ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOLS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 1891. PART I-GENERAL REPORT. To His Honor the Honorable Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, C. B., K. C. M. G. LL.D., Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New Brunswick. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOR,— I have the honor to submit, as required by law, my Report on the Public Schools of the Province for the year 1891. The Statistical Tables of Part II (with the exception of Tables IX, XV, XVII, and XVIII, which show the actual disbursment of moneys for the fiscal year) comprise the two School Terms ended June 30th, 1891. The Reports of Part III, with the exception of that of the Principal of the Normal School, are for the two School Terms ended December 31st, 1891. I herewith present a summary of the Statistical Tables which will show, at a glance, the principal data upon which an accurate judgment may be formed of the present extent and condition of the public educational work of the Province. Statistical Abstract. TABLE I.-NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, PUPILS, ETC. TABLE II. PROPORTION OF POPULATION AT SCHOOL, AGE, AND SEX OF PUPILS, PERCENTAGE OF ATTENDANCE. From the foregoing abstracts it will be seen, that though there was a marked decrease both in the number of schools in operation and the enrolment and attendance of pupils for the term ending December, 1890, yet the increase for the first term of 1891, in comparison with the corresponding term of the previous year, was so great as to show a gratifying increase in the averages for the two terms. The whole number enrolled during the year was 68,992—an increase of 469. The percentage of the whole population enrolled in the School Registers, as well as the average daily attendance, indicates a slow but steady advance. In comparing the percentage of attendance for the full term in the several counties as exhibited in Table II, it will be seen that St. John ranks the highest, with a percentage for the year of 61.31, followed by Northumberland, Westmorland, Restigouche, York, Kent, Charlotte, Gloucester, Madawaska, Albert, Carleton, in the order named; all of which indicate an attendance for every teaching day of the year of more than one-half of the total number enrolled. On the other hand the following counties show an attendance for, the whole year of less than one-half of the total number enrolled: Kings, Queens, Victoria, Sunbury. The proportionate increase by decades of the number of the population enrolled in the Public Schools since the Free School Act came into operation is shown in the following table: Table showing porportion of population enrolled on Public School Registers for the years 1872, 1881 and 1891, according to the census of the years '71, '81, and '91 respectively. Stated in another form, in 1872, fourteen per cent. of the population of the Province attended the public schools during some part of the year; in 1882 the attendance had increased to about 19 per cent. and in 1891, to about 211 per cent. In making the comparison it ought, however, to be noted that the very small attendance in 1872 in Gloucester, Victoria, Kent, and to a less extent in some other Counties, was, in part at least, due to the opposition with which the Free School Act was at first met by a portion of the population. The following table shows the percentage of enrolled pupils daily present on an average in cities and incorporated towns from 1870 to 1891 inclusive: |