Expenditures.-For Salaries of Masters and Teachers, $165,358,-increase, $23,545; for Building, Rents and Repairs, $32,939,-increase, $1,579; for Fuel, Books and contingencies, $32,514,-decrease, $447; for Maps, Prize Books, Apparatus and Libraries, $3,402,-decrease, $466. Total Expenditure for the year 1873, $234,215,increase, $24,209. Balances of moneys not paid out at the end of the year, $12,585,decrease, $677.

Number of Pupils, 8,437,-increase, 469. Number of Schools, 108.

VIII. TABLE H.-NUMBER OF PUPILS IN THE VARIOUS BRANCHES, AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

Table H shows both the subjects taught and the number of Pupils in such subject in each of the High Schools, the names, University Degree, (or Certificate) of the Head Masters, and the number of Masters employed in each School, etcetera.

Number of Pupils.-In English Grammar and Literature, 8,445; in Composition, 7,990; in Reading, Dictation and Elocution, 8,356; in Penmanship, 7,489; in Linear Drawing, 3,397; in Book-keeping, 3,524; in Arithmetic, 9,261; in Algebra, 6,621; in Geometry, 3,974; in Christian Morals, 1,963; in Logic, 390; in Trigonometry, 201; in Mensuration, 2,654; in History, 7,557; in Geography, 7,163; in Natural Philosophy, 2,301; in Chemistry, 2,309; in Natural History, 2,792; in Physiology, 2,026; in French, 2,847; in German, 372; in Latin, 4,077; in Greek, 897; in Gymnastics and Drill, 558.

Of the School Houses, 57 were of Brick, 25 Stone, 22 Frame and 1 Concrete; 19 were rented, or leased, the remainder were freehold. Galt has the finest Play Ground of any of the High Schools,-it consists of 7 acres; Lindsay and Metcalfe, 6 acres ; London, 5 acres; Barrie and Guelph, 4 acres. The other Play Grounds vary in size, the smallest being only of an acre,-or one-fourth of the minimum size required of the smallest Public School. The estimated value of each School House and Site varies from $35,000 and $30,000 (Toronto and Peterboro'), down to $100! (Vankleekhill.)

66 High Schools were under Union High and Public Schools Boards; Kingston is the oldest, High School in Ontario, dating from 1791; Cornwall, 1806, Brockville, 1818; Niagara, 1828; St. Catharines, 1829. 1,847 Maps were used in the 108 High Schools; 63 Schools use the Bible; in 90 there were daily Prayers; 91 Pupils matriculated at some University during 1873; 502 Pupils entered mercantile life; 279 adopted Agriculture as a pursuit; 290 joined the learned professions; 622 went to other occupations. The number of Masters engaged was 252, nearly all the Schools having now additional Masters, a great improvement on the old system, when the great majority of the Schools were content with the services of but one Master. This great defect is now remedied, and the High Schools will be in a position to do more justice than formerly to the Pupils who attend them.

I shall revert to the subject of High Schools in a subsequent part of this Report. In the meantime I would refer to the admirable Report to me of the able Inspectors, Messieurs McLellan, Buchan and Marling, appended. (See Chapter XXXI).

In regard to the establishment of new High Schools, the Department has not encouraged their multiplication, unless it could be shown that their existence in the locality desiring them was a necessity, and that their proper standing and character could be maintained. With this view, the following conditions were laid down by the Department for establishing both High Schools and Collegiate Institutes:

"CONDITIONS FOR ESTABLISHING HIGH SCHOOLS.

:

"The new School Law provides for the establishment and maintenance of three classes of superior English, or Classical Schools, videlicet:

"I. HIGH SCHOOLS for teaching Classical and English subjects.-in which Boys and Girls may be instructed together, or serarately.

"II. HIGH SCHOOLS in which Boys and Girls may be instructed in English subjects alone.

"III. COLLEGIATE INSTITUTES, for giving instruction in Classical and English subjects, in which there shall be an average daily attendance of at least sixty Boys in Greek and Latin.

"Parties wishing to have a High School for either class in their locality, authorized by His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council, are requested to furnish the Education Department with the following information:

:

"1. The distance of the proposed High School from the nearest adjoining High Schools.

"2. The population of the Town, or Village Municipality in which it is proposed. to place the High School.

"3. The boundaries of the proposed new High School District, as fixed by the County Council, (with a copy of the proceedings of Council in the case).

