regulations under which University standing with Honours in certain departments of study is taken as equivalent to the non-professional Grade A or B Public School Teachers' First-Class Certificates, and the Provincial University, and other colleges with university powers will be thus utilized with respect to supplying the requisite educational qualifications for First-Class Certificates, as the High Schools have successfully been with respect to like qualifications for Second and Third-Class Certificates. For Second-Class Certificates attendance in the Normal School is obligatory on all candidates during one of three sessions of twelve weeks each into which the Academic year is divided for this purpose. The whole time of each session is devoted exclusively to instruction in the theory and practice of teaching. Successful candidates are entitled to be repaid out of Provincial Funds for their travelling expenses. In the County Model Schools the candidate who has passed the examination in the prescribed literary and scientific subjects for Third-Class Certificates is required to be instructed in the actual practice of teaching for one term at least, and he must also satisfactorily pass this examination in order to obtain his Third-Class Certificate.

At the examinations of 1879 there were:

(1) 1st Class Candidates of Normal School, Toronto, 20 in number, of whom 13 passed. (2) 2nd Class

66

Toronto, 284
Ottawa, 241

66

250

XVI. TABLE N contains the number of certificates granted by the Education Department and by the County Boards of Examiners during 1879, counties of applicants, grades, etc.

XVII.—TABLE O shows at a glance the total number of certificates issued from 1871

to 1879.

XVIII. TABLE P gives the names of holders of Provincial Certificates obtained during 1879.

XIX.-TABLE Q is a statistical table exhibiting the position of Teachers' Associations

in 1879.

XX. The Report of the Sub-Committee of the Central Committee exhibits the following results of the terms of the County Model Schools which were in operation during the year 1879, viz. :-Number of Schools, 51; number of Third Class candidates in attendance, 1,295; number rejected by Board of Examiners, 78.