THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

23

The R. C. Separate Schools are included in the preceding statement. The number of these schools is 207, and of pupils attending them 27,463.

5. Historical Statistical Retrospect.-With a view to give a bird's-eye view of the gratifying progress which has been made in the Public Schools of Ontario during the five last decades, the following table has been prepared :

STATISTICS of the PUBLIC SCHOOLS and ROMAN CATHOLIC SEPARATE SCHOOLS of Ontario for the last forty years.

T'l Income from all sources $236,229 $826,552 $1,484,187 $3,239,271 $3,990,222

Paid Teachers' Salaries... $206,856 $578,868

$996,956 $1,647,750 $2,296,027

$283,734

Paid for Sites, Buildings

and Repairs

$115,311

Other Expenditures.

Total Expenditure.

$135,303

$153,059 $853,584 $967,102 $88,312 $363,998 $17,733 $782,491 $1,285,318 $2,865,332 $3,280,862

Wood..

No. of School

2,802

3,351

3,195

2,954

houses reported

II. THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

The following is a brief description of the means under the control of the Education Department of Ontario for preparing young men and women in the Province for the teaching profession. They are:

1. The County Model Schools.

2. The Provincial Normal and Model Schools.

3. The Training Institutes.

4. Teachers' Institutes.

5. Teachers' Reading Course.

6. Ontario Teachers' Association.

24

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF ONTARIO.

1. County Model Schools.

The establishment of this very valuable portion of the Educational System of the Province dates as far back as the year 1843. By referring to the first School Act for Upper Canada, passed in that year, we find that the 57th Section declares :

66

"That it shall and may be lawful for the Court of Wardens of any County in Upper Canada to raise and levy by county rate a sum not exceeding £200 ($800), and to appropriate and expend the same for the maintenance of one or more County Model Schools," within such County, and to constitute, by by-law or by-laws, to that effect, any Township, Town, or City School or Schools within the County, to be for any term not less than one year, such County Model School or Schools, etc."

The 66th Section of the same Act declares :—

"That in every such Township, Town, or City Model School, gratuitous instruction shall be given to teachers of Common Schools."

The School Act of 1846 provided for the establishment of District Model Schools in which "instruction shall be afforded to all teachers of Common Schools within the District." They were thus Normal Schools in miniature, for the persons under instruction were already teachers. The "Educational Reports" of those years contain reports from School Superintendents who speak highly of the system.

In 1850, when the whole machinery of the School System was revised and reorganized, the Act provided for the establishment and maintenance of Township Model Schools in place of County

ones.

The chief reason why such schools did not prove a success at that early period of our educational history was the lack of "model teachers," as well as model school-houses."

As the status and qualifications of the Superintendents, who were subsequently styled Inspectors, as organizers and practical judges of scholastic efficiency, improved, so did the schools. At last the time came when the Model School System could be once again put into operation, and so in the year 1877 the School Act directed, that at least one school in each County shall be set apart by the County Board of Examiners, as a County Model School for the training of candidates for Third-class Teachers' Certificates. The County Council is required to provide and levy for each such Model School within the County, an amount at least equal to that apportioned or paid by the Education Department out of the Annual Legislative Grant; but in no case must it be less than one hundred and fifty dollars.

Conditions on which Model Schools are Established.-1. The Principal must hold a First-class Provincial Certificate, and have at least three (3) years' experience as a Public School Teacher.

2. There must be at least three (3) assistants holding Secondclass Certificates.

THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

25

3. The equipment must be equal to that required for the Fourth Class of a Public School.

4. A separate room for Model School purposes must be provided. 5. An assistant must be employed to relieve the Principal of his Public School work at least half the day, while the Model School is in session.

COURSE OF STUDY.

The course of study embraces the following:

I. PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION.-School organization, management, discipline, methods of instruction, and practice in teaching.

(1) METHODS OF INSTRUCTION.—The best methods of teaching the various subjects prescribed for the first four classes in the Public Schools, especial attention being given to the best methods of giving the first lessons in these subjects.

(2) OBSERVATION AND REPORTING.-I. (a) Observation of methods illustrated in the Principal's model lessons; (b) observation-under the Principal's supervision, when possible of methods illustrated by the assistant Model School Teachers. II. Reporting to the Principal the results of their observations, especially as to the (a) object of the lessons observed; (b) steps by which this object was attained.

(3) PRACTICE IN TEACHING.-After proper instruction and examples in Methods, each Teacher-in-training shall have practice in applying the methods exemplified (a) by using his fellow-students as a class; (b) by teaching a class of pupils-say ten or twelve-before the Principal or some other competent critic; (c) by teaching in the several divisions of the school. No Teacher-in-training shall be required to practise the actual teaching of any subject as in (a) till the best method of presenting it has been explained and actually exemplified. Practice in (a) precedes practice in (b), and practice in (b) precedes practice in (c).

II. PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE.--(a) Laws of health, temperance, cleanliness, hours for study, rest, recreation, and sleep. (b) Heating and ventilation of the school-room. (c) Functions of the brain, eye, stomach, heart and lungs. III. MUSIC, DRAWING AND CALISTHENICS.