"4. The amount of taxable property in such High School District. "5. The description of the proposed High School Building, as regards— "(a) Its situation; the extent of its Site; size of Play ground; and extent of outside convenience, etc.

"(b) Size, Site and description of the proposed Building; number of Class-rooms devoted to teaching; Room for Teacher; Hat, Clock, Map and Book Presses, etcetera.

6. Written guarantee must be given to the Department by responsible parties, (1) That a suitable Building,. distinct from the Public School House, (or, if in the Public School Building, on a separate flat, or in a separate wing), will be provided: (2) that at least two competent Teachers shall be employed in the proposed High School, and that no Preparatory Department will be introduced except in the manner provided by law.

"CONDITIONS FOR ESTABLISHING COLLEGIATE INSTITUTES.

"Trustees of High Schools who desire to have the title of COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE conferred upon their School by the Lieutenant-Governor, are requested to furnish the Education Department with the following information:—

"1. The name and designation of each Master employed in the School, and the number of his teaching hours per day.

"2. The name and designation of each Assistant Teacher, (if any,) and the number of his teaching hours per day.

"3. The aggregate attendance of Boys studying Latin, or Greek, during the whole of the previous civil year, and during the two Terms of the School preceding the appli. cation

"4 The daily average attendance of Boys in Latin and Greek during the periods named.

"5 The Income from all local sources during the preceding civil year.

"6. The description of the proposed Collegiate Institute Building, as regards— "(a) Its situation and extent of its Site; description and size of the Building; and its state of repair.

"(b) The number of Rooms devoted to teaching purposes in it; and their sizes. "(c) Description of Apparatus for illustrating Natural Philosophy and Chemistry; number and description of Maps, number of Volumes in Library (if any).

"(d) Size of Playground and extent of outside Conveniences, etcetera.

"7. A written guarantee must be given by the Trustees that no Preparatory Department, or Classes will be introduced except in the manner provided by law. and that the requirements of the Act and Regulations in regard to Collegiate Institutes will be fully complied with."

COLLEGIATE INSTITUTES AUTHORIZED BY THE GOVERNOR.

The Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased to confer upon the undermentioned High Schools the name and privileges of Collegiate Institute, in accordance with the provisions of the School Law of Ontario, videlicet:

1. GALT. 2. HAMILTON. 3. PETERBORO'. 4. COBOURG. 5. KINGSTON. 6. ST. CATHARINES. 7. OTTAWA. 8. TORONTO.

IX. TABLE I.-METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

Of late years the practical value of the science of Meteorology, as I intimated previously, has been recognized by all civilized governments, and systems of simultaneous Observations have been widely established, the results of which must tend to

eiucidate the laws which control Atmospheric Phenomena. The recent establishment of the Storm Signal Office at Washington, and the extension of the system to this Dominion, will, no doubt, exhibit fresh evidence of the practical value of Meteorological Observations. The daily weather reports and the "Probabilities" founded on the observations, have been most valuable, instructive and interesting. The system of "Drum Signals" established on the English Coast by the late Admiral Fitzroy, although not appreciated at first, has become a necessity, and, under the good providence of God, has been the means of averting great destruction of life and property. The Admiral, when head of the Meteorological Office in England, thus referred to the importance of returns of Temperature, and the especial need of Observations in British America: "Tables of the mean Temperature of the Air in the year, and in the different months and seasons of the year, at above one thousand Stations on the Globe, have recently been compiled by Professor Dové, and published under the auspices of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin. This work, which is a true model of the method in which a great body of Meteorological facts, collected by differ ent Observers and at different times, should be brought together and co-ordinated, has conducted, as is well known, to conclusions of very considerable importance in their bearing on Climatology, and on the general laws of the distribution of Heat on the surface of the Globe. In regard to Land Stations, Professor Dové's Tables have shown that "data are still pressingly required from the British North American Pos sessions intermediate between the Stations of the Arctic Expeditions and those of the United States; and that the deficiency extends across the whole North American Continent, in those Latitudes from the Atlantic to the Pacific." A recent Return published under the authority of the Parliament of Canada evinces the gradual progres being made in the establishment of a complete Meteorological System for the Dominion, which cannot fail to be of great service to the cause of Science and to the great Agr cultural as well as the Maritime interests of the Country.

