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The Inspectors were requested before the close of the year to revise the "Poor Lists" within their several Inspectorates, keeping in view the taxable valuation of the district, the number of resident property-owners, etc., and to furnish this department with the grounds on which they made their recommendations. Inspectors Wetmore, Oakes and Smith made very careful and complete reports, from which it appeared that several districts with a valuation of over $30,000, and a large number with a valuation from $13,000 to $25,000 had been for years in receipt of the special aid allowance. These districts were struck off the list. On the other hand districts with a valuation from $6,000 to $12,000, some of which have been barely able to keep a school in operation for half the year, and have never participated in the special aid allowance were placed on the list. The list given above is the revised one, but the districts within Inspectoral District No. 5 have been allowed to stand as they were from want of any report.

Heretofore the additional allowance has been granted to "Poor Districts" without being subject to any conditions whatever. If some requirement as to average attendance of pupils and time during which the school should be kept in operation throughout the year were exacted, both the teacher and trustees would be stimulated to further the interest of the district, while the Province and the County would have a guarantee that the money was being properly expended.

The Cities and Incorporated Towns.

The Boards of School Trustees in these large districts consist of seven members each, instead of three as in other school districts of the Province. The Chairman and two other members are appointed by the Governer in Council, and the City or Town Council appoints four members, one of whom, in both cases, retires annually from office, but eligible for reappointment. Each board

appoints a secretary, and two of them, Saint John and Portland, employ, in addition, each a local superintendent.

The amount of the annual district assessment is, within the limitations of the Statute, determined by the Board of School Trustees, and notification of the aggregate is lodged with the City or Town Council. This amount is levied at the same time and in the same manner as other city or town rates. The council annually appoints two auditors to audit the accounts of the Board of Trustees.

The following are the districts organized in accordance with the above provisions: The City of Saint John, the City of Fredericton, the City of Portland, and the Towns of Saint Stephen, Milltown, Woodstock, and Moncton. Reports from each of these will be found in Appendix C.

Half-yearly Percentage of Enrolled Pupils daily present on an average in the Cities and Incorporated Towns

Saint John. Fredericton. Portland. St. Stephen. Milltown.

Woodstock. Moncton.

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Teachers' Institutes were held during the year in Albert, Carleton, Kent, Northumberland, Queen's, York, St. John.

Educational Institute.

The Educational Institute was held in St. John on the last two days in June. The following is the report of the Secretary, H. C. Creed, A. M.:—

The eighth regular meeting of the Educational Institute was held in the Centennial School Building, St. John, on the 29th and 30th of June, 1885,-the Chief Superintendent presiding.

One hundred and fifty members were enrolled at the first session, which number was increased to 192, including the members ex officio, at subsequent sessions.

Mr. H. C. Creed, M. A., was re-elected Secretary for the eighth time, and Mr. W. C. Simpson, of St. John, was elected Assistant Secretary (and Treasurer.)

The report of the Executive Committee detailed the business transacted since the last preceding meeting of the Institute in 1883, and presented a summary of the receipts and expenditures, as follows:--

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The amount received from members at this meeting was sufficient to pay off the deficit, meet all expenses, and leave a considerable balance for the coming year.

Five sessions were held, at each of which one or more papers or reports were read and discussed. The writers and subjects of the papers were as follows :—

1. William Crocket, M. A., Chief Superintendent of Education. Opening Address "The Function of the Public School."

2. Eldon Mullin, M. A., Principal of the Normal School-"How can young men be induced to adopt teaching as a profession?"

3. D. P. Wetmore, Esq., Inspector of Schools for the Fourth District-" How may local effort in support of Schools in country districts be best stimulated?”

4. L. E. Wortman, M. A., Principal of the Union Baptist Seminary, St. John"Moral Training in the Public Schools."

5. H. S. Bridges, M. A., Professor of Classics in the University of New Brunswick-"Examinations in their relation to Educational work."

There were reports from committees on the following subjects, viz.,:

(1.) On proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Institute-read by Mr. H. C. Creed, M. A., Chairman.

(2.) On a Course of Instruction for Grammar Schools-read by Mr. W. M. McLean, B. A., Chairman.

(3.) On a Course of Instruction for Superior Schools-read by Mr. J. A. Macintire, B. A., Chairman.

(4.) On the Reduction of the Provincial Allowance to Teachers, and the retention of young men in the Profession-read by Inspector W. P. Dole, B. A., Chairman. Resolutious were adopted relating to the following matters, viz.:

(1.) The enrolment in this Institute of Teachers not members of County Institutes-moved by Mr. D. P. Chisholm.

(2.) The change lately made in the school terms-moved by Mr. J. M. Palmer, B. A.

(3.) The observance of an "arbor day" in the schools throughout the Provincemoved by Inspector I. B. Oakes, A. M.

(4.) Thanks to the writers of papers, the choir, the representatives of the press, the St. John County Institute, the Board of Trustees of the City Schools, the Railway and Steamboat Companies, and the Chief Superintendent.

(5.) Sundry money votes.

Under Regulation 23 as amended in 1884, all the Inspectors of Schools are members of the Institute and of the Executive Committee, ex officio, and the Institute elects ten of its members to be members of the Executive Committee with the ex officio members. The Committee as thus constituted, for the year 1885-86, is as follows:

MEMBERS EX OFFICIO.

The Chief Super'nt of Educ., (Chairman)... William Crocket, A. M.
The President of the Univerity,..
.Thomas Harrison, LL. D.

The Principal of the Normal School,... ... Eldon Mullin, A. M.

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The attendance this year was much larger than in any previous year. For the first time, the number of ladies enrolled exceeded the number of male members. The average number of members of each sex in the seven preceding years was: Gentlemen, 65; Ladies, 41. This year the numbers were: Gentlemen, 84; Ladies, 98. The following is a summary of the attendance :

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Number of members present (including ex-officio) from each county:

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The Reports of the Inspectors in Appendix B contains valuable information respecting the educational condition of the districts to which they relate. The work of these gentlemen has lately been increased without any increase to their salaries. To perform it faithfully necessitates continuous absence from home, and adds largely to their expenses, for which no allowance has been made. In the interests of the service in every respect, I would urgently recommend the Legislature to give to these officers, on whom the law imposes such responsible and onerous duties, that remuneration for their labor which will secure the efficient and faithful performance of it.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THIS PROVINCE.

In view of a large number of copies of this Report having been ordered for distribution at the Colonial Exhibition, to be held in London in May next, I may be permitted to put on record the principal facts connected with the rise and progress of Education in this Province.

Very early in the history of the Province the Government and Legislature recognized the fact that, to make provision for the education of the people was one of the duties of the State. In March, 1802, only about eighteen years after the separation of the County of, Sunbury from Nova Scotia, and its erection into the Province of New Brunswick, an Act was passed, of which the following is a copy:

[1802.]

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42ND, GEORGE III.

AN ACT FOR AIDING AND ENCOURAGING PARISH SCHOOLS."

Whereas, The education of children is of the utmost importance to their future usefulness in society; and

Whereas, The situation of many parents in the different parishes of this province renders them unable to procure for their children the benefits of instruction in reading and writing without the aid of the Legislature;

I. Be it therefore enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council and Assembly, That the sum of four hundred and twenty pounds (being ten pounds to each parish) be granted to the Justices of the General Sessions of the Peace in the different counties in this province, to be paid by warrant of His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor out of

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