IV. SCHOOL LAW.-A knowledge of school law, so far as it relates to the duties of teachers and pupils.

V. REVIEW OF NON-PROFESSIONAL WORK.-A review of the principal subjects in the Public School curriculum, such as Composition, Grammar, Arithmetic, and Literature.

FINAL EXAMINATION.-At the end of each Session there is an Examination in these subjects on papers prepared by the Department, as well as in Practical Teaching. This Examination, conducted by the County Board of Examiners, constitutes the Professional Examination for Third Class Teachers.

SYLLABUS OF LECTURES.-A practical and comprehensive Syllabus of Lectures for the Schools was drawn up by the present Minister of Education, Hon. G. W. Ross, in 1878, who was at that time Public School Inspector for the County of Middlesex. It still forms the basis of the instruction given in these institutions.

INSPECTION.-The County Model Schools are periodically inspected at least once during the Session, by the official appointed for that purpose by the Education Department.

Statistics.-There are at present fifty-two of these Schools. Their condition can be best understood from the following condensed statistics::

26

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF ONTARIO.

Number of Student Teachers on Roll. . . . .

1,305

Males...

520

Females...

785

Increase over last year

Number who withdrew during the term.
Number who passed Final Examination..

Males...

Females..

Number that failed..

Number of Lectures on Education.

234

21

1,203

467

736

81

1,467

Object.-These Schools, situated at Toronto and Ottawa, are intended as Training and Practice Schools for Candidates for SECOND-CLASS CERTIFICATES.

Establishment.-The establishment of a Normal School for the Training of Teachers as a part of a Provincial System of Education, engaged attention in Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1836. Nothing definite, however, was done until the year 1846, when, in compliance with the recommendation of the Rev. Dr. Ryerson, Chief Superintendent of Education, in his Report already referred to (page 6) the Legislature appropriated funds for furnishing suitable buildings, and an annual grant for the support of a Normal School, under the management of a Board of Education and the Chief Superintendent. As the seat of Government was at this time in Montreal, the Government House at Toronto was placed at the disposal of the educational authorities. Here the School was opened on November 1, 1847. The removal of the seat of Government to Toronto, in 1849, necessitated another change of premises, and the adoption of measures for the immediate erection of the necessary permanent buildings. The requisite money having been voted by the Legislature, the corner-stone was laid July 2, 1851, by His Excellency the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, GovernorGeneral; and in the month of November in the following year the Normal and Model Schools were opened in the buildings which now ornament St. James' Square, and which are described in one of the provincial papers of that date as being "elegant in architectural appearance, commodious in their accommodations, and healthy in their situation." In the year 1858 the Normal School was transferred to the present building and the old apartments applied to the purposes of an Educational Museum and a projected School of Art and Design, which is now the Ontario School of Art.

THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

27

Granting of Certificates.-From the time that the Toronto Normal School was established until the year 1871, all the Normal School Certificates for Teachers in the Province were granted by the Chief Superintendent of Education, upon Examination by the Teaching Staff of the Institute. During that time 3,150 Teachers received Certificates.

Since the year 1871 several changes have been made in the character of the work done in the Normal Schools, and in the Examinations for Certificates. Under the present system the work is in a large degree professional. Only those candidates who have passed the non-professional, or literary, examination, at the different High Schools of the Province, are entitled to enter the Normal Schools.

Sessions.-There are two sessions in each year, and the average attendance at each School is 100 for each session.

Course of Studies.-I. Education: 1. History of Education; 2. Science of Education; 3. Principles and Practice of Teaching; 4. School Organization and School Management. II. English Language and Literature: 1. English Literature. Critical reading of a play of Shakespeare, or the work of some other standard author. 2. Practical English. III. Hygiene. IV. Chemistry. V. Physics: 1. Heat; 2. Light; 3. Electricity. VI. Botany. VII. Zoology. VIII. Drawing. IX. Vocal Music. X. Calisthenics. XI. Military Drill. XII. Method: How to teach the different subjects on the programme for Public Schools. XIII. Practice in Model Schools. EXAMINATION. At the close of each session one of the High School Inspectors, and associates named by the Department, conduct the PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION, which is based on the Course of Studies given above, and on practical teaching in the Model Schools.

The Normal School at Ottawa was opened in 1875, and the Model School in the year 1880. Before the erection of a separate building for the Model School, one of the City Public Schools was used as a school of practice for the Normal School Students. Course of Study is precisely the same in both Schools.

The

The Model Schools.-These are adjuncts to the Normal Schools and are used as Practice Schools for the Teachers-in-training. The Course of Study is in harmony with that of the Public Schools. After the Students in the Normal Schools have observed the methods employed in the Model Schools, and have, in the presence of the Masters, handled classes formed amongst themselves, they are detailed to perform similar work in the Model Schools under the immediate direction and criticism of the regular Teachers. From the Reports emanating from the Head Teachers of these schools, and from those of their assistants in the Normal Schools, the Principals of the Normal Schools frame their Report as to the candidate's qualifications to receive a permanent Certificate of the Second Class.