The High School System of Ontario secures the continuous residence of a class of men, at different points, who are well qualified by education to perform the work of observation, and the law authorizes the establishment and maintenance of a limited number of Stations, selected by the Council of Public Instruction, with the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor, at which daily Observations are taken of Barometric pressure, Temperature of the Air, Tension of Vapour, Humidity of the Air, Direction and Velocity of the Wind, amount of Cloudiness, Rain, Snow, Auroras, and other Meteoric Phenomena. The Observations are taken at 7 a.m., 1 p.m., and 9 p.m. The Instruments used have been subjected to the proper tests. Full abstracts of the daily records are sent to the Education Office monthly, in addition to a weekly report of certain Observations, which is prepared for publication in any local newspaper the Observer may select. Abstracts of the results for each month are regularly published in the Journal of Education, and the Observers' Reports, after strict examination, are arranged and preserved for further investigation.

In my Annual Report of 1867, the results of most of the Observations were presented in the form of synchronous curves, but, as the expense proved an objection, a synopsis is now given in figures. For the same reason the important Notes of the Observers are omitted.

I have pleasure in adding that the Observers are, upon the whole, discharging their duties with fidelity, and that through their exertions the materials for investigating the climatology of the Province are rapidly accumulating.

X.-TABLE K.-NORMAL AND MODEL SCHOOLS.

The County Examinations held throughout the Province, in 1873, have demonstrated the great value and usefulness of the Normal School. Every one of its Students who was examined has acquitted himself well. Of the five who obtained First Class Certificates in July, 1873, three, and of the three who passed in December, 1873, all were Normal School Students. The great practical value of the instruction

given to the Students of that Institution by the Reverend Doctor Davies, the Principal, Doctor Carlyle and Mr. Kirkland, fully sustain the high reputation which the Institution has acquired throughout the Country. The whole system has been of late years brought to a degree of thoroughness and practical, efficiency, even in its minutest details, that I have not witnessed in any other Establishment of the kind. The standard of admission to the Normal School has been raised much above that of former years, and therefore the Entrance Examination, (which is always in writing) has been made increasingly severe. 122 of those admitted have been Teachers. The establishment of the third Mastership, with a view to give greater prominence to the subject of Natural Science, has had a most beneficial and salutary effect upon the introduction and teaching of those subjects in our Public Schools, as required by the new School Act. The newly enlarged Buildings for the Model Schools have greatly added to the practical character and efficiency of these Schools of practice in the Normal School Course.

Of late years I have felt so impressed with the importance of increased facilities for Normal School training that I have suggested the advisability of establishing additional Normal Schools. I am glad that the subject has not been lost sight of, but that my suggestions will likely be carried out, and possibly two Normal Schools, in addition to the new one at Ottawa, may soon be established.

Table K contains three Abstracts, the first of which gives the gross number of applications, the number that had been Teachers before entering the Normal School, attendance of Teachers in training, Certificates, and other particulars respecting them during the twenty-four years' existence of the Normal School; the second Abstract gives the Counties whence the Students have come; and the third gives the Religious Persuasions of these Students.

Table K shows that of the 7,030 admitted to the Normal School, (out of 7,748 applications) 3,290 of them had been Teachers; and of those admitted, 3,562 were males, and 3,468 were females. Of the 3,562 male Candidates admitted, 2,362 of them had been Teachers; of the 3,468 female Candidates admitted, 1,050 of them had been Teachers. The number admitted the first Session of 1873 was 141. the second Session, 130,-total, 271. Of the whole number admitted, 114 were males, and 157 females. Of the male Students admitted, 76 had been Teachers; of the female students admitted, 46 had been Teachers.

XI. TABLE L.-OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN ONTARIO, 1873.

The Public and High Schools are only a part of our educational agencies, the Private Schools, Academies and Colleges must, therefore, be referred to in order to form an approximate idea of the state and progress of education throughout the Province. Table L contains an Abstract of the information collected respecting these Institutions. As the information is obtained and given voluntarily, it can only be regarded as an approximation to accuracy, and, of course, very much below the real facts. According to the information obtained, there are 16 Colleges (some of them possessing University powers), with 2,700 Students; 265 Academies and Private Schools, with 7,758 Pupils, which are kept open 10 months, and employ 429 Teachers. Total Students and Pupils, 10,458.

XII. TABLE M.-FREE PUBLIC LIBRARIES.*

1. The amount expended in Library Books during 1873, was $3,834, of which one-half has been provided from local sources. The number of Volumes supplied was

5,367.

*As an instance of what practical use libraries may be in numberless directions, I would call attention to the following statement of the library enterprise of the American Seaman's Friend Society of New York City. The American Seaman's Friend Society has been engaged for several years in supplying sea-going vessels with libraries for the special use of the men in the forecastle. They say, "The amount of good accomplished through

these libraries is beyond computation. Sea captains pronounce them indespensable help in administering the ship discipline, while seamen acknowledge the personal obligation for what this work has done to ameliorate and elevate their condition. It has wrought, in some instances, the reformation of the whole crew and everywhere abroad under its influence, intemperance. profanity and ignorance gave way to intelligence and morality, foreshadowing for our sailors a brighter future through a better informed and a more hopeful life."

2. The value of Public Free Libraries furnished to the end of 1873 was $147,081, -increase, $3,834. The number of Libraries, exclusive of subdivisions, 1,283.increase, 57. The number of Volumes in these libraries was 258,879,-increase, 5,367. 3. Sunday School Libraries reported, 2,735. The number of Volumes in these libraries was 367,658.

4. Other Public Libraries reported, 164. The number of Volumes in these libraries was 128,765.

The total number of Public Libraries in Ontario, 4,182. The total of the number of Volumes in these Libraries, 755,302.

6. Number and classification of Public Libraries and Prize Books which have been sent out from the Depository of the Department from 1853 to 1873 inclusive. The Total number of Volumes for Public Free Libraries sent out, 258,879. The classification of these Books is as follows: -History, 44,660; Zoology and Physiology, 15,838; Botany, 2,904; Phenomena, 6,322; Physical Science, 4,951; Geology, 2,228; Natural Philosophy and Manufactures, 13,649; Chemistry, 1,597; Agricultural Chemistry, 797; Practical Agriculture, 10,051; Literature, 24,598; Voyages, 23,154; Biography, 29,476; Tales and Sketches, Practical Life, 73,142; Fiction, 1,849; Teachers' Library, 3,663. Total number of Prize Books sent out 627,590. Grand Total of Library and Prize Books, (including, but not included in the above, 19,807 Volumes sent to Mechanics' Institutes and Sunday Schools, paid for wholly from local sources, 977,217).

7. In regard to the Free Public Libraries, it may be proper to repeat the explanation that these Libraries are managed by Local Municipal Councils and School Trustees (chiefly by the latter), under Regulations prepared according to law by the Council of Public Instruction. The Books are procured by the Education Department, from Publishers both in Europe and America, at as low prices for cash as possible; and a carefully prepared classified Catalogue of about 4,000 Works, (which have been approved by the Council of Public Instruction), is printed, and sent to the Trustees of each School Section, and the Council of each Municipality. From this select and comprehensive Catalogue the local Municipal and School Authorities desirous of establishing and increasing a Library, select such works as they think proper, or request the Department to do so for them, and receive from the Department not only the Books at prices about from twenty-five to thirty-five per cent. cheaper than the ordinary retail prices, but an apportionment in Books of 100 per cent. upon the amount which they provide for the purchase of such Books. None of these works are disposed of to any private parties, except Teachers and School Inspectors, for their professional use; and the rule is not to keep a large supply of any one work on hand, so as to prevent the accumulation of stock, and to add to the Catalogue yearly new and useful Books which are constantly issuing from the European and American Press. There is also kept in the Department a record of every Public Library, and of the Books which have been furnished for it, so that additions can be made to such Libraries without liability to send second copies of the same Books.

XIII. TABLE N.-SUMMARY OF THE MAPS, APPARATUS, AND PRIZE BOOKS SUpplied to THE COUNTIES, CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES DURING THE YEAR.

1. The amount expended in supplying Maps, Apparatus, and Prize Books for the Schools, was $42,902; increase, $636. The one-half of this sum was provided voluntarily from local sources; in all cases the Books, or articles, are applied for and fifty per cent. of the value paid for by the parties concerned before being sent. The number of Maps of the World sent out was 371; of Europe, 418; of Asia, 327; of Africa, 281; of America, 412; of British North America and Canada, 543; of Great Britain and Ireland, 224; of Single Hemispheres, 272; of Scriptural and Classical, 147; of other Charts and Maps, 534; of Globes, 214; of sets of Apparatus, 85; of other pieces of School Apparatus, 2,816; of Historical and other Lessons, in sheets, 27,121. Number of Volumes of Prize Books, 71,557.

17a-xxv.